1.2.7. Measure Node
The Measure is a container for Voice nodes.
Measures do not have a set capacity in MAIDENS. They have a nominal capacity — either given or inherited — and can accommodate any duration. Each one of the contained Voices can be either full, underfull or overfull, based on whether their duration respectively matches, is less than, or is more than the measure's nominal capacity.
When a Measure contains Voices of uneven length:
- the largest overfull Voice, if any, sets the Measure's new nominal capacity;
- any underfull Voice is right padded with ghost rests: they cannot be selected or edited directly, and do not count when shrinking a measure. On screen, they display as semi-transparent, but they print and playback normally.
Note: When an overfull Voice sets a Measure's nominal capacity to a higher value, the displayed time signature, if any, does not change.
Measures transcend Parts: in a strings quartet, deleting the "measure 32" of the Cello also deletes the "measure 32" of the Viola and Violins.
In the Editor you can set the measure's Bar type and Time signature (ranges from 1/32 to 16/1 and defaults to 4/4). You can also decide not to Set explicit time signature for a Measure (the default), which will have the measure inherit the most recent time signature set, or silently assume 4/4 if no time signature was ever set.
Note: currently, changing the time signature of a non-empty measure does not rebar existing music.
