---
description: How is the range of visible beats and pitches determined?
---

# Visible area

The area of pitches and beats that is displayed in the editor is usually automatically set and adjusted whenever necessary. However, you can also set the visible area manually to almost any range that you want.

This article contains the overview of the two display modes, how to navigate in each of them is explained in the next article: [navigation](navigation).

## Display modes

There are 2 main display modes in the main editor: automatic line display mode & semi-manual free display mode.&#x20;

You can check the mode you are in by looking at the left side of the [_lyrics displayer_](../lyrics-displayer)_._ If you can see some line number on the left side (highlighted in the picture below) - you are in the line mode, otherwise you are in free mode.

<figure><img src="https://2464591649-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FWYWuwgmUrVIBcYKbiiso%2Fuploads%2FithFzHIx2xjpWgtXLQKO%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=dcd67454-6852-4afa-a464-5d875e84358b" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Line display mode

In the line display mode the range of the visible pitches and beats is automatically adjusted to the notes in the current active line:

<figure><img src="https://2464591649-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FWYWuwgmUrVIBcYKbiiso%2Fuploads%2Fi0nfpEgcNd6I1XpUTn4M%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=f2d38f16-7133-4fa9-9e03-3a8da9556b23" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

If we change the pitches, positions or lengths of some notes, the area will be automatically adjusted so that all of the notes from the active line are fully visible:

<figure><img src="https://2464591649-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FWYWuwgmUrVIBcYKbiiso%2Fuploads%2FLbxj0hE1KnjTh0GOlcoU%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=2c69ad92-3c83-46cb-b0da-b247af93bc83" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Free display mode

In the free mode the range of visible pitches and beats is set by you so it is possible for the notes to be partially visible:

<figure><img src="https://2464591649-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FWYWuwgmUrVIBcYKbiiso%2Fuploads%2FJmVhshHxRWhtbCuKIRWQ%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=31190a2f-04f1-4978-af2f-d683988b22d9" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Information on how to navigate in both modes can be found in the next article.

## Switching the mode

The mode is changed from line to free when you:

* select notes from multiple lines,
* manually increase or move the visible area.

The mode is changed from free to line when you:

* select a line by clicking on its representation on the [_fillbar_](../song-fillbar)_,_
* click on line lyrics in the [_lyrics editor_](../../upper-components/lyrics-editor),
* go to the previous/next line (using mouse wheel or up/down arrows).

## Playback vs visible area

Regardless of the mode, if you execute audio [_playback_](../../playback)_,_ the visible area will be expanded to include all notes that are in the playback range.
