Slurs trigger the legato playing technique in playback. By default, this increases the length of the MIDI notes without affecting the notation of the music.
Slurred notes sound for 105% of the length indicated by their notated rhythm, as opposed to non-slurred notes which sound for 95% of their notated rhythm.
The final note of a slur sounds for 95% of its notated rhythm, as there is no slur after it and the legato technique is no longer required.
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You can change the default values for the sounding duration of slurred notes on the Timing page in Playback Options.
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You can enable independent voice playback for individual instruments to hear different sounds in different voices simultaneously; for example, if you have slurs in one voice and staccatos in another voice.
The example shows how MIDI note length, indicated by the filled, light-colored rectangles, is increased when slurs are used. The thin, darker rod shows the notated duration of each note. The first three notes are non-slurred, so the MIDI length rectangle is shorter than the line of the notated rhythm. The last four notes are slurred together, so the MIDI length is longer than the notated length in order to create the legato, slurred sound. However, the last note of the slurred group is not longer, as the last note of a slurred phrase is treated like a normal, non-slurred note.