Helpful Reply"Beautify" function to align all notes on the grid

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Subsurf
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2011/06/21 17:27:35 (permalink)

"Beautify" function to align all notes on the grid

Hi all,

maybe I'm just blind or so, but I can't find a function to "beautify" notes I recorded with my MIDI keyboard.

I hit the beat pretty well but it's still not perfect and since I'm working on something like a techno song, I want the notes to be exactly on the beat.
It's quite much work to realign all the notes manually, so what I'm looking for is a function to snap a bunch of selected notes to the grid.

Does Sonar X1 have such function?
#1
JoshWolfer
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Re:"Beautify" function to align all notes on the grid 2011/06/21 17:55:34 (permalink) ☄ Helpful
The technical term to Beautify means to Quantize. 

There are a few ways to do it. I always select the notes I want to quantize, right click and choose quantize. 

I think there is an auto quantize in the midi track settings and there's a midi effect for it too, I believe. But I just do everything manually.

I recommend being careful though. If it doesn't sound sloppy, I wouldn't mess with it. Being human is a nice touch, unless you're specifically looking for a robot feel to it all.

Josh Wolfer - Big Dumb Monkey Productions - www.bigdumbmonkey.com (Twitter @bigdumbmonkeyp)
Sonar 8.5.3 / X1b :: 2.8 Ghz core i7 :: 8GB ram :: V-Studio 700 C+R :: Maudio Profire 2626 (ADAT lightpipe into Vstudio)

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sykodelic
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Re:"Beautify" function to align all notes on the grid 2011/06/21 18:08:31 (permalink) ☄ Helpful
I write mostly dance music myself and like josh said there are a few ways to go about this.  You can use input quantize which is the easiest.  highlight your midi track, hit I which will bring up the inspector.  from there you will see all the options for setting it up...  You can also highlight the clip after recording - hit Q - to bring up quantize menu.

I totally agree with josh though about the quantizing sounding to robotic and sucking the goove right out of a performance even in dance music.  My two suggestions for this are when input quantizing.  On the drop down menu where you select value(1/4,1/2,etc) choose quantize settings- put in the value you want quantize to, uncheck the duration box, and then set the quantize strength to around 90%.  This will tighten everything up but will not sound as robotic.  Mess around with the strength setting till you get the results your after.  I also go in and manually change the note lengths in the piano roll view which can help funk things up a little.  You can use these same techniques when you quantize after recording also.

Hope that helps!
post edited by sykodelic - 2011/06/21 18:10:26

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Seth Perlstein [Cakewalk]
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Re:"Beautify" function to align all notes on the grid 2011/06/21 18:43:02 (permalink) ☄ Helpful
Indeed, Quantize is what you're looking for. The shortcut 'Q' will bring up the Quantize menu. Shift + Q brings up the Input Quantize menu. And Ctrl + Q toggles Input Quantize on and off. 

Input Quantize will automatically quantize MIDI as you are recording it while the regular Quantize just does it after the fact. 

Input Quantize, though, has two levels of undo. The first undo gets rid of the quantization, and the second undo gets rid of the recorded notes. That way you have ultimate flexibility with Input Quantize. 
 
SP


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gwp99
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Re:"Beautify" function to align all notes on the grid 2011/06/21 18:47:59 (permalink)
Subsurf


 a function to "beautify" notes I recorded with my MIDI keyboard.   

I am curious as to which DAW you got this term from...

  X1E-64bit, Windows 7 64-bit, Sonica Labs Hush QT- Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700 2.66G, 8GB  RAM, RME Fireface UFX (using Firewire), 3 eSata internal/many external hdd's    
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sykodelic
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Re:"Beautify" function to align all notes on the grid 2011/06/21 19:09:01 (permalink)
gwp99


Subsurf


a function to "beautify" notes I recorded with my MIDI keyboard.   

I am curious as to which DAW you got this term from...
 
 
Me too I was hoping it was some cool feature I didn't know about that would make my tracks sound more beautiful.....


Asus P8P67 pro, I7 2600K, 8G Kingston Hyperflex, 2 1T WD Caviar Black(sytem,audio), 2T WD Caviar Black(samples), RME Multiface, Roland A500 Pro, Windows 7 Ultimate 64, Sonar X1C, Ableton Live 8, Reason 6, Komplete 7, DCAM Synth Squad, Omnisphere, Stylus RMX, Trillian
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BlixYZ
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Re:"Beautify" function to align all notes on the grid 2011/06/21 19:30:28 (permalink)
lol.

hey everybody, dont forget that the quuantize plugin is NON destructive and does not have to be set to 100%.  i quantiize frequently but rarely tto 100%.
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MoodyB
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Re:"Beautify" function to align all notes on the grid 2011/06/21 19:30:48 (permalink)
sykodelic

 
Me too I was hoping it was some cool feature I didn't know about that would make my tracks sound more beautiful.....

Ctrl + a, then 'del' works well for me. My ears are happier after doing this too...
#8
...wicked
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Re:"Beautify" function to align all notes on the grid 2011/06/21 19:33:48 (permalink)
I hear ya, I want to lobby the industry to change "quantize" to "beautify" all-around!

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#9
Dave Modisette
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Re:"Beautify" function to align all notes on the grid 2011/06/21 20:24:20 (permalink)
I would like a "beautify" feature for my forum avatars. 

Dave Modisette ... rocks a Purrrfect Audio Studio Pro rig.

http://www.gatortraks.com 
My music.
... And of course, the Facebook page. 
#10
gwp99
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Re:"Beautify" function to align all notes on the grid 2011/06/21 23:27:27 (permalink)
Mod Bod


I would like a "beautify" feature for my forum avatars. 


you might have to upgrade to the Pro version, as I've seen your Avatar   (just kidding)



  X1E-64bit, Windows 7 64-bit, Sonica Labs Hush QT- Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700 2.66G, 8GB  RAM, RME Fireface UFX (using Firewire), 3 eSata internal/many external hdd's    
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noguru
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Re:"Beautify" function to align all notes on the grid 2011/06/22 09:55:27 (permalink)
Mod Bod


I would like a "beautify" feature for my forum avatars. 


I like your Bruce Cockburn avatar.  :)

peace,
terry

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#12
Subsurf
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Re:"Beautify" function to align all notes on the grid 2011/06/22 12:02:41 (permalink)
The term comes from my source code editor. Many source code editors offer the ability to beautify the code. "Beautifying" in this context means indenting all lines belonging to the same block of code equally, aligning brackets correctly, adding whitespace after keywords and whatever makes the code more readable and more consistent.

I didn't know the correct term for what I was looking for so I thought it would fit best.

Thanks for the tips, I will try the quantize function.

#13
Dave Modisette
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Re:"Beautify" function to align all notes on the grid 2011/06/22 12:48:46 (permalink)
gwp99


Mod Bod


I would like a "beautify" feature for my forum avatars. 


you might have to upgrade to the Pro version, as I've seen your Avatar   (just kidding)


LOL. 

Dave Modisette ... rocks a Purrrfect Audio Studio Pro rig.

http://www.gatortraks.com 
My music.
... And of course, the Facebook page. 
#14
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