Live MIDI Quantization

[magicmusic]

Originally Posted by snooks

Yeah, that's an old version there.

That's the way that one's supposed to work, I added a trigger mode to it after that which needs a bit of work that always plays a note of at least the quantize length even if the note-off is received before the note-on is played. But at the moment/back then the idea was that you can cancel notes you accidentally brush against so that unwanted notes aren't played for a full, cringeworthy bar 3.99 beats after you played it (not that that version has note-off quantize anyway).

It's one of these things that people have their ideal ways of it working. But it now has note-off quantize, a trigger mode and the CC mode I talked about. I'm just making it into a VST, partly because VST has access to info that makes the bar thing work with different time sigs.

maybe you can tell reaper developer what you need, and they add soon in JS script the info as a variable. seem not much work. this help also more developer of JS. I see too a problem, how can see in a JS script when the play pointer go to loop start. or when a song is do with the region playlist in SWS. i think reaper should send all midi time linear continues. so when reaper jump from bar 4 to bar 2 then note time is play correct, when bar 5 the note on reach

[snooks]

The playcursor seeking isn't a problem, it's literally just getting the start position of the current bar that is missing for time sigs. Any problem with the cursor jumping around is down to the plugin author (in this case that was/is me).

Anyway, I've uploaded the latest version to here...

https://github.com/Lazzle/ReaMIDI/bl...ive%20Quantize

The trigger mode leaves hanging notes, but is good for a laugh at the moment for drums (set to 1/16th, put a humanize and/or swing plugin after it and go for it like Animal).

There's an issue with retriggering the same note on seek/loop too.

If you want to use the CC learn, the way it works is....

MIDI Link, for example, RS5K's Sample Start Offset to a 14 bit CC (it's 12/44 by default). Then if you have quantize set to a bar and you're triggering a 4 bar loop, set the CC scale to 25%. 1 bar = 100%. Now if "% late tolerance" is greater than 0, if you play late within that percentage of the quantize setting (a bar in this case) it still triggers the loop in time, a little bit into the start.

It has a bit of a retrigger issue to and the whole thing needs a bit of work to perfect it.

[DruMunkey]

Any movement on this? Still jonesing for a solid input quantize method...

[snooks]

Here's a redone JS version that always quantizes note-offs and has the trigger mode which should all be working perfectly (he says).

https://stash.reaper.fm/v/26963/Live%20Quantize

[DruMunkey]

OMG thank you! It's amazing to have quantize AND velocity!

I'm going to add a few other Quantize values. I tried 1/32's and it worked so I imagine adding other things like .'ed or trips will be just a matter of adding more options and doing some division.


*** EDIT *** Something seems to have "broken" with the late %... I set it to 1/4 note... Feed my drums into a MIDI repeater (From Piz), play random rhythm, and I get nice locked in 1/4 notes... but if I move the late % slider off zero, play random rhythm, it's letting notes through that are not locked to 1/4 note... Is that how it's suppose to work? I'm positive I tried it and it still locked to main qtz setting, but now it's not... Ideas?

*******

The late % thing it awesome! I can play pretty loose and it still locks it to next beat. SOOO much better than my NOTE->CC->quantize CC->CC to note bastardization.

I don't understand what Trigger Mode is doing though.. I've tried it on and off, and I've obviously looked at the code, but not getting it.

How much do you want for doing this? Shoot me your PayPal and I'll chip in!

[snooks]

No probs, glad you're enjoying it. I don't want anything but if you want to either punch a seagull in the face or give a feminist a wedgie (or vice versa) then that would be good for karma in the universe.

The Trigger Mode means that even if you flick a note it will always play, whereas with that off, if you release a note before it is played, it will not play.

[DruMunkey]

Originally Posted by snooks

No probs, glad you're enjoying it. I don't want anything but if you want to either punch a seagull in the face or give a feminist a wedgie (or vice versa) then that would be good for karma in the universe.

The Trigger Mode means that even if you flick a note it will always play, whereas with that off, if you release a note before it is played, it will not play.

I'll run out and lunch and try to rustle up a feminist seagull!

Great idea on the trigger mode! That will be my mode of choice!

I'm wondering how hard the math would be to do something like this:

Have a slider that's like a "tolerance"...

Next Bar <1-2---3-4-> Next Beat

Now... Let's assume I'm using 1/8th note quant...

here are some playing examples:

(assume that we're on beat 3 of the measure... i.e. 3rd possible 1/8th note)
A) 1/8 -X-------- 1/8

In this case I just "missed" the 1/8th position. For each of the slider settings:

Slider position 1) As this is all the way to the left, pretty much every hit is going to the next beat or in this case the next 1/8th..
Slider positions 2,3,4) In slider positions #2-4, note X is now within the next bar" range, so don't play the note until beat 3 of NEXT MEASURE

B) 1/8 ---X------ 1/8

Now I'm "early" for next 1/8...

Slider position 1-2) X falls in the Next Beat slot
slider positions 3-4) X falls in the Next Bar slot

See what I'm getting at?

The slider defines a mid-point, and any hits below the midpoint get held until next measure at the appropriate beat (the quantized beat that just "passed"), and any hits above the midpoint will play on the ext quantized beat.

This is really important to make sure loops or sequences or whatever line up, and the theory would be that I'd rather have a loop start a bar late, than be mis-aligned in time.

Right now, I basically need to have a pad dedicated to a really broad quantize band (whole or half notes) to make certain that loops trigger properly when i need them to align to bars as opposed to notes. A range selection that allows a bar delay like this would really help that.

[snooks]

Yes, that seems easy enough. The "% tolerance" slider could be reused with an option to use it to allow late notes (like now) or defer them till the next bar minus the late amount. I'll have a poke around tomorrow.

[DruMunkey]

So a little more testing...

Using the midi repeater again to a 1 bar repeat. Think of it as just a 1 bar looper

I set 1/16 as quant value

Do a roll on a pad to ensure that only the 1/16 notes make it though

I tried it, and end up with a full bar of 1/16 notes... Cool works...

I tried moving the slider and it seems that as long as it's in the 20% range things are fine, but higher than that, notes are no longer lining up to reaper's beats (i.e. prior 1/16 note pattern, metronome, etc.).

Also, at 0% it's almost impossible to get a note to land where it should... Think this may be midi/audio lag/latency related...

So it seems that a setting of like 20% works cool, feels right up to 1/16 notes.

Just weird that over a certain threshold the notes don't quantize... You get flamming which indicates notes not aligned to Reaper's beat grid. Looking at code, I don't notice anything that woudl explain why it works then doesn't over a threshold, but I figured I'd let you know in case it triggers you to go "A HA!"

[snooks]

To test the plugin without any issues surrounding how you have your audio interface setup (I use "Preserve PDC in monitoring" when recording with it as an Input FX (I also need to add a total of 15 samples to the input and output offsets reported by my tablets driver in Prefs->Recording settings)), you should put it in the normal FX bin and set record mode to Record Output: MIDI. You should hopefully see that it's totally sample accurate.

The "% late tolerance" slider allow notes to pass through unquantized up to x% of the quantize value. So if the quantize value is set to 1 bar and % late is set to 50%, then only notes played after beat 3 will be quantized to the next bar. Ones played between beats 1 and 3 will just play exactly where they are.

With the slider at 0%, a note played 1 sample after beat 1 will be delayed until the next quantize bar. So maybe that, together with inaccurate reporting of latency by your driver and/or not using "Preserve PDC..." could explain the issues you are experiencing. Best way to remove those variables is to stick it in the normal FX bin etc though.

[DruMunkey]

Thanks for explaining the slider thing. Now it makes sense why small % are working for me.

[magicmusic]

Originally Posted by snooks

Here's a redone JS version that always quantizes note-offs and has the trigger mode which should all be working perfectly (he says).

https://stash.reaper.fm/v/26963/Live%20Quantize

thanks, for me it work perfect, i test it with some arps and stepsequencer and MUX 7 arp/seq. the note off hold feature is great, so it is possible to press new chord notes before next bar is reach and arp stay always in sync and no gap is hear

[magicmusic]

a small thing i notice now, when low keys are use to switch patterns. because when short press the key to change pattern, it is not recognize and do nothing. there need press and hold all keys at the next bar(when bar is use) so play notes. maybe can add that quantize work only from choosable note upto, so pattern switch keys work as before

[snooks]

That's a good idea, I'll add that to the next version.

[revdrmaru]

It's amazing how many devices seem to lack something really sensible, and important. Or, if they have the feature, it's hard to figure out how to use it.

I'm trying to change the patterns in sequencer megababy so they change on the beat, not in the middle, or near the end, but right on the beat.

I don't know, maybe it's just me, but this seems to me to be a fundamental requirement of any sequencer.

I started exploring Sequencer megababy after spending the whole day trying to figure out Akai MPC Essentials sequencer, which I gave up on, because it's just buggy in so many ways. (If I play a note, it records it, but if I play another note again, it just makes one long note between them, for starters. It also only plays through my Macs built in speakers while in stand alone mode, but not through my aggregate device.) But it will change patterns on the beat.

The quantize plugin allows me to change patterns on the beat - problem solved, I thought. But any knob I turn on my controller to change the tone of what ever I'm sequencing also gets quantized.

My goal is to have the patterns play, and while they play, adjust the various sound changing parameters on the plugin synth, and occasionally change the pattern - on the beat.

Am I wrong, or is this a pretty basic desire?

I've spent all night searching these forums for something that will tell me how to do this, this is the first thread I've found that even begins to address it.

It's 6 am. I've been trying to write music for nearly 14 hours. But all I've done is deal with buggy software, horrible instruction manuals. No music has been written, again, because of this.

Don't get me started on live loopers.

Thank you

[mccrabney]

writing bad software is probably harder than writing good music, so there you go

[snooks]

Yeah, I see a bug in there.. I've removed the file for now - it'll appear in a different form somewhere else soon.

[magicmusic]

Have you a new version ?.

I have add range feature, because i need it in ample guitar. if the chord change keys are not quantize work better. in msg23 can see what note number it is, if you press key on keyboard.

But nice is if there is a function that exist somewhwere and can easy add, that have a graphical keyboard and let choose the key range.

[Mudchild]

Hey, any news on this? I could actually do with accessing the old version, as it was working a treat for my purposes... would it be possible to obtain?

[okarowarrior]

Originally Posted by snooks

Yeah, I see a bug in there.. I've removed the file for now - it'll appear in a different form somewhere else soon.

Why did you take it down from reaper resource repository? Where can i find your plugin, good man?

[Regisfofo]

May I bump this FR...

It would be really neat to have the ability to postpone midi notes until the next bar or next grid subdivision. For example with super8looper, that could give ability to sync easily several instances.

I'm testing a workaround with that jsfx :https://forum.cockos.com/showpost.ph...8&postcount=30
Or using megababy.

Of course it would surely be neater and more powerfull if natively done.

[brk303]

Bumping this again, Snooks plugin doesn't exist in Reaper stash any more.
Any of you guys found a reliable working solution for live quantization ?

[daniellumertz]

I would like very much this! Would solve a problem with sync and rewire that I have! Maybe in reaper 6 we have live quantizing monitoring ?

[mccrabney]

check this out:

https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=179586

[brk303]

Originally Posted by mccrabney

check this out:

https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=179586

Thanks !!!
That one seems quite good, testing now.

[daniellumertz]

Originally Posted by mccrabney

check this out:

https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=179586

Well this quantize but it adds the note repeat function, also have some bugs playing multiple notes (some doesn't go off )

or am I missing something?

EDIT: USING the jsfx posted by Regisfofo of GianniMIDI worked here! thanks! this should be in reaper native The only problem is that the plugin counts from where the playback starts not using reaper native grid. The plugin can also be edited to quantize in bigger values like 128 1024

[brummbear]

just modded an old jsfx that I had lying around - probably the one that @snooks posted some years ago? Anyway, my version comes with a couple of improvements that I needed for a live looping setup (see comments in the source code). It is still a basic effect but works reliably for me now.

Quite handy to e.g. trigger loops, recording and other stuff relative to Reaper's time line. Probably also useful for those who want to live quantize drums or arps.

I'm sharing it here: https://stash.reaper.fm/v/46375/Live...umbear%29.jsfx

Together with the live quantize another plugin is sometimes handy: MIDI Delay, e.g. when you want to trigger something that should happen exactly x bars after a quantized input event. The stock MIDI Delay is great for this. I added whole bars as an additional choice and allow negative time delays. The latter is sometimes needed in conjunction with let's say a 1 bar delay (minus 50ms) if another plugin requires a few ms to process the MIDI input. It's here: https://stash.reaper.fm/v/46385/midi...umbear%29.jsfx

[MEZ]

Dude, amazing. I'm still using this plugin to this day.
I've just grabbed your version.

It's nice to know others are in need of this feature in Reaper. There are dozens of us!

[dub tree]

Originally Posted by brummbear

just modded an old jsfx that I had lying around - probably the one that @snooks posted some years ago? Anyway, my version comes with a couple of improvements that I needed for a live looping setup (see comments in the source code). It is still a basic effect but works reliably for me now.

Quite handy to e.g. trigger loops, recording and other stuff relative to Reaper's time line. Probably also useful for those who want to live quantize drums or arps.

I'm sharing it here: https://stash.reaper.fm/v/46375/Live...umbear%29.jsfx

Together with the live quantize another plugin is sometimes handy: MIDI Delay, e.g. when you want to trigger something that should happen exactly x bars after a quantized input event. The stock MIDI Delay is great for this. I added whole bars as an additional choice and allow negative time delays. The latter is sometimes needed in conjunction with let's say a 1 bar delay (minus 50ms) if another plugin requires a few ms to process the MIDI input. It's here: https://stash.reaper.fm/v/46385/midi...umbear%29.jsfx

WOW! Thank you so much for this. It's *exactly* what I've been missing for live use!

[robotron]

Originally Posted by brummbear

just modded an old jsfx that I had lying around - probably the one that @snooks posted some years ago? Anyway, my version comes with a couple of improvements that I needed for a live looping setup (see comments in the source code). It is still a basic effect but works reliably for me now.

Quite handy to e.g. trigger loops, recording and other stuff relative to Reaper's time line. Probably also useful for those who want to live quantize drums or arps.

I'm sharing it here: https://stash.reaper.fm/v/46375/Live...umbear%29.jsfx

Together with the live quantize another plugin is sometimes handy: MIDI Delay, e.g. when you want to trigger something that should happen exactly x bars after a quantized input event. The stock MIDI Delay is great for this. I added whole bars as an additional choice and allow negative time delays. The latter is sometimes needed in conjunction with let's say a 1 bar delay (minus 50ms) if another plugin requires a few ms to process the MIDI input. It's here: https://stash.reaper.fm/v/46385/midi...umbear%29.jsfx

This is great, thanks! Any chance of adding 1/32 as a grid option?

[brummbear]

Originally Posted by robotron

This is great, thanks! Any chance of adding 1/32 as a grid option?

you can simply edit the jsfx to your liking. The below for an added 1/32 option.

slider1:0<0,5,1{Bar,1/2 Note,1/4 Note,1/8 Note,1/16 Note,1/32 Note}>Quantize Grid 

@init 
Q_132=0.125;Q_116=0.25; Q_18=0.5; Q_14=1; Q_12=2; Q_BAR=4; // all relative to quarter notes!

function setQuantizeSamples()(
  slider1==0 ? q=Q_BAR;
  slider1==1 ? q=Q_12;
  slider1==2 ? q=Q_14;
  slider1==3 ? q=Q_18;
  slider1==4 ? q=Q_116;
  slider1==5 ? q=Q_132;
);