vertical snapping in automation envelopes

[JamesO512]

It would be wonderful to have vertical snapping in automation envelopes! Ideally, one would be able to control the number of vertical divisions (horizontal lines) and then have an option to snap to them, the option to enable this being separate from the normal time-snapping.

I routinely find myself wanting to use automation envelopes to bend notes in a smooth fashion to land on a very specific value, automating such things as the master tuning control of a synth, the tuning of one oscillator, and so on. Without the option to snap vertically, this can be very tedious, sometimes requiring using a calculator and then manually entering the desired value. It would save lots of time and tedium to be able to snap. Currently, it is so tedious that I often hesitate to try many creative things that come to mind.

Just today, I was automating pitch changes like this in a synth whose master tuning control ranges from -12.5 semitones to +12.5 semitones. To perform vertical snapping in automation envelopes for note-bending in this synth would require being able to set the range of vertical values from -12.5 to 12.5 and then snapping to some increment, perhaps half a semitone. It would be nice to be able to set both the range and the snapping increment.

Other applications for such a feature might be such things as automating rate changes in an LFO, with increments set at values corresponding to time divisions. I've had occasion to want to smoothly change such a rate and have the rate land exactly on something like 16th notes, and then smoothly change to 32nd notes, and so on.

I am sure there are many other uses for such a feature that I am not imagining!

I would be incredibly grateful if such a feature would be added! I am sure many others would be glad for such a feature as well! It would make an already powerful DAW much more powerful!

It would be very nice to have the same feature in the CC lane in the MIDI editor as well!

[deeb]

what do you think of this one? : "req: Modifier for CC and Envelopes to Snap to Nearby Points"
https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=226794

and this one? : "Param Anchor points for envelope lane and osc/midi learn and mod"
https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=225652

[JamesO512]

Hi deeb!

Your ideas look fairly similar. I think we can agree that some kind of vertical snapping, guides, anchors (as you suggest), and so on, would be extremely useful!

I did some searching earlier and found that Cakewalk apparently has vertical snapping for automation envelopes. And it is free now, so I am installing it right now to check it out.

[JamesO512]

I tried Cakewalk for a while. The vertical snapping there isn't at all what I was looking for. It only snaps vertically to the value of the previous point or to the two previous horizontal line segments.

I can't believe how much harder to use Cakewalk is in general than Reaper!

[deeb]

Originally Posted by JamesO512

I tried Cakewalk for a while. The vertical snapping there isn't at all what I was looking for. It only snaps vertically to the value of the previous point or to the two previous horizontal line segments.

I can't believe how much harder to use Cakewalk is in general than Reaper!

Cakewalk way of dealing would be already very useful, but snap to nearby values would be Imo better. The anchor points would be maybe too much? Maybe not

[tpunk]

I felt stressed because I couldn't snap to the appropriate scale.

Studio One could easily snap in semitones, but REAPER had a hard time not being able to.

The item envelope seems to be able to snap in semitones easily, so if you can make similar semitone snaps to the track envelope and CC lane envelope, even beginners like me will be able to work easily and actively. I think that is possible, and it was so in Studio One.

I love the flexibility and evolution of REAPER.
Even though I recommend REAPER to my friend who uses Studio One, it is sad that there are some things that I can't turn around because of these small things.

[tpunk]

If you can't do something like a piano roll envelope for the time being, JamesO512's “Ideally, one would be able to control the number of vertical divisions (horizontal lines) and then have an option to snap to them, the option I fully agree with the statement "to enable this being separate from the normal time-snapping."

[J Reverb]

Doesn't seem to be behaving itself when it comes to pitch lane in CC but to be honest I don't use CC for automation unless it's specific events so probably gonna give that a miss.
There are however scripts that increase/decrease values and time for envelope points already if you want to tweak stuff. I do have a script that does cents but rarely use it as the ear is the best tool and prefer to adjust the osc on the synth for detune.
Hope this finds you well.
J.

Edit.. I would use 'wwcdgm' script (posted above) for midi editor Pitch solution and work from there. It's a good way to do it if you change the curves to suit. Personally I prefer everything in view at all times. Good luck

[tpunk]

I'll do my best with my ears as you said.

However, this is sometimes a difficult feature, so it is a desired feature.

Thank you for telling me variously.

[JamesO512]

Somehow, I never got around to thanking some of you for your scripts. Shame on me! I just now tried them and they are very helpful!

I really wish Cockos would add a vertical snapping feature to automation envelopes, but in the meantime, your scripts give a better way than what I was doing previously!

Originally Posted by wwcdgm

You can try this semitone script.

Thank you!

Originally Posted by J Reverb

2 Lua scripts

Thank you!

[ArtemiHo]

wow, that feature would be useul to be honest