Quantize

Quantize

Quantize is a means of adjusting the position of a note after it's been entered in a part. You can adjust by Quantize in the Performer, and the various types of quantize in OOM can be found in the Functions menu.

Over Quantize

Over Quantize moves notes to snap grid, keeping their length value, but also tries to detect chords, and keeps them together, with the notes maintaining their position in relation to each other.

Note-On Quantize

Note-on Quantize will move a note to a grid, maintaining it's length, in other words, it quantizes using the note on position of the note to calculate to a snap grid.

Note-on/Note-off Quantize

This quantize type will not only move a note to a grid for the note on position, but will also change the length of a note to match a snap grid size, so it quantizes both the start and finish of a note to a snap grid size.

Iterative Quantize

Iterative Quantize allows the user to move a note by increments, the value of which is set in the dialog Config Quantize . Here the user can define a percentage value for Iterative Quantize, which each time it is applied, will move to the note for that percentage value towards a snap grid. A quick example is, the user sets the quantize value to 50%. When he applies Iterative Quantize, the note will move halfway towards the nearest snap grid. In OOM there are 2 additional values that can be used. The Don't Quantize above a defined tick value spinbox, and a checkbox with which the user can decide whether to adjust the length of a note as well.

User Tips.

Quantize is a useful tool, and like most tools, the old adage of "less is more" is best applied to quantizing your work. If everything is exactly quantized to grid in your piece, and your sample lib or synth obeys precise tick values for note on and off, with notes starting immediately on the note on tick value, then your piece will sound mechanical. (and if this is your aim, then quantize is indeed your friend) Experienced users will know that there are few sample libs that sound exactly and precisely for note on, with variations in recorded samples for attack, decay, triggered releases for note offs, and so on. It's often the case that drum samples, to use an example, use quite a wide variety of attacks, and the start of a triggered wav doesn't always mean the sound will start immediately, or conversely, may indeed start straight away, and yet somehow sound "too early" in the timeline.

The user should, when quantizing, not accept by default that a snap grid quantized midi note triggering a recorded wav will start exactly "on the beat", or where the visual midi note in the PR of any DAW tells them it will trigger. However slight the difference, some further adjustment may be required to enhance the perception of a "real" performance, even if it means making midi note positioning in general a bit "messy" or less accurate in snap grid timeline position.