Quantizing MIDI Drum Performance

[Zergei72]

So ...

I have a snare drum - track consisting lots of random velocity / timing ghost-notes .

Now what's the best / easiest way to quantize to a constant grid, but to still retain the "feel" ... say, I'd like to quantize 8th-beats and 16th-beats to a grid,
but leave the ghost-note data untouched .

NON-Sense .. ???

- zergei W -

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by Zergei72

So ...

I have a snare drum - track consisting lots of random velocity / timing ghost-notes .

Now what's the best / easiest way to quantize to a constant grid, but to still retain the "feel" ... say, I'd like to quantize 8th-beats and 16th-beats to a grid,
but leave the ghost-note data untouched .

NON-Sense .. ???

- zergei W -

Don't think you can do it. You'd need a quantization method that also has velocity range settings as a parameter. Besides why would you want to only move the 8ths & 16ths but not the ghost notes? If you do that the timing will sound horrid (drums is one of the many instruments I play).

My solution: next time have your drummer play to a click

[albee1952]

One way to select MINUS the ghost notes is to open the lane for velocity and expand it vertically(so there is a big spread between hard and soft hits). The ghost notes will be down near the bottom so you can grab around everything above a certain velocity, and quantize that selection(in notes view). All the ghost notes should stay put

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by albee1952

One way to select MINUS the ghost notes is to open the lane for velocity and expand it vertically(so there is a big spread between hard and soft hits). The ghost notes will be down near the bottom so you can grab around everything above a certain velocity, and quantize that selection(in notes view). All the ghost notes should stay put

Okay but it will still sound awful timing wise.

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by musicman691

Okay but it will still sound awful timing wise.

Well, I agree that it might, depending on how much off the grid the original sits. But, the OP then could grab the ghost notes and drag them manually. Otherwise, select a quantize setting that makes sense for the notes, but be prepared to do lots of manual fixing after the quantize is done. The other option, IF the drum performance sounds okay by itself, would be to adapt the music to fit the drums(lots of Elastic Audio or Beat Detective work). Or delete the ghost notes No matter what, there is likely to be some compromises.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by albee1952

Well, I agree that it might, depending on how much off the grid the original sits. But, the OP then then grab the ghost notes and drag them manually. Otherwise, select a quantize setting that makes sense for the notes, but be prepared to do lots of manual fixing after the quantize is done. The other option, IF the drum performance sounds okay by itself, would be to adapt the music to fit the drums(lots of Elastic Audio or Beat Detective work). Or delete the ghost notes No matter what, there is likely to be some compromises.

True either way - lots of work.

What I'm trying to wrap my head around is why, unless the original drum performance is really far off the grid is why the need to quantize anyway? Unless it's something like mathcore (think Meshuggah) or one of the EDM types (where you wouldn't use acoustic drums anyways) any style that a drummer would legitimately play ghost notes in would not lend itself to quantization. Even some of the prog rock guys like Neil Peart play ghost notes in their drumming and they don't quantize. They may play to a click but they also will push and pull the beat around that click and if you took that out the performance would sound lifeless.

Another thing to keep in mind is the drums aren't alone in a composition - you also have the bass player's performance to keep in mind. There's a reason it's called a 'rhythm section' - they work together to create the beat.

[albee1952]

All good points^^^ One way or another, I bet it ends up being a great learning experience

[simon.a.billington]

You I agree that quantising the main beats but leaving the ghosts may not work as desired.

However, simply not hard quantising can do wonders for the track. Maybe you only want to tighten it 35% or maybe 70% for a stronger effect, but still retaining the "groove". Maybe 42% is good enough for th most part, not too lose, not too tight, except for a few stray notes, well you can dive right in and line up those notes manually until it feels right.

At least this is how I would recommend doing it. I find that it delivers the best results.