Software sequencer with finer resolution quantize than 32nd note triplets?

The Lounge Other Gear
1

Hi all,
So, I’ve been experimenting a lot over the last year with Steve Reich style tape loops, but in midi rather than audio, using Ableton (v.10). In Ableton the finest resolution quantize is 32nd note triplets (48 notes in a bar of 4/4). Of course I can turn the grid-snap off in the piano edit view, but quantizing is kinda important to me for this kind of music. I could also run loops at double speed to halve the resolution, but trying to keep on top of the math/s with multiple tracks is tricky! Anyone know of any sequencers which can quantize at a higher resolution than 32nd note triplets?

I’m on Windows 10, 64-bit.

Cheers!

Edit: Realised I didn’t explain that it’s not the notes I need fine quantize resolution for, it’s the loop lengths. :slight_smile:

2

From what I understand, Reaper will go to 1/64th note but I’m not in front of it so I can’t verify. I cannot recall seeing anything with a quantize resolution more fine than that.

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3

Can you explain the use case a bit more because I don’t understand what you want to do.

4

Reason can go as high as 128th notes and has a lot of great native MIDI processing tools.

Reason - Grid Resolution

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5

I think the best way I can explain is to give a couple of examples:

Hope it makes a bit more sense now.

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6

I was looking at Reason earlier in the week about something else actually. I used to use it back in v.2.5 to 3.5. Interesting.

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7

I had stopped at Reason 10 because I had just moved to hardware and wasn’t really touching DAWs at all. There was finally an upgrade discount a couple of months ago to go to Reason 11 and be upgraded to Reason 12 which came out on September 1st. I am going to upgrade my installation when I get home.

Reason has always been a lot of fun to use. I really enjoy the creative output that came from Reason and might start noodling with it again as things get cooler outside over the coming months.

I never did use the arranger. I still only use Session View in Ableton as well. The arranger in Reason looks really powerful though. Loads of great features! I’m eager to see everything in high resolution after all of these years.

8

ableton live’s grid goes to 1/16384

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9

But it’s not quantized past 32nd note triplets, i,e., the finest snap-to-grid is 1/48th of a bar in 4/4.

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10

are you talking about the quantize pop-up window?

Screenshot 2021-09-03 at 17.18.27
Screenshot 2021-09-03 at 17.18.27732×548 38.1 KB

11

I’m 99% sure you can achieve this with m4l.

12

I wasn’t thinking of the quantize window, but that on;y goes to 32nd notes. I was meaning dragging notes / loop markers around in the piano roll editor.

13

Ah, not delved into M4L yet. I’ll do some research.

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14

have you adjusted the grid with cmd+1/2 ?
will be a different key on win - alt+1/2 maybe?

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15

I’ve adjusted the grid to 128ths, which I think is the max resolution, but there’s no snap-to-grid past 32nd note triplets.

I can’t find the PC equivalent of that key combo, but I think right click + select grid resolution does the same…?

16

It’s Ctrl 1/2. You can faintly see the grid lines appear/disappear when in Arrangement mode. And yes, it’s the same as right-clicking to set the grid.

Edit: Also in the Clip Edit mode in the bottom pane.

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17

Here’s a proof of concept m4l device that will let you control the loop length of first clip of first track (MIDI).
Not sure about the actual accuracy, but seems to be really good. Loop length is expressed in beats.
loop_end control.amxd (4.4 KB)

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18

I think I didn’t notice the grid lines changing due to the colours (or lack of) of the Ableton skin I’m using.

But still, no snap-to-grid finer than 48 per bar.

[sigh]

19

Thank you! I’ll try and look at it this weekend.

20

You can use Ctrl-U to snap to the closest grid. :slight_smile:

Set your grid accordingly, move your event close to where you want it, then highlight it and use Ctrl-U

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