When you’re editing MIDI data in Pro Tools, you may want to audition changes to certain properties very quickly. MIDI Real-Time Properties allows you to make adjustments to MIDI data quickly by applying changes in real time without altering the original performance.
While the MIDI Editor provides complete control over every minute detail of your MIDI data, you may want to explore faster options for editing the parameters of your MIDI data. Instead of selecting all your MIDI events, navigating to Event Operations, then applying desired changes to your data, MIDI Real-Time Properties allows you to make the same changes in real-time, improving your workflow and efficiency. This allows you to experiment with different quantization values, durations, velocity values, etc., as your MIDI data plays back. Furthermore, changes you make to these parameters can be modified without affecting the original MIDI data.
There are two ways we can look at MIDI Real-Time Properties in Pro Tools:
- Using the Real-Time Properties View
- Using the Real-Time Properties Floating Window
Both options allow control over the same parameters but differ in how those parameters affect tracks vs. clips. The Real-Time Properties view in the Edit window applies changes to whole tracks. If you want to apply Real-Time Properties to individual clips, you will need to use the Real-Time Properties floating window. Let’s start by looking at the Real-Time Properties View.
Real-Time Properties View
To enable the MIDI Real-Time Properties View in the Edit window, select View > Edit Window Views > Real-Time Properties
Or click on the Edit Window View Selector and select Real-Time Properties from the pop-up menu.
Once selected, a column displaying Real-Time Properties will appear at the head of the tracks display in the Edit window.
There are five different MIDI properties that can be enabled using Real-Time Properties: Quantization, Duration, Delay, Velocity, an Transpose.
QUA -“ Quantization. Quantizes the MIDI data, ensuring that the beginning of each note snaps to the designated note value (whole note, quarter note, eighth note, etc.)
DUR -“ Duration. Determines the duration, or length, of every MIDI note event.
DLY -“ Delay. Delays the playback of the MIDI data by a designated amount of time. This is not to be confused with an audio delay effect, which produces an echo sound. This property simply shifts the playback of every MIDI note event. This can also be used to advance the MIDI data, shifting it so it plays earlier rather than later.
VEL -“ Velocity. Alters the velocity values, or dynamic playback, of a MIDI performance. Instead of adjusting fixed velocity values, this option can compress or expand the velocity data centered around the center of the velocity range (64). A setting of 100% will leave your MIDI playback unchanged, a setting under 100% will compress the dynamic range, and a setting over 100% will expand dynamics. I recommend experimenting with these settings to get an idea of how it affects playback.
TRN -“ Transpose. Can pitch MIDI notes up or down by octaves or semitones.
To enable a Real-Time Property, simply click on its button at the head of a track. It will turn green when enabled, and the adjustable parameters will be displayed. To disable a Property, click it again and your MIDI data will revert to its original playback.
Real-Time Properties Floating Window
While the Real-Time Properties View applies changes to whole tracks, the Real-Time Properties Floating Window allows you to apply Real-Time Properties to selected tracks or to specific clips. In addition, the Real-Time Properties Floating Window allows you to adjust some extra parameters.
To open the Real-Time Properties Floating Window, select Event > MIDI Real-Time Properties. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Option+4 on the numeric keypad.
At the top of the window, notice we can select whether we want to apply MIDI property adjustments to the entire selected track or just to the selected clip.
In the Real-Time Properties Floating Window, Quantize, Duration, and Velocity each provide an expand/collapse triangle to show or hide additional settings. For example, the Quantize option provides the following parameters to adjust: Tuplet, Offset, Strength, Include, and Random. Clicking the triangle once expands the view; clicking a second time collapses the view.
Expanded Quantize Options
Expanded Quantize Options are available only in the floating Real-Time Properties window. They allow you to make more complex Quantize changes to the timing of the performance. You can access these options by clicking the expand/collapse triangle.
- Tuplet: Quantizes irregular note groupings such as Triplets, or Quintuplets.
- Offset: Allows you to offset the timing by a specified number of Ticks. You can enter a value between -2000 and 2000 to achieve a Pushed, or Laid-Back feel
- Strength: Moves the notes toward the Quantize Grid, or preserves their original timing. 100% moves the notes exactly on the Grid, 0% doesn't move the notes at all. 50% moves the notes half-way from their original timing to the Quantize Grid
- Include: Quantizes only notes that fall within a specified range of the Quantize Grid
- Random: Causes notes to be moved randomly forward or back in time (after quantizing). You can enter a value from 0 to 100
Another great feature of the floating Real-Time Properties window is the ability to Clear Clip Properties and start over. If you realize you don't like the direction you are headed, simply clear the properties to begin again.
Once you are happy with the changes you’ve made to the Real-Time Property settings, you can use the "Write to Clip" option to commit your changes to the MIDI clip. This will make the changes permanent to the MIDI data.
Editing using MIDI Real-Time Properties is an efficient way to hear changes to your MIDI data in real-time while preserving the original performance. If you find yourself spending a lot of time changing quantization settings in the MIDI Editor, for example, you will benefit from making those same changes via MIDI Real-Time Properties to hear how they sound before committing.
Alex Thomen
Author: Alex Thomen
Composer / Arranger / Pro Audio Instructor
ProMedia Training, LLC
www.protoolstraining.com
888-277-0457