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Mastering MIDI Real-Time Properties
Did you ever wish you could preview MIDI quantize recipes in real-time? Or quickly hear a performance transposed up or down an octave, without committing those changes to the track? In this week’s Pro Tools Corner I will show you how to save tons of time using MIDI real-time properties and also include some clever ideas for using real-time properties in your arrangements.
Any user of Logic is probably familiar with the ability to quantize and “effect” MIDI data in real time. Introduced in version 7, Pro Tools also has the ability to alter MIDI tracks and regions in real time without committing to those changes. You can think of MIDI real time properties as a sort of “MIDI plug-in,” allowing you to affect and modify MIDI data on the fly. MIDI real-time properties can be used to quantize, scale duration and velocity, add delay, and transpose performances with much of the same flexibility as traditional edit based methods. Using real time properties instead of the traditional MIDI operations window can save you lots of time allowing you to “try out” alterations to your MIDI performance, making it easy to change parameters during playback.
Using MIDI real-time properties in Pro Tools:
MIDI real-time properties actually show up in two different places, representing track and region based real-time parameters. Track only properties can be accessed by choosing View>Edit Window>Real-Time Properties. Both track and region based real-time properties can be also be accessed from a dedicated real-time properties window: Event>MIDI Real-Time Properties. Notice that the dedicated MIDI real-time properties window has a much more detailed set of parameters for functions such as quantize.
To activate a real time property click on the property you wish to apply and adjust the parameters. Parameters can be adjusted in real-time and update immediately. When using the MIDI real-time properties window, first select the specific track or region.
Example: The following track based real-time properties have been configured to quantize all notes to a 1/8th note with a 20% swing, note dynamics (velocity) will be scaled down to 20% of the original value and the track will be transposed up by one octave.
MIDI real-time properties can alter 5 different attributes:
Quantize: Used to lock MIDI note timing to the bar|beat grid or a groove template. To learn more about MIDI quantize be sure to read this previous PT corner article here.
Duration: Affects MIDI note length, allowing you to add, subtract, scale, or fix note duration. When adding, subtracting or creating legato gaps/overlaps the duration parameter can be measured in either ticks or rhythmic values (1/8th note, 1/16th note, etc)
Delay: Delays or advances all notes in a MIDI track or region. Can be measured in ticks or milliseconds.
Velocity: Alters note velocity (dynamics). Velocity can be scaled by a percentage or added/subtracted to by a specific value.
Transpose: Transposes notes up or down by octave and semi-tone values. If you have correctly set up the key of your song via the key ruler you can transpose MIDI notes using the “to” function, for example from C3 (middle C) to D4 (up 1 octave and 2 semitones).
View Preferences:
Pro Tools gives you the option of viewing notes as affected by real-time properties, by default this preference is off (so you don’t actually see the notes being modified in the track). To activate this preference choose Setups>Preferences and click on the MIDI tab. Check the box “Display Event as Modified by Real-Time Properties.
Track vs. Region properties:
Track based real-time properties affect all MIDI notes on that track, while region based properties affect only the regions they are selectively applied to.
A  denotes track based properties and a  denotes region based properties.
When applying region specific real-time properties through the dedicate window it is best to use the “regions” track view to make selecting easier. Remember unlike Event>Grid/Groove Quantize, the real-time quantize window works on an entire midi region (a collection of notes). Regions based properties always override track-based properties. For example, you can have an overall quantization applied to an entire track, and a groove template applied only to a specific region.
Notice that the region or track name is displayed in the real-time properties window under “Apply to:”
Committing real-time properties:
Once you have decided that you like the changes made via real-time properties, you can commit those changes permanently to the region by clicking the “Write to Region” button inside the real-time properties window. Remember to use the “T” and “R” icons to keep track of which regions are being affected by real-time properties. Alternatively you can clear a region’s properties by clicking “clear region properties.”
MIDI Real-Time Tips:
- Use real time properties to quickly try out different quantize recipes or groove templates. Real-time properties can be used instead of input quantize to automatically correct recorded notes on the fly.
- Use region based real time properties to apply changes to specific regions. For example, transpose just a small section of your song for a key change or use the velocity parameter to add dynamic changes to otherwise static looped midi regions.
- Use the “delay” parameter to compensate for instrument attack. For example, changing an instrument patch after it has been recorded can result in an incorrect feel. Use the delay function to rush or relax a performance, adjusting the parameter until you reach just the right amount.
- Use the “duration” parameter to make performances more legato or more staccato. Again this is especially helpful when you decide to change or repurpose a performance after the fact and the new sound has a different feel.
Pro ToolsTid-bits:
- TC Electronic released Vintage Amp Room, the latest guitar amp simulator for Pro Tools, supporting RTAS, TDM and TC Powercore formats.
If you have a Pro Tools related question that you would like me to take a shot at answering or have any feedback, please send it to brian@audioMIDI.com. I will do my best to select the questions that seem to stump the most people.
As always, stay tuned to the audioMIDI.com eNews for the latest reviews and new product info.
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