Hello, I am looking if there is any option to humanize MIDI notes, for example, piano notes after they are quantized to the grid?
This would make the playing more real as opposed to machine playing style.
The closest option you have for that would be the iterative quantize (IQ) feature. You can set the IQ in terms of percentages with 0 being fully precise timing to 100 which would be virtually no quantization. You can experiment with percentages within that range to determine which works best for you.
The IQ feature is actually better (IMHO) than any canned “humanize” approach because it allow you to determine what “humanize” feels like to you as opposed to a one button click approach relying on the underlying engine to make that determination for you.
You can do it with a Logical preset, and assign it to a key command !
In the upper box of the editor you can add:
Property / Property is set / event is selected (this ensures it will apply to only the notes selected)
In the lower box you add:
Position / Set relative random value between / -5 / 5 (you can play with this numbers)
Also you can add;
Value 2 / Set relative random value between / -5 / 5 (this will humanize velocity too)
1 Like
You can do it in the Inspector - even easier!
Select the MIDI Modifiers tab. In the random column you can choose position, pitch, velocity and length.
2 Likes
Thank you. Sounds great. But isn’t it a pre-recording feature? If yes, then I was looking for a post recording (which is quantized) feature.
In either case, thank you for your insights.
I was always afraid to try the logical editor. But I will try this time. Thank you.
Yep this is fast and easy!
This was brilliant, thank you!
Just to make it complete:
Use the “Rough” parameter in the Quantize Panel:
It used to be called “Randomize” before.
1 Like
Cubase VST 3.5 had brilliant quantize options; humanize, snare behind the beat, etc.
Wish they’d bring that back.
1 Like
Did the old Humanize Quantize work differently from nowadays Rough Quantize? Please elaborate the difference in detail.
quite different. Can’t find a PDF of the Cubase 3.5 docs unfortunately
Actually I just found on Steinbers FTP site a package called “Cubase VST Groove Parts” I’ll have to futz with it this weekend
I see. You don’t mean the function Humanize but the preset Humanize (et al.) for the old Groove Control.
You found the preset pack. I think with Cubase SX there is still the chance to import them and then convert them a Quantize preset. However, I don’t know in which location and file Cubase stores its Quantize presets nowadays.
You are right that Groove Control had a few more features than the current quantizing offers in Cubase.
Yeah, I was trying to figure out where the quantize presets are kept by adding a preset and then doing a deep search for a changed file, but nothing came up. (searching all the system files as well as looking into the cubase package on OSX). Couldn’t find anything.
The version I was thinking was even earlier than your example. They have them as .prt files. I still have an OS9 computer running with an old Cubase on it. Perhaps I can get them in Cubase 12. I’ll share them if I can.
Quite different. Rough (or random) just makes things sound sloppy.
People don’t play things randomly, but they do play things like humans: perhaps rushing on the 2 and 4 or playing softer and perhaps slightly later on the 3.
If you take your fav bit of music, match the tempo and generate hit points you can really see how subtle some timings are. Changing a snare hit from 9 -13ms has an amazing effect!
1 Like
You saw on my other comment that there were two different “Humanize” things in Cubase. One is now called Rough Quantize, the other (the one you talked about) is a set of quantize presets.
Thus the misunderstanding.
Back then you could save a midi part as its own file, a .prt file. The file could then be used as a preset for quantisation.
The advantage of Groove Control, that used these .prt files, was that you could morph from the data in the your project towards the quantisation data (position, velocity, length). Bit of a shame we don’t have that anymore.
If you do, let me know please.
One way could be to load all .prt files into a project and save that (either as a project file or as a standard midi file). Then each user would have to make groove quantize presets out of them themselves.
I still have my CubaseVST 3.5 disks hanging around. I wonder if I could load them onto one of the old Mac OS emulators out there?
Well said. This is all very true.