Old 05-02-2022, 01:33 PM   #1
coroneddu
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hey!

been searching for a bit but couldn't find a quick solution for audio quantization?

All the vids I've found talk about using dynamic split and adding stretch makers but it's rather laborious and hope there's a much faster solution

any input is super appreciated
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Old 05-05-2022, 01:14 AM   #2
Hindu Stan
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Get melodyne essentials when it’s on sale. Use tempo function.

Or use this method. https://youtu.be/1ryz7BfQnzg
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Old 05-05-2022, 05:35 AM   #3
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thanks Hindu

after days of research I realized there's basically no native audio quantization in Reaper as of yet, just workarounds (like this tempo mapping video, thanks for sharing it)

I would have loved to make a full switch but until that happens, I'll be sticking to Logic for music making and use Reaper only for game audio purposes

I'm actually quite curious why Reaper doesn't have a native audio quantize tool after all these years.
wonder if there's a tech limitation in its architecture that doesn't allow to have one?
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Old 05-07-2022, 06:48 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coroneddu View Post
I'm actually quite curious why Reaper doesn't have a native audio quantize tool after all these years.
wonder if there's a tech limitation in its architecture that doesn't allow to have one?
I don't see any particular technical reason why it couldn't be done. As you point out, "workarounds" exist - so all the components required are there - just no 'easy' way of doing it. The Devs just haven't implemented such a thing. I'm sure there's feature requests.
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Old 05-10-2022, 03:23 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jrk View Post
I don't see any particular technical reason why it couldn't be done. As you point out, "workarounds" exist - so all the components required are there - just no 'easy' way of doing it. The Devs just haven't implemented such a thing. I'm sure there's feature requests.
I thought the same in terms of why it couldn't be done, but a reality-check is that Reaper has been around since 2006 and as of 2022 (16 years later) we only have workarounds which are, by definition, just ways to get as close as possible to a feature that is missing
And it's a very standard feature for any music production software outthere

I keep my fingers crossed for the future as I like the idea to make a full switch to Reaper as my only DAW
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Old 05-12-2022, 05:23 AM   #6
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What about the MPL Quantize tool?
https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=165672
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Old 05-14-2022, 04:46 AM   #7
coroneddu
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thanks PMan!

one of the first workarounds I found in the past weeks and already tried it but, apart from having UI issues, I found it utterly complicated, more of a geek tool as opposed to a tool for someone that needs to get things done
Audio quantization is a simple feature and needs to be accomplished with very few steps, depending on the overall architecture, but it all boils down to

- select grid value (4-8-16-32 or dotted, triplets etc..)
- select strength
- select swing

I've been working in audio since late 90's and I've never ever needed anything more apart from these
Typical case where less is more.
Spending more time with more details, in my experience, is way more time consuming than simply learn the part better and record a better take
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Old 05-15-2022, 01:49 AM   #8
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Quote:
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Audio quantization is a simple feature and needs to be accomplished with very few steps, depending on the overall architecture, but it all boils down to
it really isn't so very "simple". One issue is a step missing from your "boil down", i.e. identifying the audio features to be quantised. Tools like melodyne use some pretty neat tricks to break the audio into "blobs" which can then be stretched or shifted. Since melodyne (for instance) has got pitch and amplitude dimensions, it's relatively straightforward to come up with (what you might call) a prosodic decomposition of the audio - giving you the blobs.

Most of the "workarounds" in Reaper rely on transient detection, this is a fairly "dumb" process (using only the one dimension), but with a bit of manual fine-tuning, can work well.

There no reason (that I'm aware of) why the Devs (or a third party) couldn't produce a more robust feature detection, perhaps using pitch or spectral characteristics alongside amplitude. Which would support quantisation more easily.

That done, it's merely(!) a question of providing the processing & UI that supports your "very few steps".

However, given that you can do it with non-native plugins, quickly and effectively (and with only a small extra expense), you can see why it's (I guess) not a high priority.

I'm sure there are feature requests for just this kind of thing - you probably want to add your name to them.
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Old 05-16-2022, 10:10 AM   #9
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Quote:
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Most of the "workarounds" in Reaper rely on transient detection, this is a fairly "dumb" process (using only the one dimension), but with a bit of manual fine-tuning, can work well.
that's what I meant with "simple" .. just an amplitude-transient detection affair.

At least for me, I only use quantization for rhythmic purposes only so no fancy Melodyne-like features (or even Logic's multiple quantization modes like polyphonic, speed etc..)
Never found a use for them

I sat and explored the Dynamic Split tool for a couple of hours with different cases but, and this is my personal take, I don't think is "enough" in 2022. The detection is pretty rough and my guess is that the way it's designed and the choice of options that are exposed are the reason why it doesn't deliver consistent results. (unless we're talking about a kick track or other contents where transient are hyper clear.. but that's a junior school task)
In particular, I sense the bottleneck lies in the Threshold-Hysterisis combo for transient detection and my guess is that they're sort of fistfighting each other. But that's my guess.

As for the feature request I don't think that, after 16 years of Reaper and the latest post dating back to 2018, a properly designed audio quantization feature, nor a better designed Dynamic Split tool is on the dev's orbit and it's ok. I'll just keep using Reaper for sound design only where I don't need any of that.

Thanks for your inputs tho
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Old 05-16-2022, 01:06 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coroneddu View Post
that's what I meant with "simple" .. just an amplitude-transient detection affair.
'kay, but:
Quote:
Dynamic Split tool [...] detection is pretty rough [...] I sense the bottleneck lies in the Threshold-Hysterisis combo for transient detection and my guess is that they're sort of fistfighting each other. But that's my guess.
If you're fiddling with Threshold / Hysteresis, then you're using the gate function. These controls are unavailable when you're using transients. You'd need to click the button to open the Transient Detection Settings window.

The UI for this stuff is terrible, and it's no wonder that anyone gets confused.
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Old 05-18-2022, 02:54 AM   #11
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Quote:
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The UI for this stuff is terrible, and it's no wonder that anyone gets confused.
Couldn't agree more XD

Can you recommend an in depth tutorial of the Dynamic Split tool?

I checked Kenny's and few others before but the issue with those is that they use very clear transients and everything looks super easy to do there as those transients are impossible to "miss"

For the sake of doubt I gave it another go just now with a very "easy to read" file with very clear transients separated by dead silence but still.. 10 mins of fiddling and no results.

I'm still super puzzled why the horizontal threshold lines do no obey as expected... like in this case:

if the threshold is set as low as to capture transient A, why only transient B is detected?

If I set a transient, any transient no matter the plugin, it all starts from as low as I set the transient to and not after.
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Old 05-24-2022, 10:45 PM   #12
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If your picture is of the entire item, I've no idea. Otherwise, it may be to do with your setting for "reduce splits".
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