+<figure class="right">
+ <img src="/images/MIDI_transform.png" alt="MIDI transformation">
+ <figcaption>The MIDI transformation dialog</figcaption>
+</figure>
+
<p>
- Considering the numerical nature of MIDI events, it can be tempting to apply
- mathematical transformations to our MIDI regions by using mathematical
- operations. Ardour makes it very easy and powerful with the Transform tool.
+ Considering the numerical nature of MIDI events, it can be useful to
+ transform a MIDI region by applying mathematical operations to it. Ardour
+ makes this kind of powerful transformation very easy with the Transform tool.
+ The tool makes possible things such as humanizing (randomizing the velocity,
+ start time and duration of all the notes), creating arpeggios, automating
+ tedious tasks, transposing, etc.
</p>
-<figure>
- <img src="/images/MIDI_transform.png" alt="MIDI transformation">
- <figcaption>MIDI transformation</figcaption>
-</figure>
-
<p>
- Accessing the Transform tool is done by <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd> clicking
- the MIDI region <kbd class="menu">><em>name_of_the_region</em> > MIDI
- > Transform…</kbd>
+ The Transform tool is accessed by <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd>-clicking
+ the MIDI region > <em>name_of_the_region</em> > MIDI > Transform….
</p>
<p>
- To act on a property, it must be selected in the <kbd
- class="menu">Set</kbd> field, then the target value must be changed using the two
- following fields. To add more operands the "+" sign should be clicked to
- create new lines. These can be removed using the "-" sign on the
- right of the newly created lines.
+ First, the property to be modified in the <kbd class="menu">Set</kbd> field
+ is selected, then the target value is changed using the two fields that
+ follow. If more operands are desired, the <kbd class="menu">+</kbd> button is
+ clicked to create new lines. Any superfluous line can be removed by clicking
+ on the <kbd class="menu">-</kbd> button on the right side of the line to be
+ removed. Finally, once everything is set as desired, the <kbd
+ class=menu>Transform</kbd> button is pressed to apply the transformation.
</p>
<p>
- In the picture above, the Transform tool has been used to add a bit of
- humanization, by slightly changing the velocity of each note of the region, by
- a random number between -19 and +19 from its original velocity. So
- three operations are applied:
+ In the image above, the Transform tool has been used to add a bit of
+ humanization, by slightly changing the velocity of each note of the region by
+ a random number between -19 and +19 from its original velocity. So the
+ following three operations are applied:
</p>
<ul>
- <li>Set velocity to this note's velocity</li>
- <li>+ a random number from 1 to 20</li>
- <li>- a random number from 1 to 20</li>
+ <li>Set velocity to this note's velocity</li>
+ <li>+ a random number from 1 to 20</li>
+ <li>- a random number from 1 to 20</li>
</ul>
<p>
- Each note will trigger a calculation of its own, so its velocity will be
- increased by a random number between 1 and 20, then decreased by a random
- number between 1 and 20.
+ Each note will trigger a unique calculation, where its velocity will be
+ increased by a random number between 1 and 20, then decreased by a random
+ number between 1 and 20. This will result in a new velocity being applied to
+ the note, which will be the original velocity plus or minus a value <19.
</p>
<p>
- The properties that can be computed are:
+ The parameters that can be transformed are:
</p>
<ul>
- <li>note number (eg C2 is note number 24, C#2 is 25 and <a href="@@midi-notes-ref">so on</a>)</li>
- <li>velocity (the global intensity of the note, between 0 and 127)</li>
- <li>start time (in beats)</li>
- <li>length (in beats)</li>
- <li>channel</li>
+ <li>MIDI note number (e.g. <a href="@@midi-notes-ref">C2 is note number 24,
+ C#2 is 25, etc.</a>)</li>
+ <li>MIDI velocity (the volume of the note, between 0 and 127)</li>
+ <li>start time (in beats)</li>
+ <li>length (in beats)</li>
+ <li>MIDI channel</li>
</ul>
<p>
- and the calculation may be based on the following properties:
+ and the transformation can be based on any of the following:
</p>
<ul>
- <li>this note's</li>
- <li>the previous note's</li>
- <li>this note's index (number of the note, i.e. the first one is 0, the second
- is 1, etc.)</li>
- <li>exactly (for a constant value, between 1 and 127)</li>
- <li>a random number from <em>lower</em> to <em>higher</em> (<em>lower</em> and
- <em>higher</em> beeing constant values between 1 and 127)</li>
- <li>equal steps from <em>lower</em> to <em>higher</em> (<em>lower</em> and
- <em>higher</em> beeing constant values between 1 and 127).</li>
+ <li>this note's</li>
+ <li>the previous note's</li>
+ <li>this note's index (number of the note, i.e. the first one is 0, the second
+ is 1, etc.)</li>
+ <li>exactly (for a constant value, between 1 and 127)</li>
+ <li>a random number from <em>lower</em> to <em>higher</em> (<em>lower</em> and
+ <em>higher</em> being constant values between 1 and 127)</li>
+ <li>equal steps from <em>lower</em> to <em>higher</em> (<em>lower</em> and
+ <em>higher</em> being constant values between 1 and 127)</li>
</ul>
<p>
- The mathematical operators can be:
+ The mathematical operators are:
</p>
<ul>
- <li>+ (addition)</li>
- <li>- (subtraction)</li>
- <li>* (multiplication)</li>
- <li>/ (euclidian division)</li>
- <li>mod (remainder of the euclidian division).</li>
+ <li>+ (addition)</li>
+ <li>- (subtraction)</li>
+ <li>* (multiplication)</li>
+ <li>/ (euclidian division)</li>
+ <li>mod (remainder of the euclidian division)</li>
</ul>
<p class="note">
- All these operations can be very handy, as long as there is a mathematical way
- to achieve the targeted goal. Beware though of odd "border cases": division by
- zero (which does nothing), using the note's index and forgetting it starts at
- 0 and not 1, etc.
+ While the Transform tool is powerful, it is not infallible.
+ Things like division by zero (which does nothing), using the note's index and
+ thinking that it starts at one (instead of zero), etc. can yield
+ unexpected results.
<p>
-<p>
- Very interesting results can nevertheless be created, like humanizing
- (randomizing the velocity, start time and duration of all the notes), creating
- arpeggios, automating tedious tasks, transposing, etc.
-</p>
projects / ardour-manual / blobdiff