Gary Williams
Description:
Upgrade the Piano Roll with pro-grade
editing tools
,
navigation
, and
controller lanes
: multi-clip/ghost editing, scale & drum maps, separate
position vs. length quantize
, CC/Per-Note lanes (MPE/MIDI 2.0), line/curve tools, fold/filter views, and performance-safe playback with chase.
Problem:
Complex MIDI editing currently takes too many steps: limited CC tooling, no per-note expression lanes, slow navigation on dense clips, and workarounds for drum maps, scale constraints, or ghost references. This slows arrangement, harms live reliability, and obscures key information (articulations, keyswitches, pedal splits).
Proposed Solution:
  • Navigation & Selection
- Zoom to
selection/loop
;
Focus Playhead
; magnetic scroll; marquee + smart lasso.
-
Time Selection
that spans tracks/clips for batch ops (copy/move/delete/ripple).
- “Solo edit” focus per track/clip;
Ghost Notes
from other clips/tracks (dimmed, color-tagged).
  • Grid, Snap & Quantize
- Independent
Position Quantize
and
Length Quantize
; Relative Snap; triplet/dotted sets; cycle-of-clip grid.
- Scale overlays; bar emphasis; late-press guard for record and edit commits.
  • Note Editing Tools
- Draw/erase/paint;
Split at Grid / Join / Glue
;
Legato
(min gap);
Humanize
(pos/vel/len).
-
Strum/Flam
creator (direction, spread, curve).
-
Transform
: transpose (±semitones/oct), scale-constrain (block or move to nearest), invert, retrograde, stretch (time).
-
Mute/Solo notes
, color by channel/pitch/part.
  • Drum & Scale Workflows
-
Drum Editor mode
: per-row names (GM/custom), lane mutes/solos, fixed-length paint, velocity bars.
-
Fold
to used notes, to
Scale
, or to
Drum Map
. User libraries for scales & maps.
  • CC / Pedal / Automation Lanes
- Multiple lanes for
CC/AT/PB/NRPN/RPN
with
Line/Curve/Step/Freehand
tools, smoothing &
throttle
.
- Pedal-aware ops:
Bake Sustain (CC64) → Note Lengths
,
Split at Pedal Lifts
, repedal window, half-pedal curves (ties into Sostenuto/Soft).
-
Ramp shapes
library; anchor points with bezier; copy/paste between lanes.
  • Per-Note Expression (MPE / MIDI 2.0)
-
Per-Note PB/AT/CC
lanes grouped by note; filter by selected notes; channel/zone aware.
- MIDI 2.0 ready: high-resolution controllers, per-note profiles, 14-bit compatibility.
  • Articulations & Keyswitches
-
Keyswitch lane
with labels, latch/hold modes, and relocation tools; articulation mapping presets.
  • Playback, Chase & Safety
-
Chase
notes/CC when starting mid-clip; preview on edit; click-safe commit of drastic edits.
-
Loop-safe
playback; drift meter for clocked rigs; undo groups for compound actions.
  • Multi-Clip Editing
- Edit several clips at once (layered or tabbed); per-clip color, quick target switch;
Apply to all/selected
toggles.
  • Actions & Variables
- Actions:
Quantize (pos/len)
,
Legato
,
Humanize
,
Split/Join
,
Strum
,
Scale Constrain
,
Bake/Unbake Sustain
,
Add CC Lane
,
Draw Ramp (line/curve)
,
Toggle Ghost
,
Fold (Used/Scale/Map)
,
Transpose ±
,
Nudge ±ticks
,
Stretch Time
,
Mute/Solo Notes
,
Set Drum Map/Scale
.
- Vars:
edit.grid
,
edit.snapMode
,
edit.scale.root/type
,
edit.foldMode
,
cc.lane[n].type
,
mpe.enabled
,
selection.count
,
quantize.pos/len
,
chase.enabled
.
Benefits:
  • Faster, clearer MIDI editing with
    fewer workarounds
    and stronger musical intent.
  • Deep control over
    controllers and per-note expression
    for modern instruments.
  • Reliable
    drum
    and
    scale
    workflows; better readability on dense arrangements.
  • Safer live revisions with chase, guard rails, and undo-grouped edits.
Examples:
  • Tighten a piano take:
    Bake Sustain to Lengths
    ,
    Quantize Position 1/16 (50%)
    ,
    Quantize Length 1/8
    , then
    Humanize
    velocity ±6.
  • Program drums: enable
    Drum Map
    ,
    Fold to Used
    , paint fixed 1/16 hats, line-draw an
    open→closed
    CC4 curve, then strum tom rolls.
  • MPE lead: edit
    per-note pitch
    curves for only the selected notes; clamp global PB to ±2 while keeping per-note at ±48.
  • Orchestral keyswitches: use the
    Keyswitch lane
    to retime articulations to bar lines; lock them during further quantize passes.
This summary was automatically generated by GPT-5.1 Thinking on 2025-11-24.