1.What is MIDI? 2.MIDI Notes & Velocity 3.Quantisation 4.What is a DAW? 5.MIDI vs Audio 6.Using MIDI Files
Lesson 3

Quantisation

MIDI quantisation explained - how snapping notes to a grid tightens timing, how swing adds groove, and when to keep human feel. Free interactive lesson.

By the end: You can quantise a MIDI performance to a suitable grid, adjust its swing or strength, and decide which timing variations to preserve.

Quantisation

When you play notes on a MIDI keyboard, their timing may vary from the grid. Quantisation moves those note events toward selected grid positions, tightening the rhythm while potentially removing some of the original timing character.

rhythm. The timing offset can make a programmed subdivision feel less uniform. The amount used varies by genre, performance, and the role of the part.

Before & After

Here's what quantisation looks like. The notes on top are as played - slightly off the grid. The notes below have been snapped to exact positions.

before ↓ quantise after 1 2 3 4

Grid Size

The grid you snap to determines how precise the quantisation is. A larger grid (like 1/4 notes) only allows notes on the beat. A finer grid (like 1/16 notes) allows notes on subdivisions too.

1/4

Quarter notes - only on the main beats (1, 2, 3, 4). Very strict. Good for whole-note chords or slow bass lines.

1/8

Eighth notes - twice as many positions. The standard grid for most pop and rock music. Balances tightness with flexibility.

1/16

Sixteenth notes provide a fine grid for hi-hats, arpeggios, and intricate rhythms. Choose them when the part needs that resolution, then use a coarser grid when a looser edit is more useful.

1/32

Thirty-second notes - very fine. Useful for fast rolls, detailed percussion, and glitchy patterns.

Quantise Strength

You don't have to snap notes 100% to the grid. Most DAWs let you set a strength percentage. At 50% strength, notes move halfway toward the grid, tightening the timing while retaining some of the original offsets. Check the result against the groove and the source performance.

100%

Perfectly on grid

Tight, mechanical

50%

Halfway to grid

Tighter but human

0%

No change

As played

Swing

Swing shifts every second grid position slightly later, creating a bouncy, groovy feel instead of a straight mechanical rhythm. The timing offset can make a programmed subdivision feel less uniform. The amount used varies by genre, performance, and the role of the part.

straight swung -> -> -> -> off-beat notes pushed slightly late

When Not to Quantise

Not everything needs quantising. Some parts benefit from loose timing - especially if you're going for a natural, organic feel. Overly quantised music sounds robotic. Genres like jazz, soul, and lo-fi actively avoid tight quantisation. Even in electronic music, some producers intentionally leave drums slightly off-grid for groove. The goal is for the timing to feel intentional, not sloppy.

Try it in your DAW

Quantisation is a timing concept - it moves notes to the nearest grid line without changing the notes themselves. To hear the difference:

1.

Record a chord or melody freely (don't worry about timing)

2.

Select the notes and quantise to 1/4 or 1/8 - hear how it tightens up

3.

Undo and try a lower strength (50-75%) - notice the feel stays more natural

Key takeaway

Quantisation snaps notes to a timing grid for accuracy. Swing quantisation offsets alternate notes for groove. The key is balancing precision with human feel - too tight sounds robotic, too loose sounds sloppy.

Next: the software that brings it all together - what is a DAW.

Generate quantised patterns

Starts creates perfectly timed MIDI patterns you can humanise in your DAW.