The host with the best MIDI editing capabilities

[Galleoneer]

Hi to all KvRists,

I just want to know which host has the best MIDI editing capabilities (in terms of editing MIDI events on a piano roll editor) in your opinion.

What counts are:

1. Ease of editing (creating/moving/rearanging etc.) MIDI events.
2. Handy tools (like the chord tool or chopper in FL Studio)
3. Good import export functions
4. Any other things you like to mention

I have to edit (process) tons of MIDI data in the coming months. So I try to make my life easy.

paece & thanks

[jmh]

From those I've tried, FL - the piano roll is so smooth and easy (no shortcuts, everything works with 1 tool and a couple of modifier keys). Also all the additional tools mean there's some real power.

EnergyXT seems to be catching up nicely, haven't tried the latest versions where it has been improved though, just been following what people here on KVR are discussing. Seems a bit fiddly but that's just the impression for reading about it instead of trying it

Pianorollwise I still consider FL the best. Beats the crap out of hosts I'm using, and besides those I use (and own), I have experience with most (insert your favorite big name Windows app here, been there, done that).

Not to forget Logic though, which is in a class of its own still when it comes to heavy editing.

Regards,

JMH

[dhanjit]

PowerTracks Pro Audio http://www.pgmusic.com/powertracks.htm has more MIDI features than most, and has the added benefit of being very cheap.

[TeeLangSun]

Cubase SX3 overall. Orion Platinum has best piano roll, followed by FL Studio, followed by SX.

[the_nihilist]

Cubase S3X, easily.

[audiolife]

Sonar 4 has pretty decent piano roll

[Galleoneer]

thanks guys (galls?),

Basically I am with jmh. FL Studio is the best (I know) because:

a.) I dont know the most of the others
b.) it has neat features (cool tools and a really aesy workflow)
b1.) tools like (chop, arpeggiate, quantisize to groove, strum, rnd, etc, etc.)
b2.) easy editing. Selecting, moving, deleting, slicing and creating events is very easy)

The big no-no is that you cannot export MIDI from the piano roll. Thants while I look futher.

So if you recommend me Sonar, SX or Orion than plaese tell me also why.

For example I looked at Sonar4 piano roll and it had a not so easy workflow for me. Copy and move of events with a special dialog. Very complicated indeed. _Also it seems to copy with references so that if you delet a vent the event on the original is gone, too. :

I never tried SX or Orion or the one from PGMusic.

I been said Ableton is also very good but no proof also no proof about energyXT.

I dont know if I handled Sonar wrong but as I said thy to argue with features.

[advaya]

This is on the downward spiral now... These "which is best" threads never convince anyone of anything...

Case in point: "Basically I am with jmh. FL Studio is the best (I know) because"

If it works for you better than any other sequencer (and you are most familiar with its workflow) then it IS the best... for you...

Don't turn this into a "prove that sequencer X is better than what I use" Try the demos instead...

[Galleoneer]

first:

I have to edit (process) tons of MIDI data in the coming months. So I try to make my life easy.

than:

The big (in FLStudio) no-no is that you cannot export MIDI from the piano roll. Thats while I look futher.

and than you in your endless wisdom:

This is on the downward spiral now... These "which is best" threads never convince anyone of anything...

Case in point: "Basically I am with jmh. FL Studio is the best (I know) because"

If it works for you better than any other sequencer (and you are most familiar with its workflow) then it IS the best... for you...

Don't turn this into a "prove that sequencer X is better than what I use" Try the demos instead...

I dont know why I am so allergic to people start criticising without understanding the context of the thread

[advaya]

Again mate... Your intentions might all be well and good. But rather than having others convince you why one sequencer is better than the next, just try the demo...

My wisdom is far from endless...

[Galleoneer]

Again mate... Your intentions might all be well and good. But rather than having others convince you why one sequencer is better than the next, just try the demo...

My wisdom is far from endless...

Yes sure but there are tons of sequencers and I have so little time.

Plus I don`t like to install stuff just to deinstall it afterwise. Every install/deinstall process leaves junk in your regisry and system folders that slows your system down and makes it erroneous.

Also if you decide to check out every demo its still not given that you find that special techniques and tricks that makes working with a special programm enjoyable. So asking expert users is the trick IMHO.

This version has also a social component that can be amusing.

Thatswhile I asked the people for this special editing tricks and not just a statement like "Cubase S3X, easily."

Thats all, your turn

[advaya]

Fair enough... I apologise for hijacking this thread then... It is just that these 'which is best' threads have a pretty poor track record for their overall usefulness.

My preference is SX (partially as it is the one I know most). I like the piano roll due to its integrated step recording, and I am also pretty keen on its advanced quantising functions.

Hope that helps a bit.

[disturb]

If you're planning to focus on the whole process of midi editing, sx3 would be the best choice i guess.
There are plenty of possibilities to move parts around in the seq (switch parts, replace, etc), and the midi editor can get you straight to the ponit with a couple of keyboard shorcuts to switch tools etc. There is also a zone in the editor where you can edit any parameter for the selected note(s) without having to switch to the event list editor.
The logic editor can do a lot too (would be a bit long to explain though, you should checkout the manual on steinberg's site)

As far as the piano roll is concerned though, energyXt is by far the best, cause it allows you to navigate through the piano roll, write notes, edit their length, start point, pitch, velocity, split, copy/paste, erase with a really smart combination of ctrl/alt + left or right mouse clicks. That can't be beat, their are a lot of really easy to figure out tricks in there (the mousewheel thing is stunning once you get to know it). The only drawback is there is no event list EDITOR (just a list not editable), and it might be a bit trickier if you are trying to get REALLY precise values over parameters such as velocity, cc data, timing (don't get me wrong it's very capable, i'm talking about chirurgical editing here). But tweaking midi data using plugins is also really easy and powerul.

In the end between those two, i guess it depends wether you're planning on doing really complex editing regardless the time it may take, or if you want to do it straight ahead not worrying about each parameter's value down to a millimiter.

And btw, eXT is like 15 times cheaper than sx3, and using the first one as a vst(i) in the latter, gets you a great combo...

[D-Fusion]

I prefer EXT
But i guess it is a matter of taste so demo everything you can and see what fits your workflow

[ceenda]

As far as the piano roll is concerned though, energyXt is by far the best ... The only drawback is there is no event list EDITOR (just a list not editable), and it might be a bit trickier if you are trying to get REALLY precise values over parameters such as velocity, cc data, timing (don't get me wrong it's very capable, i'm talking about chirurgical editing here)...

Agreed. Just wanted to point out though, if you click on an Event value (Velocity, say) in the Event list, you can click in the velocity channel's value box directly to set a precise value. I often insert a Pitch Bend value manually and select it in the Event List to set it to 0 for the beginning of a MIDI clip. Depending on what you want to do, eXT might be a cheaper alternative to SX3.