Skip to main content

​
Quantization and swing

Quantization helps you tighten or reshape timing after the fact.

​
Available timing concepts

Meiji Sampler documents:
  • note values such as 1/8, 1/8T, 1/16, 1/16T, 1/32, 1/32T
  • swing in the 50-75% range for supported grids
  • shift or nudge style timing adjustment

​
Why it matters

The goal is not always perfect grid alignment. The useful question is whether the loop feels better after the change.
To quantize or not to quantize? There’s no right or wrong.The choice to quantize or swing your sounds is musical in and of itself.Some artists eschew quantization in favour of a loose “human” feel. Others have embraced quantization to pioneer entirely new genres of music. The choice is yours.

​
Layered quantization

Meiji Sampler supports a layered model:
  • loop-level quantization
  • per-track overrides
That lets you keep one instrument tight while leaving another looser.

​
Good workflow

  1. record the idea first
  2. listen to the natural groove
  3. apply the smallest quantize change that solves the problem
  4. use swing for feel, not just correction
Meiji Sampler lets you quantize, swing, and nudge both the all tracks, and individual tracks within the same loop.Use different mixes of all 3 to create super funky and neck-snapping grooves.

​
Project tempo

Meiji Sampler infers the session BPM from the first recorded loop. Settings → Tempo lets you change the effective playback tempo of the project without changing pitch.

​
When to use project tempo

  • The detected BPM is right, but you want the loop to run faster or slower
  • You want recorded loop events to fire against a new groove without re-recording everything
  • You want PerformFX and synced material to follow a different tempo than the original timing-source loop

​
How to set it

  1. Record at least one loop so the session has a detected BPM
  2. Open Settings, then go to Tempo
  3. Type a number directly to enter an exact BPM, or use the arrow keys to nudge by ±1.0 BPM
  4. Hold [SHIFT] while nudging for ±0.01 fine adjustment
  5. Press [ENTER] to apply the new project tempo
The project tempo is displayed in the status bar and persisted when you save the project.

​
Tempo range

The Range field controls how Meiji Sampler interprets the first recorded loop. Choose 65-135, 87-175, 133-300, or None. When the detected first-loop BPM sits outside the selected range, Meiji Sampler doubles or halves it into the range before quantize, synced stretch, and playback timing use it. For example, 171.45 BPM with the default 65-135 range becomes 85.73 BPM. Changing Range does not retime the currently loaded project; it applies the next time you clear and re-record the first timing-source loop.

​
Tap tempo

You can also set the project tempo by tapping the beat:
  1. Highlight the Tempo field in Settings → Tempo
  2. Press [SPACE] rhythmically in time with the beat you want
  3. Meiji Sampler averages your last eight taps and displays the estimated BPM in real time
  4. Press [ENTER] to apply the tapped tempo, or [ESC] to cancel
The tap sequence resets automatically if you pause for more than two seconds, so you can start fresh at any time. Two taps produce a first estimate; accuracy improves with each additional tap up to eight.

​
Resetting to auto-detected tempo

If an adjusted tempo is already active, press [R] or [DELETE] while editing the Tempo field to clear it and revert to the inferred BPM.

​
What project tempo affects

Changing project tempo:
  • makes recorded loop events fire faster or slower
  • updates PerformFX effect grid alignment
  • updates sync/stretch calculations that follow the session clock
  • keeps pitch unchanged
Canonical recorded loop data stays intact under the hood, so you can reset back to the detected tempo later.