LMMS • Forums

WANTED:

Imagine a right-click pop-up like this, for the step editor, with editable text field and numerical drop-down menu:

This would be for the pattern editor (step editor). It would pop-up after right clicking a beat on the grid. Transposing single notes up or down with one level deep of menu diving really increases sound options a LOT. Keeping it simple would be key.

I realise we're already in the code freeze stage, but for future development, something like this could be nice.

Thanks for reading this.
Happy developing.

mjolnir wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 02, 2026 8:11 pm

This would be for the pattern editor (step editor). It would pop-up after right clicking a beat on the grid.

Much more complicated. Changing the semitone also changes the sounds length. The method would have to implement sample-length change accordingly to the semitone chosen.
That is something we have wanted in LMMS for decades!
The way to 'wing' this is to use a sampler (Sitala), and make the samples on an audio-editor (Audacity). Then load the changed samples into the Sampler, and have the sampler play the different samples on selected note-positions.

I am familiar with Sitala/ShortCircuit/etc.
I am NOT talking about timestretching.

The old fashioned way with the sound length changing is DESIREABLE in many instances.
A lot of sample based music utilized this just fine. Some call it "munchkinization", but it's how most drum machines worked for decades. Several modern drum machines still have this characteristic.

It could be tamed by adding an AMPLITUDE ENVELOPE, but my feature request was just about adding a contextual feature for the playback rate/pitch. If somebody wants timestretching, that's fine, but that's NOT what i'm requesting. That's a TOTALLY DIFFERENT request, not coming from me.

I use LMMS for drum sounds constantly, and the plethora of drum sounds is multiplied by TONS when there's a range of pitches.

FL Studio has it but as a slightly hard to reach tab. It's not one menu deep.
If I find a better example, I'll post up another image.

Sincerely, mjolnir

musikbear wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 02, 2026 9:07 pm

mjolnir wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 02, 2026 8:11 pm

This would be for the pattern editor (step editor). It would pop-up after right clicking a beat on the grid.

Much more complicated. Changing the semitone also changes the sounds length. The method would have to implement sample-length change accordingly to the semitone chosen.
That is something we have wanted in LMMS for decades!
The way to 'wing' this is to use a sampler (Sitala), and make the samples on an audio-editor (Audacity). Then load the changed samples into the Sampler, and have the sampler play the different samples on selected note-positions.

mjolnir wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 03, 2026 12:25 am

I am NOT talking about timestretching.

So micro-tonal tuning of percussion. I know that there was a version with Micro-tonal features, but if that makes it into next off. release idk.
But it is also different from your suggestion, because the toning is of the instrument, not the nodes. (but that can be tweaked to be for notes with automation)

musikbear wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 03, 2026 8:18 pm

mjolnir wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 03, 2026 12:25 am

I am NOT talking about timestretching.

So micro-tonal tuning of percussion. I know that there was a version with Micro-tonal features, but if that makes it into next off. release idk.
But it is also different from your suggestion, because the toning is of the instrument, not the nodes. (but that can be tweaked to be for notes with automation)

Well, I was talking "semitonal", not "microtonal". As I understand it, microtonal is detuning in cents as units (100ths of a semitone), whereas semitonal is according to the Equal-Tempered Scale (matches conventional keyboard/MIDI keyboard pitches).

Microtonal doesn't really change the timbre very much, but semitonal or even octave changes, can make for huge varieties of sound playback. For drums, it's a game changer for the win.
Sometimes people call it "coarse tune" in synths (different from "fine tune").

Thanks for at least reading this suggestion.
I know you guys are in code-freeze, so I'm not expecting any changes anytime soon.
Thanks for keeping LMMS alive, anyhow.

mjolnir wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 04, 2026 1:58 am

Well, I was talking "semitonal", not "microtonal".

Thát is already possible!
Right-click into Pattern-editor (B&B) for the instrument you like to edit in semi-tones, and here select Open in piano-roll
That let you insert notes on any semi-tone, and even more interesting, on any position, letting you shuffle notes in 1/192 of a wholenote. Using piano-roll in Pattern-editor is powerful but not used by many.
The pattern will still loop in song-editor as any pattern made in Pattern-editor.

musikbear wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 04, 2026 6:33 pm

mjolnir wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 04, 2026 1:58 am

Well, I was talking "semitonal", not "microtonal".

Thát is already possible!
Right-click into Pattern-editor (B&B) for the instrument you like to edit in semi-tones, and here select Open in piano-roll
That let you insert notes on any semi-tone, and even more interesting, on any position, letting you shuffle notes in 1/192 of a wholenote. Using piano-roll in Pattern-editor is powerful but not used by many.
The pattern will still loop in song-editor as any pattern made in Pattern-editor.

I am already aware of the piano roll. But it's not as convenient and efficient as the pattern editor. Also, the track changes appearance to piano roll-esque style after you open in piano roll, and doesn't change back to pattern step editor view.

For what it's worth, FL Studio has a function where you can record directly into the step editor (pattern editor). Maybe you guys could allow that. Or, instead of a right-click menu, maybe access the transpose beat by semitones by double-click and entering a value, similar to what's already there in the GUI for some functions.

Really, these are just suggestions, not commands, of course. But I feel that the requests are legitimate if LMMS is to be competitive at all.

mjolnir wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 05, 2026 3:21 am

I am already aware of the piano roll. But it's not as convenient and efficient as the pattern editor.

I am actually surprised that you dont like using piano-roll inside Pattern-editor. Afaics it would do exactly what you want, and imo its less cumbersome than typing in a frequency in every Pattern-note.

mjolnir wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 05, 2026 3:21 am

if LMMS is to be competitive at all.

That is not our goal at all. We do not compete with the pro-daws that costs money, we se us self as a GIMP for music that let peeps with talent but small bank-accounts try their creative talent, without humbling oneself to piracy

musikbear wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 06, 2026 2:17 am

I am actually surprised that you dont like using piano-roll inside Pattern-editor. Afaics it would do exactly what you want, and imo its less cumbersome than typing in a frequency in every Pattern-note.

It's harder for me to navigate with the mouse and with the piano roll than to just quickly type in a known value. LMMS's prominent feature of letting the user type in a value is part of what makes LMMS such a great program. It's a shame that isn't extended to the pitch transposition.

But I mean, hey, it's your baby not mine.

I still have FL Studio demo on the side and run REAPER all the time too. It's just that LMMS isn't a humongous install like FL Studio is, and the LMMS GUI is neater than REAPER and more fluid for making rhythms.

At one point I debated between Hydrogen and LMMS, but Hydrogen lacks the ability to put a limiter on the output, so amplitude clipping is a serious problem. That's why I chose LMMS.
But maybe I'll go back to Hydrogen.

I want LMMS to succeed though.
I hope you guys get more developers onboard to help out.
Dang, if I knew how to program, I'd help out.
But all I know is music composition.