quantise
To snap recorded notes or beats to a rigid timing grid, correcting rhythmic imprecision.
In Depth
Quantisation in a DAW aligns MIDI notes or audio transients to the nearest grid division (eighth notes, sixteenth notes, etc.). Full quantisation produces perfectly timed but often sterile-sounding results. Partial quantisation moves notes partway to the grid, tightening the timing while retaining some human feel. The debate over quantisation mirrors broader questions about perfection versus humanity in music production.
J Dilla deliberately programmed beats without quantisation, and his slightly off-grid timing became so influential that DAW developers now include Dilla-style swing presets.