The Missing Piece in Your MIDI Chain

Imperfector fills the gap between rigid note players and truly expressive performances. It breathes life into robotic, quantized chords by introducing precise micro-shifts between notes—turning static MIDI into something that feels played, not programmed.

Part arpeggiator, part humanizer, part strum engine, Imperfector works with any instrument and any sound source. The same samples, your favorite synthesizers, and trusted presets can sound completely different once timing stops being perfect. Subtle settings add groove, feel, and a new level of musical realism, while extreme values unleash controlled chaos—unexpected, experimental, and often inspiring enough to become the starting point for an entirely new composition.

Bring Life to Your MIDI

Imperfector is a powerful Note FX device that transforms mechanical MIDI sequences into expressive, human performances. Whether you’re programming realistic guitar strums, loose piano chords, or adding movement to synth parts, Imperfector gives you precise control over timing imperfections that make music feel alive.

It works equally well on carefully programmed parts and on material that’s been heavily quantized—adding back the nuance, flow, and imperfection that quantization removes.

Perfect Companion for Chords & Note Players

Imperfector truly shines when paired with chord-generating tools. Place it after Scales & Chords, Chord Sequencer, or any other note player that outputs harmonies, and instantly humanize perfectly stacked chords. It’s just as effective on chords recorded directly into the sequencer and later quantized—bringing back movement, feel, and unpredictability.

No matter where your chords come from, Imperfector turns rigid blocks of notes into expressive performances.

Intelligent Note Processing

At its core, Imperfector analyzes incoming MIDI chords and applies intelligent delay processing to individual notes. The Capture (Time) Window groups notes that arrive close together, treating them as a single chord, while leaving truly individual notes untouched. This allows you to play or program freely while Imperfector decides what should be humanized—and what should pass through unchanged.

You can even capture hand-played chords in real time and automatically apply note delays for instant realism.

Dual Delay Engines

Strum Delay creates classic strum and arpeggio-style effects by delaying notes based on pitch. Choose ascending (lowest note first) or descending (highest note first) directions to emulate different playing styles. From subtle piano chord spreads to pronounced guitar strums, adjustable delay time (0–508 ms or tempo-synced) gives you full control.

Random Delay introduces organic timing variation with two modes:

• Per Group Mode – applies the same random timing offset to an entire chord for natural, humanized feel
• Per Note Mode – randomizes each note independently for loose, experimental, or deconstructed textures

Delays are automatically normalized so the first note always plays on time—randomness only affects the spread between notes, never your overall timing.

Dynamic Modulation

The built-in LFO adds motion and evolution to your chords. With sine and triangle waveforms, adjustable speed (0–10 Hz or tempo-synced), and phase inversion, you can create pulsing strums, rhythmic chord movement, or subtle variations that evolve over time. The LFO modulates strum delay, adding another expressive layer to your performance.

Velocity Control

Three dedicated velocity processors shape the dynamics of your chords:

• Velocity Scaling – enhance or reduce velocity differences between notes
• Velocity Direction – apply scaling based on pitch order (emphasize high or low notes) or reverse it
• Velocity Randomization – introduce natural, human-style inconsistencies (0–127)

Use velocity processing on its own or together with timing shifts for deeper realism.

Tempo Integration

All delay parameters support Free and Sync modes. In Sync mode, delays lock to musical values (from 1/64 notes to whole notes), ensuring tight integration with your project tempo. Switch between free timing and tempo-sync instantly to match your workflow.

Performance-Ready Workflow

• Player On/Off – bypass processing with clean MIDI passthrough, no stuck notes
• Remote Control – map all parameters to MIDI CC for hands-on control
• Smooth Automation – automate all continuous parameters directly in Reason’s sequencer
• Factory Patches – 10 presets ranging from subtle humanization to extreme rhythmic effects

Creative Applications

• Realistic Guitar – authentic strums with natural timing and dynamics
• Piano Chords – subtle spreads that mimic real hand movement
• Synth Textures – evolving rhythmic chord patterns
• Humanization – remove the mechanical feel from quantized MIDI
• Experimental Sound Design – push random delays into glitchy, sample-ready territory

Imperfector is a Reason Rack Extension that processes MIDI note events to add timing and velocity variations. The device features intelligent note grouping, dual delay engines (strum and random), LFO modulation, velocity processing, and comprehensive tempo sync capabilities. All parameters support smooth automation and MIDI control for live performance and detailed sequencing.

Key Features:

• Intelligent chord detection with adjustable time window (0-100ms)
• Strum delay engine with ascending/descending pitch order
  Random delay with per-group and per-note modes
• LFO modulation (sine/triangle) with tempo sync
• Three-stage velocity processing (scaling, direction, randomization)
• Free and tempo-synced modes for all delay parameters
• Player on/off with clean MIDI bypass
• Full automation and MIDI CC mapping support
• 10 factory patches

Perfect For:

• Music producers seeking realistic instrument emulation
• Electronic musicians adding organic textures to synth parts
• Composers removing mechanical feel from MIDI mockups
• Sound designers exploring rhythmic and glitch effects
• Anyone who wants their programmed parts to breathe and groove