A graphical user interface (GUI) for an audio editing application enables a user to easily and conveniently shift a temporal and/or pitch of a sequence of note events within a musical piece, e.g., via a touch-sensitive display. The GUI displays a set of note events on a matrix grid and a subset of the note events (e.g., selected by the user) on a note events grid that overlaps the matrix grid. The note events grid is moveable with respect to the matrix grid such that the subset of note events is shifted against the remaining note events while the note events within the subset maintain a spatial relationship with respect to each other. Further, the user can shift the note events grid (and the note events therein) to any location within the matrix grid, without unintentionally snapping the note events to a nearest grid location on the matrix grid.