The invention discloses a gesture-recognition-based music editor and a music editing method. The music editor comprises a camera module for receiving a gesture signal, a display device module for displaying a gesture, a master control module for detecting, identifying and processing the gesture signal, and a loudspeaker for playing music. Besides, the working process of the music editor is as follows: the camera module enters and records user gestures in real time, obtains gesture images and transmits the gesture images to the master control module; the master controller module carries out real-time identification and processing on the user gestures, carries out binaryzation and median filtering processing on each obtained gesture image based on an OpenCV algorithm, and calculates an HOG feature of each image, a gesture classifier carries out matching to generate an identification result, and a tone quality is invoked by using a preset tone quality relationship; and a tone quality file corresponding to the identification result is invoked to control the loudspeaker to output an audio unit. Therefore, music creation can be carried out by combining motions, so that the music editing ways are extended; and the entertainment effect is good.