How to use Scaler for making a Cover Version of a Song?

Bernd · January 31, 2021, 4:44am

My mind became obsessed to recreate/remix one of my favorite songs of all times (don’t ask me why I like this cliche’ synth pop song so much, blame it on happy childhood memories
Hubert Kah - Wenn Der Mond Die Sonne Berührt (Extended Version 1984) - YouTube

Since I don’t have a musical background, I am going at this by trial and error, trying to figure out the chords and basslines the painful way. But with Scaler’s audio detect feature I ought to somehow make this easier, no? Has anybody used Scaler for this purpose?

Thanks!

Bernd · January 31, 2021, 4:46am

BTW, there’s also an English lyrics version, even though the actual meaning of the english text differs from the original German lyrics. You can hear the English version directly, but here’s the English translation of the original German lyrics for comparison…

Hubert Kah - The Picture (12’ Remix) - YouTube

Weiß nicht wie du heißt und wo du wohnst
las im Horoskop von dir.

I don’t know what your name is and where you live read about you in the horoscope.

Da stand du kommst zu mir
wenn der Mond die Sonne berührt.

There it said you come to me when the moon touches the sun.

Einerseits ich glaub’ nicht daran.

On the one hand I don’t believe in it.

Andererseits ich fang schon an
zu den Sternen zu sehn

On the other hand i’m already starting

to see the stars

übersinnlich -
supernatural -

wie lang’ muß ich hier noch warten?

how long do I have to wait here?

Wenn der Mond die Sonne berührt
When the moon touches the sun

dann bin ich nur für dich da.

then I’m only there for you.

Wenn das Licht den Schatten verführt sind wir den Sternen so nah.

When the light seduces the shadow we are so close to the stars,

Schließ die Augen denk an mich

close your eyes remember me

telepathisch such ich dich. Komm im Dunkel zu mir

I’m looking for you telepathically. Come to me in the dark

übersinnlich -

supernatural -

wie lang muß ich hier noch warten?

how long do I have to wait here?

Wenn der Mond die Sonne berührt
dann bin ich nur für dich da…

When the moon touches the sun then I’m only there for you …

Wenn der Mond
When the moon

wenn der Mond

when the moon when the moon touches the sun

Wenn der Mond die Sonne berührt
dann bin ich nur für dich da…

then I’m only there for you …

Wenn der Mond die Sonne berührt

Wenn das Licht den Schatten verführt

When the moon touches the sun, when the light seduces the shadow,

Wenn der Mond die Sonne berührt

Wenn das Licht den Schatten verführt.

when the moon touches the sun, when the light seduces the shadow.
wenn der Mond

when the moon

lelek · January 31, 2021, 5:08pm

Ha ha, what a guilty pleasure
Seems to be in F#min.
DeCoda would be probably better for the job as it can analyze whole track from wav. With Scaler it might be a bit of an overkill.

jamieh · February 1, 2021, 1:23am

Maybe DeCoda would be better for this full arrangement. There is a trial version over on Plugin Boutique

DeCoda

davide · February 1, 2021, 3:38am

I also use DeCoda sometimes, but then move to scaler for the music creation. Having said that, downloading the a midi file and going from there is your 100% safe method. Or check the chords here Hubert Kah - The Picture Waters Mix by Unknown artist chords - Yalp

Bernd · February 2, 2021, 6:17pm

Thanks guys for the tips, I appreciate it! Not sure why I hadn’t thought of digging for the MIDI file. After almost 40 years I should have figured that this has been reverse engineered by other fans already

tacman7 · February 3, 2021, 8:49pm

Haven’t heard about DeCoda, Sounds interesting, is it just a tool for information or can it also process/export audio?

firattuncbas · February 5, 2021, 5:39pm

Write me dude,i will show you some analyzing technics with some unknown programs and open sources.I cant explain here,its so complicated…When you have midi chords you can do what you want,modulate chords om scaler,transposing,inversion etc.

firattuncbas@hotmail.com

Bernd · February 5, 2021, 8:28pm

Thank you kindly for the offer, but I think I’ll pass. If it’s that complicated and obscure to explain, for the benefit of all here in this forum, it might not be the best solution for the context I am looking for. I actually got quite a good start from the suggestions so far. And personally, I enjoy best group discussions like in the forum here. Thanks anyway for trying to help!

firattuncbas · February 5, 2021, 8:49pm

Ok,you need Sonic Visualiser and and need to import in it open source “Chordino” plugin,this plugin gives you full chord progression of a track,then you need to edit it on a Daw.After this you can manipulate everything with Scaler and Ezkeys,Nora etc.But chordino is a little bit complicated to have true chords,it gives you complex harmonies,not triads. Good luck with it.

laerm · February 7, 2021, 3:21am

@Bernd, I love the song too. I totally get it. Have you heard this cover? It’s pretty good IMO.

Bernd · February 7, 2021, 3:41am

Yep, sounds legit '80s new wave I still like Hubert’s original voice better, tho

laerm · February 7, 2021, 8:38pm

Yeah, and I prefer the German lyrics but, still, nice to hear an obscure song getting some love.

Bernd · February 8, 2021, 5:16pm

@laerm what do you call “obscure” ?! This song was 9 weeks all the way up to rank 41 in the charts in 1984!!
Wenn Der Mond Die Sonne Berührt (chartsurfer.de)

laerm · February 8, 2021, 5:32pm

Oh, apologies for my America-centrism.

rockbandguy · February 10, 2021, 7:57am

I came here with the same problem/project in mind, so I thought I stop by and say “Hello”.
@Bernd: How far has Your project to create a cover song developed?

I am a beginner guitar player.
I use Rocksmith 2014 most of the time.
But while I grew up in the “Hubert Kah”-timeframe, I love a lot of songs that are not part of official Rocksmith.
Even the fan created CDLC dos not cover ASIA, BIG COUNTRY, Al Stewart, Spider Murphy Gang etc. a lot.
So I thought I create my own “cover versions”, like You, Bernd.

I am using deCoda since last weekend and created some chord progression versions of the songs already. Find here an example on YouTube: https://youtu.be/14o5C5pJ2-U

But to play only the chord progression is only a start.
That is when I thought about integrating the scales, getting a tool that would help me a scale-based midi file for the song that I could use to add “a little more flesh”.
And in came my search result for Scaler and my question, if that could be possible with Scaler.

And probably a hint on how I could progress with Scaler (or another tool).

Greetings from snowy Frankonia,
-Adrian