HowTo build a scales-based melody from an audio file?

Just wanted to say “Hello” to all here in the forum, as I joined the Scaler 2 community today.

Maybe You can help me with some tipps to get going. Here are two questions of mine:
How can I built a scale-based melody from an audio that I then can export into MIDI?
What can I do with Scaler 2 when I already have the MIDI chords of a song extracted? Or is this an unnecessary step as Scaler 2 will identify the chord progression by itself?

Best regards,
-Adrian

Hi,

Welcome to the forums.

I suggest watching the tutorial videos regarding “Detection” in Scaler.

If you have MIDI chords, Scaler will most likely be able to “Detect” them. Scaler may name the chords differently than you expect, but they will most likely be correct in terms of pitches even if they are given a synonymous name (same pitches, different name).

Spend a little time experimenting with Detection of both Audio and MIDI.

Good luck.

Thx for Your suggestion. Will watch the tutorial videos.
But it is not the detection of the midi chords I am interested in.

It is the detection of the melody from audio.
I have a program, that detects the chord progression through the whole song (deCoda). It is able to then export a midi file of the chord orogression.

I would like Scaler to generate a “scale progression”, a scale based melody for the song.
And if it doesn’t generate some version automatically, I would like to build such a melody based on the right scale tones for the whole song.
Which I then could export from Scaler and import into Guitar Pro 7 etc. to create the Rocksmith file to play the song in Rocksmith.

Here is a picture of the process and artifacs I am thinking of:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/z5Gj6vq23B5M2Hyr5

This really is a workflow question as Scaler can do this in many different ways, without sounding dismissive try this playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCy2m2n0N8QrslPwt7io36Rs2bU1-oBW-
Particularly the workflow and 2.2 videos.

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Thx for pointing me to the list of helpful resource videos. I will watch them one by one.

When I analyse an audio file by Scaler it detects the chords and adds them to a list. But that is no playalong list. Am I right?

How can I create something to play along?
Really would need the bare steps advice and then I could dig into the details using the other resources that are there plenty.

Start by loading up some of the Preset Progressions and experimenting with those.

Try the Performances and Voicing options.

There are many possible workflows for Scaler use, but I think the best way to learn it is to dive in and try things. There’s a relatively low learning curve to basic Scaler use.

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Just like others explained, there is many ways to achieve what you want to achieve wit Scaler but, having said that, here comes barebone guide. Easy 19 steps :rofl:

Screen 1.

Open Scaler, click on SCALES (1) then click on a scale/key of your choice (2) and then select mode (3).
I have chosen F#min. As you got your chords from deCoda, it probably also detected the key (check it).
Next, click on the scale/key on the list (4) and look at chords to that belong to the scale (5).

Screen 2.

Click on the blinky light (6) - this will allow you to explore the chords with your midi controller using the white keys (7). This is optional - you can just click on chords. Next we’ll be filling the pattern section (8) with progression.

Screen 3.

Drag and drop chords you like (or you got from deCoda :wink: ) (9). Then press play (10). In my case it sounds like cr…distasteful as time measures are not fixed so I click edit (11).

Screen 4.

Click on PLAYBACK TIMINGS (12) and adjust what is needed (13) in my case it was just making 3rd chord x2 longer.

Screen 5.

Click on PERFORM (14). Then click on PERFORMANCES (15) just to see what’s there :wink: but leave it unchanged for now - you WILL explore later ;). Then click on ACCENTO (16) - again just to see. Then click on VOICE GROUPINGS (17) so that everything is more coherent.
Make it loop (18) and, taaadam!, click play (19). Enjoy!

Forgot to put numbers on MIDI CAPTURE (right bottom corner) – this is where you can record/save midi :slight_smile:

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Thx for the “easy 19 steps-list”. This is very helpful, but I realize I didn’t t come across with my problem. I’ve drawn this picture of it:

I want to make sort of a cover song of an existing song.
I let Scaler listen to the audio and determine the chords or import it from deCoda.
So I have all the chords of the song in Scaler.
Let’s say about 70.
But the timing seems to get lost in the capture process.
It is only a list of chords.
Correct me if I am wrong on that,
Really would like to capture the chords with timing and then modify an play around with what Scaler has to offer for a melody.
But a melody that is in sync with the song (= the original audio file) played.

Hello Rockbandguy
Scaler recognizes chords, not the exact time synchronized in which they occur
You will need to set the time in Edit in PLAYBACK TIMINGS Screen 4 in the lelek explanation (# 12 and 13).
You can make a capture of the chords (midi capture and drag in a midi track). You place the audio file above or below the midi track with the chords and while you listen, you compare it to adjust its duration in PLAYBACK TIMINGS

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That is the “missing piece”. Will try that out mow. Thx very much for all this helpful feedback.

I was following your explanation and then I got lost with your last 2 sentences copied below-- can you explain this min more detail or is there a video workflow walkthru that explains this–I would pay to see and learn this workflow method–

“You can make a capture of the chords (midi capture and drag in a midi track). You place the audio file above or below the midi track with the chords and while you listen, you compare it to adjust its duration in PLAYBACK TIMINGS”

Well, in this video I explain how I do it.

I usually use more Scaler to create chord progressions and work on them.
Chord detection is another skill of the program, which on the other hand is also possible with Ableton (although much worse)

I start from an audio file with chords. The original file is longer, but I have cut it to a length of 8 bars so as not to make a longer explanation. The process itself is already a bit long for me.

In most songs the chords are on the piano tracks, pads or strings. But depending on the FX effects that have been applied to those tracks, detection is sometimes more unpredictable.

Let’s go with Scaler
In principle it detects this chord progression quite well. I place the chords detected by Scaler in its C part and play. Although, and there is the problem that brings us to this video, when reproducing them they do not coincide in absolute terms with the time of the audio.
In Edit I select all the chords and in TIMING I set them to 2
It is not exact and I put the first chord in 2.25
The 2nd is 2
And the 3rd too

And this would be the process for the rest of the chords
Note that in a 4/4 time signature, a full bar corresponds to 2 in Edit Timing Playback
The total, therefore in a progression of 8 bars, will be 16 (the sum of all the timing playback)

I hope it helps you

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I’m sorry. It looks very bad. I’m trying to fix it
I think he’s better now. Excuse me. Doing good things with Scaler costs a while, but making videos to explain them costs me much more, hehe
The next thing, if you want to check more, would be to drop a midi file after recording and insert it into a midi track. I was referring to that too when I spoke of comparing.
For me it is not so important to copy exactly the chords of a song of another person. I am interested in chords to develop them in my own way.
Either way, Scaler is very useful. It needs our patience, our time, and, above all, to know exactly what we want to do

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That was already very helpful.
I understand it up until 4:00.

What are You doing here?

Why this looping etc.?

There, I am precisely deciding how long the 1st chord lasts. The normal thing would have been a measure, and, consequently, I would have to set Edit = 2; but it lasts a bit longer (at the end I write 2.25 in Edit); that’s what you must detect to be exato if you want a good copy of the chord length

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