It would be great (for me at least) if you would be able to build a pool (15 to 20) of chords from the major (7), minor (more than 7), parallel mode, the flat ones, bII, bIII, bV, bVI, bVII, and some other like sus2, sus 4, sixth, etc.
You’ll choose from all these to form a pool that you could use to exercise to build your chord progression.
You’ll associate each of the chosen chords to a button to make it easy to try each of them.
This pool (15 to 20) would have to be in another tab (6. Pool of Chords) to be properly used.
I think it would be great.
Hi @netuno60 , as a workaround for trying to do the same thing you aspire I am using this technique (in lieu of a dedicated feature for what you suggest)…
1.) I pick a scale from the list, to have its chords show up in section B…
2.) Then I choose the VARIATIONS menu in section B…
3.) … and drag all the chord variations for a particular note, in this case the TONIC…
4.) … into section C patterns (this allows you to pool more than 7 chords)
When you run out of space in section C Pattern 1, just create another pattern, and then drag the next 7 chords from section B into the new pattern, and so on until Pattern X (until all scale chord variations are pulled into section C patterns)
5.) Then switch to section C’s matrix (grid) mode…
6.) Once in matrix/grid mode, activate key binding (botton on the far right, next to the [C])
By default, this will map the current Pattern to the MIDI keyboard, and allow you to recall chords from the progression via single key presses.
7.) Now, to get all chords to be accessible via these key bindgins, just select (via lasso drag) all of your Pattern boxes on the left side of the screen, like so…
Then you should see all related key binding buttons blink green (on the right side of the chord rows). This works for more than just the 2 pattern rows in this example (you can have up to 8 rows, that is 8x7=56 chords accessible on your keyboard)
Voila! Now you should have direct access to the variations of C minor chords via the keys C2-D4 on your keyboard.
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Hi Bernd, thank you for your suggestion. I never thought of it.I should play around a bit more in Scaler, but I am more eager to compose some new piece than to explore Scaler more deeply.
I think your procedure can allow me to build exactly what i want. As long i understand well, i can build a pool of until 56 different chords. So looking for inside Variations I can search for variations of Tonic, Supertonic, Mediant, Subdominant, Dominant, Submediant and the Leading Tone and choose what i want.
A bit of work, but it works for now.
Thanx again.
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Hi Bernd, I’ve been playing around with your suggestion and after a while I found two things.
One is that I am limited to the chords suggested in the Variations field and I don’t have nor the flat ones neither the major/minor opposition to the minor/major chosen scales.
Second is the fact I am using Reason 11 as my DAW which put some limitations on Scaler as Reason don’t allow midi vst connection.
So, when I am with the chosen chords mapped into my keyboard keys I only get to hear them, but I can’t record them in any way.
When I drag them to Reason sequencer, the chord progressions are totally wrong.
I can’t explain better because my english is very limited.
But thanx anyway.
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Wrong it what way? What sound source are you using? If you are trying to play back Scaler then you need to turn off Binding.
Hi Jamieh, thank you for your tip.
After your message, I’ve realized that when I turn off binding, I could really drag the real chords.
And I also found that I can choose any scale at all and pick all chords I want to form my Pool in the patterns at section C. Real good.
I can play around with them and find the ones I want.
But now in order to form a chord progression of, say, 8 chords in section C, I don’t know how to do other than create a new pattern and drag the chords in the pattern.
I can handle the chords in section C as I handle them in section B.
Is there any other way?
Thanx
You can use another instance of scaler for that.
@netuno60
[ADDENDUM] - I assumed you wanted to keep all of the pads filled with the variations you created. Of course if that’s not the case you can change out any chords for any others. If you want to keep all the pads filled in one Scaler you can always use a 2nd Scaler.
@netuno60 you can put any chord/progression you like into section C. They do not have to be from a Scale. You can mix & match (changing Scales does not affect your existing chords stored in section C’s patterns). You can even play in your own chords via “Detect” in section A and then move them down to section C patterns. Or you can manually edit chords by right clicking chord slots in section C. I was just giving you an example of how to quickly get a whole bunch of chord variations for a given tonic/scale.
I don’t know Reason, so I can’t help you with what happens there.
Hi Jamieh, yes I want to keep all of the pads filled with the Pool created. I want to use them to create my chord progressions.
Now I see I can build the progressions by drag the chords to the Reason sequencer and adjusting them.
I can see what you mean by the use of a 2nd Scaler. I can use it to re-detect my chosen chords and re-work them properly.
Thanx.
Hi Bernd, thanks for the tips.
I understood them. I can make my Pool of chords and play with them to form some chord progressions.
But I still think that a new section could turn this task easier to realize.
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You can also use pad view to see all of your patterns at once and use keyswitches to switch between them so making playing between 64 chords very easy.
PS we are working on a ‘sketch’ page which will do exactly what you want…
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Hi David, great news!
I think this feature will ease the work of chose chords play with them and build the progression.