Scaler2 - Add/Import Custom User Scales

Scaler 2 Feature Requests
1

Last topic I seen was 9 months old (for scaler1), and didn’t want to revive it

To me, this is an extremely important feature. As of right now, we’d have to use some other software in combination with scaler2, and i rather not. It would be perfect if scaler2 could handle all our compositional needs. So I’ve been brainstorming.

I think the easiest way, and prob the most quickest to implement from a developer perspective, is to allow users to add their own custom scales manually in its own little area/section and keep that section totally isolated from scaler2 existing scales. Kind of like this:

Under the piano, you have several tabs:
detect, scales, songs, artists & user. Songs, Artists & User are pretty wide, and can be shrunken. This will allow space for another tab, User Scales.

In the new User Scales tab, allow us to select/tag the keys on the piano roll, or simply type in the chords, or let us select a set of basic CHORDS and change the voicing from Triads to a Single Note and save that as the Scale, then give our scale a Name. Alternatively, allow us to IMPORT a Scale Set, the same way we can import User Chord Sets. (we’d need Delete Scale Set & Export Scale Set as well in case the community want to share their Scales they’ve added)

So the new User Scales will be in its own isolated tab, which has its own isolated data base/memory bank of the scales we’ve added. I have no idea how many scales there is in existence, but this will save the team from having to constantly update scaler2 with user requested scales, and will prevent users from requesting it, and really be something that requires hardly no maintenance at all. This will also allow every user to have the flexibility of importing/adding their own custom scales at will, their having scaler2 customized to their liking.

Then, after we lay down our melodies, and make progressions, we could drag those down into the pattern section, and start changing their voicing like any other normal chords. This should be pretty sufficient enough until you guys figure out a more clever way to integrate our custom user scales into the core of scaler2.

3 Likes
2

I just started working with the demo and was surprised that a few pretty important scales aren’t in the list, like whole tone, or diminished (whole-half), or augmented. It also seems like the overall structure of the app is Euro-centric.

To expand the power & reach of Scaler, scales could be added that, when combined with tuning maps (e.g. scala) in aVI, would provide more culturally diverse options. So you load a scale into Scaler and you load a scala into some VI that accepts them and the combined scale & tuning system gives you authentic scales/chords/drones from many regions/cultures.

I do think AntiPyr8’s idea of creating user scales does provide an immediate and thorough solution, but I would also support the idea that Scaler could just expand their offerings over time. The advantage of Scaler building them in is that it could further build on the educational aspect of the plugin.

A third approach would be to provide a scale/chord manager companion app that allows some of that work to be done (optionally) outside the plugin.

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3

Welcome @stub Thanks for the feedback

4

This is a great suggestion about being able to import custom scales.

If this happens would Scaler 2 be able to build chords off your custom scales?

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@davide , any updates on this suggestion?

I was looking for the Spanish 8 Tone scale (Semitones pattern = 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2), but sadly, it is non-existent in Scaler 2.4.x.

Thanks! :slight_smile:

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Here’s to another topic another 9 months later :wink:. Come on, guys, custom scales are a no-brainer.

1 Like
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I tend to come down on looking to Scaler to add new scales, simply because they are public domain and definitive, whereas user sequences or progressions are unique them.

There are indeed several classes of scales missing. I suspect (without much evidence) that they have or will make it easier to extend such lists as development progresses.

There is an interesting list of over 2040 scales from monotonic to undecatonic at

So there are an enormous number that might be requested, but your comment on the focus on Western harmony is valid. Obvious gaps are various Symmetrical, Bebop, a list of exotic / ethnic etc.

A minor challenge (for me, at least) is also the use of synonyms for scales; several scales badged as ‘Jewish’ are already covered, and things like Hungarian Gypsy are the same as Neopolitan minor etc.

Anyway , good point, but I think it would be best for them to be in the package.

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*no brainer "
A comment from an old hacker… this is what clients for my products used to say to me. The requests rarely were, sadly. [They also assumed ‘no-brainers’ were cheap / free. - same applies. I can still feel the scars.] :slightly_smiling_face:

[Quote from one of my very early customers in the 70’s …" I don’t know how you can charge so much - computing’s only electricity and paper after all."]

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There are thousands of scales for sure but they don’t have to shove them all in, leave that to the customers I say. For example, by default Reaper has a pretty small number of scales in it but you can download the text file containing the full set of known scales (made by someone else) and use that if you want. As to how tough this would be to implement, the basic implementation seems straightforward to me, loop through known chords, throw away the ones that aren’t in this scale/key and show them in the usual dropdown lists. I don’t even care if suggestions or other modes work correctly, the benefits of having chords ready to be clicked and checked out outweigh the drawbacks of not having them work everywhere they’re supposed to.

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That’s the thing,

We want Scaler to work, its ability to generate voicings, modulate and now suggest chords is all related to how the engine interprets the scales.

We’re constantly improving it and we’ve said in the past that we would add this feature.

People purchase the software and expect it to work reliably, for some of our users it can represent a fair bit of money as well, we can’t just release something half baked.

Sorry you have to wait a bit more, but we can’t just throw things into it like this unfortunately

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11

Very smart to not release software that doesn’t perform, even if it might be just one area. For me Scaler is growing nicely.

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12

Is there any movement on this, in terms of ability to add custom scales?

13

Is there any committed plan to add custom scale ability to Scaler 2? I love most else about it, but this limitation rules it out for me.

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Hi @des1303 Yes indeed. Committed plan is a strong phrase but amongst other heavily requested user functions this is near top of the list. Has some limitations as to how it works in a live ecosystem but will happen at some stage.

15

Nice pun! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

16

Any chance you could be a bit more specific than “at some stage”? The update from @Ed1 13 months ago mentioned “… wait a bit more” :smile:. It’s a vital feature for me, and I’d rather buy Scaler (but custom scales at some stage) than Suggester (custom scales today).

17

Never mind, I could not resist any longer, so now I’ll be learning Scaler’s vast potential as a noob user & customer (and will still welcome custom scales when they come) !! :smile:

18

Until this feature is included, if you know the

that you want you can always create them as patterns and then save them as a Chord Set. You can then recall the Chord Set from the User menu. There is a tutorial on Saving Chord Sets in 2.7

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LOL
(added to go to 20 chars)