Sync... Is Performance Melody not playing along?

Hi,

I’ve been playing with the brilliant Sync option.

I have several tracks with Scaler as Instrument; named Leader, Follower 1, Follower 2 etc.

The Leader, I set the Song, to Gospel 1, and dragged the produced chords from Section A, to C.

Then I selected Sync on Leader track to have all the other tracks with Scaler to follow.

I’ve been trying the various Performance options. I wanted to try and build a song struture using the Sync method.

This was going well, until I came to Melody.

When you select Melody you get an additional option, Chord or Scale.

2022-12-09_13-29-35

I’ve tried several of the many available various patterns from Colours to Themes.

I’m noticing that the notes played are not always right, or I should say they don’t sound right to me. I’ve tried Chord and Scale, but with the same result.

I’ve turned all the followers off except the Scaler with Melody and the Leader.

As anyone else noticed this?

Or is there something that I’m missing in the Melody sections.

Many thanks

Can you describe what you are hearing…or what you expect to hear that you don’t.

Also, does your complete workflow behave as expected with other performance patterns (outside of Melody)

Hi TMacD and hope I find you well.

The Sync was working fine until I added another track and Scaler set to Melody.

First problem; it struggled to start, as if there was a big uptake of CPU power being used. I’m using Apple M1 Pro, 32G, OS 13 and latest Logic, so didn’t think I should be having a problem.

I saved this project and then restarted Logic and project again. Still not brilliant.

I’ve tried to record a piece when it was playing. I would like to know your thoughts. I think it could be to do with the more complicated chords. That’s just a shot in the dark, because I have no idea!

Video link: Melody Notes

Many thanks

Hey Alfie…you did. :slight_smile:

If that sour G is what got your attention in that B maj add 13 chord, I agree.

I tried to recreate your scenario but I’m not sure how you created that chord (not a music guy). Everything I tried sounded fine.

As to slow or delayed performance, and while all anecdotal at the moment, my experience so far with 2.71 is that I do see more hanging or pausing (not crashing) than I did in 2.6. It just seems to time out for a bit once in a while. In all fairness, I’m using a pretty old machine but general system performance levels do not seem to influence the frequency of the hangs. Be sure you have updated to 2.71 as it did seem to get better.

Still in early testing but if I disable MVO and Live Synch, it does seem to be more usable. I have a crash log that I keep and I’ve added a “paused” notation for this new behavior but not enough time with it yet.

If I were in your shoes I’d try a few things starting with a completely clean Scaler state.

  • Try a simple set of chords on your Melody player and try it independently of the Chord player
  • Try your piece with no Live Synch (since is is not needed in what you are doing) and no MVO enabled.
  • Try with other Performance modes outside Melodies
  • Play that sour G note by hand and also try it with an internal Scaler sound

good luck and keep us posted

Thanks TMacD,

I think you’re right about Sync. I tried a several times and got to a point that started playing up. I think I’ll leave Sync for the time being.

Simple chords are fine and to be honest I prefer. Sometimes there is so much it just gets muddy.

Other Modes seem ok, it was only with Melody.

My Scaler is 2.7.0 AU so downloading update now.

Many thanks for your time and help. Greatly appreciated!

Hope things go well and happy to lend a “hand”

When it comes to “muddy chords”, you might try experimenting with different instruments and voicings. I’m amazed how often I fall into an instrument/chord combo that sound great when the one before did not.

I’ve also had some very interesting results using the Humanize/Quantize and Swing settings. Those combined with playback speed opens all kinds of interesting doors.

Cheers!

Morning! or Afternoon, or should that be evening!

Following your advice, I’ve been trying out different instruments and voicings; it makes a big difference. Specific instruments are not meant to be played in a particular place on the keyboard, just too high or too low. I found this list some time ago. I’ve added it to the bottom of this post. It helped me to move a given instrument to its happy place.

Voicing is essential and can make an incredible difference. One of the exercises I would use was to play the three basic inversions up and down the keyboard. This helped immensely and didn’t mean they would be going up and down the keyboard, in the primary triad position, for weeks, months or even years.

But, Scaler does a lot of this for you, which is one reason I would like to use it as a teaching aid. Voice Grouping is something I’m playing with, which does a lot of the work for us. I do wish the RollOver Help option worked better. For instance, when I go over Voice Grouping>Dynamic, there isn’t anything to explain this. Rollover Help is something I would like to be improved dramatically throughout Scaler! That’s the teacher coming out of me. I don’t think learning should be a guessing game.

Enough of me rabbiting on!

Humanize is a brilliant addition. I have it set to Both most of the time. I want to set this up as a Default option, but not sure how to do this, so if you can help?

I’m about to start looking at the Perform options. I just watched Davide talking about the differences between Performance and Phrases. There is so much here that I wish the individual options were explored and explained.

You may have noticed I do have a tendency to go on a bit! :roll_eyes:

Thanks again for your input. Always informative and helpful!

Have a good one!

FULL RANGE INSTRUMENTS

  • Piano Family (Grand, Upright, Harpsichord)
  • Organ Family (Pipe Organ, Reed Organ, Electric Organ)
  • Harp Family (Concert Harp, Celtic Harp)
  • Guitar Family (Acoustic Guitar, Lute)

BASS RANGE INSTRUMENTS (C0 – G2)

  • Strings: Double Bass (C1)
  • Brass: Contra Bass Tuba (Ab0)
  • Brass: Contra Bass Trombone (Ab0)
  • Brass: Bass Trombone (Bb1)
  • Brass: Tuba (D1)
  • Reeds: Contra Bassoon (B0)
  • Reeds: Contra Bass Clarinet (Bb0)
  • Plucks: Bass Guitar (E1)

LOW RANGE INSTRUMENTS (C2 – G3)

  • Strings: Cello (C2)
  • Brass: Euphonium (Bb1)
  • Brass: Cimbasso (F1)
  • Brass: French Horn (B1)
  • Winds: Pipe Organ (C1)
  • Reeds: Bassoon (Bb1)
  • Reeds: Bass Clarinet (Bb1)
  • Voice: Basses (C2)

MID RANGE INSTRUMENTS (C3 – G4)

  • Strings: Viola (C3)
  • Brass: Alto Trombone (A2)
  • Brass: Flugelhorn (Bb2)
  • Brass: Trombone (E2)
  • Brass: Bass Trumpet (E2)
  • Winds: Bass Flute (C3)
  • Winds: Bass Recorder (F3)
  • Reeds: Baritone Saxophone (Db2)
  • Reeds: Tenor Saxophone (Ab2)
  • Reeds: Oboe (Bb3)
  • Reeds: English Horn (E3)
  • Reeds: Clarinet (D3)
  • Voice: Tenor (C3)
  • Voice: Alto (F3)
  • Plucks: Harp (Cb1)
  • Plucks: Acoustic Guitar (E2)
  • Plucks: Bouzouki (G2)
  • Plucks: Banjo (C3)
  • Perc: Marimba (C2)
  • Perc: Tubular Bells (C4)

HIGH RANGE INSTRUMENTS (C4 ->)

  • Strings: Violin (G3)
  • Strings: Erhu (D4)
  • Strings: Hurdy Gurdy (G4)
  • Brass: Trumpet (E3)
  • Brass: Piccolo Trumpet (D4)
  • Winds: Alto Flute (G3)
  • Winds: Flute (C4)
  • Winds: Tenor Recorder (C4)
  • Winds: Bansuri in G (D4)
  • Winds: Alto Recorder (F4)
  • Winds: Pan Flute in C (F4)
  • Winds: Low Whistle in D (D4)
  • Winds: Piccolo Flute (C5)
  • Winds: Soprano Recorder (C5)
  • Winds: Tin Whistle in D (D5)
  • Reeds: Alto Saxophone (Db3)
  • Reeds: Soprano Saxophone (Ab3)
  • Reeds: Melodica (F3)
  • Reeds: Duduk in A (F#4)
  • Voice: Soprano (C4)
  • Plucks: Zither Family (C3)
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  • Plucks: Lap Harp Family (C4)
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  • Perc: Celesta (C4)
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  • Perc: Vibraphone (F3)
  • Perc: Xylophone (F4)
  • Perc: Glockenspiel (G5)