Transposing Patterns (aka Changing Key)

I’m dropping this in here as I have seen a couple of questions recently about transposing.

If you have a pattern of chords in Section A, then you can transpose the patternby clicking on either semitone - or + to the right of the pattern:

to transpose by semitones, or on the padlock button

to force the pattern to a new scale.

If you want to transpose a pattern or patterns you have created in Section C select the pattern(s) and use the transpose buttons on the EDIT page

To transpose by octeaves use the OCTAVE - or +

andfor semitones use the SEMITONE - or +

Note that having slected a pattern by dragging your mouse over it

you only have to click on one transpose buton (+ or -) and the whole pattern is transposed.

Hope this helps.

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Not quite correct. To transpose the whole pattern you need to lasso all the pads.

Thanks @jamieh, you correct I should have said that (I need an editor) to transpose the whole pattern you must first lasso it by dragging your mouse over it.

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yes. This is an approach, but not particularly convenient.
I now prefer to transpose in BIAB.
Of course, I still try to find chords at SCALER first. Next, go to BIAB to become a DEMO, and listen to what you want.

An update to clarify how to transpose the entire song by one or more semitones:

Got to the EDIT page

Select all the blocks in the pattern

Then click the + or - on the semitone row to trasnspoase the blocks in the pattern up or down.

If you have more than one pattern you have to do this on each pattern.

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Thank you for sharing.
I hope it can be designed to be more convenient.

and how? :thinking:
It is just 2 moves: lasso + click on a button
and if you need more variations, you can transpose in a different way all chords (skipping the lasso)

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Is there a few seconds how-to video. I want to see.
I guess it may be that I didn’t learn how to do it.
thanks!

I don’t understand why youngs have so much difficulties to understand a simple picture like the one posted by @ed66 :thinking:

unfortunately, I am unable to make videos :grin: but maybe others will help you

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As @ed66 already pointed out - Lasso all chords in a pattern. Transpose up or down by semi-tones (half steps) on one of the pads and they all change by the same amount. Easy.
Change all patterns by the same amount or different if you want. Until the Devs add Global Transpose this works just fine.

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great explanation without any video :grin:
In Italian we say: breve, succinto e conciso

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Brilliant! Focusing on just one thing… makes it so much easier for me to remember the next time! Thank you!

Thank you, if you haven’t found them already there are other tutorials that focus on single topics such as Secondary Dominants,
Using Midi Clips,
Introduction to the CHORD page,
A lot of variations for VB-III (and any other synth, I think),
Scaler with BBC SO Discovery: the easiest workflow ever,

2.7 & Ableton Live 11: Sync & Multi Out Works,

etc, etc.

Hi all … thanks for this helpful information. I use Scaler when playing live and it would be great if I could assign a knob on my midi controller to transpose a pattern up or down on the fly. …… maybe in a future version of Scaler.

Could someone briefly explain how to export a chord set to a notation app, for example, StaffPad, or Dorico on an iPad? I have used the advice here to transpose a chord set, but have great difficulty in being able to utilise it in other apps, instead of manually, writing it on a piece of paper Or in the notes app on the iPad. Thank you kindly for any help.

Have you tried dragging the midi from Scaler to the app? I don’t have these apps or an ipad, but it works for MuseScore on a Windows pc.

I can do that on my Mac but on an iPad, it is different. I exported the chord set as an .XML file but it is not a fluid experience. I hope the tablet drag and drop will become better with future updates. Thanks for your response.