Scale detection from midi input player device

[deigm]

Does a device like this exist? I'm imagining a player device that you feed midi notes to and it tells you which scales those notes could belong to. The Scaler VST has this feature, but reason devices are so much nicer.

[deeplink]

I think the closest RE is Chord Detector - which is limited to performing it's name sake.

[Jagwah]

Does a device like this exist? I'm imagining a player device that you feed midi notes to and it tells you which scales those notes could belong to. The Scaler VST has this feature, but reason devices are so much nicer.

You could use a Neptune and scroll through the scales and see what fits with your notes, not sure anything exists like what you say in Reason. Unless the Scaler is VST3 you should be able to use it in newer versions of Reason.

[deigm]

Welp, I guess this thread just became a device request to any interested RE developers reading

[Loque]

Welp, I guess this thread just became a device request to any interested RE developers reading

What are you missing at Chord Detector?

[deigm]

Welp, I guess this thread just became a device request to any interested RE developers reading

What are you missing at Chord Detector?

I love chord detector and use it often when noodling around trying to come up with chord progressions.
But often when writing melodies, or more specifically accompanying parts to a melody, knowing what scale I'm working in just makes life easier.
Currently I'll use Chord Detector to take note of what all the notes are then punch them into somthing like this online scale finder.
Then I can throw on a Scales and Chords to keep me in key and save me a whole lot of time.
I realize this workflow is a hot mess but being a music theory newbie (I'm learning I promise) the alternative is a whole lot of inspiration killing bung notes while I trial and error with all the wrong scales.

[Loque]

What are you missing at Chord Detector?

I love chord detector and use it often when noodling around trying to come up with chord progressions.
But often when writing melodies, or more specifically accompanying parts to a melody, knowing what scale I'm working in just makes life easier.
Currently I'll use Chord Detector to take note of what all the notes are then punch them into somthing like this online scale finder.
Then I can throw on a Scales and Chords to keep me in key and save me a whole lot of time.
I realize this workflow is a hot mess but being a music theory newbie (I'm learning I promise) the alternative is a whole lot of inspiration killing bung notes while I trial and error with all the wrong scales.

Ok, got it.
I saw that some DAWs support scales out of the box and i hope to see something in future in Reason too. To have it only as a Player is a mess. I'd rather want it for the song, track and in note edit view, helping me to see, follow and change my scale.

[Enlightenspeed]

Welp, I guess this thread just became a device request to any interested RE developers reading

This will show up as a very small part of something else reasonably soon, hopefully during Q2

[Bes]

huh scales and chords is a kinda cool website thanks for sharing

[deigm]

Ok, got it.
I saw that some DAWs support scales out of the box and i hope to see something in future in Reason too. To have it only as a Player is a mess. I'd rather want it for the song, track and in note edit view, helping me to see, follow and change my scale.

Yeah that would be the ideal solution, absolutely.

This will show up as a very small part of something else reasonably soon, hopefully during Q2

Amazing! Sounds like an insta-buy to me!

huh scales and chords is a kinda cool website thanks for sharing

No problem

[LongFist]

...often when writing melodies, or more specifically accompanying parts to a melody, knowing what scale I'm working in just makes life easier.
Currently I'll use Chord Detector to take note of what all the notes are then punch them into somthing like this online scale finder.
Then I can throw on a Scales and Chords to keep me in key and save me a whole lot of time.

Used to have this problem a lot. And it didn't help that - at the time - I wasn't aware that I was throwing non-chord tones (non-scale tones) into the mix "because they sounded cool". I would gather a "list of notes used" and pump them into a keyfinder on the PC (back then, everything wasn't on the 'net as it is now). Getting back a "no matching scale" result or (worse yet!) an "all notes detected" result never helped me in the least. And my Music Theory professor at the time wasn't too helpful or forthcoming, either, as he didn't have a lot of respect for Blues.

Somewhere around here (maybe backed up on a disc, I dunno) I had written a quickie VB program (back in the 90's not everything was an app) that did a quick compare to the entire Circle of Fifths, noting "exceptions" in a different column. Odds were that your "root" scale was the one that had the "fewest" exceptions to the scale. I suggest that, until someone builds a plugin for you, you might consider that as an option.

But I need to warn you: you'll end up memorizing the Circle of Fifths if you do this. Not sure what lasting effect that will have on your music.

[selig]

Used to have this problem a lot. And it didn't help that - at the time - I wasn't aware that I was throwing non-chord tones (non-scale tones) into the mix "because they sounded cool".

That’s exactly how I’ve written every song I’ve ever written in the past 40 years or so, and no one has complained yet...

[Billy+]

Used to have this problem a lot. And it didn't help that - at the time - I wasn't aware that I was throwing non-chord tones (non-scale tones) into the mix "because they sounded cool".

That's how you should be writing / composing music, it's perfectly acceptable to include non scale tones and using non chord tones for melodies helps create different feelings, you can make use of borrowed chords as well and can use a whole lot more to spice up your tracks or even switch key using diminished chords.

Try not getting to hung up on a fix scale and or mode, and remember that learning the rules is good because it helps you know when and how you can bend or break them.

That’s exactly how I’ve written every song I’ve ever written in the past 40 years or so, and no one has complained yet...

40 years man you make me feel young

[LongFist]

That’s exactly how I’ve written every song I’ve ever written in the past 40 years or so, and no one has complained yet...

40 years man you make me feel young

I get the distinct feeling that we may all be old-timers, here. Of course, we still inhabit forums (fora? I seem to remember that from my ancient latin studies...) so that might be a clue...

[Billy+]

Well I'm definitely able to appreciate more now than I once could apart from some of the noise that passes for music now

That's all I'm going to say about my age

[PhillipOrdonez]

Well I'm definitely able to appreciate more now than I once could apart from some of the noise that passes for music now

That's all I'm going to say about my age

I thought you were a kid, if that counts for something...

[Billy+]

Well the wife tells me to grow up quite regularly in fact only a few days ago she had to tell me and our grandson to behave

[PhillipOrdonez]

Well the wife tells me to grow up quite regularly in fact only a few days ago she had to tell me and our grandson to behave

It shows.

[Billy+]

Well if you can't have a bit of fun what's the point

[deigm]

Sounds to me like the take away here is to not worry about scales so much. No doubt that's good advice.
I guess the reason I'm focusing on it lately is partly because I'm trying to learn music theory, so following the rules before I break them.
But also I've noticed a few times now when nudging a melody line I've written into a 'better' scale with Scales and Chords, the result just sounds better. It might only shift one note up or down a semitone but its a clear improvement, leading me to double down on the belief that the scale was indeed in need of attention.

That’s exactly how I’ve written every song I’ve ever written in the past 40 years or so, and no one has complained yet...

I'd love to hear some of this music. Any links I can follow?

[deigm]

Somewhere around here (maybe backed up on a disc, I dunno) I had written a quickie VB program (back in the 90's not everything was an app) that did a quick compare to the entire Circle of Fifths, noting "exceptions" in a different column. Odds were that your "root" scale was the one that had the "fewest" exceptions to the scale. I suggest that, until someone builds a plugin for you, you might consider that as an option.

But I need to warn you: you'll end up memorizing the Circle of Fifths if you do this. Not sure what lasting effect that will have on your music.

Sounds like a cool tool! Would love to check it out if you find it

[LongFist]

Sounds like a cool tool! Would love to check it out if you find it

Dutifully I'll look for it; it should be in the backups, somewhere. Might need to recompile it for Win7 and up (I built it back when WinXp and WinMe were still unfairly popular), but I'll burn that bridge when I come to it. No need to borrow trouble, right?

I'd love to learn to program RE's; this thing would be a perfect candidate. Maybe someday...

[deigm]

Sounds like a cool tool! Would love to check it out if you find it

Dutifully I'll look for it; it should be in the backups, somewhere. Might need to recompile it for Win7 and up (I built it back when WinXp and WinMe were still unfairly popular), but I'll burn that bridge when I come to it. No need to borrow trouble, right?

I'd love to learn to program RE's; this thing would be a perfect candidate. Maybe someday...

That's awesome! I very much appreciate it but please don't go to too much trouble for little 'ol me

[deigm]

Welp, I guess this thread just became a device request to any interested RE developers reading

This will show up as a very small part of something else reasonably soon, hopefully during Q2

Melodramatik?

[pushedbutton]

I'm telling ya, Double Rainbow Mode is what's needed.