Harmony Navigator - Chord inversions

(reposting my email reply here:)

Chord inversions are selected automatically, based on the pitch range of the gobal "Chords" instrument (editable) and the chords you played previously (voice leading). HN2 attempts to make transitions between chords as smooth and intuitive as possible.

In the progression notepad and editor, you also have the option to force a particular inversion by pressing 1,2,3,4 keys, or (temporarily) modifying the pitch range with SHIFT+Arrow Up/Down key.

The theory behind HN2 distinguishes between chord classes (sets of pitch classes) and chord interpretations (collections of pitch). Class "Am7" includes all possible combinations of its notes, regardless of octave transposition. C3E3G3 and G2C2E4 and E1C2G3 all belong to the same class. The theory of harmony and its naming conventions are built on classes. The catalog defines chord classes and palettes show them in relation to each other.

Individual interpretations (inversion, narrow vs. wide voicing, low vs. high pitch) are a matter of physical performance, depending on the pitch capabilities of the instrument, voice leading rules and the composer's intent.

If individual inversions and transpostions were added to a palette, it would become extremely complex and difficult to read and use. It is already very comprehensve now.

It is certainly arguable whether the current way to modify inversion and pitch is intuitive or not. Adding this extreme variety to the visual tools however, would make them unusable. Let alone the theory behind it could no longer be handled.

I should note that, for the rather simple application HN2 LE, the complete theory and interpretation model (which stems from Synfire Pro) may be a challenge. Most HN2 LE users do seem to compose for a single instrument only or some hard-wired sound setup, so the generality of the progression model is falsely perceived as a limitation, rather than the powerful thing it actually is (because it can serve any number of instruments at the same time).

We think about hiding this complexity and supporting hard-wired simple instrument setups.

By reducing the ability to reference chord inversions I think you are neccessarily limiting the range of potential chord interchanges that a user can call up.

In the palette, yes, due to the limited window size. The progression editor supports inversions.

Provide the fuller extent of harmony inter-relationship, of which chord inversions are a SIGNIFICANT part.

That's voice leading. The palette is mainly about functional harmony. You can manually override the suggested inversions in the progression editor.

You can also add any interval structure to the catalog, including chord inversions. I however doubt this makes sense, because the chord class is no longer matching. The catalog assumes the first pitch is root. Am7 should stay Am7 regardless of its physical representations, or its functional logic will be broken.

To answer your question: No, I don't think adding inversions to the catalog is any useful. It breaks functional harmony. Although you can try for yourself.

Synfire uses the same harmony model. Inversion is not controlled by the progression, however. It's controlled by individual instruments and their figures. All instruments share the same progression.

Interesting how it works under the hood of SFP and HN2..and it is complicated that is for sure
It seems that liveplaying of chord inversions on the palette is not possible and internal it is the case where needed to get a good voice leading.
Manual you can do it chord inversions, but not live
The idea to experiment with chordinversions in the pallette is attractive, but you can get a better voice leading by using them, but instead of offering a root chord you can offer a inversion, but not in the live pallette

But in the progression editor ( see progressiontab ) of HN2.5 advanced  you can choose a menu option view-> "bass" and the bass note of the chord is depicted on the chord rectangle

So it is possible to use chord inversion in your song and experiment with it how it sounds ..with or without chordinversion
Note: chords inversion for triads are not noted as slash chords in the progressioneditor ..example C/E you don't get in the progressioneditor
Look at the slah chord symbol for 7 chords too
So the good news is you can use inversions, but only in the progression editor

note: strange idea that SFP internal a chordinversion uses to get a better voice leading, while you use root chords in the pallette? 

To answer your question: No, I don't think adding inversions to the catalog is any useful. It breaks functional harmony. Although you can try for yourself.

Strange... because as example a root triad chord C maj still stays a triad Cmaj chord when it is used in his first or second inversion ( the third inversion is the original triad again back)

I don't see why inversion breaks a functional harmony ?

An inverted interval structure in the catalog would not haven the same harmonic function anymore.

I talk about the harmonic function of the chord as a whole: functional harmony in relation to other chords in a progression and not on interval level and for calculating of the voiceleading it make sense the interval spaces

Example C -F-G or C/E-F-G for a chordprogression is the same functional harmony applied in both chordprogressions. ( Tonica-Subdominant-Dominan t)

Further thinking about the live palette without playing live inversions it is userfriendly!
Is not necessarry to play inversions, because SFP do the job internal..the voice leading and adding auxilary tones or something like that.

Why there is the need in the chordprogression editor in HN2 to bring in manual a chord inversion?
Probably you can get more advanced chord progression than doing this automatically with the live pallette ? 

I'm confused.  I have been trying to get inversions to apply to chords that I have already entered and they do not seem to be doing so.  Is this a limitation, a feature, or what?

It sounds like people are able to change the inversions of chords once they have been added to a progression, but nothing happens when I select a chord in a progression and press alt, 1, 2, 3, or 4.

Am I doing something wrong?

This is a bug. The number keys are not working in the current release. We will fix it with the next update (soon).