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Calculating how SFP figures out the chords..

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Tyros 4 must have a MIDI Chord track for it to create instrument parts.. These are just full blocked out chords for the proper duration (1/2 measure, 1 measure etc.)

 

When I start a song in SFP and export, I also export the chord progression seperately, and assign that to MIDI channel 2 in Logic to go to Tyros Chord Detect channel.. I also take SFP meta chord display track into Logic, put that in the score and every thing is fine.. I can play along with piece see all notes on all tracks and refer to the chord display channel to know what notes to play. Tyros genereates right on parts from SFP chord progression track 

 

However sometimes I start a song in (cringe) Band-in-a-box.  However old and crude this program might be, it is pretty adept at making melodies, and a really fast way of auditioning chord substitutions, (or just creating a new song idea , when you're burnt out or lazy.. Again I import this into Logic and everything is fine.  

 

I might add a few tracks, edit notes here and there. Then export that as a 16 Channel MIDI track into SFP, to generate more material. SFP works decent at it, however it will quite often come out with it's own idea of altered chords for the chord progression. Because I import into SFP as static and then create, modify or reproccess some tracks, it is still right on with original piece. When I export back into Logic.. SFP has a pretty different conception of what the chord progression is.  In fact if I play the chords that SFP has displayed in META format,  thay are way off.  I can go back and look at a printed out leadsheet from Band=in-a-boxs. Those chords are correct.  I'm ot talking about a Dm7 getting confused for a F6,  the chords are sometimes radically different, almost in different keys and modalites (Aegerian, Dorian, etc).  To be honest that stuff is above my head, I just know major, minor, harmonic minor and pentonic.. I never quite grasped the other modes.  (Hey when I first started playing music, I didn't like the black notes, and would try to avoid them at all costs).  Now quite often I write a piece and when I score in Logic realize I'm in Db.. (nice cheery sounding key). And contrary to some music theorists, the different keys do seem to have a slightly subtle but different color)

 

My question is, or the insight hope to get from you is... I understand SFP probably looks at all notes every 32 note and calculates the chord on those notes present, is that the case?  Or does it have a more complex AI subroutine here, noting that the basic key is F, therefore some of these spurrious notes, outside of that scale should be disregarded, and SPF calculates according to it's own rules? 

 

I was working on a cover of 'You Make Me Feel Brand Knew" by the Stylistics.  They do an extremely effective  chord modulation, which is powerful, but doesn't hit you in the face like a whole note up modulation.  I must admit, this is something I want to learn more about, cause you can make the modulations strong, or subtle, but they are powerful tools in crafting a great song.

 

If you had any insight about that.. it would be much appreciated.. From anybody in fact, we must have some classically trained musicians here. 

 

Thanx..

 

 


Mon, 2012-10-08 - 12:02 Permalink

Or does it have a more complex AI subroutine here, noting that the basic key is F, therefore some of these spurrious notes, outside of that scale should be disregarded, and SPF calculates according to it's own rules? 

Yes, it does exactly that. The context is analysed from a distance and then it makes hypotheses about potential progressions. Only the fittest progression survives.

Mon, 2012-10-08 - 16:43 Permalink

I was working on a cover of 'You Make Me Feel Brand Knew" by the Stylistics.  They do an extremely effective  chord modulation, which is powerful, but doesn't hit you in the face like a whole note up modulation.  I must admit, this is something I want to learn more about, cause you can make the modulations strong, or subtle, but they are powerful tools in crafting a great song.

Yes let us do more with modulations :listen:  ..starting with the most basic and let the pallette helps us to construct one

( there is a video about this subject already !)
Unfortanely i do not understand all of the chords ..take the subject secondary dominants for instance.
A revival of the modulations subject....but the focus is not on secundairy dominants, because itis not regarded a a real modulation..so it is more a side topic for me for now.

  • Observe how chord progressions could be enriched by borrowing chords from the parallel major or minor key. Involving the use of alterations of particular scale degrees, these borrowed chords were accordingly described as being chromatic for the key. Another source of chromatic harmony, also obtaining by borrowed from other keys

         is secondary dominant theory .  

  • The idea of secondary dominant harmony is that a chord other than the tonic is preceded by its own dominanth seventh, ninth, eleventh, and so on. This has the effect of a temporarily tonicizing that particular chord. However, this process of tonicization is so fleeting and temporary thati it is not regarded a s being a proper modulation  

let's  go again further with the basic modulations..! ,but on the right spot on the forum than
Try to modulate from major to minor scale and the closely related Major or Minor scales with pivot chords 

 

 

Mon, 2012-10-08 - 17:28 Permalink

Modulation is no magic. Try a straight jump to the other key. You will be surprised what works and what not. Often only the melody matters.

Mon, 2012-10-08 - 19:37 Permalink

  Than possible you get "abrupt modulation" , sometimes derogatorily refeferred as the truck-driver's gearshift :)

 

Tue, 2012-10-09 - 03:15 Permalink

I think the 'Truck Driver's Gear Shitf,' specifically refers to the practice of modulating up a key semitone, as from C to C# in a chorus or ending of a song ... not to a merely abrupt, 'unprepared' shift.

 

Prado

Tue, 2012-10-09 - 09:01 Permalink

If your second key is not too far away from the first, even an abrupt switch would not be perceived as such, because the keys have enough notes and chords in common.

Tue, 2012-10-09 - 18:05 Permalink

If your second key is not too far away from the first, even an abrupt switch would not be perceived as such, because the keys have enough notes and chords in common.

 

When you say "not too far away," you are speaking harmonically as in the Cyle of 5ths, correct?

 

Starting with C Major for example, Bb Major is closer than C# Major, correct?

 

Prado