Posted
I usually start a song in Logic and port over to SFP. I create a chord track in Logic, which is what drives the Tyros 4 style generators.
Sometimes SFP imports the song spot on, other times it calculates wrong. I found a work around.. I export the chord track alone from Logic, and import that in as static, I then copy that and paste into a progression and then into the chord progression of arrangement.
Are there other ways to do this?
Sat, 2012-08-11 - 10:54 Permalink
I'll try that, but I don't think the key is the issue. Sometimes with my chord progressions and where the melody is placed, or using modulations, in song, it's hard to determine the key. I had the song begin with Fmaj 7, F6, F (three measures) which it all interpreted as F. I know that it takes into account what other tracks are doing, that can change the interpretation of a chord.
Other tracks, it seems to import fine. Perhaps I'm overlooking something. I ended up printing out the Logic chord changes and going in and fixing them in SFP to get around it, a bit tedious. But I want to start with a specific and exact MIDI file and use SFP to create variations and/or new parts and lines.. When SFP interprets the chords right, it works out good.
Sat, 2012-08-11 - 12:18 Permalink
Also mark, on the import screen where you setup how to interpret the midi to create the figures, there is a check box that implies it causes the import of that track to ignore the other tracks. I can't remember what it is called, might be abstraction. Mouse over some of them and the tooltip will give the clue. This might help?
Sat, 2012-08-11 - 12:18 Permalink
Chords interpreted from MIDI pitches are ambiguous. Unless you write them down by name, there is no guarantee Synfire will detect the same chords you used in the MIDI file.
Sat, 2012-08-11 - 12:49 Permalink
I export the chord track alone from Logic, and import that in as static, I then copy that and paste into a progression and then into the chord progression of arrangement.
Are there other ways to do this?
By default Synfire takes all tracks of the imported MIDI file into account for the harmonic analysis and for the calculation of the chord progression. If your MIDI file includes a specific chord track with sustained chords, then these calculations at the import will possibly give better results if you restrict the harmonic analysis it to that chord track. To do that, you have to uncheck the checkbox "Harmonic Content" at every track except at the chord track (see pic).
With this setting the chord progression will be calculated only from the chord track and all other tracks will follow this progression.
Also make sure that you have selected the preset "Sustained Chords" for the chord track. And if you know that your imported song does not contain any modulations you should also uncheck the box "Detect Key Changes".
Mon, 2012-08-13 - 07:01 Permalink
Thanx Juergen;
Yes I have been doing that.. When I start in Logic, I block out the chords, force legato, so all chords start exactly on point, and end simultainisously. So there is no issue of T4 or SFP ambigous. But as Supertonic, said, sometimes chord import is ambigous.. One must go thru and correct harmony track if necessary.