# Lock detection to a specific root note?

**URL:** <https://forum.scalermusic.com/t/lock-detection-to-a-specific-root-note/18155>\
**Category:** Scaler 2 General Discussion\
**Created:** [October 29, 2024, 9:07am UTC](https://forum.scalermusic.com/t/lock-detection-to-a-specific-root-note/18155 "2024-10-29T09:07:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![boingy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/54ee81/32.png) [@boingy](https://forum.scalermusic.com/u/boingy)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2024, 9:07am UTC](https://forum.scalermusic.com/t/lock-detection-to-a-specific-root-note/18155/1 "2024-10-29T09:07:58Z")

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When detecting a scale from incoming MIDI notes is there a way to “lock” the detection to a specific root note? For example, you might want it to only show you the possible scales that have F as a root note.

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**Author:** ![ed66](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex012/user_avatar/forum.scalermusic.com/ed66/32/5339_2.png) [@ed66](https://forum.scalermusic.com/u/ed66)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2024, 5:33pm UTC](https://forum.scalermusic.com/t/lock-detection-to-a-specific-root-note/18155/2 "2024-10-30T17:33:49Z")

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HI @boingy

I don’t think you can do this. As I understand the detection process what Scaler does is to suggest scales starting with what it feels is the most likely scales and then listing other suggestions in decreasing probability.

This approach then leaves it up to the composer to select the scale that they want to use in their composition.

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**Author:** ![boingy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/54ee81/32.png) [@boingy](https://forum.scalermusic.com/u/boingy)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 10:54am UTC](https://forum.scalermusic.com/t/lock-detection-to-a-specific-root-note/18155/3 "2024-10-31T10:54:22Z")

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Thanks. I suspected there would not be a way but my use case is for figuring out existing song scales rather than composing. I can usually have a pretty good guess at the root, because of the verse and/or chorus so I was hoping to reduce the number of suggestions made by Scaler, particularly when there are only 4 or 5 different notes in the melody. Even the ability to sort the list alphabetically would help. But I guess I’ll just have to keep on scrollin’ - it’s not something that’s ruining my life so I’ll probably cope lol.