Make slash chords more convenient

Scaler 3 General Discussion
1

The issue with slash chords is giving me a real headache. Neither Scaler2 nor Scaler3 has a satisfactory solution.

There are a few main problems I need to address:

  1. When I’ve set up a slash chord, for example, G/B, but want to use Voice Grouping to shift it up an octave, the slash chord doesn’t work; G/B becomes G.

What I want is for G/B to always remain G/B, regardless of my Voice Grouping settings. Is this possible?

  1. There’s the issue of searching for slash chords. I want to input G/B, but I can’t; I have to input Gmaj/B, which is very inconvenient. Can you make it simpler?

  2. For some common slash chords, like G/F, please don’t display it as F6 (sus2 b5). Everyone knows what G/F is; why display F6 (sus2 b5)?

2

Hi @swingmix

Here’s some answers to your points:

  1. Voice Grouping is designed to optimise voice leading, meaning it will naturally pull notes toward the closest possible positions around a tonal centre.
    From that perspective, a fixed bass note (like in G/B) can conflict with that goal, because it forces a wider spread or a jump that the algorithm is trying to avoid.
    So what you’re seeing isn’t really a bug - it’s a byproduct of how Voice Grouping is intended to work. That said, musically there are two valid use cases:
  • Voice-led harmony (tight, efficient movement)
  • Functional slash chords (where the bass note is intentional and should be preserved)

Right now, Voice Grouping prioritises the former.
What we’re exploring is a better balance

  1. Searching for Slash Chords (G/B vs Gmaj/B)
    Understood. At the moment Scaler uses explicit chord definitions (e.g. “maj”) for consistency internally, but we agree that typing G/B should just work.
    We’re currently reviewing nomenclature and input simplification across the app, and this is part of that discussion.

  2. Naming (G/F vs F6 sus2 b5)
    This is a classic trade-off between theoretical accuracy and musical convention.
    Scaler often shows the “functionally correct” chord name, but we completely agree that in many real-world contexts, something like G/F is far more intuitive and widely used.

We’re exploring ways to:

  • Prioritise more common / musician-friendly names
  • Potentially offer alternative naming preferences
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3

hello.

I think EZKEY’s chord input method works well, whether it’s a normal chord, a slash chord, or the chord name. It also allows for quick chord manipulation, such as changing C E G to C G C E.

I wonder if Scaler could adopt something similar to ezkey2, and also how ezkey allows changing a semitone while keeping the chord name the same.

Because ezkey2 is so convenient, I currently edit chords in ezkey and then import them into Scaler. This is my current preferred method.

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