When Scaler is in Midi detection mode, I would like Scaler to detect the timing also, such that playback is the same as the midi song that was played in from the DAW.
For example, currently if Scalar detects three chords within one bar, it plays them back as three bars, losing the original timing.
Since I am using this to analyse existing midi file and improve on them, it would be valuable for Scaler to detect the key signature and timing, not just the chords.
I have that problem, and so far I’ve just had to resort to either (a) editing the sequence, or, (b) doing detection in another product which seems to work and then bring them into Scaler from there.
I find with pads, there can be essentially only one chord per bar, but Scaler picks up any embellishments within the bar(s) as other chords and the same problem arises. Of course, I could edit the inbound midi to remove the embellishments, but I may as well do it at the other end of the workflow.
One way, it seems to me is if the detection could be limited to triads, or at least triads and sevenths, but I can’t see anyway to do this now. I’ll read the manual again.
Hi Yorkeman,
I’m still finding this difficult and I may abandon Scaler because of it.
I have a LOT of music to analyse.
What product have you found can accurately analyse chord types, even when the MIDI contains melodies and embellishments?
Hi @Sseltenrych
I’ve continued to look at this as I get back to spending more time on music.
I think the fundamental problem is that this translation is more art than science. This is compounded by the nature of the source material, including the timing of changes, and whether there is melodic as well as harmonised content. (if the latter is mixed, then most apps might have a problem with say an aeolian sequence with melodic content ‘playing outside’, for example.)
Scaler does have a problem in that it appears to look for changes rather than factoring in the length of, say, a pad chord. So in a 4 bar pad sequence in which the first chord is 2 bars and then 2 bars each for another chord, Scaler throw up 3 bars, not 4, especially when it’s legato.
Often in those cases, as long as you know the underlying key, it’s fairly straight forward to quickly eyeball the sequence and fiddle to correct the issue.
I have compared various tools and approaches, with slightly unexpected results. Years ago I purchased a copy of ‘Band in a Box’ for example, which I don’t use, but it’s midi detection in some cases can be quite good - and it deals with the aforementioned timing issue,
Another slightly odd route I have used is to render the midi to audio and then use deCoda (all hail @bernd for the suggestion) to analyse the audio; this can work quite well.
However, in defence of Scaler it has seemingly better contextual analysis. I’l make some data available for you via a web site, but whereas deCoda and BIAB analyses a test piece as Gmajor, Scaler was more correct in detecting D mixolydian. Therein lies the problem - the G ionian mode and the D mixolydian mode share the same notes, but they are not the same musically in the context of a piece.
I’ll contact you again later with a link, but I have been working on a piece which in fact has sparse chords, so Scaler sees it thus
… picking up all the individual notes and dyads and spacing them as a bar each.
However, by dropping the whole sequence on to the patterns, you cut out the single notes so,
Anyway, more later.
All things to all people, Scaler cannot be.
---- Yoda
or as my wife might put it ,not
“Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm?
I’m wondering how you did this?
Is this by importing a long audio file?
When I do that, I get a very long string of boxes in section A.
How did you get them to display in that large grid?
Thank you so much for your opinions on the contextual analysis.
Scaler does seem to be strong there, and gives me even less reason to buy BIAB or deCoda.
Did you select all the chords in section A and then send it to the Pad section?
Your screenshot is cropped, so I can’t tell.
You can select all the chords in the Section A then drag them onto the first slot available in Section C, Scaler will create the necessary patterns automatically.
You can then switch to the PAD view where all your patterns will be displayed on a grid.
