Hi Greg
I haven't had a chance to play with EAG but last night I tried to
simulate a simple finger picking chord arpeggio in Strum mode.
Not being a guitarist I don't know if this is the best way to do it to sound real.
My concern is that if I try to do it with a Lead patch I would play notes that a guitarist would not normally play when doing chord arpeggio finger picking.
So this is how I tried it:
Load a Strum preset.
On the keyboard hold down the chord keys eg Am with my right hand.
With my left hand play G1,Ab1,A1,Bb1 and B1 to trigger single strings for the arpeggio.
This seems to work OK but when I hold a Dm or Eb chord with my right hand, G1 triggers a muted string which leaves me with only Ab1, A1, Bb1 and B1 to trigger the arpeggio.
Other chords seem to be OK - but D and Eb chords switch the G1
trigger key to a "clunk" muted string.
This seems to be the case in all the Strumming presets.
So my question is how do I resolve this so I could always have at least 5 (preferably 6) single strings to trigger chord arpeggios?
I must admit that I haven't looked closely at the manual yet - I was hoping that this would be fairly intuitive.
Or maybe there's a better way to play chord arpeggios?
Phil
EAG - playing chord arpeggios in Strum mode
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- KVRist
- 37 posts since 1 Apr, 2006
If you're using 5 keys to simulate picking strings, you're likely to run into problems if the root note of the chord is on the 4th string, which is the case for any D, D# or Eb chord in standard tuning.
(Just in case you weren't aware, the 1st string is the thinnest string and has the highest pitch, the 6th string is the thickest and has the lowest pitch.
Standard tuning is 1-E, 2-B, 3-G, 4-D, 5-A, 6-E.)
You have a number of options:
1 - Quit using the 5th string when playing D, D# or Eb chords. Obvious, but perhaps not as helpful if you're trying to create a predefined picking pattern that you can use with any chord.
2 - Adjust the mod wheel to select an alternate fingering for the chord. Variations 2 and 3 are usually bar chords which include the 5th string so it won't give you that muted sound. However, since you're at a different position on the neck it will have a different tone.
3 - Modify the chord definitions to include the 5th string. For example, in the Dm chord, although D is the root note of the chord, A is still included in that chord, so you can play the 5th string open (assuming standard tuning) and play it as a Dm/A chord. In an Eb chord, you would press the 5th string on the 1st fret to make it an Eb/A# chord.
4 - If you want to try using a lead patch instead of a rhythm patch, watch the virtual fretboard. As long as the difference between the largest number and the smallest non-zero number is less than 3 (maybe a few more if you're higher up the neck or the player has very long and flexible fingers, although for most chords it won't be more than 2), you should be good as far as realistic playing is concerned. If the difference is greater than 3 try adjusting the Position knob in the Fretting section of the Performance settings. If that doesn't fix it, adjust your chord voicing and repeat.
I'd suggest the 2nd or 3rd options over the others, but they should all work.
When modifying chords, keep in mind that the player only has 4 fingers to work with and they can only reach so far. As long as the lowest and highest fingered frets are within 2 to 3 frets apart from each other you should be fine.
http://www.cyberfret.com/chords/index.php has plenty of information in case you don't know how a chord should be played.
(Just in case you weren't aware, the 1st string is the thinnest string and has the highest pitch, the 6th string is the thickest and has the lowest pitch.
Standard tuning is 1-E, 2-B, 3-G, 4-D, 5-A, 6-E.)
You have a number of options:
1 - Quit using the 5th string when playing D, D# or Eb chords. Obvious, but perhaps not as helpful if you're trying to create a predefined picking pattern that you can use with any chord.
2 - Adjust the mod wheel to select an alternate fingering for the chord. Variations 2 and 3 are usually bar chords which include the 5th string so it won't give you that muted sound. However, since you're at a different position on the neck it will have a different tone.
3 - Modify the chord definitions to include the 5th string. For example, in the Dm chord, although D is the root note of the chord, A is still included in that chord, so you can play the 5th string open (assuming standard tuning) and play it as a Dm/A chord. In an Eb chord, you would press the 5th string on the 1st fret to make it an Eb/A# chord.
4 - If you want to try using a lead patch instead of a rhythm patch, watch the virtual fretboard. As long as the difference between the largest number and the smallest non-zero number is less than 3 (maybe a few more if you're higher up the neck or the player has very long and flexible fingers, although for most chords it won't be more than 2), you should be good as far as realistic playing is concerned. If the difference is greater than 3 try adjusting the Position knob in the Fretting section of the Performance settings. If that doesn't fix it, adjust your chord voicing and repeat.
I'd suggest the 2nd or 3rd options over the others, but they should all work.
When modifying chords, keep in mind that the player only has 4 fingers to work with and they can only reach so far. As long as the lowest and highest fingered frets are within 2 to 3 frets apart from each other you should be fine.
http://www.cyberfret.com/chords/index.php has plenty of information in case you don't know how a chord should be played.
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- Banned
- Topic Starter
- 5 posts since 10 Jul, 2004
Jeesh! I'm simply trying to thank Tansunn for his explanation and help and this is the message I get when I try to submit the message - even after changing the wording completely!
Talk about paranoia....
I give up.
Anyway - thanks Tansunn - hope the site policeman allows THIS post!
!SPAM ALERT!
Your post contains words, phrases or links that appear to be "spammy" in nature.
Please revise your text and try again. If you are unable to determine what is causing the error please ask in the Site Stuff forum.
Talk about paranoia....
I give up.
Anyway - thanks Tansunn - hope the site policeman allows THIS post!
!SPAM ALERT!
Your post contains words, phrases or links that appear to be "spammy" in nature.
Please revise your text and try again. If you are unable to determine what is causing the error please ask in the Site Stuff forum.
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- KVRist
- 105 posts since 13 Jan, 2009 from Pontevedra, Spain
For non guitar players, here you have a basic chord reference web page, lots of chord types and inversions:
http://www.chordbook.com/guitarchords.php
http://www.chordbook.com/guitarchords.php
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- "The" Jazz
- 4614 posts since 18 Aug, 2004 from California, United States
Yeah, the tough part about using the strum mode for finger picking arpeggios is that you'll run across notes in the chords that are muted. That's just a natural part of the chord voicing, and guitarists alter the finger picking pattern to adjust for chords like that.
One thing you CAN do that helps is to put the lowest strum key for a single string at the "Lowest" setting, which will make it play the lowest string fretted. So in a Cmaj voicing, for example, which has the low E string muted, this strum key will play the C on the A string as the lowest note fretted, rather than giving you a muted note from the actual lowest string.
Other than that, you might also try finger picking through the lead guitar presets. You can hold down the sustain pedal to connect the notes.
One thing you CAN do that helps is to put the lowest strum key for a single string at the "Lowest" setting, which will make it play the lowest string fretted. So in a Cmaj voicing, for example, which has the low E string muted, this strum key will play the C on the A string as the lowest note fretted, rather than giving you a muted note from the actual lowest string.
Other than that, you might also try finger picking through the lead guitar presets. You can hold down the sustain pedal to connect the notes.
Greg Schlaepfer
Orange Tree Samples
Ultra-realistic sample libraries for Kontakt
Orange Tree Samples
Ultra-realistic sample libraries for Kontakt
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- Banned
- Topic Starter
- 5 posts since 10 Jul, 2004
I think I need to spend more time with EAG and RTFM but so far so far I'm happy with the results - in fact it sounds great!
Thanks for all the advice and responses
Thanks for all the advice and responses