Feature Request - one-key chord triggering

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Just pre-ordered, great plugin!

This is a nice feature from some other arps I have recently seen - the ability to learn/program a chord which is triggered by a single key.

No transposing, just one chord for each keyboard key.

That way, I can program a series of chords on individual keys, and experiment with progressions easily. If you can turn off the arp and just trigger the chords, it is also useful.

This could possibly be an extra "mode" for the existing chord memory. The chosen "root" key for each chord could trigger that chord and feed into the arp, without transpose.

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I think just get Cthulhu for that...

However I think a learn mode for the chord memory would fit

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Well, Cream isn't made for this special task, but of course you can use this workaround:

Use track 1 (default) and yet your desired chord in chord memory. Then set CHRDMEM to 1 in the step editor. Disable all steps but the first. now you can play that chord over the whole keyboard.

Now set the keyrange of track 1 to e.g. C2-B2, root note C2.

Switch to track 2, set keyrange to C3-B3 and also root note 2, set midi channel to 1 (so the output will be played on your track) then go to chord memory and set another chord, enable it on CHRDMEM as the first time and disable all steps but the first :)

Now you can play the first chord on C2-B2 and the second one at C3-B3. Repeat that for track 3 and 4, then you can play 4 chords on your keyboard.

Does it helps you?

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Thanks for the suggestions.

Part of the benefit of one key chord triggering is to feed the chord back into the arp. Think of it as an alternative to the "chordmem" tab. Instead of programming chords that transpose with the input, it just feeds a single chord with a single keypress.

For me, it is much easier to play with chord progressions that DON'T transpose based on input, unlike using the chord memory now. With the feature I suggest, I can choose a set of chords that fit the key I want to experiment with, then I can just jam with single keys and the arp output always stays in key.

This is really a cheats way for those, like me, that have limited keyboard and musical skills, but it helps us to experiment within "safe" boundaries.

Still, thanks for offering a workaround, I appreciate it.

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With regard to Cthulhu suggestion - these two products have a LOT of cross-over in features, and actually I ultimately chose to buy Cream, but when I demoed Cthulhu the chord feature (in particular in combo with the arp e.g. 1 key chord -> arp) was excellent and useful.

Of course, we don't want all plugns to be the same, but it is a small-but-useful feature so I thought it might complement Cream.

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quincy wrote:Just pre-ordered, great plugin!

This is a nice feature from some other arps I have recently seen - the ability to learn/program a chord which is triggered by a single key.

No transposing, just one chord for each keyboard key.
midiChords works great for this:

http://www.thepiz.org/plugins/?p=midiChords

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firepile wrote:
quincy wrote:Just pre-ordered, great plugin!

This is a nice feature from some other arps I have recently seen - the ability to learn/program a chord which is triggered by a single key.

No transposing, just one chord for each keyboard key.
midiChords works great for this:

http://www.thepiz.org/plugins/?p=midiChords
Yep, thanks for the pointer. I have used that already, and it's a great plugin. Having it built-in is just a nice convenience.

Personally, I don't fnd the chord memory feature/sequencer very helpful as it is. If I have, for example, a simple major triad in chord mem and I use that in a sequence, and I want to switch to another chord (say minor triad) that fits in with my key I'm working in, I have to switch the chord mem in the sequencer AND feed in the correct root note from my sequencer/keyboard in order to get another chord that is in-key.

Having a whole bunch of in-key chords that can be triggered with single note input is more useful to me.

This is all subjective, and I'm sure others love this feature exactly as it is!

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quincy wrote:If I have, for example, a simple major triad in chord mem and I use that in a sequence, and I want to switch to another chord (say minor triad) that fits in with my key I'm working in, I have to switch the chord mem in the sequencer AND feed in the correct root note from my sequencer/keyboard in order to get another chord that is in-key.
If you just have 1 pattern I suggest:

* Make your pattern ready so far, copy it to all patterns (via rmb)
* Make several chords in chord mem 1 - 16
* set CHRDMEM 1 in pattern 1, CHRDMEM 2 in pattern 2 and so on
* Start playing, switch patterns (and chords) with control zone (C1-B1)

If you want to play full chords (not each note seperate) use SEQ tab and set all blocks.


In fact, your need is special and Cream can't solve it completely - but this kinda workaround could bring you closer to your goal :)

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THe existing chord memory seems to exist to facilitate playng chords with a single key anyway. If I have chords programmed in, then I input a single note, it triggeres the chord that is in the chordmem sequencer.

All I'm sugegsting is that I be able to fix a chord to an inut key. The chord memory already has a root note which I can select, so would it not be possible to just have a switch that "fixes" the chord to that note and also deactivates the chord memory sequencer. That way, I just play my single notes and the chords play into the arp.

I struggle to see the benefit of having to input single notes to trigger chords AND having to program these chord changes in the chord mem sequencer. With my method, we can easily program/play our chord changes with single key without needing the chord sequencer at all.

It seems like the chord sequencer alredy exists to have single-key chords, because once chord mem sequencer is being used, it only makes sense to feed in single notes anyway. If the purpose of chord mem is so people can play different chords with single-note input, why not make this easier for us?

As it stands, if I want to play a series of chords that stay in the correct key, I have to program both the input notes (in my DAW) and use the chord mem sequencer which means I can't switch chords on-the-fly, I have to sequnce them in step sequencer.

I don't fell that my "need is special", I think it's a simple feature that actually makes chord progression experiments easier, not harder.

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PepeLopez wrote:
quincy wrote:If I have, for example, a simple major triad in chord mem and I use that in a sequence, and I want to switch to another chord (say minor triad) that fits in with my key I'm working in, I have to switch the chord mem in the sequencer AND feed in the correct root note from my sequencer/keyboard in order to get another chord that is in-key.
If you just have 1 pattern I suggest:

* Make your pattern ready so far, copy it to all patterns (via rmb)
* Make several chords in chord mem 1 - 16
* set CHRDMEM 1 in pattern 1, CHRDMEM 2 in pattern 2 and so on
* Start playing, switch patterns (and chords) with control zone (C1-B1)

If you want to play full chords (not each note seperate) use SEQ tab and set all blocks.


In fact, your need is special and Cream can't solve it completely - but this kinda workaround could bring you closer to your goal :)

I have a feature request: a chord override option in the order lane...

okay... I am holding 4 notes for arpeggiating... I want one step to be a specific chord... right now the chord will be transposed from whatever note is next in the order (assuming the number of held notes and steps are not the same). I can also set that step to '1st' and as long as I keep the same root note held it will be the same chord... but sometimes I want to switch the root note as I play different notes for arpeggiating but would still want the same chord to keep playing.

So chord override would keep the chord on its root note, not transpose according to the order of the notes I am currently holding...

cheers
Cream is excellent btw!

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8)
Last edited by DefiantCatz70 on Thu Feb 21, 2013 10:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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midiChords works great for this:

http://www.thepiz.org/plugins/?p=midiChords

Nice Plugin firepile 8)

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quincy wrote:THe existing chord memory seems to exist to facilitate playng chords with a single key anyway. If I have chords programmed in, then I input a single note, it triggeres the chord that is in the chordmem sequencer.

All I'm sugegsting is that I be able to fix a chord to an inut key. The chord memory already has a root note which I can select, so would it not be possible to just have a switch that "fixes" the chord to that note and also deactivates the chord memory sequencer. That way, I just play my single notes and the chords play into the arp.

I struggle to see the benefit of having to input single notes to trigger chords AND having to program these chord changes in the chord mem sequencer. With my method, we can easily program/play our chord changes with single key without needing the chord sequencer at all.

It seems like the chord sequencer alredy exists to have single-key chords, because once chord mem sequencer is being used, it only makes sense to feed in single notes anyway. If the purpose of chord mem is so people can play different chords with single-note input, why not make this easier for us?

As it stands, if I want to play a series of chords that stay in the correct key, I have to program both the input notes (in my DAW) and use the chord mem sequencer which means I can't switch chords on-the-fly, I have to sequnce them in step sequencer.

I don't fell that my "need is special", I think it's a simple feature that actually makes chord progression experiments easier, not harder.
This is possible and probably someone else would also like to have this feature.
I have to think how to add this feature to the existing UI though.
I think there would be special setting for using fixed chords and one new control to select the root note for the chord memory.

- Arto

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Kirnu wrote: This is possible and probably someone else would also like to have this feature.
I have to think how to add this feature to the existing UI though.
I think there would be special setting for using fixed chords and one new control to select the root note for the chord memory.

- Arto
Hi Arto,

Thanks for being receptive to my suggestion, although Cream is already very powerful I think this small feature would be a great addition.

Unless I am confused, isn't there already a "root note" selector for the chord memory? The small indicator below the keys in the chord memory keyboard is the root note selector isn't it?

I think if there was a "fixed chords" switch that would tie the chord to a specific note and only allow exclusive selection of root note for each chord (1-12) then it would be easy to assign up to 12 chords to specific midi notes.

My only further concern would be that the keyboard is currently only 3 octaves and the keyboard, in "fixed chords" mode, would need to indicate the octaves of the keys. Are the keys, at present, "relative" to the note being played? So they do not correspond to exact octave notes but to notes relative to the key played and the chosen root note?

Thanks again, always good when a developer is open to suggestions and improvements.

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