Thoughts on WA Prod InstaScale (Plugin Boutique Exclusive)?

[Enkerli]

Sounds like a scale-focused followup to the InstaChord idea.
https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/ ... InstaScale
Haven’t tried the demo, yet, but it’s surprising that it doesn’t sound like it supports multiple tunings, which would be a missed opportunity.
The sale runs until August, so we have time to decide.

[Dewdman42]

The presets are not copied to the right place by the installer on OS X, FYI. So far I haven't figured out how to use it, but I will read the manual. Its cheap, I got it because its cheap, why not. Not sure I need it.

[xx JPRacer xx]

At this price it's nice to have and can be quite nice if you want to play some fast lead in realtime without missing a note. You define a scale and "home" note and assign a keyboard key to that home note. Then the other keys are use to go up and down by some semi-tones while respecting the chosen scale.

It's pretty difficult to use though since it's very hard to really get the notes you want. (start at C, go 2 semi up,1 down, 2 up, repeat note, 1 up, 3 down... where am I???, press home note and restart again)

You can come up with some nice accidents. I wouldn't pay full price for it but at $13? this could be nice to have.

[musicartist]

I watched a few videos and found the plugin a little confusing.

[Rajiv]

I bought it because I regretted forgoing the introductory pricing on Instachord and Scaler. What Instascale does really well is create fast piano runs (or any instrument for that matter). It works by having a central "Home" key, which is the root of the scale, then each key to the right of the home key is an ascending scale interval (+1, +2, +3) and each key to the left is a descending scale interval, all white keys only. So by playing only two or three keys (like +3,-2,+3,-2 etc.), you can get pretty good runs up and down the keyboard of just about any scale. If you have the dexterity to play Tetris, you can sound like a piano virtuoso with this.

But it is not that helpful for constructing melodies. You can get some interesting results by just pressing keys and knowing the general direction you want to go. But once you have a melodic idea in your head, the tool becomes a hindrance. Since you are playing intervals, if you want to land on a particular note, you would have to know the interval from where you are to where you want to go.

Lastly, the video demo showed using the tool to create interesting chord progressions. So far, everything I've tried around chords does not sound good. I'll have to study that video some more.

Please keep in mind that this is based on a couple hours playing with this. I wonder what it would sound like if I hooked it up to an arpeggiator. Hmmm... I'll have to try that tonight. I'll bet I can make it sound like Yngwie Malmsteen.

[Enkerli]

Thanks, gang!
Played with the trial version and came up with similar conclusions. As interval runs were a very common thing in my training on the classical saxophone, that kind of +3/-2 pattern is quite familiar to me on wind controller but not on keyboard (and my keyboard skills are less than minimal). Could work well in some non-standard scales, too.
Will probably buy the plugin at the intro price and not worry too much if it sits unused for a while. Similar case with InstaChord: bought at intro price and got a few ideas from it but haven’t used it extensively.

[musicartist]

Thanks for the explanations guys, now I think I understand better what the plugin actully helps with.

[Rajiv]

I wonder what it would sound like if I hooked it up to an arpeggiator. Hmmm... I'll have to try that tonight. I'll bet I can make it sound like Yngwie Malmsteen.

I tried this... results are attached. I did this in Ableton, used 3 Max4Live LFO devices to control various parameters of Live's Arpeggiator MIDI effect so get lots of variety. Problem is, of course, that it's all random notes. So I went in after the fact and tried to turn it into phrases -- deleting some notes, adding some sustained notes, putting in automation for pitch bends. It was a lot of work, and I think there are moments where this sounds kinda cool, but most of it is meh. Not really melodic. Just notes. Of course, Mr. Malmsteen has been accused of this as well.

If I had a melodic idea, and I wanted to build a quick run, I could see myself using this to do that. I suspect this tool might sit on the shelf, though. Here's my track -- it's just over a minute long.

https://soundcloud.com/nitok/randomsteen

By the way, it looks like a very similar, if not exactly the same, software was given away for free in Computer Music 255

Lastly, here's a great YouTuber video of InstaScale. I think this guy's videos are great, and this is no exception.

[Kalamata Kid]

Rajiv,

I liked your piece.
I like the abstractness!

[Rajiv]

Rajiv,

I liked your piece.
I like the abstractness!

Thanks! I appreciate that.

[Enkerli]

So… Maybe InstaScale can be useful for “negative melody”? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3mBFACpK0o

[bungle]

He needs to see a DR about that bent thumb !!

[Kalamata Kid]

Rajiv,

Your music reminds me a bit of
John Coltrane / Transition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwj4Cx7Xz3A
Perhaps that is why I like it.
But then again I liked even before I made the association.

[Kalamata Kid]

How does one activate Instascale?
Purchased it directly from WAProduction.com

By the way Instascale was previously called ScalePlayer by Rf audio.

[xx JPRacer xx]

Both InstaScale nad InstaChords are renamed Rf audio products with a lower (intro)price!

InstaScale don't need registration.