Chord Generator and SATB 4 part-writing

[markoit]

I am trying to understand if it's possible to achieve a SATB 4 part-writing in RC with the Chord Generator. I haven't been able to find a good way to re-create a set of rules that would be optimal for strings writing!

Here are a few of the constraints I'm trying to apply:

1. always four voices
2. the bass plays only the root or the fifth
3. S/A/T are always in open position
4. S/A/T can double the root or the fifth, but never the third
5. One of the S/A/T voices plays a third
6. S/A/T always follow the most economic voice leading by respecting the rules 3/4/5

By the way, the steps above are what I'm trying to achieve, but a more specific set of rules is available here.

I could manually specify the exact voicing I want in the voicing track, or manually override the voicing of every single chord. However, both approaches have lots of cons and basically defeat the purpose of both the Chord Generator and the philosophy of RC itself.

Does anyone have any idea on how I could achieve this? Maybe this might even be an idea for a SATB Generator! Here's a small tool to achieve this. It'd be so good to have something like this in RC!

[Mykyndryd_]

Hi.
Are you wanting to write species counterpoint?

[Mykyndryd_]

DELETED
I didn't read the query properly

[markoit]

Hi.
Are you wanting to write species counterpoint?

Hi! It’s not exactly species counterpoint. You can think of it more like a harmonization on four different lines

[Mykyndryd_]

Would it be something along these lines:

[markoit]

Would it be something along these lines

The example you posted is a great way to split the voices from each other and get more control on the bass! However, the third of the chord is confined to the tenor: in 4 part-writing the third can live at any time in the alto, soprano, or tenor voices (less frequently in the bass) as long as it's not doubled.

Here are a great example of the 4 part-writing I'm referring to:

[markoit]

I made a quick example of the settings that could be part of such generator.

I wouldn't call this a SATB generator yet! Still, being able to choose the notes that are doubled, avoid unstable ones in the bass, keep the voicing always in open position, all while favoring voice leading smoothness... Would make writing for strings and choirs a bit more intentional and constrained!

Attila @MusicDevelopments, apologies if I took too much liberty here Hopefully, this mockup will make my idea a bit clearer!

Screen Shot 2021-03-28 at 22.15.06.png

Screen Shot 2021-03-28 at 22.28.50.png

[musicdevelopments]

Thanks for the excellent mockup! I can see you know the ins and outs of RapidComposer...

This is very interesting! I definitely want to implement a 4-part harmony phrase generator. It will use the actual master track chords (just like the Melody Generator) because changing the chords may result notes that do not adhere to the rules. It would be good to offer the user to select another possible solution (4 notes) for each chord. It would be even better (but I am not sure how to implement this logically) to place each note in a different track to use different instrument for them...
I do not promise I can implement this very soon but I will do my best.

Thanks,
Attila

[markoit]

Thanks, Attila! Not at all, actually. Haha I bought RapidComposer a while ago but our newborn “allowed” me to start looking at it just now It’s an incredible tool!

Yes, I agree on the value of having the lines split from each other. This might also pave the path for some more advanced contrapuntal features? In the end, 4 part-writing can be almost thought as counterpoint with no dissonances

I am starting to think about this as some sort of “vertical variation”, if you know what I mean. We think of variations from an horizontal perspective (through time), but in this case we are talking about vertical ones (through voices).

There are some parallelism here with the chord rules too: rather than having rules that define a time-based progression, we would have optional rules that affect the voicing. Obviously some tracks will need to be aware of what’s happening in other tracks to make certain decision.

Just some thoughts

[JaneE]

Where to download the software?

[cymaticallica]

Did this feature ever happen? If not I really, really need it, especially writing four part harmony and splitting it out to different tracks.

[thebutler]

Did this feature ever happen? If not I really, really need it, especially writing four part harmony and splitting it out to different tracks.

Hi - not sure... have just searched through the manual and the v5 Version History (https://www.musicdevelopments.com/history.html) for clues... don't know if I'm asking/using the right search terms though. The interesting bit as you say, is having the notes split out onto different tracks. Its possible Attila has yet to fulfil that part...

Am running the latest stable v5.2.3 release only here, no beta builds.

Maybe user 'BluGenes' will have a tip or two for you, if he reads here.

[thebutler]

Did this 'feature', as described by the OP, get worked on or thought about any more Attila.? Its very possible I've not picked up on something already present here... RC has such a feast of possibilities so vast these days.!

Bob

[musicdevelopments]

I could easily implement 4-part harmony generation using the AI functions. AI is perfectly suitable for that. I wanted to add multi-track phrase generation anyway. Though I know (and I respect) that not everyone wants to use AI...

Thanks,
Attila

[thebutler]

I could easily implement 4-part harmony generation using the AI functions. AI is perfectly suitable for that. I wanted to add multi-track phrase generation anyway. Though I know (and I respect) that not everyone wants to use AI...

Thanks,
Attila

Hmm... Ok. Yes, I see. For me though, the (increased) use of AI these days is not so welcome.

I liked the direction the ideas you had earlier in the thread were heading (and the post from another user of a mock-up.!) - was much more of the signature RC/Attila way forward.!