I’ve been using Cubase since version 3 (now running 6) and I’ve always thought the Piano roll in the MIDI editor could do with 1 feature that’d be an absolute must for songwriters & composers.
I’d love to be able to have 2 versions of the piano roll, one with the standard set of keys on, and the other to have only the keys of the scale I’ve selected.
So say, I wanted to write a melody using the A major Scale I’d just simply select it then compose a melody with the new piano roll instead of spending time finding the notes on the original. The ability to be able to switch through multiple different variations and keys (such as minor, diminished etc…) would be great. Making it quick and easy to write melodies on the fly with no faffing around.
But I can also see from where the OP is coming. Like an ‘autoharp for melodies’.
Certain songs with certain type of music, this could be helpful.
But IMHO
It would be much better to just go into the ‘woodshed’ for a lil while and
programme the brain to learn those scales.
For example:
What makes a ‘seven raised nine’ chord (example C7+9) sooo kool is that it has the
major and minor interval in the same chord (just 8va apart)
In the case the OP presented, if you chose a C major scale you
would miss all the Bb and possible Eb notes.
Also how do you deal with sus chords etc.
BTW
I believe the app ‘Band in a Box’ already has a similar feature.
Apparently a user just inputs a chord structure and BiaB then
randomly comes up with solos. (melodies)
I was thinking more along the lines of : you choose the notes you’ll be using to make chords etc… and the piano roll discards the rest. Or you can create many instances you’r own custom rolls. Not so much you tell the piano roll to choose a pre-defined scale.
A lot of people are not great piano players (like my self) and are more proficient at other instruments (like guitar) What I want to do is transpose ideas across quickly but this takes time scoring in each note while looking to find the next the note. Having the Midi keyboard being to able to adapt to this gives me a great advantage until I have the ability to play-in what I want.
EDIT : Like the iPad version of Garage band when you play instruments, but customisable and stackable.
Experience… that’s the key (no pun intended) to it all! After a while you just ‘see’, and more importantly, hear which chord shapes/scales you’re after… same as ANY instrument, you would also likely be removing the chance for those little fortuitous ‘accidents’ we all have from time to time hitting a ‘wrong’ note that turns out to be better than the one you had in mind… stick with it!!!
I’m not posting from inexperience in composition BTW. I’m just looking at getting a quicker workflow making the writing process faster and more efficient by getting the idea down quickly!
If I want to use 5 or six different scales and a combination of chords I want it to be visually simplistic to look at. I don’t want to be scrolling up and down to find the different octaves, I’m not interested in what I’m not using.
Why should one persons lack of technical ability (not theoretical or musical) get in the way with them composing music? You still have to know how to put the notes together to make something sound good. I don’t think having the tools to quicken your work process will suddenly turn everyone into song-writing factory’s. That’s what EZ Keys is for
