PLZ help! show keys according to scale in key editor cubase

Cubase
1

Hi!

I need help in scales cause I am a noob in Music Theory. I am reading a book about it at the monent but Cubase already has so great functions - my problem is that I don`t know how to benefit of these.


Prolbem:

I heard a pop song and found out with the programm mixed-in-key (cause cubase still doesn`t have the possibility to find out the root-key of a song - or can I do this also in cubase?) that the song is in “A min”.

I own a Komplete Kontrol Keyboard from Native Instruments - Choosing there the “A min” scale the LEDs on the keyboard-Keys indicate me the right keys for this scale. All not fitting keys are not illuminated. Great function.
Now I know which keys are not in this scale - and even better - when I play a wrong key it automatically corrects it and replaces it with the next upper or lower key. So I can`t hit any wrong note at any time.
I want to do exact the same thing in my DAW.

Coming back to Cubase:
I setted the scale in the dropdown on the upper menu “Scale of the project” to “A min”.
But how do I go on working now?
When I open a new VST-Plugin e.g. my Halion5 and play a Piano-Sound I can play any key!!
Also the “wrong” notes.

My Question:
I want to select the root key and then work with Chord-Track.
Is there a possibility to at least show these “wrong” keys in the keyboard in light-grey and the “right” notes in white and black? In the kay-editor I would like to see which keys are in the scale I selected like on the NI Komplete Kontrol Keyboard.

How can this be done?
How do I use chord-track according to the project-scale?
How do I use chord pads in that context?

I am a little confused as you can see - maybe someone could do me a great favor and give me a step by step explanation how I can start from a pop song I like and create a song in the same scale.

thanks in advance!!!
Chris

2

I’m not at my DAW, so this description isn’t precise.

If you are in the Key Editor you can set the note colors to be based on the Chord Track. Near the upper right side of the window there is a dropdown box to set the note colors. By default it is set to indicate velocity, but you can change it to the Chord Track. Then the colors will indicate if a note is in both the chord and scale, the chord but not the scale, the scale but not the chord, and neither the chord or the scale.

3

If you want automatic realtime correction, you could try the Input Transformer (the “crooked arrow” icon, top-right of the track’s Inspector), and set it up like this (don’t forget to switch the Module “On” :wink: )…

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You might find that your song prefers Melodic Minor to Harmonic Minor… experiment! :slight_smile:… and, from a musical point of view, another useful option is to use the minor key’s relative major counterpart (so, for A minor, that would be C major) (relative major is always a minor third above the minor key’s root note :wink: )

4

Oh wow, never used that crooked arrow…lol

Cool info, vic, thx:)

5

Well, straight ones are more predictable :stuck_out_tongue:

6

:stuck_out_tongue:

7

Thank you so much, vic_france!!! That was exactly what I was looking for!!!
I am so happy now. And the best thing: it corrects the keys directly on the fly.
Perfect!!!

8

:slight_smile: