Steinberg Cubase 8 Manual
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Chord Functions Controlling MIDI or Audio Playback using the Chord Track 831 Chords & Scales This maintains the intervals of the original chord or scale as far as possible. Chords This transposes MIDI notes to match the key note and maps them to the current chord. Scales This transposes MIDI notes to match the current scale. This allows a bigger variety of notes and a more natural performance. Root Notes This transposes MIDI notes to match the root note of the chord event. The effect corresponds to using the transpose track. This option is suitable for bass tracks. Voicings This transposes MIDI notes to match the voices of the selected voicing library. Single Voice Maps MIDI notes and VariAudio segments (Cubase Pro only) to the notes of a single voice (soprano, tenor, bass, etc.) of the voicing. Use the pop-up menu below to select the desired voice. NOTE If you apply this mode to a selection of tracks that contain separate voices, you can set up one track as master and the others as voicing slaves. This way, you can change the voicing of the master, and the slaves will follow automatically. RELATED LINKS Assigning Voices to Notes on page 833 Follow Chord Track Dialog This dialog opens the first time that you select an option on from the Follow Chord Track pop-up menu on the Chords section of the Inspector.
Chord Functions Controlling MIDI or Audio Playback using the Chord Track 832 Follow Directly Activate this if your VariAudio segments (Cubase Pro only) or MIDI notes are already in accordance with the chord track. This is the case if you extracted your chords from the MIDI events on the track by selecting Project > Chord Track > Create Chord Symbols, for example. Synchronize Track Data with Chord Track First Activate Analyze Chords if the track data has nothing in common with the chord events. This analyzes the MIDI events and matches the found chords to the chord track. This is only available for MIDI. Activate Apply a Known Chord if the track data has nothing in common with the chord events and if there are no chord changes. Specify Root Note and Chord Type of your events. Using Map to Chord Track This allows you to match individual parts or events to a chord progression on the chord track. PROCEDURE 1. In the Project window, select the events or parts that you want to map to the chord track. 2. Select Project > Chord Track > Map to Chord Track. The Map to Chord Track dialog opens. 3. From the Mapping Mode pop-up menu, select a mapping mode. NOTE If you select Voicings and no voices are found, Auto mode is used instead. 4. Click OK. RESULT The chords and scales of each event or part are analyzed and used for mapping. If no chords are found, Cubase assumes that the performance is in “C”. The available mapping modes and voicings correspond to the Follow Chord Track parameters in the Chords section of the Inspector. RELATED LINKS Follow Chord Track Modes on page 830
Chord Functions Assigning Voices to Notes 833 Assigning Voices to Notes You can transpose MIDI notes to match the voices of a selected voicing library. PROCEDURE •Select Project > Chord Track > Assign Voices to Notes. RESULT The note pitches now match the voicing of the chord track and you can still edit the MIDI notes. If you now select a note in the Key Editor, you see that Voice in the info line is assigned. Extracting Chord Events from MIDI You can extract chords from MIDI notes, parts, or tracks. This is useful, if you have a M I D I f i l e a n d w a n t t o s h o w i t s h a r m o n i c s tructure, and use this file as starting point for further experimenting. PREREQUISITE Add the chord track and create MIDI notes that can be interpreted as chords. Drums, monophonic bass, or lead tracks are not suitable. PROCEDURE 1. In the Project window, select a part or one or several MIDI tracks. You can also select the MIDI tracks, parts, or notes that you want to extract in the Key Editor, Score Editor, or In-Place Editor.
Chord Functions Extracting Chord Events from MIDI 834 2. Select Project > Chord Track > Create Chord Symbols. The Create Chord Symbols dialog opens. 3. Make your settings and click OK. RESULT The chord events are added on the chord track. NOTE Cubase Pro only: You can now open the Chord Assistant to create variations. RELATED LINKS Create Chord Symbols Dialog on page 834 Create Chord Symbols Dialog This dialog allows you to determine, which MIDI data should be taken into account when extracting chord events from MIDI. Include Bass Notes Activate this, if you want your chord events to contain a bass note. Include Tensions Activate this, if you want your chord events to contain tensions. Detect Arpeggios Activate this, if you want your chord events to contain arpeggiated chords, that is, chords whose notes are played one after another instead of all at once. Interpret Sustain Pedal Activate this, if you want your chord events to contain sustain pedal chords, that is, notes that are played while the sustain pedal is held. Ignore Notes Shorter Than Allows you to determine the minimum length of the MIDI events that are taken into account.
Chord Functions Recording Chord Events with a MIDI Keyboard 835 Recording Chord Events with a MIDI Keyboard You can use a MIDI keyboard to record chord events on the chord track. PREREQUISITE Your project contains an instrument track with Record Enable or Monitor activated. PROCEDURE 1. On the chord track, activate Record Enable. 2. On the Transport Panel, activate Record. 3. Play some chords on your MIDI keyboard. RESULT All recognized chords are recorded as chord events on the chord track. NOTE The chord track uses its own voicing settings. The recorded chord events may therefore sound different. RELATED LINKS Creating Events from Chord Pads on page 858
836 Chord Pads Chord pads allow you to play with chords, and to change their voicings and tensions. In terms of harmonies and rhythms, they allow for a more playful and spontaneous approach to composition than the chord track functions. You can: • Perform with chords in realtime via a MIDI keyboard. • Record your performance as MIDI events on a MIDI or instrument track or even on the chord track. NOTE We assume that you have a MIDI keyboard connected and set up. RELATED LINKS Voicings on page 825 Chord Pads Zone The chord pads zone at the bottom of the Project window holds all functions that you need to work with chord pads. To open the chord pads zone do one of the following: •Select Project > Chord Pads • Select a MIDI or instrument track, and in the Inspector, open the Chords section and activate Show/Hide Chord Pads Zone.
Chord Pads Chord Pads Zone 837 The chord pads zone holds the following controls: 1)Close Chord Pads Zone Closes the chord pads zone. 2)Current Player Shows the current player and opens a menu where you can select another player. 3)Chord Pad Each chord pad can contain a chord symbol. To change it, click the Open Editor control on the left edge of the chord pad. 4)Keyboard Shows which keys are played when you trigger a chord pad. To zoom the keyboard, click a key and drag up or down. To scroll the keyboard, click and drag to the left or to the right. 5)Trigger Keys The keys highlighted in blue on the keyboard correspond to the keys on your MIDI keyboard that trigger the chord pads. You can define the trigger keys on the Remote Control page of the chord pad Settings. 6)Remote Range for Voicings/Tensions/Transpose The keys highlighted in green on the keyboard display correspond to the keys on your MIDI keyboard that change the voicings, tensions, and transpose settings of the pads. You can define these remote keys on the Remote Control page of the chord pad Settings. 7)Activate/Deactivate Remote Control for Chord Pads Allows you to activate/deactivate the chord pads zone. If you deactivate remote control for chord pads, your MIDI keyboard no longer triggers the pads. 8)Functions Menu Opens a menu with specific functions and settings for the chord pads. 9)Chord Pads Presets Allows you to save and load presets for chord pads and players.
Chord Pads Chord Pads Zone 838 10)Show/Hide Chord Assistant Shows/Hides the Chord Assistant that shows suggestions of chords that match the chord that you specified as the origin chord. 11)Show/Hide Settings Shows/Hides the chord settings, where you can configure different players, the pad layout, and the remote assignment. RELATED LINKS Chord Pad Settings – Remote Control on page 850 Players and Voicings on page 854 Chord Pad Controls The chord pad controls allow you to edit the chord pads. • To show the chord pad controls, move the mouse over a chord pad. 1)Voicing Indicators Shows the voicing used for the chord. Voicing indicators can only be displayed, if the horizontal zoom level for the chord pads is high enough. 2)Open Editor Opens the chord Editor that allows you to select a chord for the chord pad. 3)Adaptive Voicing Reference/Use X as Origin for Chord Assistant When the active chord pad is set as adaptive voicing reference, its borders are shown in light green. All other chord pads will follow its voicing and are set in a way that they do not get to far away from the reference. If the chord pad is set as origin for the Chord Assistant, its borders are shown in green. This chord pad is used as a basis for the suggestions in the Chord Assistant window. 4)Assigned Chord Shows the chord symbol that is assigned to the chord pad. Each chord pad can contain one chord symbol. If the name of the assigned chord is too long to display it on the chord pad, it is underlined, and the full chord name is shown in a tooltip.
Chord Pads Chord Pads Zone 839 5)AV (Adaptive Voicing)/L (Lock) By default, all chord pads follow the adaptive voicing. This is indicated by an AV symbol. If you change the voicing for a pad manually however, Adaptive Voicing is deactivated. An L symbol indicates that the chord pad is locked for editing. 6)Voicing Allows you to set another voicing for the chord pad. 7)Tensions Allows you to add/remove tensions for the chord. Chord Pad Context Menu •Use X as Origin for Chord Assistant Sets the chord of the current pad as an origin chord for the Chord Assistant. •Assign Pad from MIDI Input Allows you to assign a chord by pressing keys on your MIDI keyboard. •Lock Allows you to lock a chord pad for editing. •Adaptive Voicing Sets the current pad as adaptive voicing reference. If set, the automatic voicings for the following pads will be set in a way that they do not get too far away from the reference voicing. Only one pad can be set as adaptive voicing reference. •Adaptive Voicings Reference Resets the adaptive voicing reference. •Unassign Pad Removes the chord assignment from the current pad.
Chord Pads Functions Menu 840 Functions Menu •Show Voicing Indicators Allows you to activate/deactivate the voicing indicators that can be displayed at the bottom of each chord pad. •Assign Pads from Chord Track Assigns the chord events from the chord track to the chord pads in the same order as they appear on the chord track. Chord events that have more than one occurrence are only assigned once. •Snap Playback to Musical Grid Allows you to delay the playback of a triggered chord pad to the next defined musical position. This is useful, if you work with an arpeggiator or with the Pattern Player. •Transpose All Pads Transposes all chord pads by a defined transpose value. •Lock All Pads Locks all chord pads for editing. •Unlock All Pads Unlocks all chord pads. •Unassign All Pads Removes the chord assignment from all pads.