Comments

SP. wrote on 2/29/2024, 6:11 AM

@dmstar1956 These means that the loops use the notes of the basic chords of the C-Major scale, usually major chords (capital letters) or minor chords (small letters). You can use the pitchshifting feature to pitch the loops up and down in case you want to play in anther scale. Additionally, you can use the Vocal Tune effect to modify individual notes of loops. This will work on monophonic loops where only a single note is played at a time. Of course, you can also use it on loops that play chords, maybe you'll get some interesting results, but you cannot change individual chord notes.

dmstar1956 wrote on 2/29/2024, 7:04 AM

But the C-major scale is C, D, E, F, G, A, B. Why did it display C, d, e, F, G, A#?

SP. wrote on 2/29/2024, 7:30 AM

@dmstar1956 Which notes is Vocal Tune displaying for the A# loop?

dmstar1956 wrote on 2/29/2024, 8:33 AM

Here is a Vocal Tune screenshot.

Since the first chord entered is C-major, shouldn't all of the subsequent pitches, if arranged in order from 1-7, be the major chords in the key of C-major? What determines what chords or notes correspond to the 7 pitches?

 

SP. wrote on 2/29/2024, 9:44 AM

@dmstar1956 

What determines what chords or notes correspond to the 7 pitches?

In the past the chords were usually defined in the BPM.inf text file inside the Soundpool folder, and additionally in the description.xml file inside the Soundpool folder. The program only reads the values inside these files. There could be any value in there.

Since the first chord entered is C-major, shouldn't all of the subsequent pitches, if arranged in order from 1-7, be the major chords in the key of C-major?

No. The pitches should follow the definition in the inf or xml file in the Soundpool folder. But, I recall that nearly all Soundpools use the same pitches, but there are a few exceptions. So you can usually mix loops from different Soundpools and as long as they have the same pitch you shouldn't get clashing notes.

And, of course, you can mix und combine loops like you want, without caring about it sounding "correct". This can be useful to give your compositions some 'spicy' sections.

dmstar1956 wrote on 2/29/2024, 11:56 AM

So what is the relationship then between a key, like C, and its corresponding scale degrees?

C, d, e, F, G, a, A# = C minor scale?

 

dmstar1956 wrote on 2/29/2024, 12:07 PM

Also had a question about the pitch bar and how it shifts to the right sometimes, seemingly for no reason, as you add loops to a track.

SP. wrote on 2/29/2024, 12:07 PM

@dmstar1956 C, d, e, F, G, a, A# will give you information about the chord notes used in the loop.

So pitch 1 = C Major means that most likey the notes c,g and e are used in the loop. But the loop can also have other notes as well or only c notes or only c and g notes. It depends.

A pitch 1 loop from another category or Soundpool will also most likely have c,e and g notes. So they will likely sound nice together.

If you have a pitch 1 loop you can play the C Major scale to it without sounding out of tune because it's a C Major chord.

johnebaker wrote on 2/29/2024, 12:21 PM

@dmstar1956

Hi

. . . . C-major scale is C, D, E, F, G, A, B. Why did it display C, d, e, F, G, A# . . . .

The difference is due to an incorrect term being used.

C, D, E, F, G, A, B is the C Major: First Position Chord, which does not include semitones.

The C Major Scale has steps (tones) and half steps (semitones) ie C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A

The program is displaying the correct notes.

HTH

John EB

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emmrecs wrote on 3/1/2024, 3:54 AM

@johnebaker

Hi John,

The C Major Scale has steps (tones) and half steps (semitones) ie C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A

Actually, with the addition of A# and B, that is the Chromatic scale of C.

With reference to the question raised by @dmstar1956 about C d e F G A#: I can't explain why the A# is there but I might speculate it's because the other capitalised letters are the root notes of major chords in C, whilst those with lower-case letters are minor chords in C.

But who knows why Magix chose those "names" to display???

Jeff
Forum Moderator

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johnebaker wrote on 3/1/2024, 5:49 AM

@emmrecs

Hi Jeff

Thanks for the info.

It is unfortunate that in modern usage the full name gets shortened to 'Scale' just as MP4 is used to represent a video format. 😕

John EB

VPX 16, Movie Studio 2025, and earlier versions 2015 and 2016, Music Maker Premium 2024.

PC - running Windows 11 23H2 Professional on Intel i7-8700K 3.2 GHz, 16GB RAM, RTX 2060 6GB 192-bit GDDR6, 1 x 1Tb Sabrent NVME SSD (OS and programs), 2 x 4TB (Data) internal HDD + 1TB internal SSD (Work disc), + 6 ext backup HDDs.

Laptop - Lenovo Legion 5i Phantom - running Windows 11 23H2 on Intel Core i7-10750H, 16GB DDR4-SDRAM, 512GB SSD, 43.9 cm screen Full HD 1920 x 1080, Intel UHD 630 iGPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (6GB GDDR6)

Sony FDR-AX53e Video camera, DJI Osmo Action 3 and Sony HDR-AS30V Sports cams.

browj2 wrote on 3/1/2024, 6:50 AM

Hi,

My guess is that the musician wanted the 7th of C. The 3rd and 5th of C# or Bb are in the C scale.

John CB

Last changed by browj2 on 3/1/2024, 6:51 AM, changed a total of 1 times.

John C.B.

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emmrecs wrote on 3/1/2024, 1:20 PM

@browj2

Hi John,

My guess is that the musician wanted the 7th of C. The 3rd and 5th of C# or Bb are in the C scale.

Again wearing my (retired) "music teacher's hat", I fear that is not correct, sorry!

The third and fifth of C# are, technically speaking, E# and G#. (E# = F so arguably is in the C major scale but G#, aka Ab definitely isn't!)

However, for Bb, where the third and fifth are D and F, yes they are both in C major.

Jeff

Win 10 Pro 64 bit, Intel i7 Quad Core 6700K @ 4GHz, 32 GB RAM, NVidia GTX 1660TI and Intel HD530 Graphics, MOTU 8-Pre f/w audio interface, VPX, MEP, Music Maker, PhotoStory Deluxe, Photo Manager Deluxe, Xara 3D Maker 7, Samplitude Pro X7 Suite, Reaper, Adobe Audition 3, CS6 and CC, 2 x Canon HG10 cameras, 1 x Canon EOS 600D, Akaso EK7000 Pro Action Cam

browj2 wrote on 3/1/2024, 2:19 PM

@emmrecs

Hi Jeff,

Sorry, I was in a hurry this am - off to the big city for the day.

I meant A#/Bb, not C#.

John CB

John C.B.

VideoPro X(16); Movie Studio 2024 Platinum; MM2025 Premium Edition; Samplitude Pro X8 Suite; see About me for more.

Desktop System - Windows 10 Pro 22H2; MB ROG STRIX B560-A Gaming WiFi; Graphics Card Zotac Gaming NVIDIA GeForce RTX-3060, PS; Power supply EVGA 750W; Intel Core i7-10700K @ 3.80GHz (UHD Graphics 630); RAM 32 GB; OS on Kingston SSD 1TB; secondary WD 2TB; others 1.5TB, 3TB, 500GB, 4TB, 5TB, 6TB, 8TB; three monitors - HP 25" main, LG 4K 27" second, HP 27" third; Casio WK-225 piano keyboard; M-Audio M-Track USB mixer.

Notebook - Microsoft Surface Pro 4, i5-6300U, 8 GB RAM, 256 SSD, W10 Pro 20H2.

YouTube Channel: @JCBrownVideos