Hello Forum!

Came across this video posted to YouTube - it's a simple step-by-step tutorial using the "Pyctus Melody Sketch Pad" and Band-in-a-Box®.

The YouTube description for this video: Taking a melody based approach to composition. Nothing wrong with chord progression based but I always think that the melody is the centerpiece and should be the focus rather than trying to fit a melody into a progression.

Enjoy!

Hi Callie,

The Pyctus Melody Sketch Pad is interesting but I can't find out anything about it. A search in Band-in-a-Box brings up "No Topic Found" while an internet search brings me back to the forum. Do you have a link you can share for the program?

I did find an interesting program called JamDeck though. Everyone can check out JamDeck ++ HERE ++

Hi Jim,

I did a ton of online searching for the Pyctus Melody Sketch Pad also, and wasn't able to find a thing online about it (it's not built in with Band-in-a-Box).

I'm going to get in touch with the OP of the video, and hopefully they can point us in the right direction!

-Callie

Hey Ya'll

I am not really sure what this is. That was not a "melody" he was generating--it was mostly a typical Mozart sounding arpeggio. Sort of.

BIAB has a gazillion midi "melodies" you can generate and tinker with (melodies as opposed to arpeggios) against a chord pattern you keep static, or a chord pattern you allow BIAB to "change." That is the whole midi composing side of BIAB that often gets forgotten when so much of the discussion is on Real Tracks. I love the melodic midi generation capabilities of BIAB too.

The description to the video from the OP really doesn't make sense to me but maybe I am just dense. No one I know would ever say you have to write a chord progression first and then find a melody that would "fit." You generally write a melody by humming a tune and then deciding whether you want a minor, major or jazz cadence to that. That just requires some knowledge of chords, which you then type into band in a box.

I watched this video and totally did not get it.


If you want write a melody why not just sit down at the piano and write one?

I often find a melody on the piano, capture it instantly in midi in Real Band or Sonar, export the midi, open it in BIAB and ask BIAB to tell me what chords I was playing. Even when BIAB is "off" I often prefer the chords it suggests and then we are off to the races. To me, that makes sense.

Again, I was somewhat lost on what this guy is trying to do. Maybe I need to watch it again!!!

Couldn't see any videos for JAMDECK, they make BeatCleaver that is good.
I found HookPad https://www.hooktheory.com/hookpad there's lots of videos on that.