I know this might be a very simple/stupid question, but how do you create a backing track that just holds a chord until it needs to change chords?

Here is a four measure example:

Measure 1: Hold Bbmaj7 for 4 beats,
Measure 2: Hold Abm7 for 2 beats, hold Db7 for 2 beats
Measure 3: Hold Gbmaj7 for 4 beats
Measure 4: Hold Em7 for 2 beats, hold A7 for 2 beats

I am just looking to create a simple backing track that holds piano or organ chords for me to play over. I do not need bass or drums on the track. Just simple held chords without rhythms or embellishments.

Thank you in advance!

Welcome to the forums.

You can Hold a chord by entering an ellipsis (...) after the chord.

E.g. Bbmaj7...

Checkout Rests, Shots and Holds under Help.

Your Chord Chart would look like the attachment.

Trev

In addition to Trev's thought here are other possibilities that you might also like to investigate.

If you go into Realtrack picker, some Realtracks (not all of them) have a 'Held' option that can be activated (see the image below)

If you want a single track with Realtrack held chords, try...

• enter Realtrack picker
• select the held option
• exit Realtrack picker
• mute all tracks except the one you want
• regenerate the song for the changes to be implemented

There are also a few Realtrack instruments that are 'held' as well. If you type 'held' into the filter within Realtackpicker (no inverted commas), you will find them.


For MIDI styles...
There are three midi styles with held chords. These are

1. pianohld.STY

2. Sw44Held.STY

3. HeldBosa.STY

Regards,
Noel

Noel, that medley option and holds etc is great. I had no idea it was there. Thanks.

Edit:

Having tried the medley option, it seems like if you select hold or blues or simple it kills tracks that don't have that option and eventually ones that do. Even undoing or clearing the fields kills evrything. Eventually, I had no sound at all on any tracks and had to start a new song. Maybe I did something wrong, but I think it's a bug....

Thanks, Neil. I'll have a play around with it tomorrow and see what happens. Appreciate the information.

Noel