Is there a tool that can analyze the played chords in an audio file, other than the one in BIAB, as latter makes too many errors IMO.
What i tried is to analyze the played chords in some Holds-120 WAV files, (banjo) with the purpose of replacing a few of em with less present (& out of tune it seems) ugly loud 3rds.
These 3rd harmonies sometimes are just too present, especially on some type of tunes where only 1st and 5th should be played. IMO a necessity with f.i. modal or other (fiddle) tunes where the key sometimes switches between minor and major tonalities ...
Well for fairly basic chords there is Riffstation which was a previously paid for app, but then free, now the developers pulled the download, but I am sure a google search will bring up a few download sites still.
Riffstation had got lots more useful functions such as looping, slowing down a file, change of key etc
Windows 10 (64bit) M-Audio Fast Track Pro, Band in a Box 2025, Cubase 14, Cakewalk and far too many VST plugins that I probably don't need or will ever use
I find that it's sometimes useful to change the ACW display to "Note Bars' rather than "Chordsheet". The Note Bars view (see image below) shows which notes ACW has isolated and has used to make its determinations.
To get the best results I also do the following...
1. set bar 1 of the audio file
2. use F8 to align a few chords throughout the playback
3. set the number of chords to be found per bar to 2 (sometimes 1 per bar gives better results so it's worth testing also) -- this is under "Analysis | Show Chords"
4. check the "Analysis | Quantize Tolerance" and set it to eighth notes rather than the default 1/16th note triplet
PS a Q: i loaded one of the Holds_120 files, SH1201, into cubase. It seems that there's no set tempo (bpm): somewhere swaggering around 116 it seems. Wonder if that hampers BIAB's analysis.
I just tried out Chord Pickout, demo version. Seems doing a lot, but does make mistakes on jazzy chords like suspended etc it seems, nut 'normal' chords seem to be OK.
I have tried a number of such programs and have found out that most will only work correctly on simple chords.
That is if you have say a piano playing sustained chords for a measure each then all of the program that I have tried will work fairly well. But if you have a track with that piano, a walking bass as well as a lead all playing simultaneously then none will work well. In other words the simpler the track the better a chord reading program will work.
I'm in a fitness protection program. I'm been hiding from exercise.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
The only program I know that will do a good job of isolating individual notes of a chord within an audio file is Melodyne Editor, which is expensive. You would be able to take your finished work and 'tame' that loud third of the chord.
Waves Tune is another utility I've used to fix individual notes in an audio file, but it only works on a monophonic source.
I don't use the Audio Chord Wizard because it isn't usually accurate for complex jazz chords. From my experiments, though, the comments about getting the starting beat and the tempo right to get the best results, are correct. In a song of variable tempo, you have to go through the whole song, pressing F8 every beat one.
I did not realize ACW could show individual pitches it detected; thank you, Noel.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Yes. It shows, and you can alter, individual pitches played in a chord. For example, you could change a major tried to a minor triad by dragging down the third (middle pitch).
When you use the term "harmonics" I want to be careful that I'm talking pitches, not those ghost sounds that may occur from resonances in a guitar or piano, or the harmonic series that gives added richness to a horn etc. If it's a discernible pitch, Melodyne Editor will show it.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
The new Studio One 4 has what they call Chord Track and from looking at several vids it sure looks like it can change the character of a chord in real time. Chord Track shows the chords in a given track, then you can go in and change the chord, hit play and the chord changed from a minor to major for example and this is for all tracks not just midi. No mention as to how this is done, these vids are simply how to use the program, click this, change that, etc. However, Studio One has had full integration with Melodyne since day one so I'm thinking that's what's going on.
This is another example of a DAW encroaching on Biab's territory a bit because in addition to simply changing a chord you can rearrange the basic song structure as well with Chord Track. I'm not too worried about Biab (yet) because they have nothing approaching thousands of styles along with thousands of Real Tracks. Still, it's cool to see this in a DAW.
I'm with Matt on Melodyne Editor. Yes, it's pricey, but it can change a Cmaj7 to a Cm7 or Cmaj9 (or anything else close by, really) effortlessly. It can even load multiple instruments (or stems) simultaneously so you can get the whole band together.
I don't use if for this every day, but when you need it...it works.
I'm a Studio One user but my experiments with the features that Bob mentions have been less successful than with Melodyne Studio. That being said, Melodyne Studio costs 3X what I paid for Studio One (but it is STILL a cool DAW).
Good luck!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
I'm with Matt on Melodyne Editor. Yes, it's pricey, but it can change a Cmaj7 to a Cm7 or Cmaj9 (or anything else close by, really) effortlessly. It can even load multiple instruments (or stems) simultaneously so you can get the whole band together.
I don't use if for this every day, but when you need it...it works.
I'm a Studio One user but my experiments with the features that Bob mentions have been less successful than with Melodyne Studio. That being said, Melodyne Studio costs 3X what I paid for Studio One (but it is STILL a cool DAW).
Good luck!
Same here.
Studio One is like the other chord analyzers that I have use in that simple chords are OK but more complex chords on one track or analyzing two or more tracks it is not so great.
But if you have the right chords then yes you can change a chord in the chord track and have your tracks change with the chord track. I have only used this feature once to see if it works as I do all of my chord changes in BiaB and drag and drop the tracks to my DAW.
I'm in a fitness protection program. I'm been hiding from exercise.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Melodyne Studio here. Absolutely incredible! Never regretted the money spent.
Mike
Focusrite 2i2 2nd Gen Windows 10 pro 1709 16299.125 Intel core i7 6700k CPU @ 4.00GHz 4.01 GHz 16 gig memory BIAB UltraPak version is 2025 (Latest) Cubase pro 9
I had the chance to mess with it in Melodyne, indeed amazing what it does. Had a slight impression that the sound quality is a little affected with re-harmonization, but what the hell; i messed with banjo chords ....
This is how it went for me. When starting out I wasn't sure which DAW I wanted so I bought Cubase and Mixcraft. With Mixcraft Pro (on sale $99 until end of April) came Melodyne Essential (since then also came with my purchase of Nectar 3). Then I kept my eye out for upgrade sales, think they do it a couple times a year. So I got the upgrade to Studio for $399.
So a total $498 verses, I believe, a regular price of $849. I have never looked back. I've used Melodyne for vocals and guitar often. Not just pitch but timing, formant and also creating effects.
Mike
Last edited by mbsmike; 04/19/1905:18 PM.
Focusrite 2i2 2nd Gen Windows 10 pro 1709 16299.125 Intel core i7 6700k CPU @ 4.00GHz 4.01 GHz 16 gig memory BIAB UltraPak version is 2025 (Latest) Cubase pro 9
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We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
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