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Please, please can we have support for Diminished Triads!

Background
==========

This is, what has become, my yearly plead for pgmusic to support diminished triads in BIAB!

I would like to see support for Diminished Triads 1-b3-b5 and not just for Diminished 7ths or Half Diminished (m7b5) Chords.

Currently Diminished is interpreted as Diminished 7th.

BIAB Supports these triads:

Major Triad: 1-3-5 : e.g. C
Minor Triad: 1-b3-5 : e.g. Cm
Augmented Triad: 1-3-#5 : e.g. Caug

And these two variations:

Suspended Triad: 1-4-5 : e.g. Csus
Major Triad with lowered 5th: 1-3-b5 : e.g. C5b

Rational:
The Diminished Triad is the basis for the Diminished 7th and The Half-Diminished (m7b5) and is often used in pop piano charts where basic triads are the staple chords.

Current Work around:
Use either dim (which is dim7th) or m7b5 depending on chords function in chart and then if necessary edit the exported midi file to remove the 7th.

Solution
=======

IMO, The simplest solution to support Diminished Triads would be along
the lines of:

1. In preferences have a check box which says "Interpret Dim as Dim7"
This box would be checked defaulted and ensure complete backward
compatibility.

2. Unchecking the box would mean that all Dim chords are interpreted
as 1-b3-b5

3. Change existing Diminished (dim) code to be used when Diminished
7th (dim7) is typed.

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I wish to add my support for Alisdair's request for support of diminished triads separate from fully diminished 7th chords and half-diminished 7th chords.

Alisdair's suggestion of a user-selectable option to make the "dim" suffix be a diminished triad and that "dim7" would be necessary for a full diminshed 7th and the current "m7b5" would still be necessary for the half-diminshed 7th.

OR

leave dim as it is (full diminished 7th chord) in order to maintain perfect backward compatibility with already existing files, but add the following chord suffix: dimt (t for triad) and interpret it as Root, b3, b5 (C Eb Gb, for example).

OR

simply change the behavior of the program so that "dim" implies diminshed triad, "dim7" is necessary for full-diminshed-7th and the current "m7b5" still be the norm for half-diminshed-7ths.

I realize that with the vast number of BIAB files already in existence, many of which want the full diminished 7th where the chord suffix dim is used, any change in the handling of diminished chords will create havoc for some. But in my opinion adding this capability will enhance the program and we should all be able to deal with it.

And the use of the shortcuts file can allow people to adjust things to their own way of working, once the diminshed triad is functional in the program.

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It baffles me that something so basic to how Western harmony is organized, labeled, and presented in almost any theory book you care to llook at, can be overlooked in BIAB. Before you even come to considering 7th chords as a student, you encounter the deminished triad.
So yes, please add this capability to the program!
It's fundamental!

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I'd like to see BIAB support Diminished Triads too

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Yes, this is a glaring omission. Please correct. BTW, there is yet another triad, the suspended 2nd; 1-2-5. I think this one is supported.

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Add my support for Diminished Triads.

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Yes, I agree. Diminished Triads should be supported properly.

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Let me add my support. I have on occasion wished for a diminished triad option as opposed to a diminished seventh chord.

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Good idea. Diminished triads in BB.

Vote for this...

Dragan

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You can count me in ...


Tröten und tröten lassen.
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And me too...

Alan

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Specifying triads more fully and accurately in contrast to 4 or more note chords would be great!

I'm thinking of how that would work so well in combination with the also much wished for ability to use more than 4 chords per bar.

Even more specifically for "fast" walk down and walk ups. ( For a guitarist with less than olympic level gymnastic fingers -like me- being able to specify switching using the triad as opposed to 4 note chords or barre chords could be helpful )

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Please, please can we have support for Diminished Triads!

I'm with Alisdair!

Thanks,

Songhammer
Phoenix, AZ

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Yes, support for dim triads would be good. Others on this thread have suggested ways to implement.

Also, support for "add" chords, such as add9 or add13.

Thanks for the consideration.


Randy
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I'm with Alisdair too. Diminished triads have been lacking way too long. Please make it happen in the next version of BIAB

Philip van Galen

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Suggest we have Diminished Triads, Please.

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I also would like to see support for Diminished triads.

Also, I would like to see please, for more realistic dynamics, the ability to automate level changes for the `band'.

Ron Becker

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I wish to add my support for Alisdair's request for support of diminished triads separate from fully diminished 7th chords and half-diminished 7th chords.
Victor

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Perhaps 2008/9 will see PGmusic's BIAB support of diminished triads?

So I'm highlighting my now yearly plead on PGmusic's BIAB wishlist.

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I agree. We need the choice...

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