Hi, I wish BIAB had two new notation entry mode features.
Snap to Chord Stack entry mode (turned on with a toggle button). Here while in ether editable notation mode as you move your mouse pointer over the staff it would show you what snap to current chord stack note was going to be placed if you left click. It would automatically know the chord to use for the current stack.
Snap to selected scale stack entry mode (turned on with a toggle button however you select the scale). Here while in ether editable notation mode as you move your mouse pointer over the staff it would show you what snap to current scale note was going to be placed if you left click. In this case you would need to make sure the appropriate scale was in effect at the time.
I think I understand the second, but I'm not understanding the first. Does the first assume you already entered the chord, and if so, what is the benefit you see when the notes in the chord are already there? I wonder if you could elaborate, because this sounds intriguing. Thanks.
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Hi Matt, in the 1st the user may not know much theory and this not know the root, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, etc of the chord. So the chord symbol is already entered and BIAB (while in chord snap mode as the user hovers over the staff) will, somehow show the closest chord note in some sort of colour, maybe sound it, maybe display (root, 3rd, +5th, +5th, whatever) and if the user clicks the left button the note is actually placed at that pitch location where ever the user has the cursor located relative to the vertical timing lines.
Something similar could be done with the scale they have selected but it would probably need to display the text description of the current scale so they know to potentially change it with the next chord.
I'm also guessing on the actual function, but I'm interpreting that it means to show an indicator of the projected note position (a hover hint?) so that when the user mouse-clicks, it delivers the note at the intending location.
I must admit that I'm not familiar with the 'stack' terminology and how it relates to note entry.
Would be more than pleased to get further elaboration.
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Yeah, chord stack is my invented term for the stack of notes that make up a chord building from the root and up. However in this case the term stack is note of much use I suppose since BIAB would be displaying the closest chord note and indicating what part of the chord it is.
I'm really liking the idea of hovering over a note and seeing its function in the chord (3rd, flat 9th etc.). Very educational. If that's what you mean...
Terminology: I think what may throw some musicians reading your request is the term 'chord stack'. It's fine in this usage but to me, a stacked chord is another way of referring to a polychord, i.e., stacking a triad on top of another triad. Example EMaj9/Cm7
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; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Yes, the educational component is the idea. I got the idea when I was creating the attached picture to help one of the the vocalists in my Jazz Jams Group who sings well, does not know much theory and could use BIAB for learning to harmonize and scat sing.
I just did a test of entering the notes in editable notation mode to see what pressing shift and ctrl do. Unfortunately they alter the placement by 1 semitone up or down. The question becomes "Would it be better to have Shift represent snap to the closest scale note and ctrl be snap to the closest chord note". Maybe BIAB could be improved such that we users could personalize BIAB to have these keys serve the function I am suggesting instead seeing as I wonder how many need to have the current semi-tone adjustment. Snap to scale or chord makes more sense to me in that I bet it would get a lot more use. It might make sense to have a floating reminder appear when ctrl or shift are pressed such as this.
When you press Ctrl - "A7 (A root, C# 3rd, E 5th, G 7th)"
When you press shift - "C melodic major (C, D, Eb, F, G, A, B)"
Maybe where the note will snap to first gets a ghost note before you left click and maybe if even sounds.
This snap feature applies to all notes that BIAB is capable of sounding.
Now this Idea I would also suggest. Maybe improvisers could enter the scales they wish to focus on improvising with for the whole song before hand and even have them print as well. These would be the shift key scale snap to notes. These scales would change with a song transpose (so useful). To do this the root of the scale would be entered to transpose and there would be a comment attached that prints with the root of the scale. In my case I enter F melodic major as F-3 and F Harmonic major as F-6 and F harmonic minor as F-3-6. Only the F transposes and the rest is the comment. I place the scales next to the chord like this E7\C-6 then once all scales are marked on the print out I go back and highlight the scale portion with green highlight. Having this built right in to BIAB and optionally printable would allow members of my jam group to download the PDF and know what scales I am using (many do not know how to select scales to use for improvising). Again the scales transposing would be s o useful for me because vocalists have joined the jam group and I am doing a lot of transposing for my improvising.
These are refinement ideas not written in stone but clearly I would immediately upgrade if this feature was in place (especially the last one).
Maybe a better idea would be to have two function keys. One for chords and one for scales. The chord function key would toggle on and off a stack of chord notes on the notation vertically colour coded to indicate 1, 3, 5, 7. These would be stacked wherever there is room for them or maybe they would temporarily cover notes already entered. And again the chord symbol is used to know the chord. When toggled-on as the user moves the mouse pointer over to the next chord it switches automatically allowing the user to quickly toggle back and forth between chords. The required sharps or flats would show in the stack. Note formations should be smaller than normal to make it easier to decipher the close proximity of the 7th and root. Maybe the alt, ctrl and shift keys could change it from showing notes to showing parts (1,3,5,7) to showing letters (C, E, G, Bb) all located against the correct notation lines and spaces. If at a line it would need to hide the line behind so it can be easily read. I think this would be better than having the letters and parts listed above. The reason to have the Function key be a toggle is so the hands are free to move the mouse. Once toggled-on another key (shift, ctrl, alt, whatever) could change the stack to (letters or parts or notes). Maybe a single key could do this cycling.
This feature would be active on any of the 7 tracks.
This feature would allow people just learning these basics to compose harmonies before they had full mastery of these skills. These could be people who learn songs by ear. They write their harmonies this way ensuring they write close to the chord tones then play it back and if they like it they learn to sing it. Once they learn to choose the scale for the in between tones they want they may decide to do the same thing for the scale.
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