Originally Posted By: swingbabymix
Yes, because there is no keyboard in the BIAB chord builder


An alternative argument might be that BiaB or scalar 2 should handle more spellings of chords.

Some of what you see here relates to how one can, could or would interpret a chord. It is quite normal for a composer or musician to write a chord one way and for someone else to choose to interpret the same chord differently. The style of text varies, too. Some will use the delta symbol, some will use Maj, the interpretation of dim is a little flexible; whether or not to use parentheses around #5 or b9 or whatever. BiaB has a published list of chords it understands.

Where one accepts inversion there are different ways to write the same chord, e.g. Bdim == Ddim == Dmb5 == Fdim == Abdim == G#dim == ....

Most(*) chordal instruments can play chords in inversions and many players will chose to do so for any of several reasons ... voice-leading, easier fingering, prefer the sound, whatever.

BiaB does not handle all chords that are possible, at least not with RealTracks, because the original recordings do not have them. IMHO, whilst an on-screen keyboard would certainly be welcome, that is not the main issue here. I suspect most of us already have a "big keyboard" ... inside our heads. I also have, even here on my office computer, a Launchkey25.

Consider this ... You demand a big on-screen keyboard so that you can see these chords. Many musicians will be deciding in real time exactly what these chords mean, the notes to play for them, how they will get to the next chord and what notes they'll play in that, and to the chords beyond that, whether to substitute a chord, what scales/notes they can play with this chord progression in their solo, and the rhythms they will play. Live; in real time; in front of an audience.


(*)I first wrote "all", but it would at least be tricky on a harmonica or autoharp and there may very well be others.

Last edited by Gordon Scott; 02/06/22 04:28 AM.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful.
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