For example, if I write a few chords, such as C F G Am Dm, then it will tell me that I can try using C major?
Sort of. When you first save the song, it will analyze the chords and recommend a key-signature change if required. This is shown in a green box at the lower right-hand corner of your monitor.
However, I don't think it actually works. Well, it didn't work for me anyway when I just tested it. I created a small test song that should have ideally been in A minor. I clicked on the box as recommended and the song key-signature stayed in C Major.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
What's odd about that suggestion is that the key signature is the same.
Yes, totally agree, however upon clicking on the suggestion, I expected this value to change:
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
What's odd about that suggestion is that the key signature is the same.
Yes, totally agree, however upon clicking on the suggestion, I expected this value to change:
I tried your chords and found that you have to be careful with the green key suggestion box that pops up. Depending on where you position the mouse cursor when you click on it, it will either use the recommended key, or simply close the suggestion box.
If you position the cursor near the top of the box, you will see "Do it now!" in the box. That's when you have to click. If you position the cursor near the bottom of the suggestion box, you will see the "x" that simply closes the box and does nothing. And just to make it fun, the box only remains there for a few seconds (on mine at least).
Note that you can always change the key without transposing by clicking on the the key displayed at the top of the screen and selecting the new key from the drop down list.
Perhaps it should read 'click this text to set it' !
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
For example, if I write a few chords, such as C F G Am Dm, then it will tell me that I can try using C major?
For those chords, BIAB will determine the key and key signature to be C. However it doesn't update the key automatically as you enter the chords. The current default key will be used unless you change it.
If you click on the key, you will see the current key and key signature checked in the drop down selections, and if there is a suggestion for a more likely key, there will be an additional selection for that key at the top right of the list.
Scaler only uses 3 chords to determine key, I believe. In that respect, BIAB may be more specific as it uses all the chords present.
Analysing the key by software will sometimes be imperfect unless the song is a fairly straightforward, e.g., 4-5-1 or 6-4-5-1. Jazz notably tends to shift key-centres throughout a song. Other music sometimes also does so that, though generally less often. If the key-centre keeps changing then some, possibly arbitrary, decision needs to be made about the choice of key.
Some people have a philosophy where everything is written with a C/Am key signature and all accidentals are applied to each note as needed.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2025 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
Also I have found out that if you change keys BiaB will determine the key signature at the end of the song. Thus if you start in the key of A, modulate to D, then to G, BiaB will call the key signature G. I believe that is the way it should be determined. YMMV
My boss calls me "the computer". Nothing to do with intelligence. I go to sleep if left unattended for 15 minutes.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Also I have found out that if you change keys BiaB will determine the key signature at the end of the song. Thus if you start in the key of A, modulate to D, then to G, BiaB will call the key signature G. I believe that is the way it should be determined. YMMV
I'm not actually quite certain what BIAB does there. It seems to decide a key and use the root chord for that final bar, which seems sane enough, but it seems then to leave that chord there even if one changes key. I very often have to change it. I'm not complaining about that, I'm just observing,
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2025 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
Here is my two cents. BIAB can intrepret the key when new midi is input. Otherwise, it is "set and forget". You can use F5 to change the key in the middle of you song, but that only effects the notation Key Signature. You can also manually change chords, but neither of those actions will change the selection of scales BIAB uses over the chords based on changing the key center. In orther words, the I chord is always what is set in Key entry section of the GUI.
And by the way, who ever mentioned Scaler - is correct.
And by the way, who ever mentioned Scaler - is correct.
It was the one and only SBM
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
Here is my two cents. BIAB can interpret the key when new midi is input. Otherwise, it is "set and forget". You can use F5 to change the key in the middle of you song, but that only effects the notation Key Signature. You can also manually change chords, but neither of those actions will change the selection of scales BIAB uses over the chords based on changing the key center. In other words, the I chord is always what is set in Key entry section of the GUI. ...
I would like to examine this a bit. We know that BIAB may make selection of chord sounds and notation enharmonic spelling based on the key signature. But if you change the key signature in the song, does it still follow the guidance of the original key signature, or might it adapt to the new one? I really don't know.
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.
[quote=DrDan] I would like to examine this a bit. We know that BIAB may make selection of chord sounds and notation enharmonic spelling based on the key signature. But if you change the key signature in the song, does it still follow the guidance of the original key signature, or might it adapt to the new one? I really don't know.
Matt, 1-if you have the original chords in the chord sheet and do a F5 key change the sound will still be the original chords and in the notation window it will show the chords but with # and b's. In other words a C chord to a D chord in the chord sheet both will sound a C chord but the notation would be D-F#-A. See pics 1-F5 and 1-keys
2-If in the chord sheet window you type in the new key chord changes and press F5 at the appropriate measure both the sound and notation will be correct. See pics 1-F5 part 2 and 1F5 chord notation.
I hope this makes sense.
My boss calls me "the computer". Nothing to do with intelligence. I go to sleep if left unattended for 15 minutes.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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