General Harmonizer Question

  • So for a harmonizer to work properly you must play the scale that it is set for? What happens if you play a note that is outside of the scale? Will it play the wrong harmony or no harmony at all?

  • Well, it all depends on which Harmony (real one) you're playing. That's why you have user definable scales.

    "Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" Serghei Rachmaninoff


  • While it is perhaps be self evident, you have to know a little bit about music theory to correctly use a harmonizer. You can program a custom scale if you harmonizing outside a core key signature/scalic mode.

  • So for a harmonizer to work properly you must play the scale that it is set for? What happens if you play a note that is outside of the scale? Will it play the wrong harmony or no harmony at all?


    While it is perhaps be self evident, you have to know a little bit about music theory to correctly use a harmonizer. You can program a custom scale if you harmonizing outside a core key signature/scalic mode.


    I do know a little bit about music theory. I know nothing about harmonisers. I hope someone can answer the OPs questions.


    I might even RTFM... :whistling:

  • So if you attempt to play a note outside of the key/scale will the harmonizer attempt to harmonize it or will harmonies only be present when playing in key/scale? Example C Major Scale C D E F G A B C . If I hit a C# What will happen?

  • So if you attempt to play a note outside of the key/scale will the harmonizer attempt to harmonize it or will harmonies only be present when playing in key/scale? Example C Major Scale C D E F G A B C . If I hit a C# What will happen?


    It will play the interval of the scale closest to what it thinks your trying to do (like most harmonizers I've played), in other words sound wrong.

  • let's say you're addings 3rds.
    set to Cmaj, for C the Harmonic Pitch will add the major third 'E', for C# a major third 'E#' (yes, it's actually called that) and for D the scale-correct minor third 'F', which has the same pitch as E#.


    this sounds much more complicated, than it really is ;)


    C# might not be the best example since both possible thirds (minor third=E and major third E# which equals F) are in the scale of C major.
    looking at different notes answers your question better, I think (non-scale tones are italic):


    A -> C (minor third, in the scale)
    A# -> C# (minor third, not in the scale)
    B -> D (minor third, in the scale)


    F -> A (major third, in the scale)
    F# -> A# (major third, not in the scale)
    G -> B (major third, in the scale)

  • What about modes etc or harmonic minor scale do we need to program these in ?


    I haven't gotten a chance to dig in deep. All harmonizers support all traditional modes as they are simply variations of a standard scale. In my brief audition last night, I only messed with the default key which stated "CMaj/Amin" (if my memory serves correct). So this same setting will support all modes of the C scale (ex D Dorion, E Phrygian, etc). I didn't get a chance to mess with it enough to note if they explicitly name all the modes nor what if any exotic scales/modes were covered.

  • I haven't gotten a chance to dig in deep. All harmonizers support all traditional modes as they are simply variations of a standard scale. In my brief audition last night, I only messed with the default key which stated "CMaj/Amin" (if my memory serves correct). So this same setting will support all modes of the C scale (ex D Dorion, E Phrygian, etc). I didn't get a chance to mess with it enough to note if they explicitly name all the modes nor what if any exotic scales/modes were covered.


    Yeah It doesn't mention modes but obviously they are variations of the major scale. But I'm sure you would have to program in scales like the harmonic minor scale as it only mentioned normal minor/major scales

  • right.
    that's what the user ser scales are for.
    you can program the more common harmonic/melodic minor scales or more 'out there' stuff like symmetrical scales.


    the modes of the major scale for exsample can be accessed with the key choices.
    C ionian = D Dorian = E Phrygian = F Lydian etc.
    just set the key of the relative major and you're good to go.