I am with version "a" too.
Ok, I have the feeling that the chord-follow mode is what we already have (more or less), just tuned for realtime performance. But this interface part in very interesting. I have some ideas: (Please remember this is just a sunday morning brainstorm.)
I am thinking: If you have something like a rhythmic one-chord pattern going, it makes fine sense in many a musical context to use the hardcore chord-follow mode. We play some notes on the keyboard and pattern are forced to that.
But lets imagine a not unlikely musical scenario:
We have the above chord pattern going forced to D-F-A (D minor). Now we also have this bassline of 8´th notes: D2-C#3-D3-D2-C#3-D3-D2-D3 (think ol-skool JMJ stuff, haha). The essence of our piece is very "clean" triads in the chord section, and the basslines fundamental octave notes with the important inclusion of the major seventh as "leading note". It would kill the bassline completely to have it forced to the "clean" triad of the chord, but it is obvious that it would work very well to only transpose it.
So I imagine that it would be very rewarding if we can make an interface that allows for two separate functions in realtime: Transpose and chord-follow. I personally would like the compositional freedom of a two handed interface, meaning: Right hand plays the chord that dictates the notes for the chord-follow function while left hand plays one note that controls transpose.
Please note that my basic intension is to use these two inputs separately: E.g. in the above case, the chord pattern would be set to chord-follow (not transpose) and the bassline would be set to transpose (not chord-follow).
I can imagine that some people would like a one handed interface (in the arranger-keyboard tradition) so that transpose AND chord-follow is controlled with one hand leaving the other free. There is several ways that this could be implemented, and I won´t get into that now, but a one hand mode is probably a good idea as well. It will not have as great compositional flexibility, but having one hand free can be invaluable.
A rough idea for this dual-input mode:
Basic rule: The transpose note should be 12 or more semitones below lowest chord note. If there is less than 12 semitones between the lowest note and the next, the low note is regarded as a chord note. With only chord notes and no bass note, the lowest note of the chord will be output as bass note (transpose)
Play one note: This will output a one note "chord"
and a transpose note.
Play two notes:
a. They are 12 semitones or more apart: Low note will set transpose, hi note will set "chord" (force material into one note in this case).
b. They are less than 12 semitones apart: Low note will set transpose, both notes will set chord.
I just realized that this setup automaticly takes care of the on-handed mode I was talking about. Hmm, that is not so bad, is it?
Post edited by: LDT, at: 2008/04/13 11:49
Post edited by: LDT, at: 2008/04/13 11:51