Hi Zynthianeers!
There was a feature request and some discussion on adding chords in zynseq. This has now been added to testing (vangelis) for your reaction, feedback and general enjoyment.
In pattern editor, bold select a cell to show the parameter editor. This allows modification of note duration, velocity, etc. There is now an additional parameter, “Chord Mode”.
Chord Mode defines how note toggle behaves in the grid.
- Single note - A single note is added or removed from the grid at the cursor position
- Chord - A chord is added or removed from the grid with the root or tonic note at the current cursor position. The chord type is selected from the next parameter.
- Diatonic triads, major key - A diatonic triad is added or removed from the grid with the root at the current cursor position. (Diatonic means only using notes in the selected key.) The key (harmoic centre) is chosen from the next parameter.
- Diatonic 7ths, major key, - Similar to above but creating diatonc 7th chords.
- Diatonic triads, minor key - Similar to above but creating diatonic triads from the minor key.
- Diatonic 7ths, minor key - Similar to above but creating diatonic 7th chords from the minor key.
For Chord mode there are many different chord types - try them out to see what has been added.
Diatonic (tonal) chords can only be added to the notes within the diatonic scale of the selected key. This bit feels a little odd. We could either add some unusual / non-compliant chords on the notes not in the scale, hide or disable (shade and skip) the rows representing keys not in the scale, enter single notes (not chords) or leave as is with user just knowing what they are doing.
The note/chord entry mode persists after the menu is closed with an indication in the topbar.
I hope some of you find this useful. There is also a request to insert sequences (progressions) of notes or chords from a template or other form of assisted generation but that has many unanswered questions which may be discussed seperately, e.g. in the feature request.
[Edit] Why “diatonic”??? This (hopefully) satisfies a request for the ability to enter chords that fit tonal harmany theory, that is that a lot of music is composed with tonal harmony, using chords from the diatonic scale of the key the music is composed in and usually starts and ends with. This was popularised during the 17th century and remained the primary method of composing popular music until the early 20th centry when the classical tradition was challenged by composers such as Stravinsky, Debussy, Schoenberg, etc. but remains very commonly used in pop, rock, etc.
