creating 'chords' and 7th strings from one note melodies?

J

jpixels

New member
ok, lets say I have a simple melody in C major, for arguments sake it goes C D F D D F F C

Now I want to add some extra umpff on the 5th note, D, so I would like to turn this into a seventh chord..How can I do this, and what arrangements can I make?

Sorry for the dumb question, I just really wanna learn about chords
 
if you know synthesis why not try adjusting the semitones of the synth into what a chord consists of. for example try 0 & 7 together = C+G
 
rayzer said:
if you know synthesis why not try adjusting the semitones of the synth into what a chord consists of. for example try 0 & 7 together = C+G
Click to expand...

what is synthesis? an alternative to chords?

Also can you mix chords and one note melodies? I believe I read somewhere that you had to step a certain way from one to the other
 
synthesis involves wave shaping and creating new sound using filters, volume envelopes, wave forms etc. like if u opened a vst such as vanguard, took a lead preset then messed with a few of the dials you could end up with a bass or pad. knowing how different parts of a synthesizer affect the overall sound is what you need to know in order to make your own custom sounds
for chording knowing the semitone numbers helps u build automatic chord. think of it this way

c5 = 0
c#5 = 1
d5 = 2
d#5 = 3
and so on..
every 12 semitones is a new octave

just look at your keyboard and try to remember the numbers for the notes. then use those values for the chord u want to build
 
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very interesting thank you, Im actually familiar with ADSR envelopes etc, i just need to be able to play strings better to improve my music

but would it not be easier to create a single synth sound and then just play the chords as normal, do you mean you would also have that synth's chord equalivants as another synth?
 
if you know the chords u want then i suppose its easier to just use a non-chorded synth. but if u want a 1 finger chord then youll have to make it using the semitone method i explained
 
rayzer said:
synthesis involves wave shaping and creating new sound using filters, volume envelopes, wave forms etc. like if u opened a vst such as vanguard, took a lead preset then messed with a few of the dials you could end up with a bass or pad. knowing how different parts of a synthesizer affect the overall sound is what you need to know in order to make your own custom sounds
for chording knowing the semitone numbers helps u build automatic chord. think of it this way

c5 = 0
c#5 = 1
d5 = 2
d#5 = 3
and so on..
every 12 semitones is a new octave

just look at your keyboard and try to remember the numbers for the notes. then use those values for the chord u want to build
Click to expand...
A good lession that just went over his head.
Looking for the easy way won out again.
At least someone try to teach something.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
a chorded synth where each oscillator/voice plays a note of the chord..so when you hit one note the two/three osc play for example c,e and g.. if you use this then to remain in a key you will need to set up a chorded synth for major,minor,diminished,augmented...it is actually quite limiting..what about sevenths,color tones etc??
you need to set up one for each type of chord..
for example any major scale would need a major as the 1 chord
2 minor ,3 chord minor,4 major, 5 major, 6 min, 7 dim..
so u could use the major synth for 1,4 and 5 and minor for 2,3,6 and diminished synth for 7..
anyway ..
to make that 5th note 'd' a seventh..you have to decide first of all what key u r in then which chord you want to play when the melody plays a 'd'..
from your melody notes i am assuming that you are in 'C'..
and assuming that you are in 4/4 time..and assuming that you only want a chord at the first note of the bar assuming that they are 1/4 notes..
then on the second bar D F F C..you want a chord to go with 'd'..
you could use a G..the dominant 5 chord..G,B,D..and if you want a seventh then F# or F..
you could choose to use Dmin7(D,F,A,C) or maybe Emin7(E,G,B,D) or Cmaj9(C,E,G,B,D) or B dim7(B,D,F,G#)
try various chords and voicings till you find what u like..
good luck..
 
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