converting guitar chords from the library into midi notes

I would like to take chords from the library and make them into midi notes that can be used to play a software instruments. It's not a problem to get the chords in the library and audition them (Logic conveniently uses them to trigger a guitar sound). It's also not a problem to add a guitar chord into the score. However, that's where it stops: while it will show up in the score, it's only a meta event in the List and does not convert to note information.

Ideally, I'd like to just take chords and throw them one after the other into a region to get them to play as midi notes. Does anyone have a clear, step by step method that even a moron can follow for doing this?

There was a post some time back that sort of touched on this topic but it did not receive a satisfactory answer.

A chord can be played in different ways: a "normal" chord exists of 3 notes. i.e. a C Major consists of a C, E and G. So in one octave you have three different ways to play it (C, E or G as lowest note).

I think it would be much easier to just learn how to play or in that case wright chords.

A Major chord exists of the fundamental (C-Major --> C), then go four half notes up (C-major --> E), then go three half notes up (C-Major --> G).

there are also other rules such as this one for other chords then Major, just google them.

I don't think this is possible in the manner you're thinking. I'd be surprised if there is a way to do this. Please post if I'm wrong! A nice feature request....

Alternately, it may be possible to record the audio and place it in the arrange area. Of course, performance will unlikely match song tempo. You could try flexing, but at that point you could have hired a guitar player friend to help you out.

So frustrating that a massively obvious functionality like this lies within a hair's breadth away from the user but remains locked beyond reach because the programmers didn't have enough coffee that day...

Alternatively, does someone know how to do this using some external utility or app or something?

Since the chord grids are a Logic-specific graphical symbols (as they are), I'm not sure there's any way to get another program to recognize that data and interpret it. The only thing that comes to mind is a program called PDFtoMusic Pro. Do a web search and see if it has the capability to interpret chord grids and turn them into notation. The idea behind this program is that it takes a PDF of a music score and converts it into various kinds of notation files. If indeed it has that capability to handle chord grids, the idea would be to "print" the score as a PDF (you'd choose "save as PDF" when you access the normal CMD-P print option), then have PDFtoMusic chew on that.

Short of that, I assume that you're picking chord grids based on particular chord voicings, yes? So if that's the case, you'd know what those voicings were, so you could you just play them in or draw them in the score.

I would like to take chords from the library and make them into midi notes that can be used to play a software instruments.

--------------------------------------------

does someone know how to do this using some external utility or app or something?

Reading both quotes I think the only app on the market which is capable to do that is the Melodyne Editor and its DNA technology.

A.G

Reading both quotes I think the only app on the market which is capable to do that is the Melodyne Editor and its DNA technology.

A.G

Scandor,

He didn't mean transferring audio to MIDI, he means creating discrete notation from chord symbols in the score editor.

Not trying to go from audio to midi (see initial posting). I know Melodyne and it has a lot of interesting possibilities, particularly because it converts amplitude to velocity when it makes midi from audio, but this is not at all what I'm talking about.

Again, I want to take the chords from Logic's guitar chord library and make them into midi notes automatically (not re-entering each note into the staff and so forth). After all, these chords are playable in the tablature editor, ergo they trigger midi. It should therefore be doable but the functionality is locked away from the user.

Or maybe some Logic Pro demi-god knows how to get this done??? Are you out there?

After all, these chords are playable in the tablature editor, ergo they trigger midi.

Not necessarily: It is also possible that you trigger an audio file. It could be possible that apple just sampled each chord played by a guitarist and each time you hit the preview-symbol you just trigger that particular audio file and you hear the chord. It doesn't have to be a midi-guitar that plays the chord ... As I said before each chord can be played in different ways. To wright a chord over the notes in the score, lets the artist choose which way he wants to play it. The score editor in logic is mainly designed to edit a score and then print it so every artist has his or her part. Everything that has to do with editing or inserting midi "has" to be done in the midi editor section. Or at least that editor is designed for that particular reason ...

You could use the free Tuxguitar's Chord Editor and export as MIDI to later bring into Logic.

The score editor in logic is mainly designed to edit a score and then print it so every artist has his or her part. Everything that has to do with editing or inserting midi "has" to be done in the midi editor section. Or at least that editor is designed for that particular reason ...

FWIW, MIDI entry/editing is not exclusive to the "midi editor" (which I'm assuming you mean the event list). There are five MIDI editors in Logic: score, piano roll, hyper, event list, and right in a region (hyperdraw). That said, the score editor also (IMO) provides the most convenient way to enter time signature changes, even if you're not specifically doing any other notation entry/editing.

As far as voicings go, it's not always the case that the performer has the prerogative to play any voicing they like. It all depends on the nature of the piece. If a composer wants to specify specific voicings, they'll use chord grids or write out the voicings explicitly in notation or tab. But when that's not the case, it would suffice to indicate just the chord names.

As far as voicings go, it's not always the case that the performer has the prerogative to play any voicing they like. It all depends on the nature of the piece. If a composer wants to specify specific voicings, they'll use chord grids or write out the voicings explicitly in notation or tab. But when that's not the case, it would suffice to indicate just the chord names.

So following that line of thinking, an interesting addition to Logic would be a chord grid MIDI editor? Since it would be the only symbol type that leaves nothing for interpretation?

Hey Fader8,

There's a hugely extensive Chord Grid editor in Logic in which you can use preset voicings or create custom ones. You can even specify the pitch of individual strings. Doug Z. can explain it a lot better than I can, though. Doug? Over to you!

There's a hugely extensive Chord Grid editor in Logic in which you can use preset voicings or create custom ones.

See what you miss by not being a ghee-tarr player?!

edit: But is that a "MIDI" editor?

Lemme tell ya, you miss more than just the chord grid editor by not being a gee-tar player. After all, how many keyboard players do you know who've gotten more chicks than the guys making the big racket from the front of the stage? Excluding myself, of course...

Nope, it's not a MIDI editor, just a graphical editor, although I do believe that the chords you configure in there will play back using the guitar sound built-in to the chord grid editor. Doug Z. can explain it a lot better than I can. Doug? Over to you!

I will try the Tuxguitar suggestion first and keep the pdf to notes thing as a last resort, thanks for those leads.

Really I was hoping against all hope that someone would show me the path to just throwing the chords from the one little window into a region nice and neat... but I guess that's just not there. I mean it would just be so incredibly practical.

And yes, while the chords might not be midi and could be triggering a couple of thousand individual little chord samples I was just thinking that the developers were not that out of it the day they made this feature...

Still hoping, though evermore vaguely...

I will try the Tuxguitar suggestion first and keep the pdf to notes thing as a last resort, thanks for those leads.

 

Really I was hoping against all hope that someone would show me the path to just throwing the chords from the one little window into a region nice and neat... but I guess that's just not there. I mean it would just be so incredibly practical.

 

And yes, while the chords might not be midi and could be triggering a couple of thousand individual little chord samples I was just thinking that the developers were not that out of it the day they made this feature...

 

Still hoping, though evermore vaguely...

edit

HI guys - busy hanging out at the beach today playing my guitar and having been overwhelmed with babes wanting to get to know me better...

I think ski pretty much summed it up (as usual, a tough act to follow).

I'll add my own .02 here, having spent a lot of time trying to figure the guitar chord editor out. Those with too much free time can view a free video that covers some of it here:

http://www.groove3.com/str/score-editor-explained.html

So IMHO the editor triggers audio files like a MIDI track would trigger guitar sounds using the EXS 24. Alas, as discussed in this thread, it doesn't allow one to take those chord symbols and covert them into some kind of performance. It would be useful to some to have this function - sort of like Ultrabeat works by dropping a pattern into the arrange area - drop the chord grid onto a track (or into the score editor) and have a performance.

But back to the workings of the chord grid editor. You can use a standard tuning or create your own. You can use a provided chord grid, modify it or create your own. You place dots on a string/fret (including an open string) and can hear the results with the player.

Logic will create a chord symbol to go with the chord - not always perfect. There are a few other issues with it, not important unless you're actively using this feature to try to write lead sheets. Then it might be a little frustrating at times.......... Not too bad for a version one. Let's see what happens with Logic 10 (with this and everything else in Logic )

Edit: Jordito - tuxguitar looks interesting. Just glanced at the web site. I'll have to check it out when I have more time.