# What do you use for chord analysis and reharmonization?



## CatComposer (Sep 26, 2021)

I'm looking for a user-friendly piece of software that can import a full MIDI song (piano or orchestral) and analyse all the tracks to determine what chord is being played.


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## CatComposer (Sep 26, 2021)

I've installed my old Cubase DAW and found the chord pad and related features excellent.
But it seems there's no way to automatically analyse and create a chord track like in Studio One.
You have to manually select the notes, one chord at a time and then send it to the chord track.

Looks like I might need to get Studio One Sphere.
Unless someone can suggest a better alternative.


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## Sunny Schramm (Sep 26, 2021)

maybe this is an easy way to get chords from songs:


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## CatComposer (Sep 26, 2021)

Sunny Schramm said:


> maybe this is an easy way to get chords from songs:



Looks great, but I need something to work inside a DAW on Windows, and with MIDI, not audio.


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## Saxer (Sep 26, 2021)

Mapping tonal harmony









mDecks Music. Music Apps & Books for Musicians by Musicians


Music Theory Apps & Books for Musicians by Musicians. Learn Music, Challenge your Mind.




mdecks.com





But mainly analyzing is simple brain work.


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## Rich4747 (Sep 26, 2021)

If I remember right band in the box can read the chords of a song.


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## sinkd (Sep 26, 2021)

I dunno... If a melody has a D in it, harmonized by a G chord, the substitution options (not exhaustive) are as follows:

Cadd9, C5add9, F6, F13, FMaj6/9, Bb, Bb7, BbMaj7, Bb Maj6/9, Bb7alt, EbMaj7, Ab(Maj)7b5/#11, Db7b9(alt), Gb+, Bm, Bm7, E(min)7, A7sus, D, D-.D-7, D-9, D-11, Dsus, D+, . . . . . . . .

How you gonna choose if you don't know enough theory to analyze the original chord? I don't mean to be "that guy" or gate keep, but I bet you could get some basic chord theory under your belt pretty quickly.


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## sinkd (Sep 26, 2021)

Sseltenrych said:


> Looks great, but I need something to work inside a DAW on Windows, and with MIDI, not audio.


Render the MIDI as audio.


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## CatComposer (Sep 26, 2021)

sinkd said:


> I dunno... If a melody has a D in it, harmonized by a G chord, the substitution options (not exhaustive) are as follows:
> 
> Cadd9, C5add9, F6, F13, FMaj6/9, Bb, Bb7, BbMaj7, Bb Maj6/9, Bb7alt, EbMaj7, Ab(Maj)7b5/#11, Db7b9(alt), Gb+, Bm, Bm7, E(min)7, A7sus, D, D-.D-7, D-9, D-11, Dsus, D+, . . . . . . . .
> 
> How you gonna choose if you don't know enough theory to analyze the original chord? I don't mean to be "that guy" or gate keep, but I bet you could get some basic chord theory under your belt pretty quickly.



I have set myself a project of analysing over 50 large pieces, so every tool that will assist me with the mundane work is of value.

Studio One Pro can analyse an entire MIDI file in 1 second and add it to a chord track with all the chords named and in their right place.


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## ed buller (Sep 26, 2021)

Sseltenrych said:


> I have set myself a project of analysing over 50 large pieces, so every tool that will assist me with the mundane work is of value.


sorry ..there really is NO mundane work. Analysis needs to be forensic to be helpful. I'd suggest starting small. Picc one small ( 5-10mins ) piece you like and figure it out. The software you require just doesn't exist. 

best

e


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## CatComposer (Sep 26, 2021)

ed buller said:


> sorry ..there really is NO mundane work. Analysis needs to be forensic to be helpful. I'd suggest starting small. Picc one small ( 5-10mins ) piece you like and figure it out. The software you require just doesn't exist.
> 
> best
> 
> e


I appreciate your advice, but I'd rather not get bogged down in the tedious work of score reduction when I have other goals for my analysis at a higher level than chord assembly.


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## SupremeFist (Sep 26, 2021)

there are times when what to call a certain chord is itself a matter of contextual judgment/analysis. Can software do that?


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## NekujaK (Sep 26, 2021)

This won't help with reharmonization or create a chord track, but it's a simple and effective realtime chord and key detector. Just play the track, and it does its thing. Also, it's really inexpensive.









SongKey MK4, key, chord and key detector - HoRNet Plugins


HoRNet SongKey is a tool designed to recognize key, chord and tempo in any song or audio stream. It works as a VST, AU or AAX plugin



www.hornetplugins.com


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## Dewdman42 (Sep 26, 2021)

MIDI Importing With Chord Detection


Tutorial




www.musicdevelopments.com


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## sinkd (Sep 26, 2021)

Sseltenrych said:


> Why did you jump to the conclusion that I don't know any theory?
> 
> I have set myself a project of analysing over 50 large pieces, so every tool that will assist me with the mundane work is of value.


Completely fair response to my post. I have assumed too much about your abilities to analyze harmony.

But to provide some context, I have contributed analyses to a project that basically catalogued all of Mozart's harmonic language/sequencing in his sonatas. But you were asking about substitutions, and nothing on the face of it indicated that you were engaged in a large scale study of harmonic usage. 

And I disagree that analyzing the measure to measure harmonic motions in any music of substance is "mundane." Even in the Mozart study I mention, individual scholar/theorists scanned the music measure by measure and decided for themselves how the harmonies functioned.


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## CatComposer (Sep 26, 2021)

Dewdman42 said:


> MIDI Importing With Chord Detection
> 
> 
> Tutorial
> ...


Have you used it?


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## Dewdman42 (Sep 26, 2021)

I have not. I have it, but its one of those tools I would have to sit down and spend some time to learn it...and I just haven't had time to do so.


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## szczaw (Sep 26, 2021)

Synfire can do this as well.


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## mikeh-375 (Sep 27, 2021)

Sseltenrych said:


> I have set myself a project of analysing over 50 large pieces, so every tool that will assist me with the mundane work is of value.


Just as a cautionary note - Is there a danger you could be missing out on vital learning and training by farming out the "mundane work"? As a pianist, you'll know the value of putting in the physical time for scales and arpeggios, the same principles apply here. Shortcuts will deprive you if you are not careful, but detailed study measured in weeks, months and years will get you to a point where your wits are all you need.


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## CatComposer (Sep 27, 2021)

mikeh-375 said:


> Just as a cautionary note - Is there a danger you could be missing out on vital learning and training by farming out the "mundane work"? As a pianist, you'll know the value of putting in the physical time for scales and arpeggios, the same principles apply here. Shortcuts will deprive you if you are not careful, but detailed study measured in weeks, months and years will get you to a point where your wits are all you need.


Yes, I have considered this, and in the cases where I want to learn a particular orchestration, manual score reduction can be very educational.
But in most of my cases, the orchestration is not what I am interested in.
Time is limited, and using software to accelerate analysis seems the best choice.

I appreciate your concern. 😀


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## SupremeFist (Sep 27, 2021)

Sseltenrych said:


> Yes, I have considered this, and in the cases where I want to learn a particular orchestration, manual score reduction can be very educational.
> But in most of my cases, the orchestration is not what I am interested in.
> Time is limited, and using software to accelerate analysis seems the best choice.
> 
> I appreciate your concern. 😀


I would like to know what your project is!


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## szczaw (Sep 27, 2021)

mikeh-375 said:


> Shortcuts will deprive you if you are not careful, but detailed study measured in weeks, months and years will get you to a point where your wits are all you need.


Years ??? Life's too short...


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## SlHarder (Sep 27, 2021)

NekujaK said:


> it's a simple and effective realtime chord and key detector.


HoRNet Songkey on sale

"The sale is valid from September 27th and will last only until September 28th at 21:00 (Italy time).

Have a look at the countdown on our site and do not miss the chance to have our key and chord recognition tool for just 3,90€"


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## mikeh-375 (Sep 27, 2021)

szczaw said:


> Years ??? Life's too short...


it is indeed but if you want to be good at something...!


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## Jackdnp121 (Sep 27, 2021)

studio one’s New chord feature is pretty good 👌 however a study in harmony is more recommended and I believe how to voice that thing makes it a huge different too …. You should check out some Jacob colliers if u want serious reharmonisation ….


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## Jackdnp121 (Sep 27, 2021)

some tasty stuff


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## CatComposer (Sep 27, 2021)

SupremeFist said:


> I would like to know what your project is!


It's a self-directed analysis project, learning from the greatest composers of all time.


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## CatComposer (Sep 27, 2021)

Jackdnp121 said:


> some tasty stuff



I watched his free masterclass on Qwest.TV last week.
I'm a big fan of Jacob!


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## Jackdnp121 (Sep 27, 2021)

Sseltenrych said:


> I watched his free masterclass on Qwest.TV last week.
> I'm a big fan of Jacob!


A master indeed !!!!


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## ReelToLogic (Oct 8, 2021)

Just got an email about this new chord/key recognition plugin from zplane. I don't know much about it but saw it works in your DAW so thought I'd mention it in case it was of interest.

https://products.zplane.de/products/tonic/


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