Manual

Chords
Polyphonic Instruments let you play multiple notes simultaneously—in other words chords. As an
example, let’s see how to build up a chord by selecting individual notes from a scale and playing
them simultaneously. In this case, we’ll use the C major scale. As we saw above, the major scale
starts with two whole steps, followed by a half step, and then three more whole steps until it ends
with another half step. We can use this knowledge to play a C major chord by pressing the root
note C, then pressing another key two whole steps above C (the E note) and then yet another key a
half step and a whole step further up the keyboard (the G note) all simultaneously. This C major
chord corresponds to a root note (C), a third (E) and a fth (G), which is the note interval of a major
triad. By playing a triad chord you have just learned the concept of musical harmony, where notes
are stacked together into chords and played simultaneously.
Arpeggiator Sequences
In above section you read about the combination of notes and playing them together as chords.
You can also play them like diachronic note sequences, quite like playing the harp—or
arpeggiator sequence. If chords have to do with adding harmony to a note, then arpeggiator
sequences add time and rhythm. Instead of playing a chord consisting of three notes
simultaneously, you can play the same three notes as a sequence in a given order (e.g., top-down)
and at a certain rate (e.g., 1/16 notes). This is also a way for monophonic Instruments to play
“chords.”
17.2. Activating the Scale Engine
In order to activate the Scale engine:
1. Click the Perform panel button in the Header to show the Perform panel.
→ The Perform panel appears.
2. To switch on the Scale engine, click the check box next to SCALE in the Perform section so it is
lled blue.
SMAR T PL A Y – PLAY ING AND E DIT I NG S CALE S AN D CH ORDS 156