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Chord changes on half beats/up beats
- Thread starter Josh729
- Start date
NathanFuto
New member
I also would like to know how to do this. A song I would like to do this on is Desire by U2.
How do you Push Chords using I Real b?
Cheers!
How do you Push Chords using I Real b?
Cheers!
Pianodaddyo
New member
8th-note chord entering -- Try this....
I think this workaround might solve the problem:
Try adding an additional 4 'beats' in each measure of 4/4, for a total of 8 per measure. Each 'beat' will be interpreted as an 8th, so you conceivably could have eight chords in a bar of 4/4. Hope that works. I don't do it regularly, but had to do it recently.
I think this workaround might solve the problem:
Try adding an additional 4 'beats' in each measure of 4/4, for a total of 8 per measure. Each 'beat' will be interpreted as an 8th, so you conceivably could have eight chords in a bar of 4/4. Hope that works. I don't do it regularly, but had to do it recently.
Jeffajohnson
New member
I asked essentially the same question (see next thread in this forum) and iRb support said it currently can't be done. I tried the eighth-note approach suggested here and it didn't work. IRb refuses to play a tune that has the "wrong" number if chords in a measure.
Classically trained musicians expect the music (the printed thing on the music stand) to show every detail. When you switch to jazz, the "music" (the iRealB lead sheet or chart) is just diagrammatic, because the music (melody, rhythm, and harmony) has moved into your head, i.e., between your ears, no longer in front of your eyes. You get to (you are forced to, you are free to) choose how to syncopate, whether and how to alter chords or even reharmonize, to make up your own melodic line, etc, using the outline of the chart as a starting place. Try listening to a performed jazz tune while looking at the iRealB chart instead of the iRealB canned comping
ark
Member
Nevertheless, there are times when it would be useful to be able to say that a chord is supposed to be pushed or pulled half a beat as an indication to the player(s).
I have found out a way to make a chord land on an upbeat (offbeat, half beat, whatever you wanna say) in a somewhat limited way:
Assuming you're in 4/4, you create a bar of 3/4, but (this part is important!) use FOUR spaces for that 3/4 bar. Then, place a chord on the 3rd space of that bar (the 3rd SPACE, not the 3rd beat) and that chord will play on the 2nd half of beat #2 of the 3/4 bar. Then, you have to make up for the missing beat by creating either a 5/4 bar immed. following, or another 3/4 bar followed by a 2/4 bar. 3 + 5 (or 3 + 3 + 2) = 2 bars of 4/4 - right? Don't forget to change the time sig. back to 4/4 after you do all this silliness.
The neat thing about this work-around is that it sounds different depending on which rhythm style you use. Many of the Latin styles (Samba, etc.) naturally place the piano chords ahead of the beat, esp. ahead of beat #1, & I try lots of diff. rhythm styles to get things just how I want. I suppose this kind of messing w/ the time signatures just to get some syncopation in the chord changes might work for placing chords on other off-beats (say, the end of beat #4), but I haven't been able to figure out how to do that yet.
If you really have to have lots of chords land on off-beats, my advice is:
a) use Band-in-the Box, it does a nice job of "pushing" chords. Just be ready to settle for the rinky-dink sounds of their rhythmic styles - whatever iReal's small shortcomings, I haven't heard one rhythmic style in BinB I'd trade for the realism of the sounds in iReal - to me, they aren't even in the same ballpark (kudos to iReal's developers!).
b) export your iReal song as a Midi file, & then put it into whatever software you have that can edit Midi files - I sometimes bring my Midi files into GrgBnd on my Mac, & push the notes/chords around as much as I want.
Assuming you're in 4/4, you create a bar of 3/4, but (this part is important!) use FOUR spaces for that 3/4 bar. Then, place a chord on the 3rd space of that bar (the 3rd SPACE, not the 3rd beat) and that chord will play on the 2nd half of beat #2 of the 3/4 bar. Then, you have to make up for the missing beat by creating either a 5/4 bar immed. following, or another 3/4 bar followed by a 2/4 bar. 3 + 5 (or 3 + 3 + 2) = 2 bars of 4/4 - right? Don't forget to change the time sig. back to 4/4 after you do all this silliness.
The neat thing about this work-around is that it sounds different depending on which rhythm style you use. Many of the Latin styles (Samba, etc.) naturally place the piano chords ahead of the beat, esp. ahead of beat #1, & I try lots of diff. rhythm styles to get things just how I want. I suppose this kind of messing w/ the time signatures just to get some syncopation in the chord changes might work for placing chords on other off-beats (say, the end of beat #4), but I haven't been able to figure out how to do that yet.
If you really have to have lots of chords land on off-beats, my advice is:
a) use Band-in-the Box, it does a nice job of "pushing" chords. Just be ready to settle for the rinky-dink sounds of their rhythmic styles - whatever iReal's small shortcomings, I haven't heard one rhythmic style in BinB I'd trade for the realism of the sounds in iReal - to me, they aren't even in the same ballpark (kudos to iReal's developers!).
b) export your iReal song as a Midi file, & then put it into whatever software you have that can edit Midi files - I sometimes bring my Midi files into GrgBnd on my Mac, & push the notes/chords around as much as I want.
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Yes this should work, we do have space 3 to play anticipated in 3/4, and on the 3rd beat if it is in space 4 - the hihat might not be exactly correct in your 3/4+5/4 depending on the style chosen, nor the bass line typical (the root would be on beat 4) but in a midi file you can always change anything you do not like
Thanks for your post, I am sure others will like to use it.
Bobsax
Well-known member
7 Eight Test - Unknown Composer
This is just an experiment I did after reading this thread
It wouldn't. Work in 7/8 with each space as an eighth note but it did work in 7/4 so you can simulate 7/8 by just playing it fast
This is just an experiment I did after reading this thread
It wouldn't. Work in 7/8 with each space as an eighth note but it did work in 7/4 so you can simulate 7/8 by just playing it fast
I tried this method and it seems to have worked, but now I don't know how to get the edited midi file back into iRealPro. Here's what I did:
1. Exported song in midi format.
2. Opened it on a PC with Reaper.
3. Edited the bass and piano parts.
4. Re-saved all 3 parts as a midi file inDropbox.
5. Stuck on how to import the edited midi file into iRealPro...maybe I'm missing something obvious, but help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Currently iReal Pro does not import midi files. You would have to use a midi player to play it.
Darn. And with the non-standard drum map, I imagine that, realistically, this would be difficult.
Please, please enable chord changes on the "ands" of beats. I, for one, would pay extra for it and it would make this app by far the best of its kind.
I'm interested in using Irealb to create charts to be read by live musicians. I think changing time signatures would cause confusion.(and possible tears!) Is there a way of indicating that the chord falls on an offbeat, or a curved line to show it is anticipated, possibly even in the Text field?
loostitorquise
New member
In the library there's a version of "Fantasy" from Earth, Wind&Fire wich has also 16th chord changes and they're notated too! How the hell it could have been done?
The rhythm notation is only for info, it has no effect on the player. Users have figured out various ways to indicate rhythm. As the app has evolved, certain "special characters" are no longer accepted by the text feature in the chart editor.
)BOBLooks like this is an ancient problem! I just bought the app today and immediately ran in to the same problem
Looks like this is an ancient problem! I just bought the app today and immediately ran in to the same problem
https://forums.irealpro.com/threads/Feature-request-survey.16600/
urazyjazzy
Banned
The rhythm notation is only for info, it has no effect on the player. Users have figured out various ways to indicate rhythm. As the app has evolved, certain "special characters" are no longer accepted by the text feature in the chart editor.
Where to find those special characters to indicate the kicks for the chords. I dont care about the player . It is the way musicians play it correctly is my concern
There is also a song called Moonlighting by Al Jarreau which was written with kicks 
Where could we find those characters to add to the top part till the developers realize that it is one of the most needed features on a jazz chart ???
Where to find those special characters to indicate the kicks for the chords. I dont care about the player . It is the way musicians play it correctly is my concern
Where could we find those characters to add to the top part till the developers realize that it is one of the most needed features on a jazz chart ???
More discussion here:
https://forums.irealpro.com/threads/Rhythm-notation.14751/
)BOB
