Most of the stuff here is also in Readme-file included in Pak
General
This package contains midi files containing scale notes, chords and
chord progressions. All files are plain midi files which are ready for
importing them to your own DAW (digitan audio workstation). This midi pack
is compatible with any DAW that can import midi files. In most DAWs this
is done with some ‘import’ feature, or simply drag and drop from file
browser.
Directory structure and different files
At top level you have list of contained scales as directories. To explain
content of scale directory, we use C_Minor as example:
C_Minor_Notes.mid contains notes that belong to C Minor scale. If your composition is done in C minor, using these notes and those same notes transposed any number of octaves up or down works for making ok sounding music. Octave is 12 steps in your DAWs piano roll.
C-Minor_StackedNotes.mid contains those same notes in every octave, stacked over each other. In some DAWs it can be used to give you shadow notes that your clearly see what notes belong to scale. If needed, stretch those notes longer
C-Minor_Notes.txt is telling note names belonging to that scale
01-Basic_Chords subdirectory contains basic chords for your scale. In minor scales for second chord there is few alternatives which are commonly used
02-Suspended_Chords contains suspended chords that can be used to replace basic chords
04-Extended_Chords contains chords that have more complex harmonies. Depending on music style you may want to use them replacing basic chords
09-All_Chords contains all chords, combined from previous directories
20-Basic_Progressions contains chord progressions using basic chords
21-Progressions_By_Mood contain progressions that have some label telling what kind of use or feeling they have.
22-Extended_Progressions contains mainly same progressions as previous directories but made with extended chords
23-Advanced-Progressions contain chord progressions which are more complex. They may use extended chords or chords that are not really belonging to your scale, but still fit there and create somehow different feeling
Different midi files in progressions and chords
When you open any progressions directory, you see midi files and
subdirectories. Midi files are there for you to provide quick way to listen
progressions with your DAWs preview functionality (some DAWs do have it,
some others don’t). When you find progression that fits to your song, move
to subdirectory with same name as progression. There is many midi files,
and depending on your needs you may want to use different files. Here is
some ideas how we suggest you to use them. Example is from Energetic:
01-Chord-Energetic.mid basic chord, without any tricks
02-Chord&Bass-Energetic.mid basic chord + root note as bass note
03-Inverted-Energetic.mid chord inverted so that all notes stay in one octave, and notes flow pleasantly
04-Inverted&Bass-Energetic.mid inverted chord with additional bass note. ‘Preview’ midi in upper dir is same as this
05-Orchestra-Energetic.mid chord ‘orchestrated’ in style used
with orchestral string or similar. Use
this if you want to have one synth to
have lush harmonies
06-OrchestraInverted-Energetic.mid Orchestrated version of inverted chord
progression
07-Bass-Energetic.mid Only bass note of chords, two octaves
down. For string orchestra, use this for
contra bass, and possibly for cello
08-Bass&Fifth-Energetic.mid Bass and fifth one octave below chord.
Suggested use in string would be with
cello. And this combination is also
power chord, which works great with
distorted sounds. And try to stack
these, in 2 or 3 octaves
09-Fifth-Energetic.mid Only Fifth note. If using bass
progression with cello, use this with
viola and also on higher instruments
10-Third-Energetic.mid Other notes of harmony, in case you want
to split different notes to different
instruments
Chord directories are organized bit different way for a reason. If you are building chord progression, you certainly
want to have different chords. So you select directory based on what version of our files you want to use. Naming follows same
principles as with progressions, now just midi files are grouped with same type files in one directory.
See our video explaining and showing how to use those different files.
Modulations in Chord progressions
When you enter to directory of one chord progression you see few more
directories. These directories contain same chord progressions modulated
to different scale. Those scales are the ones that musically closest
neighbours or your scale. Therefore changing to them feels smooth and easy.
Each of these modulation directories also contain midi and text files
telling you notes that belong to that scale so that you can adapt your
melody to that modulated chord progression.
Suggested use cases for modulations:
Bridge between verse and chorus
Chorus
Different part in mid-track
At end of your track
Remember that modulations are closest neighbours of your primary scale,
but not each other, so if you are using more than one modulation it may
be safe to jump back to original before moving to next modulation
Known problems in this pack
There is no flats in note names. For example you can have chords
Gm and G# in same scale instead of correct Gm and Ab. However, all notes
and chords are correct, naming just does not match to what music pros
would prefer. G# is same note as Ab.