Global Chord Track (Patreon)

In my latest video, I focused on enhancing my music production techniques by creating a global chord track in Bitwig Studio. Here are the key moments:

• I started by setting up a new instrument track named "global chords" and added a note clip to it.
• For sound, I chose a synthesizer with a saw wave and unison, along with a bandpass filter and some tag to define the tone.

Key Steps in Building the Chord Progression:

• I crafted a chord progression starting with A, building a chord with a minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, and ninth. This resulted in a pleasing chord structure.
• I then duplicated this chord to create three chords in my progression. The second chord was an inversion of the first, with altered bass notes, giving it a unique sound despite the similarity.
• The bass notes were adjusted to create a descending line and a shared top note, resulting in a cohesive minor chord progression in A minor.

Enhancing the Track:

• Next, I considered adding a piano solo on another track. Since the progression was in A minor, I focused on the white keys and used a key filter set to A minor.
• I employed a note grid in polyphonic mode with 12 voices, adjusting it to allow only notes from the global chord track. This setup dynamically changes with the chord progression, ensuring that any played notes match the underlying chords.
• I also discussed how this setup is beneficial for those not proficient in piano, as it allows for rhythmic expression while the pitch quantizer manages the pitch accuracy.

Bass Line Creation:

• For the bass line, I used a similar approach with the note grid, focusing on lower octaves.
• I implemented a poly to mono conversion to isolate the lowest bass note from the chord progression. This allowed me to create a bass line that complemented the chords without manual selection of notes.

Concluding Thoughts:

• I reflected on the flexibility and potential of this setup in Bitwig Studio, comparing it favorably to more complex systems like Cubase’s chord track.
• I acknowledged that while the current setup is effective, there are possibilities for further refinement, particularly in expanding beyond the limited notes of the chord progression.