ChordPotion Input Chord Effects aka CFX

"Input Chord Effects" are algorithms that transform the incoming chords before the sequencers react to them.

Example: Let's say you alternate between two chords. The first chord uses a bass note that sits one octave below the other notes (e.g. C2-C3-E3-G3). The second chord is a standard triad without added bass (e.g. E3-G3-B3).
Your problem: You want to generate an arpeggio that only plays on the main chord notes, but not on the added bass note of the first chord.
The solution: Click on "CFX". Then change the first box from "No action" to "Remove bass if needed". Click on "OK". Now ChordPotion will take a look at the incoming chords and remove the lowest note if it is more than five semitones apart from the second lowest note.

Basic usage

Click on the "CFX" and "Page CFX" buttons to change the "Input Chord Effects" settings.

You can set "CFX" for each row separately, but you can also set "Page CFX" to cover all rows at once. If you set both "Page CFX" and row "CFX", the row settings will overwrite the page settings for this row.

You can create a complex input transformation chain by using several boxes after another. Each box will transform the current state of the chord and send it to the next box.

The algorithms

There are different algorithms available:

• "Add original bass": Adds the bass note that was used in the orginal input chord. Might be useful if you removed or changed the bass with one of the other boxes in the transformation chain.
• "Duplicate bass": Adds the same bass one octave below. C3-E3-G3 will become C2-C3-E3-G3.
• "Keep only bass": C3-E3-G3 will become C3.
• "Keep only bass and top": C3-E3-G3 will become C3-G3.
• "Move bass close to rest": C1-E3-G3 will become C3-E3-G3.
• "Remove bass": C3-E3-G3 will become E3-G3.
• "Remove bass if needed": Only remove the bass if it is more than five semitones apart from the second lowest note. C3-E3-G3 will stay the same, but C1-C3-E3-G3 will become C3-E3-G3.
• "Stack other notes on top of bass": C2-C3-G3-E4 will become C2-E2-G2.
• "Open chord": Moves the second note one octave up. C3-E3-G3 will become C3-G3-E4.
• "Move everything one octave up": C3-E3-G3 will become C4-E4-G4.

Working with a tonic

Some algorithms refer to a "tonic" or display a "(3rd oct.)" hint. When you use one of these algorithms, ChordPotion will show you a "Tonic" selector at the side of the octave and swing settings. Set this selector to the tonic note of your chosen scale (e.g. "A" for "A Minor" or "A Major"). Some algorithms will move certain notes close to the chosen tonic then:

• "Add calculated root bass (3rd oct.)": This algorithm will try to guess the right closed root chord and then add the corresponding bass note to the current chord. C4-G4-E5 (open chord) will become C3-C4-G4-E5 (because the closed root version would be C4-E4-G4).
• "Move everything close to tonic (4th oct.)": This will move the complete chord close to the tonic note of the page. C5-G5-E6 will become C4-G4-E5.
• "Set to calculated closed root position (4th oct.)": This algorithm will try to guess the right closed root chord. C5-G5-E6 (open chord) will become C4-E4-G4 (closed root).

"Do this on chord change"

Finally, there is another area called "Do this on chord change". Attention: This area is only visible if the page mode is set to "Keep on running". Here you can specify what happens when a chord change occurs. This action will only be executed if the currently active step is empty ("-").

• "Stop all playing notes": Stops all playing notes.
• "Trigger a '0'": Will do the same as a step that is set to "0".
• "Repeat last note trigger": Repeats the same note trigger that was used in this pattern before. For example, this will trigger a "1" if the "1" was used last time.