Scaler2 IOS Manual

Getting Started
Loading Scaler 7
Virtual Instrument, Audio-FX & MIDI-FX 7
Interface
Header 9
Scaler Logo Menu 9
MIDI Panic Button 11
Audio Detection Button 11
Live Playback Settings 12
Performance Settings 13
Arpeggio Settings 14
Strumming Settings 15
Strummed Sequences Settings 16
Keys Lock 16
Voicing Lock 17
Humanize 19
Settings Panel 20
Tempo 20
Chord Duration 20
Global Latch 21
Global Quantize 21
DAW Sync 21
Theme 21
Show Bass/Inversion 21
Font 21
MIDI Channel 22
Sustain Pedal CC 22
Bluetooth MIDI 22
Instrument Panel 23
Keyboard Visualisation 24
Keyboard Visible Range 25
Keyboard Zoom 25
Bind MIDI 25
Fretboard Visualisation 27
Tuning Selector 27
View Selector 27
Chord Charts 28
Browser (Section A) 30
Detecting Scales 30
Searching for Scales 33
Chord Sets 33
Scale Explorer (Section B) 37
List View 37
Voicings Chords View 38
Chord Variations View 38
Progression Builder (Section C) 39
Building Progressions 39
Working with Chords 39
Working with Patterns 40
Suggest Mode 41
Pattern Generation 42
Auto-Detect 43
Minimize Movement 43
Saving and Exporting Your Progression 43
MIDI Capture 43
Navigation Bar 46
Sequencer View 46
Chord Edit View 48
Pad View 50
Modulation View 50
Progression 51
Secondary Scale 52
Modal Interchange 53
Mediants 53
Neo-Riemannian 54
Bind & Keyswitches 55
Help 56
Identify Chords & Scales 56
Detect from a MIDI File 56
Detect from an audio file 57
Selecting a Matching Scale 57
Generating Unique Melody Lines 58
Working with Chords 59
Chord Menu 59
Multi-Selection of chords 60
Controlling an External Instrument 60
Sync 60
Commands 61
Appendix
Musical Notation 65
Chord Degree 65
Chord Quality 66
Troubleshooting
No MIDI Input 67
No Audio Input 67
No Sound 67
Hung/Stuck MIDI Notes 67
Help and Community 68
Legal
Scaler is a composition assistant which identifies the scales of your tune to

help you build powerful chord progressions and melodic sequences. Built to
keep you in charge of the creative process, it helps you compose in a faster
and more efficient way. Scaler also comes complete with hundreds of chord
progressions and musical performances made by world famous artists across
various musical genres.
Developed by music industry professionals and refined by a team of producers
and artists, Scaler 2 defines a new efficient workflow and helps you leverage
the power of music theory in your own production.
GETTING STARTED
In this section, you will learn how to integrate Scaler in your musical workflow.
LOADING SCALER
Scaler 2 iOS is a standalone application and AUv3 plugin compatible with most
iOS DAWs (Digital Audio Workstation).
To use Scaler as a Standalone application simply run Scaler 2 from the launch
screen of your device.
To start using Scaler as a plugin you need to load it on a software instrument,
audio or MIDI track in your favorite DAW. Refer to your DAW manual if you
need more information on how to load a plugin on a track.
VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT, AUDIO-FX & MIDI-FX

To accommodate most usage and maximise DAW compatibility, Scaler 2
standalone is distributed alongside AUv3 plugins versions: Scaler 2,
ScalerAudio 2, ScalerControl 2 and ScalerLite 2.
All versions contain the same features and exclusive content. The main
difference is how the audio and MIDI signal is routed in and out of Scaler.
Scaler 2
A virtual instrument version usable on instrument tracks. It is able to detect
chords from audio and MIDI but also to control external instruments using
MIDI routing*.
ScalerAudio 2
An audio effect version built for simplifying the analyse of audio content from
audio tracks.
Use this version if you wish to detect audio content by playing audio directly on
the audio track Scaler is located on.
ScalerLite 2
A version to play Scaler content & instruments without the ability to route
audio or midi to/from external sources.
ScalerControl 2
A version specifically built for DAWs supporting AU MIDI Controlled Effect
plugins. It contains the same detection features and exclusive content as Scaler.
Use this version if your DAW is only compatible with AU plugins, like Logic Pro,
and you wish to control an external instrument from Scaler.
A MIDI effect does not have the ability to output sound so you won’t be able to
use Scaler internal sounds and need to load another instrument on the same
track.
*Not compatible with all DAWs. Refer to the manual of your DAW for more
information on how to route audio & MIDI in your software.
INTERFACE
In this section we will go through each part of the interface.
HEADER
Located at the top of the window, the header displays live feedback and allows
you to apply performances, global voicing and other settings to your chords.
SCALER LOGO MENU

Press on the Scaler Logo to quickly access import/export features, help and
quick actions to clear the state of the session or undo/redo the last action.
Clear State
Reset the current Scaler session as if you first opened it.
Sync
Synchronise Scaler sessions with other live instances. Refer to the SYNC
section below for details about the Sync options.
Undo/Redo Last Action

Undo and Redo the last change made on your progression.
Import State
Recall all saved session parameters from a file exported from the “Export State“
function .
Export State
Export the full session with all your parameters to a file. This is useful if you
wish to re-open your session in another device or DAW.
Command Mappings
Open the Command Mappings popup. Refer to the COMMAND section below
for details about assignable command mappings.
About/Help
Shows the credits popup and links to the help content.
Store
Opens the Store popup to unlock features.
THE STATUS BAR

Displays a live feedback of the MIDI and audio input.
The MIDI section displays the currently detected notes and chords from the
MIDI input of Scaler.
The AUDIO section displays the currently detected notes and chords from the
audio input of Scaler.
Scaler detection is always running to help you quickly identify chords.
MIDI Panic Button

Send “All Notes OFF” message to get rid of jammed notes when controlling an
external instrument.
Press the MIDI Panic button to cancel any scheduled MIDI event and reset the
state of the keyboard.
Audio Detection Button

Turn the audio detection engine ON/OFF.
When turned OFF, Scaler will mute the audio input. This is useful to prevent a
feedback loop when detecting and playing chords in Scaler at the same time.
LIVE PLAYBACK SETTINGS

This section offers quick access to playback parameters. From here, you can
enable/disable chord performances, keys locking, voice grouping and
humanization for timing, velocity or both.
Perform Menu
The perform menu gives you access to various performance modes.
Arpeggio
Plays the current chord notes ordered and repeated based on a predefined
pattern.
Strumming
Plays the current chord notes in a sequence simulating a guitar strum.
Performance
Plays a predefined performance using only the current chord notes.
Phrase
Generates a melodic phrase based on your selected scale and currently
played chord.
Rhythm
Plays all chord notes on a predefined rhythm.
Bass
Generates a bass line depending on your selected scale and currently
played chord.
Melody
Generates a melody line based on your selected scale and currently played
chord.
Sequences
Generate a sequence of notes based on your selected scale and currently
played chord.
Strummed Sequence
Generate a guitar strum of the currently played chord based on the profile,
direction and alternative selected.
Performance Settings
Resolution
Plays the expression faster/slower to fit your track.
Phrase/Bass/Melody Style
Choose between playing the melodic phrase alone or on top of the triggered
chord.
Phrase/Bass/Melody Mode
Calculate the melodic phrase based on the chord you played or the currently
selected scale. Scale Based mode will keep the melody in the same position
when switching chords.
Chords Only
Only notes from triggered chords will be used for the expression. Allows you to
play individual notes outside the bound area.
Arpeggio Settings
Pattern
Order and repetition of notes in the arpeggio
Up Down
Up/Down Up/Down Repeat
Down/Up Down/Up Repeat
Doubled Up Doubled Down
Timing
Maximum duration between two notes in the arpeggio
1/1 1/1d 1/1t
1/2 1/2d 1/2t
1/4 1/4d 1/4t
1/8 1/8d 1/8t
1/16 1/16d 1/16t
Note Length
Duration of each note in the arpeggio.
Quarter Half Full
Octave Range
Duplicate played notes at higher octaves
Chords Only
Only notes from triggered chords will be used for the arpeggio. Allows you to
play individual notes outside the bound area.
Strumming Settings
Profile
Slower Slow Medium Fast Faster Random
Direction
Alternate Down Up Random
Strummed Sequences Settings

Strum Sequence Profile
The speed of the strum in the sequence. Slower to Faster profile will fix the
speed for each strum. Random will create arbitrary variations and the Beat
Variation profile will change the speed according to strong and weak beats in
the sequence.
Strum Sequence Direction

The direction of the strum in the sequence. Up, Down and Alternate profiles will
strum in the specified direction, the Random profile will create arbitrary change
of directions and the Beat Variation profile will adapt the direction of the strum
based on strong and weak beats in the sequence.
Strum Sequence Variation

Create variations based on strong and weak beats in the strummed sequence
by avoiding the Low or High notes in the chord.
Keys Lock
Map keyboard keys to the notes of any scale or chord to play melodies with
ease.
Scale Notes Mapped

Lock all the notes out of the current selected scale to ensure you are always in
key when playing melody and chords. In this mode, all keys are playable but
out-of-scale notes will be redirected to the closest fitting note.
Scale White keys

Map any scale to the white keys. Black keys will be deactivated. The first
degree of the scale is placed on C. This allows you to play any scale across the
white keys of a C Major scale.
Chord Notes
Lock a predefined area of the keyboard to trigger notes from the last chord you
played. Black keys will be deactivated. The lowest note of the chord is placed
on C. This helps you create simple melodies using the same keys whilst
triggering different chords.
Chord Extensions
Lock a predefined area of the keyboard to trigger notes from an extended
chord based on the last chord you played. Black keys will be deactivated. The
root of the extended chord is placed on C. This helps you create more complex
melodies using the same keys whilst triggering different chords.
Scale Notes Only

Lock all the notes out of the current selected scale to ensure you are always in
key when playing melody and chords. In this mode, all keys are playable but
out-of-scale notes will be ignored.
Voicing Lock
Group notes in a ach voices specific range to allow for smooth changes
between chords.
Dynamic
Allows for smooth changes between chords by automatically grouping notes
around the tonal centre of the currently selected scale.
This prevents big jumps in intervals when moving from a lower diatonic chord
to a higher diatonic chord such as I > vi, for example from a C Major to an A
Minor chord.
The Dynamic Grouping preset plays the bass note two octaves below the tonic,
then automatically chooses the best inversions of each played chord to
minimise their respective distance to the tonic of the scale. The upper
extensions of the chord (9th, 11th, 13th) are grouped in a second octave unless
the distance with the tonal distance becomes too important, in which case they
are inverted and placed in the first octave.
Dynamic C1-B2, C2-B3, C3-B4

Automatically adapt voicing to play chords within the defined range. Typically
used for restricting the range of octaves when using sample libraries that only
play across certain octaves.
Open Voicing
Automatically adapt your chord to play an open voicing.
Guitar Voicing
Adapt the voicing to play a version adapted to the guitar neck.
Drop 2 / Drop 3 / Drop 4 / Drop 2 & 3

Classic guitar voicings where the 2nd (3rd or 4th) voice is dropped (lowered) by
an octave.
Extracted Voicing
After extracting the voicing from a chord you can use Voicing Lock to preview
other chords as if they were played with the same voicing.
Scaler automatically adapts the source voicing onto the chord matching the
playing position and minimising the distance between each voice. Try creating
your own preferred voicing by editing a chord, extracting its voicing and
applying it to all chords.
Humanize
Produces a more natural playing style by slightly randomising the velocity and
or/timing of each note.
Velocity
Randomise the velocity of each note.
Timing
Randomise the timing of each note.
Both
Randomise the velocity and timing of each note.
Quantize
Align the notes on a grid of the selected size.
Swing
Add a slight offset to some of the played notes to add expressiveness to any
performance.
SETTINGS PANEL
To open the “Settings Panel”, press on the Cog icon in the top right corner of the
window.
The settings panel slides open from the right side of the window.
Tempo
Changes the internal playback tempo.
Chord Duration
Set the standard duration of a chord. This value is used as the basis for
calculating the duration of the Progression Builder playback, expressions and
arpeggio patterns.
Scaler UI Velocity
Controls the velocity of items played by touching the UI. Does not affect MIDI
triggered from a controller or recorded into Scaler.
Global Latch
Enables Latch for all performance modes. Expressions will keep looping even
after you release the chord trigger. This allows for continuous one shot
performances.
Global Quantize
Enables quantization for all performance modes. Delays the start of the
pattern to the next beat or next chord. Allows you to play in time and to tempo.
Play Quantize To
Set the global quantization mode.
Perform Mode
Changes Scaler performance mode to follow or retrigger mode.
DAW Sync
Sync Scaler to DAW playback.
Theme
Select a custom visual theme for your Scaler session.
Show Bass/Inversion
Display bass note in the chord name of inverted chords.
Chord Items
Display chord items in light or dark boxes.
Font
Select your favourite font to use throughout Scaler.
Font Size
Select your preferred font size.
Blink Effect
Disables all blinking effects in Scaler.
Play Chords on Change

Progression Builder items only. When enabled Scaler won’t play the chord
when changing interval settings in EDIT mode for example.
C. Of 5ths Preview
Play chords when navigating the circle of fifths.
C. Of 5ths Display
Show notes with natural scale names, sharps or flats.
MIDI Channel
Select the output MIDI channel of Scaler.
Sustain Pedal CC
Either consume sustain MIDI messages internally or ignore them and pass
them through.
Bluetooth MIDI
Pair MIDI devices and select MIDI In/Out routing.
INSTRUMENT PANEL
The instrument panel allows you to visualize notes, chords and scales on a
keyboard or a fretboard.
Sound Selector
Display the currently selected internal sound.
Press on the Sound Selector button in Scaler or the arrow keys on your
keyboard to go to the previous or next sound.
Select OFF to mute Scaler.
In ScalerControl 2, the sound selector is disabled as MIDI FX plugins cannot output
sound.
Display Selector
Select Keyboard or Fretboard display.
Extra Tools
Show more options for the selected instrument panel:
- Keyboard display options: Octave, Zoom, Bind Settings.

- Fretboard display options: Tuning, Fretboard View, Display Chord Chart
KEYBOARD VISUALISATION
The keyboard helps you find the keys that belong to a scale and visualize chord
voicings. It shows the binding and keyswitches area when using the Bind MIDI
functions.
The notes of the selected scale are indicated with a blue marker.
Active keys are highlighted in blue when they are part of the selected scale or grey if
they are outside of the scale.
Locked keys are marked with a lock icon.
Disabled keys are marked with a cross icon.
The Binding area is highlighted in grey.
Keyswitches are highlighted in green.
Active areas for specific features are shown in green.
Keyboard Visible Range

You can change the part of the keyboard that is displayed by using the < >
buttons to show lower or higher octaves.
Keyboard Zoom
You can adjust the size and the number of keys displayed in the keyboard view.
Bind MIDI
You can trigger chords and notes generated in Scaler using MIDI. To do so, you
need to bind the MIDI signal to the area of Scaler you want to control.
The Bind MIDI gives you the ability to bind chords from any of the three
Sections A, B or C.
You can bind directly from each of the indicators located to the right of the
Browser (Section A), the Scaler Explorer (Section B) or the Progression Builder
(Section C).
You can set the position of the keyboard area dedicated to chord triggers using
the Active Bind Keys Octave settings.
By default, Scaler will bind only the white keys of your keyboard (“Only White”),
you can select “All” in the Active Bind Keys Mode setting to bind to black and
white keys. A third mode “True Scale” can be selected to bind chords only to the
notes of the currently selected scale.
Active Bind Keys Octave

You can change the bind keys position on the keyboard by using the < > buttons
to move them to lower or higher octaves.
Active Bind Keys Mode

You can change the binding mode to only white keys, all Keys or the keys of the
current scale.
FRETBOARD VISUALISATION
Find notes, scales and chords on fretted instruments. The fretboard helps you
navigate the neck of your instrument.
Scaler supports more than 25 tunings covering multiple instruments such as
Guitar, Bass, Ukulele and Banjo.
Tuning Selector
Select the tuning you want to use by scrolling the list after pressing the
“Fretboard Tuning” button.
View Selector
Select the view to display on the fretboard.
Note View
The default view of the fretboard. Displays the note name of every fret on the
guitar neck.
Degree View
Shows the position of each degree of the selected scale by displaying its name
on the corresponding fret on the guitar neck.
Interval View
Shows the position of each degree of the selected scale by displaying its
interval on the corresponding fret on the guitar neck.
Chord Charts
Display chord diagrams for any chord in Section C.
The chord chart highlights the playing position of the chord using a simplified
representation of the guitar neck.
Each vertical line represents a string, starting with the lowest (or bass) string
on the left.
Each horizontal line represents a fret. The top line represents the top of the
neck or a specific fret when a number is displayed next to it.
Circles and bars represent the position you should place your fingers at. The
numbers within the shapes are indicative of the finger you should use to
achieve the chord shape. Fingers are numbered starting from the index (1),
middle finger (2), ring finger (3), little finger (4).
The O and X symbols over the strings represent respectively open and muted
strings. The X indicates that the string should not be heard and the O that it
should be played without pressing on any fret.
BROWSER (SECTION A)
The Browser allows you to navigate between the detect mode, the scale finder,
and the chord sets.
DETECTING SCALES
In this mode, Scaler detects the scales compatible with what you are playing
either from a MIDI or audio signal.
Record & Detect MIDI Live

To begin detection press the Detect button in Section A.
To open the option popup press the Extra Tools button.
Select MIDI as the source.
Press Record, the button blinks red to indicate that it is recording.

Start playing notes or chords on your MIDI device or hit Play in your DAW if
you wish to analyse the MIDI already on the Scaler track.
Every note played on Scaler’s MIDI channel will be recorded. The notes are
evaluated against hundreds of scales and modes to find which ones match your
tune.
You can play back a detected note or chord by pressing on it. You can also use
the Bind MIDI button and replay detected chords using your MIDI controller.
If you wish to modify the detection, you can remove items by pressing the
SHIFT button and pressing on the item you wish to delete then press Remove.
You can also reset the detection by pressing the Clear button.
Record & Detect Audio Live

Press on the Detect button in the Browser (Section A) and select Audio as the
source.
The input level meter and the detection threshold adjustment control are
located under the source selector when Audio is selected.
If Scaler receives an audio signal the level meter will reflect it.
The blue dot represents the current threshold for the chord detection. Adjust
the threshold to improve the quality of the detection.
Drag it towards the left in order to have Scaler detect chords from a quieter
source and to the right if the source is too loud.
SEARCHING FOR SCALES

To quickly find a specific scale, press the Scales button in the Browser (Section
A). Every scale supported by Scaler is listed here.
Filtering and searching

You can filter by note or type or use a full-text search in order to find the scale
you are looking for.
Use the note filter to search for any scale with a specific tonic.
Use the type filter to look for a specific scale type or mode.
The full text search can filter simultaneously on notes and types for any scale
matching your search. You can for instance type in “F Phrygian” to see the
filtered list of F Phrygian scales like the F Phrygian mode, the F Phrygian b4
scale and the F Phrygian Dominant scale.
CHORD SETS
A chord set is a list of chords representing a chord progression or a song saved
in Scaler. Chord sets help you find inspiration, listen to chord voicings in
context, and discover what works in those progressions and songs.
You can choose a chord set by selecting it from one of the 3 menus
representing the different types of chord sets:
- Song sets, organised by genre.
- Artists sets, crafted by artists.
- User sets, created by users.
Transposition Controls
You can easily transpose the selected chord set using the transposition
controls located on the left side of the Browser (Section A).
“ST” is short for semitone which is the smallest amount of pitch variation in
Scaler.
Preview Chord Sets

Press the play button to preview the currently selected progression.
While playing press the stop icon to stop the currently played progression.
Maintain Scale / Tonic
Maintain Current Scale

Keep selected scale while browsing. Allows you to browse chord sets in your
preferred scale.
Scaler will keep the scale you chose to maintain instead of selecting the most
likely scale in the list when navigating.
Maintain Current Tonic

Keep tonic while browsing.
Allows you to browse chord sets in your preferred root key. This is a good
option for browsing artist and genre based chord sets whilst retaining the
character and unique properties of the chord set.
Force into Scale

Adapts all chords of the chord set into a specific scale.
Please note that this will adapt notes inside and outside of a scale into a
different scale thus potentially losing the characteristics of a unique artist
chord progression for example.
This will transform the chords which creates new interesting voicings and
allows you to generate more content from any chord set regardless of its
original scale.
SCALE EXPLORER (SECTION B)
The Scale Explorer lets you discover a scale in depth by showing you the notes
and chords it contains. You can explore the chords of the scale and discover
chord substitutions to easily create variations in your compositions.
When you detect, the scale explorer window automatically appears. The scale
explorer allows you to navigate within the scale to find any chord variation
from the most basic to the most complex one. Three different views are
available.
LIST VIEW
Displays a list of scales compatible with the detected content. You can switch
to the list view by using the list button.
When using the list view, you can press on a scale to switch to the Voicing and
Variations views.
VOICINGS CHORDS VIEW

Explore triads, 7th, 9th, 11th and 13th chords of a currently selected scale. Use
the buttons to switch to a different chord style or another predefined voicings
that fit the selected scale. This is a useful tool for introducing artistic variety to
any scale as the voicings have been created by established artists.
CHORD VARIATIONS VIEW
This more advanced view allows you to navigate through the degrees of the
scale. It displays all the chord variations grouped by note. Use the buttons to
switch to a different degree.
Preview Scale
Press the Play button of the section B to preview the chords of the scale in the
current view.
Octave Control
Change the octave of all chords in this section by using the < > buttons.
PROGRESSION BUILDER (SECTION C)
The Progression Builder gives you the tools to create your own chord
progressions, export it to your DAW or save it as a chord set.
BUILDING PROGRESSIONS
Working with Chords
You can Drag and Drop chords to any slot on the progression builder to start
creating your progression.
Create a Chord
Press the + button in an empty slot anywhere in your pattern to create a chord.
The chord editing view will open and help you create your chord by selecting
the keys on the keyboard.
Edit a Chord
Modify any chord in your progression by pressing the SHIFT button then Edit
Chord on the chord.
Remove a Chord
You can remove a chord from your progression by pressing the SHIFT button
then Remove on the chord.
Copy a Chord
You can copy any chord by dragging it into Section C. When dragging a chord
from the Section C, move to the left or or right part of the destination slot to
copy or move the chord.
Insert a Chord
You can insert a chord between any two chords by dragging it between two
existing chords.
Replace by Rest
You can replace a chord from your progression with a rest by pressing the
SHIFT button then Replace by Rest on the chord.
Playing your progression

Press the Play button to hear your progression.
Press the Loop button to hear your progression repeated in a loop.
Working with Patterns
Patterns help you organise your project in logical parts. You can have up to 7
patterns in one session. Each pattern can contain up to 8 chords.
Add a new pattern

Press the plus (+) button located on the right of the last pattern selector.
Rename a pattern
Press the SHIFT button then press on the pattern selector and select Edit to
change its name.
Duplicate a pattern
Press the SHIFT button then press the pattern selector and select Duplicate.
Remove a pattern
Press the SHIFT button then press the pattern selector and select Remove .
Clear a pattern
Press the SHIFT button then press the pattern selector and select Clear.
Re-detect a pattern scale

You can detect the content of a pattern at any time. Press the SHIFT button
then on the pattern selector and select Detect to determine your new scale.
SUGGEST MODE
Suggest Mode can suggest chords, an entire pattern or chords to complete
your current pattern. It’s a great way to come up with unique user generated
chord progressions using chords outside of the standard diatonic chords of the
scale.
There are two ways to work in Suggest Mode; ’Tonal’ and ‘Per Scale’
Per Scale
Per Scale mode will suggest chords based on and belonging to your current
scale. This is an easy way to come up with suspended and extended chords that
can help make chord progressions interesting. It works by finding any
movement between 2 chords that can be defined using the degrees of the
selected scale.
ie: In the C Major scale, the relationship between the G Maj chord and the C
Maj chord can be defined as “V Maj”->”I Maj”. Both degrees exist in the
definition of the selected scale, Scaler considers the chords linked by a scale
relationship.
Tonal
Tonal mode helps you find chords that fit your progression but lie outside of
your current scale. Tonal mode works by analysing chord sets made by
musicians and artists exclusively for Scaler and helps you find chords you may
imagine even though they may not fit conventional music theory. This mode
can help you explore new ideas and add subtlety and complexity to your
progressions. Tonal mode finds a movement between 2 chords that does not
necessarily follow a scale logic (in relation to your selected scale).
ie: The relationship between the F Min chord and the C Maj chord cannot be
defined using the degrees of the C Major scale. However, F Min is commonly
found after C Maj, this is due to the many different ways those chords can
be linked:
- You can find F min in the “Modal Interchange” of the C Major scale (in the
Phrygian, Minor and Locrian modes).
- F Min is the Minor Subdominant of C Maj (or the N relationship in the Neo-
Riemannian screen)
- Both chords co-exist in many scales like the C Harmonic Major scale, C
Phrygian Dominant scale, F Harmonic Minor etc…
Pattern Generation
The “Pattern” button generates a unique chord progression based on the
selected suggestion mode. You can use it to complete a pattern you are
working on or generate an entirely new chord progression.
Auto-Detect
When activated your progression is analysed and your current scale is updated
after any change in your pattern. This can be particularly useful when
switching between the Per Scale and Tonal modes of the Suggest Mode to make
sure the suggestions remain relevant to the scale you are in - or borrowing
from.
Minimize Movement
When activated the suggested chords will be revoiced to fit together nicely and
reduce the jump in voices from one chord to the next.
SAVING AND EXPORTING YOUR PROGRESSION

MIDI Capture
Capture the MIDI output of Scaler and save it to a file.
Pressing the MIDI CAPTURE button will open the MIDI CAPTURE popup. Once
you press START NEW MIDI CAPTURE everything you play inside Scaler is
recorded as a MIDI clip.
Press the STOP button. Your MIDI clip is saved within Scaler and can be played,
exported or deleted from the MIDI CAPTURE popup.
Save a Chord Set

You can save your progression at any time by pressing the SAVE button.
You will then be prompted to name your work and to select if you want to save
the full session or only the chord progression.
If the full session is saved. The detected chords, browsing state, selected sound,
progression...etc will all be recalled when re-opening your session.
If you save the individual patterns as chord sets, the chord progression of each
pattern will be saved and can be recalled individually in Section A.
You can access your saved sessions and chord sets from the User dropdown in
the Section A.
When recalled, a chord set is automatically loaded and its content is analysed
by Scaler’s engine without replacing other settings in your session.
A full session however, will replace all settings from the current session and
Scaler will be reloaded exactly in the state it was saved in.
Chord sets and Sessions can be deleted, imported/exported from the Manage
User Content menu.
To export a chord set press on User > Manage User Content, then press the Share
button next to the chord set(s) you wish to export.
To import a chord set from a file, press on User >Manage User Content, then
press the Import button and select the chord set(s) you wish to import.
NAVIGATION BAR
Located at the bottom of the screen the navigation bar allows you to switch to
different views to further customize your chord progression in the Sequencer
View, edit individual chord voicings in the Chord View, trigger chords from the
Pad View or explore other scales in the Modulation View.
SEQUENCER VIEW
Edit your progression playback using chord by chord settings for voicings,
articulation, timing and repetition.
Voicings
Finely tune your chord progression by selecting the octave and inversion of
each chord
Octave
Increase/Decrease all notes of the chord by one octave.
Inversion
Select the inversion to play.
Semitone
Increase/Decrease the chord tonic by a semitone.
Timings
Duration
The amount of time each chord will be playing. This is a multiplication of the
DEFAULT PLAYBACK DURATION located in the side panel.
Repeat
The number of times you want to repeat the chord.
Performances
Group
By default, all chords are in a global group. The global group is controlled by the
current settings in the Performance Panel and the Settings Panel.
In order to customize your progression playback you can assign a chord to a
new group. You can then specify the playback parameters you wish to apply for
all the chords of the group.
Mode
Select the playback mode of the current group.
Depending on the selected mode, the list of playback parameters to configure
will differ. Refer to the Settings Panel section for the complete list of
parameters for each of the articulations.
Perform Mode
Define how melodic and phrase content performs when switching chords:
Follow
When changing chords, melodic and phrase content will continue at its
current position but in the new key.
Retrigger
When changing chords melodic and phrase content will retrigger from the
beginning.
Undo-Redo in Progression
Experiment with confidence and revert your changes at any time.
CHORD EDIT VIEW

The chord edit panel allows you to add/remove individual notes and change
their velocity.
Use the Notes button to add and remove notes by pressing on the keyboard or
fretboard. Scaler identifies and names your chord automatically as you modify
it.
Use the Velocity button to set individual velocities to each note of the chord by
dragging on the keys.
Adjust semitones, octave and inversions using the dedicated controls.
Chord Suggestions
Scaler offers suggestions of chords matching the notes you selected.
Circle of Fifths
Press any note on the circle to get chord suggestions.
Chord Search
Search for any chord in Scaler by name.
PAD VIEW
The pad view allows you to play your patterns easily using keyswitches to
select which pattern is bound to your MIDI keyboard while performing.
The pad view is updated automatically as you add new chords and patterns.
Each line can be bound to MIDI using the bind buttons (1 to 7) on the right of
the screen or using the keyswitches highlighted in green on the keyboard.
Multiple patterns can be selected to play in sequence.
MODULATION VIEW
Explore more content related to your selected scale, borrow chords from a
relative mode, find a secondary scale to modulate to and discover Scaler
suggested progressions.
Opening the modulation section overlays the detection and scale selection
area.
The modulation view offers multiple presets covering different aspects of
modulation (tonicization, borrowed chords, modal mixture...etc.)
Progression
This preset helps you modulate from your currently selected pattern (from
Section C).
The top row represents your current progression.
The circle of fifths on the left allows you to select a destination scale.
Once selected, your progression is automatically transposed into the
destination scale, allowing you to hear your chord progression in a new scale.
You can change the scale type by pressing the name of the destination scale at
the bottom left of the modulation view.
If sufficiently similar, Scaler suggests a path from the original scale to the
destination scale.
To create a smoother transition, use Maintain Suggestion Voicing in order to
force the suggested chords to adapt to your progression voicing.
Secondary Scale
This preset helps you modulate from your currently selected scale into a
second scale.
The top row shows your current scale and its diatonic chords.
The circle of fifths on the left allows you to select a destination scale.
Once selected, the bottom row populates with the diatonic chords of the
destination scale. You can change the scale type by pressing the name of the
destination scale at the bottom left of the modulation view.
If sufficiently similar, Scaler can suggest a path from the origin to the
destination scale.
Above the destination scale is shown the secondary dominant path to the
chord. You can move the cursor using the < > buttons to display the secondary
dominant and predominant of any chord of the scale.
Modal Interchange
This preset helps you find chords to borrow from a relative mode.
Your selected scale is displayed at the top followed by other modes of the same
family.
Mediants
This artist curated preset helps you generate mediant chords starting from any
chord of the currently selected scale, enabling stylistic and subversive chord
progressions.
Pressing on a chord generates a new line containing its mediant chords.

A mediant chord is a minor or major third above or below the root of your
chord. For example, from a C chord Scaler will generate the following chords:
G# Min / G# Maj - One major third below C
A Min / A Maj - One minor third below C
D# Min / D# Maj - One minor third above C
E Min - E Maj - One major third above C
You can stack up to three lines of mediants to keep moving further by thirds.
The last chords played are shown at the bottom allowing you to explore and
copy your new chord progression to a new or existing pattern.
To prevent jumps in octaves between distant chords, you can enable the Group
Voicing option.
Neo-Riemannian
This preset based on the Neo-Riemannian theory allows you to create chord
progressions using specific transformations based on harmonic proximity.
Drag a chord into each slot to generate related chords.
The Minimise Movement option will try to maintain the number of voices and
reduce the amount of movement between chords.
The Triads Only will simplify all chords to triads ignoring the original voicing of
the chord.
Bind & Keyswitches

Each line can be bound to MIDI using the bind buttons (1 to 7) on the right of
the screen or using the keyswitches highlighted in green on the keyboard.
In order to trigger chords from your MIDI keyboard, press the notes
highlighted in grey on the keyboard.
The green keys are keyswitches, you can switch bound chords by pressing a
keyswitch or triggering the key via MIDI.
HELP
Open the popup by pressing the Scaler logo at the top left of the window then
press on About/Help.
The version of Scaler you are currently using can be found at the bottom left of
the window.
Press Help to access the manual directly from within Scaler and find video
guides & tutorials.
TIPS FOR USING SCALER
IDENTIFY CHORDS & SCALES
DETECT FROM A MIDI FILE

In the MAIN panel, press on the DETECT button, click on the extra-tools button
and select OPEN MIDI FILE in the SRC dropdown menu then select a file to
analyse its content.
DETECT FROM AN AUDIO FILE

In the MAIN panel, press on the DETECT button, click on the extra-tools button,
select OPEN AUDIO FILE in the SRC dropdown menu then select a file to analyse
its content.
Supported formats
wav aif flac
Supported samplerates
44.1KHz up to 88.2KHz
SELECTING A MATCHING SCALE

Every time the content of the detection changes, the Scales list updates
automatically and Scaler selects the scale most compatible with the notes or
chords played.
More than one scale can apply to a given tune or chord progression. Some
scales can work better for specific styles or moods. It is up to you to select the
scale you want to use.
You can see how closely your current analysis matches the notes of the scale in
the Notes and Chords column which represents how many notes and chords of
your tune are present in the scale.
You can find information about the style and mood of the scale next to its
name.
Press the Play icon next to a scale name to hear the notes it contains.
For scales starting on an accidental note (sharp or flat notes) you can switch to
the alternative name by pressing the note in the scale name. This will rename
the notes and chords of the scale accordingly.
GENERATING UNIQUE MELODY LINES
Each melody pattern in Scaler is composed of 4 parts and can be played as a
whole or individually. This allows you to combine patterns in unique ways.
Patterns are built around a common melodic idea and contain variations in the
form of question-answer and revised question and answer.
Scaler also lets you navigate between the different parts live, using
keyswitches.
When the melody mode and the MIDI bind are active, the melody keyswitch
are displayed on the left hand side of the bound area. Pressing them or
triggering them from your MIDI keyboard will change the currently selected
melody pattern.
WORKING WITH CHORDS
CHORD MENU
Press SHIFT then press on a chord to display a contextual popup menu.
Add to Progression
Add the selected chord(s) to your progression. Use one of the options to add to
a specific pattern or to the currently selected one.
Substitutions
Contains suggestions of substitutions from different presets. You can use
substitution to give your chord progression more character.
Edit Chord
Open the voicing editor allowing you to modify the chord notes or voicing.
Copy Chord Names to Clipboard

Copy the selected chord names as text into your clipboard so you can easily
take notes on your progression.
Detect
Run a detection onto the selected chord(s) to identify notes and scales.
Add to Selection
Allow you to build a multi-selection of chords by adding chords to your current
selection.
Explore Scales / Common Scales

Lists all scales the selected chord(s) belongs to. In case multiple chords are
selected, the list shows the scales containing all the currently selected chords.
Extract/Apply Voicing
Extract the voicing of any chord and apply it to another chord of your choice.
This will replicate the voicing of the selected chord and adapt it to the
destination chord. Once extracted, a voicing can be applied globally by
selecting “Extracted Voicing“ in the Voicing profiles dropdown menu in the
playback settings.
Generate Parallel Harmony

Generate a chromatic progression from the selected chord over 2 octaves.
MULTI-SELECTION OF CHORDS
Touch next to a chord area and start dragging your finger on the screen. A
selection rectangle will appear allowing you to select multiple chords.
Once selected, you can then drag them to the Progression Builder (Section C)..
You can also press the SHIFT button and press on a chord or selection of chords
to add to a new or existing pattern.
CONTROLLING AN EXTERNAL INSTRUMENT

Because of differences in implementation, VST plugins can have their MIDI
output routed to other tracks whereas AU plugins lack this ability. Scaler
overcomes this limitation by offering ScalerControl as an AU MIDI Effect
plugin.
SYNC
Synchronise multiple open instances of Scaler. In order to keep multiple tracks
in sync in your DAW or to transfer your chords to a session open in another
DAW. This is useful if you have multiple instances of Scaler triggering sounds
and you make a change to a chord progression in one instance and would like to
apply that to change to all open Scalers in your session.
Open the “master” instance of Scaler, the one containing the content you wish
to synchronise with the other sessions you have running.
Scaler shows the number of open instances it has detected. Press refresh to get
Scaler to redetect open instances.
Select the content you wish to send to other open instances of Scaler. You can
select “Entire State” to replicate your session entirely in all open instances.
Be careful, synchronizing Scaler is a destructive operation. It will override any
open instance. Make sure you save your project or your Scaler session
beforehand to prevent any accidental loss of data.
Press the SYNC button.
Scaler pushes all the selected parameters to all other open instances. You can
now start using your synced content in any session you have open.
COMMANDS
Certain functions of Scaler can be bound to keyboard shortcuts or MIDI
events. This allows you to control the playback behaviour while performing.
You can use MIDI Control messages to automate Scaler from your DAW for
complex compositions.
List of actionable commands:
Navigate to Pattern
Select a pattern in Section C. If the Section C is bound to MIDI, this action will
replace the currently bound chords.
Bind Section
Toggle Bind in Section A, B, or C.
Bind Row
Toggle Bind in Section A, B, or C.
Recall Playback Settings

Load predefined playback settings. Create multiple actions with the Playback
Settings you wish to recall, attach controls (MIDI CC or Keyboard shortcut) to
each action, then change the playback behaviour of Scaler while performing.
Toggle Chord Mute

Enable/Disable the Chord Mute function.
Toggle Playback Mode

Switch between Chord and Scale playback mode for Phrase, Melody, Sequence
& Bass modes.
Set Melody Pattern

Select one specific Melody pattern to play.
Set Selected Scale

Change the currently selected scale. Most expression patterns in Scaler
depend on the selected scale to render. Modifying the scale live allows for
more complex pattern movements and more expressive compositions.
MIDI Panic
Trigger a MIDI Panic signal to reset all MIDI notes.
Save State as XML
Trigger the export of Scaler’s state to file.
Load State from XML

Import a previously saved state from a file.
Navigation
Navigate to the previous or next item from the last selected menu.
Actions can be attached to key-press from your computer keyboard or MIDI
CC messages.
You can create a command mapping by using the SHIFT button and pressing on
the element you are trying to control. It works from the BIND indicators, the
scales, the pattern tabs and the toggle buttons in the performance panel.
APPENDIX
MUSICAL NOTATION
Scaler uses a compact chord naming convention. The first part of the name is
referring to the most general (non altered) part of the chord.
- For example, a min7 chord refers to a minor seventh chord made up of a minor
third and minor seventh above the root.
The second part are alterations applied to the chord. Alterations are optional
and specified between parenthesis. Alterations affect the chord by taking
precedence over the pitches that would normally establish the named chord.
- For example, a min7(b5) chord means that the expected perfect fifth of the
minor seventh chord will be replaced by a diminished fifth, the rest of the
pitches remain unchanged.
The third part of the name are the extensions. This part is also optional and
separated by spaces.
- For example, a min7(b5) b9 is a minor seventh chord with a diminished fifth to
which we have added a flat nine.
There can be multiple alterations and extensions to a chord.
- For example, a min11(b5 #9) is a minor eleventh chord with two alterations on
the fifth and ninth, and a min7 b9 #11 is a minor seventh chord with no
alterations but two extensions a flat ninth and a raised eleventh.
CHORD DEGREE
For each chord, its position in the scale is indicated with roman numerals.
CHORD QUALITY
The different qualities of the chords are represented on each chords using one
or a combination of the following symbols:
Chord quality Symbol
Major UPPERCASE NUMERALS or

M[n*]
Minor Lowercase numerals or m[n*]
Diminished °[n*]
Augmented +
Suspended sus[n*]
Added note add [n*] or space separated
Sharpened # [n*]
Flattened b[n*]
Dominant [n*]
Omitted Note no[n*]
*Note number
TROUBLESHOOTING
NO MIDI INPUT
Check your USB or Bluetooth connections.
In standalone mode, make sure to pair your Bluetooth keyboard to Scaler.
In the plugin version, check that your HOST is configured to send a MIDI signal
to the track on which you loaded Scaler. Depending on your software you
might need to select or arm the track you wish to send MIDI to.
NO AUDIO INPUT
When using Scaler, check that you have routed the audio signal correctly into
Scaler.
When using ScalerAudio, make sure there is audio content playing on the track.
NO SOUND
Check that the sound output in Scaler is enabled.
Check that the channel on which you loaded Scaler is not muted in your DAW.
When using ScalerControl, ensure that an instrument with a sound output
enabled is loaded on the same track as the MIDI effect plugin.
HUNG/STUCK MIDI NOTES

Simply press the MIDI Panic button located in the Header section to cancel any
scheduled MIDI event and reset the state of the keyboard.
HELP AND COMMUNITY

Find help and join the community at: forum.scalerplugin.com
LEGAL
VST PLUGIN TECHNOLOGY
VST PlugIn Technology by Steinberg Media Technologies
DAWGDIC
Copyright © 2009-2012, Susumu Yata
All rights reserved.
Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided
that the following conditions are met:
- Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the
following disclaimer.
- Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the
following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
- Neither the name of the University of Tokushima nor the names of its contributors may be used to
endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS “AS IS” AND
ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR
ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
(INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS
OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING
NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN
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FF METERS
Copyright (c) 2017 Filmstro Ltd. / 2017-2020 Foleys Finest Audio Ltd. - Daniel Walz
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2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and
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promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR
LIBSAMPLERATE
Copyright (c) 2012-2016, Erik de Castro Lopo <erikd@mega-nerd.com>
KISS FFT
Copyright (c) 2003-2010 Mark Borgerding. All rights reserved.
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Getting Started

Scaler is a composition assistant which identifies the scales of your tune to

VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT, AUDIO-FX & MIDI-FX

SCALER LOGO MENU

Undo/Redo Last Action

THE STATUS BAR

MIDI Panic Button

Audio Detection Button

LIVE PLAYBACK SETTINGS

Strummed Sequences Settings

Strum Sequence Direction

Strum Sequence Variation

Scale Notes Mapped

Scale White keys

Scale Notes Only

Dynamic C1-B2, C2-B3, C3-B4

Drop 2 / Drop 3 / Drop 4 / Drop 2 & 3

Play Chords on Change

- Keyboard display options: Octave, Zoom, Bind Settings.

Keyboard Visible Range

Active Bind Keys Octave

Active Bind Keys Mode

Record & Detect MIDI Live

To open the option popup press the Extra Tools button.

Select MIDI as the source.

Press Record, the button blinks red to indicate that it is recording.

Record & Detect Audio Live

SEARCHING FOR SCALES

Filtering and searching

Preview Chord Sets

Maintain Scale / Tonic

Maintain Current Scale

Maintain Current Tonic

Force into Scale

VOICINGS CHORDS VIEW

Playing your progression

Add a new pattern

Re-detect a pattern scale

SAVING AND EXPORTING YOUR PROGRESSION

Save a Chord Set

CHORD EDIT VIEW

Pressing on a chord generates a new line containing its mediant chords.

Bind & Keyswitches

TIPS FOR USING SCALER

IDENTIFY CHORDS & SCALES

DETECT FROM A MIDI FILE

DETECT FROM AN AUDIO FILE

SELECTING A MATCHING SCALE

WORKING WITH CHORDS

Copy Chord Names to Clipboard

Explore Scales / Common Scales

Generate Parallel Harmony

CONTROLLING AN EXTERNAL INSTRUMENT

Recall Playback Settings

Toggle Chord Mute

Toggle Playback Mode

Set Melody Pattern

Set Selected Scale

Load State from XML

Major UPPERCASE NUMERALS or