Emuso now supports scale translation horizontally (along the neck) and vertically (across the neck).  Chromatic notes can also be added, that adhere to scale notes, and as the scale notes are translated, the adhering chromatic notes follow.    This is excellent for putting together scale sequence patterns for melodic practice or technique practice.

Scale translation

A scale can be from the emuso scale libary, or it can be laid out as desired, so long as there are no missing scale notes. For example, it could be laid out using four notes per string.

Provided the scale on-instrument is recognised by emuso, a melodic pattern can be created by selecting pitches from it.  Any pitch can be selected multiple times.  The pattern can then be translated to start at some other scale note, higher or lower.  For example, you could build a melodic pattern from an arpeggio rooted at the third scale degree of the major scale, and indicate  it should be translated to start from the fifth scale degree.   Each note in the pattern will be translated to a scale note two degrees higher.  A fuirther translation would then translate that scale note from the 5th degree to the 7th degree. And so on.

To specify this, add one to the number of scale degrees you want to translate the pattern by.  For the above example, type “3”.  The message “pattern will shift by interval of 3” appears

To apply the translation, hold down the Shift key, and type one of the arrow keys.

• Shift+Up arrow translates the pattern across the strings towards the treble string
• Shift+Right arrow translates the pattern along the strings towards the guitar body
• Shift+Down arrow translates the pattern across the strings towards the bass string
• Shift+Left arrow translates the pattern along the strings towards the nut

When translating across strings, the pattern will always stay within the original visible scale notes, and no further translation will occur if this would take some of the pattern notes off-instrument.

When translating along strings, the pattern can move away from the original visible scale notes, and just the pattern appears.  No further translation will occur if this would take some of the pattern notes off-instrument.  When moving in the opposite direction, if the pattern overlaps where the original visible scale notes are, these reappear.

Chromatic notes

A chromatic note adheres to a target note in the scale.  By holding the keys CTL+ALT down, and clicking  on a location one fret lower (nearer the nut on the same string) than a scale note, a chromatic note is created, that adheres to the scale note at the fret above, as that latter note gets translated.  When that scale note is translated, the chromatic note will follow one fret lower than the translated scale note.

By holding down Shift+CTL+ALT, and clicking on a location one fret higher (nearer the guitar body on the same string), a chromatic note is created, that adheres to the scale note at the lower fret.

The chromatic note appears with a triangle pointing at the target note it adheres to.  If a target note note translates from 4 to 5 to 6, say, a chromatic note a fret below adhered to the 4 will translate from 3 to #4 to #5.

Inthe image below, one chromatic note is adhered to one fret above the 5 (initially) on the 2nd string, wherever the 5 translates to.  Similarly, the chromatic note on the 4th string will adhere to the b7, wherever it is translated to.

 

Making a scale note behave “chromatically”

A scale note can be made chromatic in the same way.  For example, in the major scale, the third scale degree (E in the key of C major) is made chromatic, by clicking on it while holding down CTL+ALT.  If this is then selected as part of the pattern, and translated by one scale degree (by typing “2”, and using Shift+Right arrow), then the E will be translated to F#, adhering to the F that has been translated to G.

By clicking on the fourth scale degree of the major scale (F in the key of C major), holding down Shify+CTL+ALT, it adheres to the scale note at the fret below (E), as that latter note gets translated.

If the translation results in both the chromatic and scale note occupying the same location, one of the notes is surpressed, so you don’t hear that note repeated.