PluginBoutique Scaler2 Manual

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MANUAL
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Getting Started
Load Scaler in your Favourite Software........................................................ �� 5
Virtual Instrument, Audio-FX & MIDI-FX �� 5
Scaler2 �� 5
ScalerAudio2 �� 5
ScalerControl2 �� 5
Interface
Header........................................................................................................................ �� 6
MIDI Panic Button �� 7
Instrument Panel.................................................................................................... �� 8
Overview / Layout �� 8
Keyboard Visualisation �� 9
Fretboard Visualisation �� 10
Tuning Selector �� 10
View Selector �� 10
Chord Charts �� 11
Settings Panel.......................................................................................................... �� 13
Playback Menu �� 13
Chord Duration �� 13
Bind MIDI �� 14
Expressions �� 14
Arpeggio �� 16
Strumming �� 17
Keys Lock �� 17
Voice Grouping �� 18
Humanize �� 19
Preferences Menu �� 19
Session Menu (Import, Export, Sync & Commands) �� 21
Browser (Section A).............................................................................................. �� 25
Detecting Scales �� 25
Searching for Scales �� 26
Chord Sets �� 27
Scale Explorer (Section B)................................................................................... �� 29
Chord Extensions, Voicings & Variations �� 29
Modulation View.................................................................................................... �� 31
Progression �� 31
Modal Interchange �� 32
Mediants �� 33
Neo-Riemannian �� 33
Bind & Keyswitches �� 34
Progression Builder (Section C)....................................................................... �� 35
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Building Progressions & Working with Patterns �� 35

Suggest Mode �� 36
Pattern Generation �� 37
Auto-Detect �� 37
Saving and Exporting Your Progression �� 37
Pad View.................................................................................................................... �� 39
Edit Playback View................................................................................................ �� 40
Chord Edit Panel..................................................................................................... �� 42
Help & Registration............................................................................................... �� 43
Tips for Using Scaler
Identify Chords & Scales..................................................................................... �� 44
Detect from a MIDI File �� 44
Detect from an audio file �� 44
Selecting a Matching Scale �� 44
Generating Unique Melody Lines.................................................................... �� 45
Working with Chords........................................................................................... �� 45
Right-Click chord menu �� 45
Multi-Selection of chords �� 46
Controlling an External Instrument............................................................... �� 46
MIDI Routing in Ableton Live with Scaler (VST) �� 47
MIDI Routing in Logic Pro with ScalerControl (AU) �� 48
Appendix
Musical Notation �� 49
Chord Degree �� 49
Chord Quality �� 50
Troubleshooting
No MIDI Input �� 51
No Audio Input �� 51
No Sound �� 51
Window size �� 51
Hung/Stuck MIDI Notes �� 51
License and Registration Issue �� 51
Help and Community �� 51
Legal
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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,
Scaler2 defines a new efficient workflow and helps you leverage the power of music theory
in your own production.
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GETTING STARTED
In this section, you will learn how to integrate Scaler in your musical workflow.
LOAD SCALER IN YOUR FAVOURITE SOFTWARE

Scaler is an audio plugin compatible with most DAWs (Digital Audio Workstation) and is
available in multiple formats: VST (Virtual Studio Technology), AU (Audio Units) and AAX
(Avid Audio eXtension).
To start using Scaler 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.
If your DAW organises your plugins by vendor, you will find Scaler under Plugin Boutique 
Scaler2.
VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT, AUDIO-FX & MIDI-FX

To accomodate most usage and maximise DAW compatibility, Scaler2 is distributed
alongside ScalerAudio2 and ScalerControl2.
All 3 versions contain the same detection features and exclusive content. The main
difference is how the audio and MIDI signal is routed in and out of Scaler.
Scaler2
A virtual instrument version usable on instrument tracks. It is able to detect from audio and
MIDI but also to control external instrument using MIDI routing*.
ScalerAudio2
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.
ScalerControl2
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.
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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.
THE SCALER LOGO
Click on the Scaler Logo to access help, registration, and information about your version of
Scaler.
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.
You can use the status bars to test your configuration. Try to play a note on your keyboard,
if Scaler receives a MIDI signal, the name of the note played should be indicated in the
status bar.
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MIDI PANIC BUTTON

Send “All Notes OFF” message to get rid of jammed notes when controlling an external
instrument.
Simply 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.
PERFORMANCE PANEL
This section offers a quick access to playback parameters. From here, you can enable/
disable chord performances, keys locking, voice grouping and humanization for timing,
velocity or both.
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INSTRUMENT PANEL
OVERVIEW / LAYOUT
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.
Click on the   button in Scaler or the arrow keys on your keyboard to go to the previous
or next sound.
Select OFF to mute Scaler.
In ScalerControl2, the sound selector is disabled as MIDI FX plugins cannot output sound.
Display Selector
Select Keyboard or Guitar display.
Quick Navigation
Navigate to any screen easily. Use keyboard shortcut to navigate using the CMD key
(macOS) or the CTRL key (Windows) with the screen number you wish to go to.
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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.
Binding area is highlighted in grey.
Keyswitches are highlighted in green.
Active area 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.
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FRETBOARD VISUALISATION
Find notes, scales and chords on fretted instrument. The fretboard helps you navigate the
neck of your instrument.
Scaler supports more than 25 tunings covering multiple instrument such as Guitar, Bass,
Ukulele and Banjo.
Tuning Selector
Select the tuning you want to use by scrolling the list under the “Fretboard Visualisation”
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.
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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.
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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.
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SETTINGS PANEL
OVERVIEW / LAYOUT
To open the “Settings Panel” , click on the cog icon  in the top right corner of the window.
The settings panel slides open from the right side of the window.
The menu is divided in 3 sections: Playback, Preferences and Session.
PLAYBACK MENU
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.
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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 controller in the settings menu gives you the ability to bind chords from any
of the three Sections A, B or C.
You can set the position of the keyboard area dedicated to chord triggers using the  or 
buttons. Switch between semitones or octave steps by clicking on the ST/OCT selector.
By default, Scaler will bind only the white keys of your keyboard (“Only White”), you can
select “All” in the list 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.
You can also 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).
Expressions
Latch
Expressions will keep looping even after you release the chord trigger. This allows for
continuous one shot performances.
Chords Only
Only notes from triggered chords will be used for the expression. Allows you to play
individual notes outside the bound area.
Play Quantize
Delays the start of the pattern to the next beat. Allows you to play in time and to tempo.
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Mode
Select one of the following
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 currenlty 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.
Pattern
Select the expression pattern to apply to your chords.
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 clicked or the currently selected
scale. Scale Based mode will keep the melody in the same position when switching chords.
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
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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.
Arpeggio
Latch
Arpeggio will keep looping even after you release the chord trigger.
Chords Only
Only notes from triggered chords will be used for the arpeggio. Allows you to play
individual notes outside the bound area.
Play Quantize
Delays the start of the pattern to the next beat.
Octave Range
Duplicate played notes at higher octaves
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
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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
Note Length
Duration of each note in the arpeggio
Quarter Half Full
Strumming
Profile
Slower Slow Medium Fast Faster
Direction
Alternate Down Up Random
Keys Lock
Map keyboard keys to the notes of any scale or chord to play melodies with ease.
Scale notes
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.
White keys
Map any scale to the white keys. Black keys will be deactivated. The first degree of the
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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.
Voice Grouping
Group notes in 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.
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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 voices. 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.
PREFERENCES MENU
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Tooltips on Mouse Hover

Disable to improve UI performances.
Play Chords on Change

Progression Builder items only. When enables 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 note with natural scale names, sharps or flats.
Show Bass/Inversion
Display bass note in the chord name of inverted chords.
MIDI Channel
Select the output MIDI channel of Scaler.
Theme
Select a custom visual theme for your Scaler session.
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.
View Size
Select your preferred window size from the dropdown menu.
In order to reset Scaler’s window to its minimal size, hold the option key (MacOS) or alt key
(Windows) while clicking on the Scaler logo at the top left of the window.
Blink Effect
Disables all blinking effect in Scaler.
Sustain Pedal CC
Either consume sustain MIDI message internally or ignore them and pass them through.
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Chordsets/Sounds Location
Define the location of the chordsets and sounds library.
SESSION MENU (IMPORT, EXPORT, SYNC & COMMANDS)
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 DAW.
When exporting the session this way, the whole state of Scaler is saved as if you were
saving your session in the DAW. The detected chords, browsing state, selected sound,
progression...etc will all be recalled when re-importing your session.
Clear State
Reset the current Scaler session as if you first opened it.
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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.
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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 actionnable commands:
Navigate to Pattern
Select a pattern in the 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.
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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 Right-Click > Create Command Mapping directly
from 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.
Export MIDI Markers

When dragging chords to your DAW, Scaler will insert markers in the exported MIDI to
define and name the area of each chord in your progression. This feature is not supported
by all DAWs.
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BROWSER (SECTION A)
OVERVIEW / LAYOUT
The Browser allows you to navigate between the detect mode, the scale finder, and the
chordsets.
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 click on the Detect button in the Browser (Section A) and select MIDI as
the source.
Press Record, the button turns 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 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 clicking 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 using a Right Click  Remove.
You can reset the detection by clicking the Clear button.
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Record & Detect Audio Live

Click 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 over the
source selector when Audio is selected.
If Scaler receive an audio signal the level meter will reflect it.
The blue dot repesents 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, click 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.
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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.
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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 chordset 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 chordset regardless of its original scale.
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SCALE EXPLORER (SECTION B)
OVERVIEW / LAYOUT
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 select a scale, the scale explorer window automatically appears. Its window can
be dismissed by clicking on the Close button located in the top right corner of the section B.
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.
CHORD EXTENSIONS, VOICINGS & VARIATIONS
Diatonic Chords View

Explore triads, 7th, 9th, 11th and 13th chords of a currently selected scale. Use the the  
buttons to switch to a different chord style.
Voicings View
This view allows you to navigate predefined voicings that fit the selected scale. Click on the
voicings menu to select a voicing. This is a useful tool for introducing artistic variety to any
scale as the voicings have been created by established artists.
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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.
Octave Control
Change the octave of all chords in this section by using the   buttons.
Preview Scale
Click the Play button of the section B to preview the chords of the scale in the current view.
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MODULATION VIEW
OVERVIEW / LAYOUT
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 views 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
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by clicking 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’s 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 clicking 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.
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MEDIANTS
This artist curated preset helps you generate mediants chords starting from any chord of
the currently selected scale, enabling stylistic and subversive chord progressions.
Clicking on a chord generates a new line containing its mediants 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 line 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 octave 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 the 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.
34
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 areas by clicking a keyswitch or
triggering the key via MIDI.
35
PROGRESSION BUILDER (SECTION C)
OVERVIEW / LAYOUT
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 PATTERNS
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 using Right-Click  Edit Chord on the chord.
Remove a Chord
You can remove a chord from your progression by using Right-Click  Remove on the chord.
Copy a Chord
You can copy any chord by holding the Option key(MacOS) or Alt key (Windows) while
dragging to a new position.
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 by a rest using Right-Click  Replace by Rest on
the chord.
36
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

Click the plus (+) button located on the right of the last pattern selector.
Rename a pattern
Double-Click the pattern selector to edit its name.
Duplicate a pattern
You can duplicate a pattern and its contents by Right-Click  Duplicate on the pattern.
Remove a pattern
Right-Click  Remove - on the pattern selector.
Clear a pattern
Right-Click  Clear - on the pattern selector.
Re-detect a pattern scale
You can re-detect the content of a pattern at any time. Add or edit chords and then use
Right-Click  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
37
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.
SAVING AND EXPORTING YOUR PROGRESSION
MIDI Capture
Capture the MIDI output of Scaler and export it by dragging it to your DAW
38
Once you click on the the MIDI CAPTURE button, everything you play inside scaler is
recorded as a MIDI clip.
Press the STOP button and then press the DRAG button to drag the recorded MIDI clip
into your DAW.
Press the CLEAR button to delete the recorded MIDI clip.
Save a Chord Set

You can save your progression at any time by pressing the SAVE button.
You will then be prompted to name the chord set, once you have named your new creation,
it will be added to the User Sets menu.
You can access your saved progression from the User dropdown in the Browser (Section A).
Once selected, the chord set is automatically loaded and its content is analysed by Scaler’s
engine. Chord sets can be deleted, imported/exported from the same dropdown menu.
To import a chord set from a file, click on User  Import Chord Set(s), then select the chord
set(s) you wish to import.
The chord sets you create within Scaler are saved on disk. You can access the chord sets
folder from the dropdown User  Open Folder. Keep your chord sets organised by grouping
them in subfolder directly on your hard drive.
When moving, adding or removing chord sets directly from the folder, use the User  Refresh
List option to reflect the changes in the list.
39
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.
40
EDIT PLAYBACK 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.
41
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 customise 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.
42
CHORD EDIT PANEL

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 clicking on the keyboard or fretboard.
Scaler identifies and name your chord automatically as you modify it.
Use the Velocity button to set individual velocities to each notes of the chord by dragging
on the keys.
Adjust semitones, octave and inversions using the dedicated controls.
Chord Suggestions
Scaler offers suggestion of chords matching the notes you selected.
Circle of Fifths
Click any note on the circle to get chord suggestions.
Chord Search
Search for any chord in Scaler by name.
43
HELP & REGISTRATION

Open the popup by clicking the Scaler logo at the top left of the window.
The version of Scaler you are currently using can be found at the bottom left of the
window.
HELP POPUP
Click the Scaler logo at the top left of the window then select Help to access the manual,
video guides and tutorials directly from Scaler.
REGISTRATION POPUP
Click the Scaler logo at the top left of the window then select Registration to register your
Scaler license or check how many days you have left on your trial.
How to register license

Click on the register button then point to the folder containing the Scaler2 license file.
Select the license file and enter the email address attached to your Plugin Boutique
account.
If the license is valid, the popup will close and you can start using Scaler.
44
TIPS FOR USING SCALER

IDENTIFY CHORDS & SCALES
DETECT FROM A MIDI FILE

Drag & drop a MIDI file onto Scaler at any time to analyse its content.
DETECT FROM AN AUDIO FILE

Drag & drop an audio file onto Scaler at any time 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 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 clicking the note in the scale name. This will rename the notes and
chords of the scale accordingly.
45
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. Clicking or triggering them from your MIDI
keyboard will change the currently selected melody pattern.
WORKING WITH CHORDS
RIGHT-CLICK CHORD MENU

Use Right-Click on a chord to display a contextual popup menu.
Add to Progression
Add the selected chord(s) to your progression. Use one of the option 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
46
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 selected “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
Hold CMD (MacOS) or Ctrl (Windows) and click on any chord to create a multi-selection.
You can also use the lasso selection by holding Click and dragging over an area containg
chords.
You can pick chords from any section, the order of selection is maintained. Once selected,
you can then drag them to the Progression Builder (Section C) or directly to your DAW.
You can also Right-Click on a selected chord 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.
47
MIDI ROUTING IN ABLETON LIVE WITH SCALER (VST)

Load Scaler on a MIDI track. Navigate to your plugin list and drag Scaler to the MIDI track
of your choice.
Arm the track Scaler has been loaded on and press a key on the piano roll in your DAW or
your MIDI controller.
Scaler should identify the name of the note in the status bar:
If the sound output of Scaler is enabled you should hear the note you just played through
Scaler’s integrated sound.
Triggering another instrument from Scaler (VST)

Because of limitations in the Audio Unit plugin format, it is not possible to trigger another
instrument using the AU version of Scaler.
After loading Scaler on a MIDI track, load the instrument you wish to control on another
track.
In the “In/Out” section of the track, Select “Scaler” in the “MIDI From” dropdown and set
the Input Channel to “Scaler”. Arm both tracks and start triggering chords from Scaler, the
sound should now be rendered using the instrument you’ve been configuring.
48
MIDI ROUTING IN LOGIC PRO WITH SCALERCONTROL (AU)
Triggering Another Instrument from Scaler (ScalerControl)

Load ScalerControl on a MIDI track as a MIDI FX and on the same track load the
instrument you wish to control as a standard MIDI instrument.
Select the track to ensure that the MIDI signal is sent to Scaler and start pressing keys on
the piano roll or your MIDI controller.
Scaler should identify the name of the notes in the status bar :
Start triggering notes or chords from Scaler, the sound should be rendered through the
instrument you have selected.
49
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.
50
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
51
TROUBLESHOOTING
NO MIDI INPUT
Check that your DAW 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.
WINDOW SIZE
If you have trouble viewing the whole window, you can try to reset the Scaler window to its
minimal size, maintain the option key (MacOS) or alt key (Windows) while clicking on the
Scaler logo at the top left of the window.
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.
LICENSE AND REGISTRATION ISSUE

If you have any issue trying to register your license file, please contact us at: support@
pluginboutique.com
HELP AND COMMUNITY

Find help and join the community at: forum.scalerplugin.com
52
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 IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
FF METERS
Copyright (c) 2017 Filmstro Ltd. / 2017-2020 Foleys Finest Audio Ltd. - Daniel Walz
1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the
2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the
3. Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or
promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
53

LIBSAMPLERATE
Copyright (c) 2012-2016, Erik de Castro Lopo <erikd@mega-nerd.com>
KISS FFT
Copyright (c) 2003-2010 Mark Borgerding. All rights reserved.
3. Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or
promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
54
EIGEN
Copyright (c) 2011, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
* Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the
* Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the
* Neither the name of Intel Corporation nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote
products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
55

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Building Progressions & Working with Patterns ��������������������������������������������������������������� 35

LOAD SCALER IN YOUR FAVOURITE SOFTWARE

VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT, AUDIO-FX & MIDI-FX

THE SCALER LOGO

THE STATUS BAR

MIDI PANIC BUTTON

AUDIO DETECTION BUTTON

Keyboard Visible Range

The menu is divided in 3 sections: Playback, Preferences and Session.

Strum Sequence Profile

Strum Sequence Direction

Strum Sequence Variation

1/1 1/1d 1/1t

Quarter Half Full

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

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

Tooltips on Mouse Hover

Play Chords on Change

SESSION MENU (IMPORT, EXPORT, SYNC & COMMANDS)

List of actionnable commands:

Recall Playback Settings

Toggle Chord Mute

Toggle Playback Mode

Set Melody Pattern

Set Selected Scale

Save State as XML

Load State from XML

Export MIDI Markers

Record & Detect MIDI Live

Record & Detect Audio Live

SEARCHING FOR SCALES

Filtering and searching

 Artists sets, crafted by artists.

 User sets, created by users.

Preview Chord Sets

Maintain Scale / Tonic

Maintain Current Scale

Maintain Current Tonic

Force into Scale

SCALE EXPLORER (SECTION B)

CHORD EXTENSIONS, VOICINGS & VARIATIONS

Diatonic Chords View

Chord Variations View

Clicking on a chord generates a new line containing its mediants chords.

BIND & KEYSWITCHES

PROGRESSION BUILDER (SECTION C)

BUILDING PROGRESSIONS & WORKING WITH PATTERNS

Working with Chords

Playing your progression

Working with patterns

Add a new pattern

scale, Scaler considers the chords linked by a scale relationship.

SAVING AND EXPORTING YOUR PROGRESSION

Save a Chord Set

EDIT PLAYBACK VIEW

CHORD EDIT PANEL

HELP & REGISTRATION

How to register license

TIPS FOR USING SCALER

DETECT FROM A MIDI FILE

DETECT FROM AN AUDIO FILE

SELECTING A MATCHING SCALE

GENERATING UNIQUE MELODY LINES

WORKING WITH CHORDS

Building Progressions & Working with Patterns �� 35