Songtrix Gold 3.0 has the specifications and features shown in the tables below. There are three editions in the Songtrix family, of increasing capability.
The Bronze Edition can operate only at Beginner level, with minimal chord and scale types. It contains a limited version of the How Music Works tutorials, and does not provide song export.
The Silver Edition can also operate at Intermediate level, and has a broad selection of chord and scale types. It contains the full version of the How Music Works tutorials, and can export songs to other file formats.
The Gold Edition can also operate at Advanced level, and has an exhaustive selection of chord and scale types, which and can be extended without limit.
Song Tracks
Item
Specification
Sound Tracks
Five tracks can produce sound during playback: the Melody, Riff, Rhythm, Bass and Drums tracks. Tracks can be split into smaller repeat segments, to quickly propagate a musical pattern or rhythm throughout the song.
Harmony Tracks
The harmony of the song is based on the Chords track which, together with the Rhythm track, can create a wide variety of chord rhythm patterns very easily. The Scales track can be used to model the key centres in the song.
Lyrics Track
A Lyrics track is provided to hold the lyrics of the song, and it works closely with the Melody track to help you place the syllables of the lyrics correctly. Syllables can be automatically rejoined into words for printing.
Track Linking
Tracks can be linked together to guide the development, or update the events, of each other. In a fully linked song, selecting different chords can automatically reharmonize the other tracks to suit the new harmony.
Song Events
Songs are constructed from musical events such as chords, strums and drum rolls, as well as individual notes. They provide easy access to musical effects such as vibrato, slide and pitch bend, that create realistic and expressive musical performances.
Song Timing
Item
Specification
Song Bars
Songs may be up to 999 bars in length (approximately one hour of music) and may include one or two pickup bars.
Time Signatures
The following time signatures are available for use in songs, and can change at each or every bar if desired: 1/2, 2/2, 3/2, 1/4, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 6/4, 7/4, 2/8, 3/8, 4/8, 5/8, 6/8, 7/8, 8/8, 9/8, 10/8, 11/8, 12/8, 13/8, 14/8, 15/8.
Time Divisions
Songs can be based on the following tick divisions of a quarter note: 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, 192, 216, 240, 288, 360, 384, 432, 480, 576, 600, 648, 720, 768, 864, 960.
Snap To Grid
For precise timing, events locations and durations can be restricted to the following divisions of a quarter note: 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24. Alternatively, complete timing freedom is possible, to capture the human expression of a performance.
Tempo
The master tempo of a song can vary from 30 to 240 qpm. Tempo changes can be placed at each or every bar, if desired.
Music Theory Engine
Item
Specification
Playing Level
Operates at Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels.
Chord Types
57 chord types are supplied. These can be activated, deactivated and adjusted.
Scale Types
36 scale types are supplied. These can be activated, deactivated and adjusted.
Integration
Music theory awareness is built into the workspace with a range of tools to help you explore and develop harmonic progressions in your song. With track linking, you can use key centres to interpret, inform and guide the creative process.
How Music Works
The How Music Works tutorials are included with Songtrix. They start with the basics of sound, and progress through to the advanced topics of songwriting and improvisation, providing sample sounds to demonstrate each point of music theory.
Staff Notation
Item
Specification
Compilation
While songs are constructed from intuitive visual events such as chords, strums and note rolls, Songtrix compiles these automatically, continuously and accurately into staff notation layouts, which are available within the workspace and in printed reports.
Key Signatures
Key signatures may be changed at any or all bars, and the staff notation is automatically updated to accommodate them, naming notes of chords and key centres appropriately wherever possible.
Resolution
Song events can be broken into staff symbols on the following divisions of a quarter note: 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24. Smaller divisions show more timing detail, but appear more visually complex.
Figuration
Several options influence the compiling and layout of staff symbols. These include sizing, spacing, selection of parts, and the use of clefs, beams and other staff figuration features.
Color Coding
Staff notation can color-code the symbols of each track differently. Alternatively, each symbol type (notes, accidentals, key signatures) can have its own color in all tracks.
Midi Implementation
Item
Specification
Master Volume
Master Volume can be implemented with a choice of Volume Sysex, Channel Volume or Expression controllers for playback, import and export.
Modulation
The Modulation controller is implemented by the Vibrato Note and Vibrato Chord events in melody and rhythm tracks.
Pitch Bend
The Pitch Bend controller is implemented by the Bend Note and Bend Chord events, which are available in melody and rhythm tracks.
Sustain Pedal
The Sustain Pedal controller is implemented by the Sustain Note and Sustain Chord events, which are available in melody and rhythm tracks. It can also be applied automatically between each chord change.
Portamento
The Portamento controller is implemented by the Slide Note and Slide Chord events, which are available in melody and rhythm tracks.
Expression
The Expression controller is implemented by the Dynamic Note event in melody tracks.
Track Setup
Other controllers (including Voice and Voice Bank, Channel Volume, Pan Position, Reverb and Chorus) are implemented in the setup for each track.
Style Engine
Item
Specification
Generation
Automatic style renditions are generated from the examples of musical styles that are stored in style files. The process is transparent and highly accessible, making it easy to design new styles.
Hybrid Use
Style events are generated in the song wherever autostyle segments are placed. This allows styles to be applied with great flexibility across the whole song, or only in specific areas of it. Style events can be captured and edited to achieve a desired effect exactly.
Style Modes
In Simple mode, all song tracks are based on the same style for ease of use. In Mixed mode, each track can have a different style, offering a vast selection of possible style combinations.
Substyles
Each style can define up to four substyles (indicated with letters A, B, C and D) for different dynamic effects. Substyles include Intro, Fill In or Ending passages to create smooth transitions when they change, start or finish.
Time Signatures
Styles may natively support multiple time signatures. If a style does not, Songtrix can synthesize other time signature patterns to accommodate any song, from the rhythmic pattern of a single example meter.
Song Publishing
Item
Specification
Song Packaging
Songs can be packaged to prepare, and optionally protect your work, for successful and secure publication, viewing and playback on other computers. They can be published on the ChordWizard Network for exposure to a global audience.
Song Protection
Songs can be encrypted and protected to enforce the display of credits; prevent editing; prevent copying; prevent exporting; and prevent printing.
Publisher Link
A link to the publisher can be embedded in songs to reinforce their claim to copyright and provide a mechanism for them to be contacted.
Passwords
Protected songs can be optionally unlocked with a password, offering the ability to distribute protected work, but allow selected recipients greater access to it.
Song Ratings
The ChordWizard Network publishing mechanism is structured so that members can rate and comment on the works they download, giving feedback and supporting the publisher's claim to copyright.
Import and Export
Item
Specification
Import Midi
Midi files can be imported with several options to control the conversion. Part of the process involves analyzing and extracting the chords played in the music, which Midi files do not supply.
Export Midi
Songs can be composed in the rich creative environment of Songtrix and then exported to Midi files for use by audio production software, to add vocals, acoustic instruments and effects for final mastering.
Export Wav
Songs can be directly mastered to WAV files for burning onto CDs.
Export Mp3
Songs can be directly mastered to MP3 files (using an installed MP3 codec) for transferring to portable MP3 players.
Printing
Item
Specification
Color Printing
Songs can be printed with a wide variety of layouts and report types, each of which can be printed in full color or monochrome.
Print Preview
A Print Preview facility is included for viewing the layout and content of reports before printing. Features page zoom, multi-page view, and integrated access to printing layout options.
Report Templates
Supports the preparation and printing of reports with a consistent visual style, using report templates to store the settings of a report layout. These can be instantly reloaded.
Staff Reports
Songs can be printed in staff notation, the universal format for communicating written music. It is generated automatically, with many options to customize the layout and formation of symbols.
Lyric Reports
Lyrics can be printed in a text-based layout that presents the verses of the song in well-formed stanzas. Optionally, chord symbols can accompany the lyrics.
Tutorials Reports
Any topic or tutorial in the The How Music Works tutorials can be printed, or the whole set of tutorials can be printed as a book complete with table of contents.
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