Chord changes on half beats/up beats

[MCJazzer]

I have found out a way to make a chord land on an upbeat (offbeat, half beat, whatever you wanna say) in a somewhat limited way:

Assuming you're in 4/4, you create a bar of 3/4, but (this part is important!) use FOUR spaces for that 3/4 bar. Then, place a chord on the 3rd space of that bar (the 3rd SPACE, not the 3rd beat) and that chord will play on the 2nd half of beat #2 of the 3/4 bar. Then, you have to make up for the missing beat by creating either a 5/4 bar immed. following, or another 3/4 bar followed by a 2/4 bar. 3 + 5 (or 3 + 3 + 2) = 2 bars of 4/4 - right? Don't forget to change the time sig. back to 4/4 after you do all this silliness.

The neat thing about this work-around is that it sounds different depending on which rhythm style you use. Many of the Latin styles (Samba, etc.) naturally place the piano chords ahead of the beat, esp. ahead of beat #1, & I try lots of diff. rhythm styles to get things just how I want. I suppose this kind of messing w/ the time signatures just to get some syncopation in the chord changes might work for placing chords on other off-beats (say, the end of beat #4), but I haven't been able to figure out how to do that yet.

If you really have to have lots of chords land on off-beats, my advice is:

a) use Band-in-the Box, it does a nice job of "pushing" chords. Just be ready to settle for the rinky-dink sounds of their rhythmic styles - whatever iReal's small shortcomings, I haven't heard one rhythmic style in BinB I'd trade for the realism of the sounds in iReal - to me, they aren't even in the same ballpark (kudos to iReal's developers!).

b) export your iReal song as a Midi file, & then put it into whatever software you have that can edit Midi files - I sometimes bring my Midi files into GrgBnd on my Mac, & push the notes/chords around as much as I want.

[dflat]

...you create a bar of 3/4, but (this part is important!) use FOUR spaces for that 3/4 bar...

Yes this should work, we do have space 3 to play anticipated in 3/4, and on the 3rd beat if it is in space 4 - the hihat might not be exactly correct in your 3/4+5/4 depending on the style chosen, nor the bass line typical (the root would be on beat 4) but in a midi file you can always change anything you do not like
Thanks for your post, I am sure others will like to use it.

[Bobsax]

7 Eight Test - Unknown Composer
This is just an experiment I did after reading this thread
It wouldn't. Work in 7/8 with each space as an eighth note but it did work in 7/4 so you can simulate 7/8 by just playing it fast

[Sharon]

I'm interested in using Irealb to create charts to be read by live musicians. I think changing time signatures would cause confusion.(and possible tears!) Is there a way of indicating that the chord falls on an offbeat, or a curved line to show it is anticipated, possibly even in the Text field?

[loostitorquise]

In the library there's a version of "Fantasy" from Earth, Wind&Fire wich has also 16th chord changes and they're notated too! How the hell it could have been done?

[pdxdjazz]

In the library there's a version of "Fantasy" from Earth, Wind&Fire wich has also 16th chord changes and they're notated too! How the hell it could have been done?

The rhythm notation is only for info, it has no effect on the player. Users have figured out various ways to indicate rhythm. As the app has evolved, certain "special characters" are no longer accepted by the text feature in the chart editor.
)BOB

[urazyjazzy]

The rhythm notation is only for info, it has no effect on the player. Users have figured out various ways to indicate rhythm. As the app has evolved, certain "special characters" are no longer accepted by the text feature in the chart editor.
)BOB

Where to find those special characters to indicate the kicks for the chords. I dont care about the player . It is the way musicians play it correctly is my concern There is also a song called Moonlighting by Al Jarreau which was written with kicks
Where could we find those characters to add to the top part till the developers realize that it is one of the most needed features on a jazz chart ???

[pdxdjazz]

Where to find those special characters to indicate the kicks for the chords. I dont care about the player . It is the way musicians play it correctly is my concern There is also a song called Moonlighting by Al Jarreau which was written with kicks
Where could we find those characters to add to the top part till the developers realize that it is one of the most needed features on a jazz chart ???

More discussion here:
https://www.irealb.com/forums/showth...hythm-notation
)BOB

[Davecan]

b) export your iReal song as a Midi file, & then put it into whatever software you have that can edit Midi files - I sometimes bring my Midi files into GrgBnd on my Mac, & push the notes/chords around as much as I want.

I tried this method and it seems to have worked, but now I don't know how to get the edited midi file back into iRealPro. Here's what I did:
1. Exported song in midi format.
2. Opened it on a PC with Reaper.
3. Edited the bass and piano parts.
4. Re-saved all 3 parts as a midi file inDropbox.
5. Stuck on how to import the edited midi file into iRealPro...maybe I'm missing something obvious, but help would be appreciated.


Thanks

[dflat]

I tried this method and it seems to have worked, but now I don't know how to get the edited midi file back into iRealPro.

Currently iReal Pro does not import midi files. You would have to use a midi player to play it.