MsyChords 1.1

The MsyChords app offers users the ability to craft custom chord tables that align with their preferred musical tones. With comprehensive performance controls, it enriches the user experience by allowing adjustments to loudness, sustain, chord inversions, and arpeggios. Users can also access chord tables stored in their iCloud directory, and transposition to different keys is readily achievable.

Performance Control

The app features an intuitive interface with five presets, four buttons, and two sliders dedicated to performance control:

• Presets: Users can switch between five presets with a simple touch. Each preset is configured by selecting the corresponding circle on the selector plane, allowing users to choose their desired chord table from the directory while setting the root tone (key) and sound font.
• Level Control: The sliders permit on-the-fly volume adjustments during play. Both sliders synchronize for identical effects.
• Play Mode & Arpeggiator: The top left button enables selection among various play modes via tapping or sliding. Mode 1 plays chords as indicated, while mode 2 facilitates inversions. Modes 3 through 7 introduce different arpeggio patterns.
• Speed Control & Help: The top right button serves dual functions: providing help and settings for modes 1 and 2, and controlling arpeggio speed for modes 3 to 7 through tapping or sliding.
• Sustain Control: The bottom left button acts as a damper pedal, allowing chords to sustain until released.
• Lock Sustain and Clear: The bottom right button activates a lock mode that sustains the selected chord until another chord is played, requiring simultaneous presses of both bottom buttons for engagement.

Chord Tables

Chord tables are collections of chords systematically organized in rows and columns, comprising tones and their corresponding names alongside a designated base tone (key):

• Chord Tones: Tones are represented as duodecimal MIDI numbers, where each tone is marked by an octave number followed by a semitone number. This system simplifies note identification within an octave, where A#/Bb is denoted as 'X' and B as 'T.'
• Chord Name: Users can assign arbitrary names to chords. If the first letter corresponds to A through G, it signifies the musical function relative to the base tone, with further analysis available for sharps or flats, facilitating transposition of chord names.
• Chord Table Selection: The selection panel displays MsyChords directory files alphabetically. Users can create, rename, or delete new chord tables as needed.

Editing Chord Tables

Edit mode is activated via a prolonged press on the preset selector button, turning it red for indication:

• Editing Chord Tones: A specialized keyboard presents numbers (0-9, X, T) for editing chord tones.
• Editing Chord Names: A text symbol keyboard enables arbitrary text input for chord names.
• Add or Delete Rows or Columns: Users can add or remove rows and columns within edit mode simply by clicking on '⌑.' Additionally, the positions of chord table buttons can be rearranged.
• Move Cell: Cells in the chord table can be repositioned through a simple touch-and-drag operation using '='.
• Save: If modifications are made to a loaded table, users are prompted to save their changes upon loading another table. Saving capabilities are included in the full version.
• iCloud Directory: Chord tables can be imported or exported via the MsyChords iCloud directory for enhanced accessibility.

Sound Font Files

The application incorporates a built-in sound font featuring ten distinct sounds sourced from FluidR3_GM.sf2 by Frank Wen. Users are also able to load additional .sf2 sound font files via the MsyChords iCloud directory.