I have the above keyboard and I'm trying to find out what the actual chords are in chord mode. From what I understand from the manual and from reviews, when in chord mode, the first 4 pads in the top row are, for instance, in the default key of Cm, the chords are in that key with the next 4 pads being inversions of the chords in pads 1-4.
I assume pad 1 is a Cm chord, but what chords are on pads 2-4? And similarly if the scale is set to C major?
I'm primarily a guitarist, so keyboards are a bit of a mystery to me.
Regards, Simon.
Launchkey MK3 chord mode
Launchkey MK3 chord mode
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- Stratman57
Frequent Poster - Posts: 640 Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:00 am
Stratman57
Re: Launchkey MK3 chord mode
Hi, made an account just to answer your question because I had a similar one recently 
In scale chord mode (which is what I think we're talking about), the pads will play chords based on diatonic triads (every other note in the scale of the key you're in).
I'm also mostly a guitarist and just learned this stuff but my understanding is that each note in a scale is assigned a degree based on how far in the scale away it is from the root (eg in C major scale, the 3rd degree is E). In major keys, the chords from diatonic triads (1-3-5, 2-4-6, 3-5-7), etc, end up being
Major
minor
minor
Major
Major
minor
Diminished
Major (octave)
Roman numerals are used to indicate Major or minor (Capital or lowercase numerals) respectively, and this is commonly written as "I ii iii IV V vi vii°"
So the first pad plays the first chord in the series, the second the second, etc. This is all fine and well until the fifth through eighth pads, where it inexplicably decides to play first inversions, where the bass note is not the root of the chord, but rather the third of any given chord. I actually stumbled on your post looking for the answer to why / how to resolve the problem.
My guess is that it keeps the sound a bit tighter in terms of pitch, because otherwise you end up getting higher notes, and maybe this matters for making sure instruments dont get in each others' ways spectrum-wise.
Anyway, hope that helped! Have fun!
In scale chord mode (which is what I think we're talking about), the pads will play chords based on diatonic triads (every other note in the scale of the key you're in).
I'm also mostly a guitarist and just learned this stuff but my understanding is that each note in a scale is assigned a degree based on how far in the scale away it is from the root (eg in C major scale, the 3rd degree is E). In major keys, the chords from diatonic triads (1-3-5, 2-4-6, 3-5-7), etc, end up being
Major
minor
minor
Major
Major
minor
Diminished
Major (octave)
Roman numerals are used to indicate Major or minor (Capital or lowercase numerals) respectively, and this is commonly written as "I ii iii IV V vi vii°"
So the first pad plays the first chord in the series, the second the second, etc. This is all fine and well until the fifth through eighth pads, where it inexplicably decides to play first inversions, where the bass note is not the root of the chord, but rather the third of any given chord. I actually stumbled on your post looking for the answer to why / how to resolve the problem.
My guess is that it keeps the sound a bit tighter in terms of pitch, because otherwise you end up getting higher notes, and maybe this matters for making sure instruments dont get in each others' ways spectrum-wise.
Anyway, hope that helped! Have fun!
Re: Launchkey MK3 chord mode
Thanks, that seems to make sense. I also find it strange that pads 5-8 didn't continue with the scale chords, but I suppose that could be accomplished by using the user chords option to add them.
Regards, Simon.
Regards, Simon.
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- Stratman57
Frequent Poster - Posts: 640 Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:00 am
Stratman57
Re: Launchkey MK3 chord mode
No problem!
Technically pads 5-8 do continue the scale chords in order, but they're inversions of their respective degree chords. Only reason I bring it up is that even though theyre first inversions, they still give enough of a feel to try out any chord progression you want in a key without having to know how to play it (like I'm doing, haha).
Technically pads 5-8 do continue the scale chords in order, but they're inversions of their respective degree chords. Only reason I bring it up is that even though theyre first inversions, they still give enough of a feel to try out any chord progression you want in a key without having to know how to play it (like I'm doing, haha).