The Chord and Scale Finder Hack 3.1

Screenshots

Description

Welcome to the Chord and Scale Finder! This application was designed to assist steel guitarists who need to navigate unusual tunings but in the course of designing it and talking with musicians it became apparent that it could also serve as a Swiss Army Knife for any stringed instrument. Interested in playing jazz on a bouzouki or oud using the harmonic minor scale or playing heavy metal on an 8 stringed guitar in some obscure tuning known only to you? Then this is the product for you!! Alternatively if you are just starting out on the guitar, ukulele, bass, dobro or any other stringed instrument you can create small (or not so small) libraries of screenshots featuring all of your "go to" chords and scales using notes and/or chord and scale tones for quick reference. Detailed information and examples on how to use the product can be found on the 69th Street Band's website (https://www.69thstreetband.com/chord-and-scale-finder.html). If you have specific questions address them to [email protected].
The app comes pre-loaded with many of the most common tunings and scales but users are free to add their own tunings and scales and are in fact encouraged to do so. When a tuning and a scale are combined with a root note a Dictionary Item is created. These items can be displayed on the app's fretboard in an infinite number of ways and saved as snapshots. Users can block off certain frets if they want to drill down on scales or chords on different parts of the fretboard. For heptatonic (7 note) scales users can use an "Extensions" list to create any sort of extended chord. Initial results from test users suggest that the combination of snapshots and screenshots enable them to quickly build up libraries of chords and scales that aid them in quickly acquiring mastery on their instruments, or at least more quickly than would otherwise be the case. The app was designed to be as flexible and open ended as possible with the hope that this would enable players to explore genres of music that might not normally be associated with their instruments now that they have the ability to generate chord and scale road maps "on the fly", even to the point of adjusting strings in the app to see what new chord possibilities are created. One big drawback of alternate tunings is that you would have to relearn all the chords and scales you've already invested so much time figuring out. That problem is now solved.

Version history

3.1

2023-03-05

The prior release inadvertently disconnected the extremely important Help messages on the various pages. That has now been corrected.

3.0

2023-03-04

This version contains some minor bug fixes and prompts users before they delete a snapshot on the Fretboard Page.

2.9

2023-02-18

Along with correcting a few minor bugs this release has expanded Help messages on the Fretboard Page meant to speed up the user's learning curve.

2.8

2022-10-24

This version corrects a few minor bugs and is our first Spanish language release.

2.7

2022-05-21

As the amount of data the app displays keeps growing we've added easier ways to look at it. On the Fretboard Page users can now use Up/Down buttons to scroll through both Dictionary Items and chord and scale extensions.

2.6

2022-05-08

Along with the boatload of changes for 2.5 we have now included some helpful tool tips accessible from Help buttons on the main pages. The tool tips are meant to get users up and running as quickly as possible and also to direct them to the more detailed Help Manual on the 69th Street Band's website.

2.5

2022-05-01

This version contains some significant improvements(along with the usual minor bug fix or two)! Fonts have been made as big as possible in order to make the app more user friendly on aging eyes, especially on phones. More importantly the Tuning Page now groups all tunings by instrument. This was needed as the number of tunings was growing rapidly and getting confusing, if not overwhelming. On the Tuning Page users can now repeatedly click on an instrument to scroll through all tunings available for that instrument.

2.4

2022-02-16

This release includes the ability to view the all important chromatic scale with both notes and scale tones. The second note in the scale is referred to as the flatted 9th (b9) as I've never heard of a flatted second.

2.3

2022-01-14

This version includes a major enhancement for those who own 12 or 14 stringed instruments. Going forward any device larger than a phone will be able to input tunings with a maximum of 14 strings. This enhancement came from a request from one of our users at the Steel Guitar Forum.

2.2

2022-01-08

This version corrects a rather significant bug that was found by an astute user from the Pedal Steel Forum. Prior to this release any tuning with 12 frets or less would crash when users tried to display it on the fretboard. That has now been corrected and users with prior versions are encouraged to upgrade to this release.

2.1

2021-12-04

More breaking news from The Chord and Scale Finder Skunkworks Team!! Along with some minor bug fixes this version features a "Diatonic/Chromatic" button on the Fretboard Page. This opens up countless new possibilities for extensions and chords. When users are in Diatonic Mode all extensions are relative to the root note of the Dictionary Item. Tapping the button and entering Chromatic Mode lets users map out chords and scales for any note regardless of the parent key. Since so many pop, blues and especially jazz tunes have chords that are not in the parent key this makes it much easier to create fretboard maps to help learn these tunes.

Version 2.0

2021-10-13

More big news (along with a few minor bug fixes)! The plus/minus buttons on the fretboard page have been shrunken in order to create more space and room for two more buttons. One of the buttons gives direct access to the User Guide from the fretboard page, where it is most needed. The other button (Stay Tuned!!) will be used for a dazzling new feature that we are not currently at liberty to discuss beyond saying that our skunkworks team is hard at work on it.

1.9

2021-09-15

Big news!! Along with a few minor bug fixes this version contains a vastly improved User Guide on the website of the 69th Street Band. The User Guide is accessible from the app and opens the door to modest tutorials based on Dictionary Items and snapshots.

1.8

2021-08-30

This release corrects a small bug in the display of the blues scale.

1.7

2021-08-22

Along with some minor bug fixes this version contains the ability to display diminished chords, augmented chords and the all important (for jazz players) shell voicings consisting of the 1st, 3rd and 7th chord tones. These shell chords convey the essential flavor of the chord with only 3 notes and are very useful for comping.

1.6

2021-07-15

This version corrects a few minor bugs and introduces some useful new features. Foremost among the features is the ability to show the pentatonic scales on the fretboard for Dictionary Items using the 7 note major or minor scales. For 7 note major scales the "Blues Scale" (I, b3, IV, V, b7) can also be superimposed on the fretboard. The note list on the Fretboard Page will now start with the root note of the selected Dictionary Item and the scale tones are marked next to the proper notes.

1.5

2021-06-02

This version contains several bug fixes that were first implemented in the free, ad-embedded version as well as a few enhancements. First the bug fixes: prior to this release hitting the "Raise" and "Lower" buttons on the fretboard before selecting a dictionary item would cause the app to crash. That rather embarrassing glitch has now been corrected along with a few other minor ones. Beyond that this version contains the ability to examine modes for heptatonic (7 note) scales along with the ability to omit strings as well as a few other minor enhancements.

1.4

2021-04-14

This version constitutes a significant upgrade and incorporates valued feedback from our users. The font sizes have been (hopefully) optimized for the various Apple devices and the app should now have a much more uniform look across devices. The various lists that users select data from are now scaled to fit available screen space and are easier to read. The fret markers at the bottom of the fretboard have been been moved up closer to the fretboard so that no scrolling is necessary to see them. The lists users select data from have now been moved so that no information is lost due to curved corners.

1.3

2021-04-11

This version constitutes a significant upgrade and incorporates valued feedback from our users. The font sizes have been (hopefully) optimized for the various Apple devices and the app should now have a much more uniform look across devices. The various lists that users select data from are now scaled to fit available screen space and are easier to read. The fret markers at the bottom of the fretboard have been been moved up closer to the fretboard so that no scrolling is necessary to see them. Also, prior versions only served up test ads due to an oversight on my part that has now been fixed.

1.2

2021-04-04

This version has new marketing material; a modest explanatory video recorded on my iPad. there have been no changes to the code.

1.1

2021-03-23

I found a bug relating to note selection in the fretboard that was capable of crashing the app. Users are unlikely to encounter it but better safe than sorry. There are no visible changes to the app from the previous version.

1.0

2021-03-18