Introduction

Chord Cadenza is a free (open source) app that helps you to play and improvise chords whilst a MIDI file or audio source is being played. It does this by updating a rolling display to map the chord notes to a piano keyboard. It can also dynamically assign notes or chords to keys on a MIDI or PC keyboard.

Synchronisation is achieved automatically from a MIDI file. An audio file (e.g. MP3) can also be synchronized and saved using the program. You can also play along to any audio source (e.g. internet stream or other musicians) and synchronise as you go along.

Chords and major/minor keys can be extracted from the MIDI file using a configurable tool that analyzes the MIDI file. Chords, keys, and time signatures can also be created or updated manually - this allows you to play along with an audio source without requiring a MIDI file.

The program contains a sequencer-style display that can be used to control the volume, panning, muting, solo'ing and patching of the tracks of the MIDI file.

Audio can be rendered with the program's builtin synthesizer (using SoundFonts), or an external synthesizer (using the program's MIDI output).

Features

• MIDI Sequencer with track display, mute, solo, patch, vol, pan, etc.
• Generate keys and chords from a MIDI file
• Edit keys, chords, and time signatures
• Read lyrics from a karaoke MIDI file (.kar), or create and edit lyrics from scratch
• Display chords on a vertical piano roll to facilitate playing and improvisation
• Display solfa or pitch notation
• Output to soundcard (using soundfonts) or to a MIDI synth (hardware or software)
• ASIO and non-ASIO sound drivers supported
• Play with a MIDI keyboard or a PC keyboard
• Multiple playmodes to allow for different levels of MIDI keyboard skills
• Synchronise and play along with MIDI files (.mid, .kar) or audio files (.mp3)
• Add new MIDI file tracks from recorded play sessions
• Modify chords on-the-fly with the keyboard
• Play along with any audio stream or other musicians.
• No need to read musical staff notation
• Musical keyboard skills not required

About

• Chord Cadenza is distributed under the MIT Open Source license. Copyright Derrick Maule 2021.
• It is written, maintained, and distributed by Derrick Maule, as a personal project. There is no affiliation to any other Company.
• Sources and other info is available at SourceForge
• Audio file support is provided by the BASS libraries at un4seen.com and ManagedBass at github.com/ManagedBass/Home.
• The supplied starter soundfont (TimGM6mb) is courtesy Tim Brechbill.
• The sample audio files are distributed under a Creative Commons license.