[CVJordan]

Maybe this is a newbie question but what does setting the Vocal Tonic Note exactly do in-game? I kind of.. just noticed the option in Magma today.

Also, if it’s used to set the key of the song for the vocals (and 0-C is for a song in C Major like I’m assuming), how would I correctly set a song to A Minor? Would I just use the relative major of C? How important is this anyways?

 

*edit*

Two parallel keys have the same tonic. For example, in both C major and C minor, the tonic is C. However, relative keys (two different scales that share a key signature) have different tonics. For example, C major and A minor share a key signature that feature no sharps or flats, despite having different tonic pitches (C and A, respectively).

 

So the tonic note of A Minor is A. Still wondering what effect this has on the game though.

[Fat Halpert]

Setting the vocal tonic note adds grid lines (and those grayish sections) to the vocal track to make harmonies easier to distinguish in game. Like so:

 

 

You are correct in that a song in the key of C would be set to 0. In Magma, the numbers go from 0 to 11 and each number represents a half-step. It is a nice little bonus if you know what key the song is in, but it isn’t a necessity by any means.

You can reach me on Discord: Fat Halpert#3165

[Farottone]

Also, if a song changes key(s) there’s little point in adding it anyway.

[DoNotPassGo]

If the song remains in Am, then yes you can use C. It’s relative keys you are looking for since the grey lines will match up the same notes in each scale (no sharps/flats in this case)

[FujiSkunk]

Also, if a song changes key(s) there’s little point in adding it anyway.

 

I would disagree. Even if the grey and black bands no longer line up with the tonic notes, they still make a better guide for judging relative pitch shifts than the older guitar-string type highways.

[MFX]

Specifically, the larger bands (“black” and “grey”) represent octaves, with the divisions being on the tonic.

 

The “reverse colored” thin lines within represent the 3rd and the 5th of the tonic mode.

 

It’s my understanding (which may be wrong) that “tonality” is not really used for customs, as it caused a problem with practice mode. All the same, differentiating a minor third from a major third with the appropriate line is probably a matter of “close enough”, so A tonic could be reliably used for Am.

 

That said, usefulness of all this pretty much depends on the range of the vocal line: if the display is too squished, it’s harder to judge the intervals. Reset your range accordingly if the song does octave jumps between sections.

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