File Info & Folder Layout
1. ROOT:
The first folder is the ROOT folder. It contains all of the MIDI Arpeggios. It is named "Midi-Arpeggio-Library" and is selected (highlighted blue).
2. TIME SIGNATURE:
Inside the ROOT folder is the TIME SIGNATURE folder. More time signatures are planned for future upgrades (upgrades are free for life!)
but only 4/4 is available at this time. We currently have the 4/4 folder selected.
3. TONIC QUALITY:
Each TIME SIGNATURE folder contains the TONIC QUALITY folders. In this case Major and Minor (both have tonic of C). Arpeggios in Major Key are found in the Major folder and arpeggios in Minor Key are found in the Minor folder. We currently have the Minor folder selected.
4. CHORD TYPE:
Inside the TONIC QUALITY folders are the CHORD TYPE folders. We currently have the Triads folder selected.
5. PROGRESSION START:
Inside the CHORD TYPE folders are the PROGRESSION START folders. These folders contain arpeggios that start on various scale degrees in the key. (Version 1.0 only starts on the first degree at the moment... there's more to come!) We currently have the "Start at i" (tonic in minor) folder selected.
6. CHORD STOP COUNT:
Inside the PROGRESSION START folders are the CHORD STOP COUNT folders. In this case we have "4 Chords" and "8 Chords". In the "4 Chords" folder there are arpeggios that have four chord "stops" or "harmonic changes" and the same for "8 Chords". (Except there are eight chord stops in each progression.)
7. PHRASE TYPE:
Inside the CHORD STOP COUNT folders are the PHRASE TYPE folders. The "Phrase Type" indicates how the second two measures are treated in the arpeggio's progression. In "NoRepeat" the second two measures are different than the first two. In "QuestionAnswer" the first two measures are the "question" and the second two measures are the "answer". We currently have the NoRepeat folder selected.
8. PROGRESSION:
Inside the PHRASE TYPE folders are the PROGRESSION folders. Each folder is named according to what progression it contains. The image below was taken in the "8 Chord" folder so that you can see it too. Notice that there are eight chord stops in each progression.
9. HARMONIC DEFINITION:
Inside the PROGRESSION folders are the HARMONIC DEFINITION folders. Each folder describes how the harmonic progression is constructed. The first two numbers show where the harmony changes in eighth notes.
For example, we have the second folder selected. It starts with 3-5. So the first chord is played for three eighth notes and the second chord is played for 5 eighth notes.
The second part of the file name (the part after the '_') is the Chord Inversion. 0 = Root position, 1 = First inversion, and 2 = Second inversion. Each position applies to each chord sequentially.
10. THE FILE:
Finally we are at the actual MIDI files. (Examine the file name in the above image.) The file name contains more information about the arpeggio. At the beginning of the file (up to the '_') is the Beat Grouping. So, for example, the first file (starting with "323") has a beat grouping of 3 eighth notes then 2 eighth notes then 3 eighth notes. This can be easier understood by saying, "TaKiDa TaKa TaKiDa".
The second part of the file name (the part after the '_') is the Melodic Contour. The letter 'S' means that the note stayed the same from the previous one. The letter 'U' means that the note went up and the letter 'D' means that the note went down. The number after each letter shows how many arpeggio notes it moved.
The thrid part of the file name (the part after the second '_') is the arpeggio's note count (with the exception that if it's a zero "0" then it's straight eighth notes). The last number is just a unique index.
11. MIDI CHORD MARKERS:
This snap-shot was taken in Sonar by Twelve Tone Systems, Inc.
Inside each MIDI Arpeggio file are the MIDI CHORD MARKERS. Each chord stop and its chord symbol are provided. So, looking at the image below, each chord has its chord symbol (and its inversion) marked above it. So the first chord is the tonic minor in second inversion, and the second chord is the flat major six chord in root, etc.