Create a pseudo scale-lock feature for any midi keyboard w Scaler2.

[Steve Harder]

I was envious of some higher end midi keyboards that had some form of "scale lock" built into them.  My Daw (Cakewalk)  currently does not have realtime scale lock feature built into it.

I am not an accomplished keyboardist.  I only have rudimentary music theory.  I don't have all my keys and scales memorized.

I have Scaler2, really like it, and it has advanced my music theory knowledge in many ways.  I liked the Keys-Lock Scale on White Keys function.  It gave me an efficient tool to use as I explored different scales and melodies.

But I found Scaler2 somewhat cumbersome to use as I explored melodies to go with selected chords.  

My usual simple example setup in piano roll was:
Instrument track with Scaler2 with input set to midi keyboard.
One or more instrument track with piano samples with input set to Scaler2 output.
Select Scaler2 track, be sure Input Echo was set to on within the target track to sound my melody.
Then select piano track to tweak some midi but I cannot use midi keyboard as input.
Then select Scaler2 to go back to some more noodling.  Back and forth, etc ...  Capture midi In Scaler2 and paste ...

And step record doesn't work.  You can set target as piano track but step record only sees and records the notes that are input into Scaler2, not the output from Scaler 2.

So I needed to get scale lock out onto my midi keyboard (Nektar LX61+)somehow.

So I used free Tone2_Nanohost to create a standalone version of Scaler2.
And I used free loopBe as the means of getting Scaler2 output into Cakewalk.
Keyboard into standalone Nanohost Scaler2 into loopBe into DAW.

This gives the same Scaler2 functionality.  Within Cakewalk I can select piano track and it always receives the Scaler2 output.  Use step record and it works.  Move to another piano track without having to fiddle input echo.  In Scaler2 turn on scale lock or off.

It does take a little different setup on a new project but it's seamless after that.

FWIW.
If there is any interest I could work up a more detailed printscreen step by step.
 

Edited December 1, 2020 by Steve Harder

[scook]

21 minutes ago, Steve Harder said:

My Daw (Cakewalk)  currently does not have realtime scale lock feature built into it.

 

Try using Transpose MFX

While the data will be recorded as entered, the effect of the plug-in may be heard in real time and may be applied destructively any time after the data is recorded.