Tonaly - User guide
  • Welcome
  • General
    • General information
      • Tonaly Pro for Mac
      • iOS and macOS are separate purchases
      • Difference between the three app modes
      • Circle of fifths
      • Popular songs
      • Colors
      • Change the playback sound
      • Enharmonic equivalents
      • Android App
      • New app name
      • Tuner
      • Background mode
      • Display hints again
    • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Songwriting
    • How to compose
    • Start a new song
    • Song settings
      • Change the key of a song
      • Change song to minor
      • Change the tempo
      • Change the time signature
      • Modulation
    • Edit a chord
      • Enter the chord edit mode
      • Change root note
      • Change quality
      • Add chord extensions like 7th, 9th etc.
      • Get a chord suggestion
      • Mute a chord
      • Create a slash chord
      • Add more chords to a bar
      • Adjust the chord length
      • Long-press a chord
      • Copy & Paste chords
    • Step out of the key
      • In theory: Borrow a chord
      • In the app: Borrow a chord
      • Chord statistics
      • Chord suggestions
    • Edit song structure
      • Add or delete lines and parts
      • Add or delete bars
      • Add or delete chords from a bar
      • Adjust the chord length
      • Drag and drop lines and parts
      • Change the name of a part
      • Repeat lines, loop parts
      • Maximum song length
    • Playback settings
      • Metronome
      • Octave of the payback
      • Change the playback sound
      • Loop song
    • Display settings
    • Undo & redo changes
    • Save song
    • Song templates
  • Export
    • MIDI
    • PDF Lead sheet
    • Share song
    • Open songs in ChordButter app
    • Export saved songs
  • Scales & Modes
    • Learn and practice scales
    • What is the difference between scales and modes?
    • Traditional "Circle of fifths"
    • Change key of scale
    • Change scale
    • Display note names next to scale
    • Display intervals next to scale
  • Onscreen instrument
    • Display the instrument
    • Switch the instrument
    • Fullscreen mode
    • Display staff next to the instrument
    • Piano
      • Interactive piano
      • Display key
    • String instruments
      • Position of scale
      • Alternate chord position
      • Change tuning
      • Reset to standard tuning
      • Left-hand fretboard
      • Display key
  • Add-ons
    • Additional scales
    • PDF Lead sheets
    • Restore purchases
    • Add-ons in Tonaly Pro for Mac
  • Settings
    • Musical preferences
      • Navigate to musical preferences
      • Auto inversions (voice-leading)
      • Change octave of playback
      • Use 4-note chords
      • Transpose playback
      • Small minor chords
      • Use german note names
      • Numerals
    • App settings
      • Navigate to app settings
      • Playback chord on tap
      • Color themes
      • Animate playback
      • Shake gesture
      • Change language
      • iCloud
      • App plays in background
  • Tonaly Pro
    • Core-MIDI-Out
  • Troubleshooting
    • Wrong playback notes
    • Only colors visible in the song
    • Lost saved songs after updating
    • Lost saved songs after syncing with iCloud
    • Error loading the app
    • Blank screen after app logo
    • Performance of app is slow
    • Core-MIDI with Ableton Live
    • Reset the app to the initial state
  • Further infos
    • Useful links
    • Contact
  • TONALY Website
  • TONALY Download
  • Legal
    • Privacy policy (GitBook)
    • Cookie policy (GitBook)
    • Privacy policy (Tonaly Website)
    • Privacy policy (Tonaly App)
    • Imprint
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On this page
  • ▶️ Video tutorial
  • ▶️ The interface
  • ▶️ Find chords
  • ▶️ Step out of the key
  • ▶️ Edit a chord and add optional tones (7th, 9th...)
  • ▶️ Chord statistics
  • ▶️ Export and save your song
  • ▶️ Further editing

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  1. Songwriting

How to compose

In this guide, I'll walk you through the workflow of composing with the app. This is just one approach, so don't worry if your workflow looks different...

PreviousKeyboard shortcutsNextStart a new song

Last updated 5 years ago

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▶️ Video tutorial

▶️ The interface

Let us have a look at the interface first. The app highlights the key, which consists of seven chords: three major, three minor, and one diminished chord.

These chords will sound great together. A good base for your song!

▶️ Find chords

It is one possible way to find chords by tapping different chords in the wheel until you find something you like. For example, you've found four chords you like, then assign them to a line of your song — for instance, the "Verse".

Note, this works the other way around too!

👉 Tap in the wheel and assign a chord to a bar

OR

👉 Tap in a bar and assign a chord from the wheel

▶️ Step out of the key

It may sound pretty awesome to use chords that are not in the key! Of course, you can do that as well with the app. To do so, tap on the "Modal interchange" button. The app will immediately suggest a chord for your song.

▶️ Edit a chord and add optional tones (7th, 9th...)

Of course, you can edit particular chords and add optional tones, mute them or select a different bass note for them.

▶️ Chord statistics

You will have a little identifier which indicates whether the chord you are editing is within the key and if not, how many tones are out of the key!

▶️ Export and save your song

▶️ Further editing

If you want to add another chord to a bar and adjust the length of a chord, you can do this in the "chord-length editor".

👉

Get a chord suggestion
Edit a chord
Edit a chord
Mute a chord
Create a slash chord
MIDI
PDF Lead sheet
Save song
Song settings
Add more chords to a bar
Read more about the indicator
Step out of the key
Tap this icon to get suggestions
Edit chord or bass note for the chord
Export MIDI, PDF, save the song or adjust some settings