Chords and Arpeggios
On the T1, chords and arpeggios both start from the same note pool. A Track can contain multiple selected pitches, and those pitches become the source material for harmonic playback. What changes the result is how those notes are played over time.
In simple terms:
- Polyphonic playback behaves like chords.
- Monophonic playback behaves like arpeggios.
This means you do not need separate “chord mode” and “arp mode” systems. Instead, you shape the result by combining Pitch, Scale, Root, Harmony, Voicing, and Style.
Core Idea
A Track becomes harmonic as soon as you select more than one pitch.
- With a single pitch, the Track behaves melodically.
- With multiple pitches, the Track can produce chord stabs, broken chords, or arpeggiated movement.
- The same note pool can sound stable or animated depending on Voicing and Style.
This makes it easy to move between simple harmony and more active patterns without rebuilding the Track from scratch.
The Main Controls
| Control | Role |
|---|---|
| Pitch | Selects the notes the Track can use. |
| Scale & Root | Keep the selected notes inside a tonal framework. |
| Harmony | Shifts chord tones to create harmonic variation. |
| Voicing & Style | Decide how the selected notes move and whether they behave more like chords or arpeggios. |
| Range & Phrase | Add melodic motion on top of the selected note pool. |
Chords
Chord-like behavior happens when the selected pitches are played together.
This is most closely associated with polyphonic Voicing Styles. In this mode, the Track can produce:
- stable chord stabs
- moving chord inversions
- repeated harmonic figures
- wide or narrow voicing movement
With a small number of selected pitches, the result is usually clear and focused. With more selected pitches, the Track can create denser harmonic textures.
For clear chord results, start with three notes such as root, third, and fifth, then use Voicing to add motion without changing the basic harmony.
Learn more about Voicing & Style.
Arpeggios
Arpeggio-like behavior happens when the selected pitches are played one at a time.
This is most closely associated with monophonic Voicing Styles. In this mode, the same note pool can become:
- classic up-and-down arpeggios
- broken chords
- climbing melodic patterns
- repeating sequenced figures
Because the pitches are drawn from the same selected pool, changing between chord-like and arpeggiated behavior often requires only a change of Style, not a different set of notes.
If an arpeggio feels too busy, reduce the number of selected pitches before changing anything else. A smaller note pool often creates stronger results.
Learn more about Voicing & Style.
Harmony and Variation
Harmony adds another layer of movement by shifting one chord tone at a time. This can turn a static chord into a changing harmonic pattern or push an arpeggio into new chord shapes over time.
Used together:
- Pitch defines the available notes
- Scale / Root define the tonal context
- Harmony reshapes note relationships
- Voicing / Style decide how those notes are performed
This allows one Track to move from a simple triad to evolving harmonic motion without losing its tonal center.
Learn more about Voicing & Style and Pitch & Harmony.
Quick Start
- Select a Track.
- Use (PITCH) to choose multiple notes for the Track.
- Set Scale and Root to define the tonal framework.
- Use Voicing and Style to choose how the notes are played.
- Use a polyphonic Style for chord-like playback.
- Use a monophonic Style for arpeggio-like playback.
- Optionally use Harmony to create chord changes or more variation.
- Add Range or Phrase if you want more movement over time.