Editing Palettes

When you edit a Palette you actually edit the Scale Set it is based on. You can save that Scale Set to the Catalog for later reuse.

Adding And Removing Scales

Click on the triangle to make this scale become the Reference Scale. This changes the ordering of the scales.
Add a Horizontal Scale
To start a new palette on any scale, double-click on it in the Catalog.
  • Use the right-click menu over a scale name or the Layout menu to add more scales to a palette.
  • Drag a desired scale from the Catalog to the palette.
  • Copy a scale with ⌘C Control-C and return to the palette to paste it there.
Add a Vertical Scale
Vertical scales need not be included with a Scale Set in order to be available for chords. But of course you can, for example if you like its characteristic sound and want to make it a horizontal scale that starts from a particular step.
  • For example, if we are in the key of C Major and want to play the scale G.phrygian-dominant (not in C Major) on the fifth degree over the chord G, open the right-click menu on chord G and select Layout > Add Vertical Scale > G.phrygian-dominant.
  • Synfire automatically calculates the equivalent horizontal scale C.harmonic-minor and adds it to the palette, because C.harmonic-minor@5 = G.phrygian-dominant.
Remove a Scale
Click on a scale label and press Delete, or use the right-click menu.

Root

Changing the root of a Scale Set with Palette > Change Root ... merely transposes everything without altering its structure and chord relationships.

Shifting Root

An interesting transformation arises when the root of a palette is shifted around. You can, for example, pretend that the fifth be the root. Right-click on the 5th scale step and do Assume X is Root. The palette will be revolved correspondingly and all scales will be rotated as well.

Tonal Center

You can choose a different Tonal Center with Palette > Tonal Center ... to create an alternative palette which puts all chords, scales and note names in a different perspective.