Creating a guitar accompaniment part via MIDI is quite a big challenge. It's practically impossible to simulate a chord guitar part on a piano keyboard. The same time writing each and every note with a pencil to edit the part later (considering start time, length, velocity, etc.) is quite exhausting, and most of all it doesn't let you achieve any real sounding simulation of strummed guitar parts even if you have the best guitar samples available. In our Rhythm'n'Chords plug-in we have developed a unique system, which lets you create various accompaniment guitar parts maximally close to the real guitar sound with minimum effort. This system contains:

Creation of chord progressions in the Chord Chart view window of the plug-in (chord changes are written as chord symbols, quite similar to chord charts written for a real guitarist);

Creation of Rhythm Track in the Chord Chart view by dragging prerecorded patterns from the plug-in's Rhythm Library;

Creation of rhythm patterns in the Cakewalk Piano Roll window (rhythmic elements are written as note events, which the plug-in transforms to various guitar techniques for further performing the chords assigned in the Chord Chart);

Controlling the performance parameters in the plug-in, letting you achieve the maximally close to the real guitar performance sound (various controllers and settings);

Now take some minutes to learn and understand some basic principles of work with the plug-in:

Tutorial 1. Assigning the plug-in to a Cakewalk track

Tutorial 2. Assigning chord progression in the Chord Chart view window

Tutorial 3. Creating Rhythm Track with Rhythm Library

Tutorial 3a. Creating rhythm pattern with Stroke Map

Tutorial 4. Controlling the guitar part performance parameters

Tutorial 5. Exporting parts to MIDI track

See also:

Understanding Stroke Map

Demo songs

Tutorial 6. Getting started with manual playing

Tutorial 7. Articulation. Strumming

Tutorial 8. Chord changes

Tutorial 9. Playing with String keys

Tutorial 10. Bass & Chord performing

We have learned how to play MIDI keyboard via the plug-in in the Stop mode, when chord changes are performed manually by pressing Chord Zone keys. When the sequencer is in the Play mode the chords and/or rhythm can be performed automatically, that lets you perform a guitar part in several modes.

Be sure to uncheck Auto audition in the Audition pop-up menu (shift-click on the speaker button on the main tool bar) to disable the automatic playing of chord changes.

Tutorial 11. Rhythm and Articulation mode

Tutorial 12. Rhythm Only mode

Tutorial 13. Chords Only mode

Tutorial 14. Recording a manual performance

Start Cakewalk. Load Jingle Bells.wrk song. The song contains some pre-recorded tracks (drum, bass and melody parts). Now let's try to create a rhythm guitar part with the plug-in. First you have to assign the plug-in to empty track named Guitar. To make the first step double-click in Effects bar of the first track, the black field for calling the plug-in list appears.

Now make a 2nd step by right-clicking the mouse to call the plug-in menu and select Rhythm'n'Chords. The plug-in is now assigned to the track and its name appears in the Effects bar. (in SONAR right-click in Effect bin of track and select MusicLab/Rhythm’n’Chords plug-in; in Cakewalk 8 open Console view, right-click in track Effects zone and select MusicLab/Rhythm’n’Chords plug-in, double-click Rhythm’n’Chords)

Now make the 3rd step by double-clicking on the Rhythm'n'Chords title to open the Main window:

In the upper half of the window you see the performance controls, in the upper right corner LED's helping you visualize/audition Strokes (upper and lower rows) and individual chord voices (middle row). In the center of the Main window you see a "score sheet", this is Chord Chart, divided by measures and divisions ("diagonals") above which the chord symbols are written.

Now the plug-in is ready to work.

When you open the plug-in in the Chord Chart window will be the following defaults:

• Time signature is 4/4

• Measure is divided into 4 divisions

• Each staff has 4 measures

• Total number of measures in the song is 40

• C major chord is assigned in the 1st measure.

Now let's assign a chord progression for our guitar part in the Chord Chart, according to the following chord scheme example.

For the 1st step assign new time signature 2/4. To do this right-click to call contextual menu and select Insert/Meter Change:

Type the required time signature in the dialog box:

Now let's enter chords into the score, verifying them with the chord scheme example.

To make the 2nd step double-click on the first division of the 1st measure right on the C chord symbol, the key-like menu with note names will appear. Select the root note of the 1st chord of the song, in this case F, then select chord type, in this case "major" from the pop up menu:

As you select chord type the required chord F major will be assigned to the 1st beat of the first measure of the song. (For your convenience the melodic position (highest note) of each chord is shown on the staff, also you can see all notes of the current chord on the virtual keyboard (grayed keys).)

Make the 3rd step by assigning the other chords of the song according to the initial scheme.

Now we have created a chord progression for our guitar part. Verify it with the chord scheme example.

For the 4th step audition chords with the mouse or by pressing <P> key for current chord or <O> for previous chord (on releasing <O> you'll hear current chord), alternatively you can use <Tab>/<Shift>+<Tab>/<Ctrl>+<Right>/<Ctrl>+<Left>. You can automatically audition all chords in the part by playing the sequencer. In this case the plug-in will play all chord changes in the song.

(If no sound refer to Troubleshootings)

If you're sure your chord progression is correct you can go to the next tutorial, which describes creation of rhythm patterns for chords performing.

The chord progression you've just created in the Chord Chart view window is not a complete guitar part, but only a sequence of certain chord changes in certain measures of the song. To complete the part you have to create a Rhythm track to play the chords. Rhythm track is located in Chord Chart view window under staff and consists of rhythm patterns, assigned to it from Rhythm Library.

Let's create a Rhythm track for our chord progression.

Step 1.
Open the Rhythm Library by clicking on the tab of the plug-in.

All patterns from the Library will automatically load into plug-in.

To quickly select the most appropriate patterns let's use the pattern Filter located at the right side of the Library window. Turn the Filter on by clicking on Filter button. In the Meter combo box set the "4/4" (though our song is created in 2/4 meter, 4/4 will fit it as well).
You can easily select the needed patterns by choosing the appropriate guitar technique type (strumming, picking or bass & chord) as well as rhythm feel in the Filter. In the Feel combo box select "16th". In the Texture combo box select the technique you want to perform the first section of the song, for instance "strums". The first of the filtered patterns will appear in the Rhythm view field with its name appearing in the List combo box under it.

Step. 2
Play the sequencer. The plug-in will play the chord progression with the selected pattern (yellow colored Rhythm view indicates being active and playing the patterns of the Library). Use cursor keys to change patterns and audition the result along with the song. Choose the pattern you want for playing the first section of the song, for instance S31_Basic 4'4.
Stop the sequencer.

Step 3
Drag the pattern from Rhythm view to measure 1 of the Rhythm track. A 2 measure long grayed out view of the pattern will appear in the Rhythm track.

Select the Rhythm track by clicking anywhere inside it. The pattern will turn yellow indicating that the Rhythm track is now active. (Now the Rhythm view of the Library will gray out, so that you have to select it again to make it active.)
Drag the right border of the pattern to create necessary copies/cycles. The bar indicating the pattern will lengthen. Now lengthen it all the way to the end of measure 16.

Play the sequencer. The pattern you copied to the Rhythm track will play in the first 16 measures.

The first section of our guitar part is ready.

Step 4.
Activate the Library by clicking on Rhythm view. Select another guitar technique for the second section in the Texture combo box, for instance "picks". While auditioning the patterns, choose the appropriate one, for instance P49_Basic 4'4 and drag it to the first beat of measure 17 of the Rhythm track.
(Notice that our pattern begins with picking the bass "string"(root note), so it's necessary to retrigger the pattern on the chord change to emphasize the new chords' appearance. In our song chord changes occur on the beginning of the measures, except for measures 19 and 27, where chord changes occur at beat 2, to which we have to manually assign the beginning of the pattern.) Lengthen the pattern to the end of beat 1 of measure 19. Put the same pattern to beat 2 of measure 19 from the Rhythm view or copy it from measure 17. Now put it the same way to the beginning of measure 20:

Lengthen the pattern to beat 1 of measure 27 and repeat the whole operation to fill the whole track until the end of the chord progression.

Step 5
Now you only have to choose the pattern for the ending measure of the part (measure 32). Go back to the Library. In List combo box find the pattern called 03_Endings and drag it to the Rhythm track to the second beat of measure 32:

For better result you may assign a bridge pattern before the beginning of the second section. To do this choose the appropriate pattern, for instance S37_Basic 4'4 and drag it to the Rhythm track to the first beat of measure 16:

Step 6
Edit the velocity of the patterns if necessary. To do this doubleclick on the pattern and adjust the velocity fader in the opening Pattern Properties window.

Rhythm track for our guitar part is ready.

Check your edits by opening our Jingle Bells L(result).wrk sample song.

The chord progression you've just created in the Chord Chart view window is not a complete guitar part, but only a sequence of certain chord changes in certain measures of the song. There is another method to create rhythm structure for playing your chord scheme. To complete the part you have to select some guitar techniques (Strokes) and write a rhythm pattern containing those techniques to play the chords. (You have to understand that empty Chord Chart measures don't mean harmonic pause, but rather zone of previously selected chord, so that rhythm pattern in those measures will trigger this chord.)

Make the 1st step by opening Piano Roll view window of the track to which the plug-in is assigned:

/Attention: If there are no Stroke names in the left part of Piano Roll view you must import our instrument definition file Rhythm'n'Chords GS.ins located in the RnC plug-in's installation folder (by default - C:\Program Files\MusicLab\Rhythm'n'Chords 2 Pro CW) into the Cakewalk using Define Instruments and Names Dialog./

In the left part of the window you see the Stroke Map with names of various Stroke types. The Strokes represent ready to use guitar techniques for performing chords in Chord Charts. Click on a Stroke name and you'll hear the current chord from the Chord Chart performed by this technique. (Down/Up indicates direction of arpeggio in resulting chord, Normal refers to full chord, Slow is for slow arpeggiated chord, Mute – performs a very short version of the chord, etc.). (The Stroke Map makes it possible to write rhythm pattern in a track using MIDI notes, which the plug-in turns into guitar techniques. 1 note may trigger a whole chord.)

Let's write a 2-measure rhythm pattern for our song.

Make the 2nd step by setting Snap to Grid to 16th notes and write the similar rhythm pattern using Normal Down and Normal Up Strokes:

For the 3rd step set Cakewalk in Loop mode from the 1st to the 3rd measures, mute the melody track and play the sequencer. The plug-in will play your 2-measure rhythm pattern with guitar strums.

If no sound refer to Troubleshootings

Now, to make step 4, adjust the track's volume and Strokes velocity values.

Step 5 is to listen to the pattern. If it satisfies you, copy it all the way to the end of the song (Copy & Paste 16 times). Now turn off the loop mode and play the song. A simple rhythm guitar part has just been created.

Check your edits by opening our Jingle Bells S(result).wrk sample song.

Now let's adjust the performance of our part to make it as close as possible to the real guitar sound (as you may see, it mostly depends on the sound quality of your sound module or sound card of the computer).

To make step 1 loop all 32 measures, turn the Solo mode for your Guitar track and play the loop.

Step 2 is to select the plug-in window. The basic Performance parameter controls are located in the Main window and work in real time, letting you on the fly adjust various settings and immediately audition the results of your edits.

For step 3 try changing the number of voices in chords being played. To do this select the sounding notes number using the Voices parameter:

Step 4 is to try adjusting chord arpeggio speed. Move the Arpeggio slider trying to achieve optimum speed:

Step 5 is trying to adjust the voice balance in chords being played. Change the chord timbre by adjusting the voice balance. To do this use the Treble and Bass sliders, which proportionally increase/decrease velocity of higher & lower chord voices: