How it Works
Part I — Live Index (Real-time Scale & Modulation Lookup)
The Live Index is a fast, streaming lookup engine for scale relationships. It searches millions of precomputed
comparisons from Scale X → Scale Y and returns matches with bridge chords, harmonic degrees,
note lists, and an overall compatibility signal.
What’s in each result
- Scale X / Scale Y: full names including tonic, family, and mode/degree.
- Bridge chords: candidate chords with tonic, degrees (e.g.,
1_3_7_9), and notes.
- Match / Probability: a condensed compatibility measure based on weighted intervals.
What you can do with it
- Discover smooth modulation paths using shared/bridge chords.
- Contrast nearby vs. distant regions (e.g., Major ↔ Melodic Minor).
- Chain multiple X→Y hops to sketch short progressions.
Quickstart
- Type a term (tonic, family, mode, or chord symbol) in the search box.
- Results stream in real time; click a row to expand details.
- Save interesting pairs and test them in your composition.
Tips
- Start broad (e.g., “Hungarian Major”), then refine by tonic or degree.
- Use precise tokens like
C Dorian Degree 4 when you know exactly what you want.
- Combine with the Heatmap: scan color regions first, then fetch concrete bridge chords here.
Part II — Live Analyzer (Graph-level Exploration)
The Live Analyzer builds an on-the-fly graph of scales and their strongest relationships. It streams items
progressively so you can watch nodes (scales) and edges (high-quality X↔Y links) appear as the scan advances.
How rescans work
- Streams NDJSON messages like
progress, item, and end (with rare shard_error/fatal).
- Reads the same knowledge base as the Live Index but applies sampling, scoring, and targets
to balance breadth and quality.
- Stops early when reaching target_nodes and target_edges, or a time/limit budget.
Scoring & filtering (plain English)
- Each candidate pair gets a match score from your weighted interval logic and per-entry metrics.
- min_match filters weak links; max_deg keeps the graph readable by limiting a node
to its top mutual neighbors.
Typical controls
- Target size:
target_nodes, target_edges
- Quality floor:
min_match
- Topology:
max_deg (mutual degree cap)
- Exploration:
shuffle + seed
- Safety:
seconds and limit
What you can do with it
- Visualize families and corridors of high compatibility.
- Find bridge hubs—scales that connect distant regions.
- Prototype multi-hop modulation plans before arranging chords.
Quickstart
- Open the Analyzer and start a rescan with default targets.
- If the graph is dense, raise
min_match or lower max_deg.
- Lock interesting nodes/edges and rescan with a different
seed to explore alternatives.
Part III — Musical Scales Heatmap (Cell-level Compatibility & Bridge Chords)
The Musical Scales Heatmap is a powerful visualization tool designed to explore the relationships between musical scales. Here's how it works:
The Structure of the Heatmap
- The heatmap is a 336x336 grid, representing all combinations of:
- 12 tonalities (the 12 notes in music: C, C#, D, etc.).
- 4 main scales: Major, Natural Minor, Harmonic Minor, and Melodic Minor.
- 7 modes for each scale.
- Each cell compares two scales, one from the X-axis and one from the Y-axis, calculating their degree of similarity or dissonance.
Color-Coded Similarity
The color of each cell represents the level of similarity between the two scales:
- Dark red: High similarity (shared notes and harmonies).
- Dark blue: High dissonance (minimal shared notes).
- Lighter shades: Intermediate levels of similarity.
This visual representation allows musicians to quickly identify areas of high compatibility or explore transitions between contrasting scales.
Detailed Information on Click
Clicking on a cell reveals detailed information about the interaction between the two scales:
- Scale X: The scale on the X-axis (e.g., "F# Major Degree 2").
- Scale Y: The scale on the Y-axis (e.g., "G# Natural Minor Degree 2").
- Shared Chords and Notes:
- A list of shared chords that can serve as "bridges" for modulation between the scales.
- For each shared chord:
- Tonic: The root note of the chord.
- Coincidence: A value prioritizing harmonically relevant notes (e.g., 3rd or 5th).
- Notes: The notes forming the chord (e.g., "F#, A, C#, E").
- Chord degrees: Functional roles in a concise format (e.g., "1_3_7_9").
- Total Probability: A numeric indicator of the overall compatibility between the two scales.
Navigate Modulations
The heatmap enables you to navigate potential modulations:
- Select the tonality, scale, and mode of your current composition on the X-axis.
- Find your target tonality, scale, and mode on the Y-axis.
- Use the detailed information in the selected cell to:
- Identify shared chords for modulation.
- Analyze the degree of similarity or contrast between scales.
This feature is especially valuable for composers and improvisers designing smooth or bold transitions between musical ideas.
What You Can Do
- Discover Modulation Paths: Use shared chord information for smooth transitions in compositions or improvisations.
- Analyze Dissonance and Compatibility: Identify compatible or contrasting scales for a given tonality.
- Interactive Exploration: Zoom in to explore specific areas or scroll through broader patterns.
- Plan Transitions: Design modulation strategies for your compositions.
