Devlog: Ukulele Chord Transposer for Android
0DEVELOPMENT LOG
- Please send us a comment if you're interested in the code or the logic behind it
Goal:
I wanted to learn how to transpose chord progressions and apply this knowledge to a ukulele... so I'll write an Android app. Chordinator was the result.
Easy to use to play along with my favorite songs, without all the bloat and ads that come with most similar apps on the app stores. Plus, it has homepage widgets so I don't need to fumble around in the app itself to do something like simply changing the key of a song.
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Chordinator - Ukulele chord transposer app for Android
Improve your ukulele skills with an android app! Perfect for those who only know a few songs. Practice the chord progressions you already know but in all 12 keys and more, no more frustration with incorrect chord names in YouTube play-along videos (grrr "but that's with a capo!").
Key Features
- Improved my ukulele skills
- Practice chord progressions in all 12 keys
- Based on re-entrant tuning of a standard ukulele
- Hear the MIDI songs, chords, and arpeggios
- Includes MIDI drum taps to help keep timing
- Supports major, minor, and harmonic minor scales
- Supports most common chord modifiers (7ths, Dim, Aug, minors, etc)
Dev notes
- Developed using Android Studio
- Simple algorithm to creation MIDI audio, based on ukulele tuning and drum taps
- Written before Android had good MIDI API support
- Enharmonics simplified using sharps - some note names may seems strange or wrong
- Potential for guitar adaptation with modifications - both the fretboard and midi generation could be modified to support basic guitar shapes and sounds
- Older version included MIDI instrument selection, tempo setting, many homepage widgets
- Currently only saves one progression - planned to add saving of songs, and phrases, etc in the future
- Not all chord modifiers and shapes complete - tackled the basics first
- Does not use chord inversions - need a good way to identify them vs the open chords
- APK exists for older version, but that old code is no longer available
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Inspiration & Thanks
Big shout out to @ukuleleunderground for being the original inspiration to write this app many years ago!! The way they visualize the fretboard during their play-along videos helped me so much during my early years playing the uke. Props to them!