For a time, theory was content to define the triads and seventh chords that can be built on the degrees of a given scale. But chords are way bigger nowadays...
Return to the Home page Mando ModeExplorer for mandolin magnaChops ModeExplorer for guitar Click here to read about our upgrade policy ModeExplorer Expedition Outfitters - Free tools to help you reach the summit, explore the depths, discover new territories... See what's happening at Groveland Access any patches and downloads for ModeExplorers Information on scales and chords, as well as our chart catalog Send us an email for support, product questions, or music theory help for ModeExplorer users Frequently asked questions To get more out of the ModeExplorers Tips on how to play mandolin Tips on how to play 10-string, fifths-tuned cittern For a time, theory was content to define the triads and seventh chords that can be built on the degrees of a given scale. But chords are way bigger nowadays... 'So what scales should I play over these chords?' Well, maybe that's really not the right question, considering that in reality, 'the Scale IS the Chord, and the Chord IS the Scale'. Read why...


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Guitarists: Feeling Boxed In by the Same Old Patterns?
 
Here's a powerful tool for every improvising guitar player out there... It's a scale slide rule and a chord calculator, a handy composing tool, and a great way for the musician to organize scales and chords, and invent new ones... the magnachops™ ModeExplorer. Discover thousands of new ways to get from here to there, or simply extend your playing patterns to encompass the whole neck of the guitar... Any way you slice it, this tool will kick open doors and help you fulfill your guitar playing potential.
 
Discovery Starts Right Here!
The magnachops™ ModeExplorer displays all the modes of the standard major scale, presenting the fingerings graphically on the neck of the guitar, in every key and every position on the neck, and plays those modes for you. Not only that, magnachops™ ModeExplorer provides a dozens of useful “synthetic scales” and “symmetric scales” for you in the same way. What’s more, magnachops™ ModeExplorer figures out all the chords that can be created for all those scales all over the neck of the guitar in all keys and plays them for you! And it does this for scales that YOU INVENT, too!

 

But that's truly only the beginning!
  • All the chords derived from all degrees of all the scales in all the keys are demonstrated
  • Each chord is shown in sixteen different fingerings and inversions!
  • Not only can you see the scales and their component chords, but you can hear them too!
  • Choose acoustic or electric guitars and sounds to demonstrate chords and scales
  • Build your own chord progressions from the magnachops™ ModeExplorer and jam along
  • Punch a chord progression into the Mode Calculator, and it tells you what scales to play!
  • The ModeExplorer Web Service provides additional scales and chords when an Internet connection is available
  • The ModeExplorer Chart Exchange allows you to exchange chord progression ideas with other players and print them out
  • New! "Open" voicings have been added to the extensive magnachops™ ModeExplorer vocabulary
  • New! Mouse over the dots in the chords and the magnachops™ ModeExplorer teaches you the note name and the role of the note in the chord!
  • New! Mouse over the chord name and the magnachops™ ModeExplorer teaches you the intervals that make up that chord - Learn what makes that chord work!
  • New! Build your very own scales in the new, improved Scale Editor, and the magnachops™ ModeExplorer figures out the chords for it and shows you how to play them
 
For soloing guitarists, many of the most useful scales are represented here: Melodic Minor, Harmonic Minor, symmetrical scales, and more. For accompanying guitarists, thousands of useful chord forms are provided with their parent scales. And perhaps most useful tool of all, The Chord Calculator provides the musician with the power to punch in a chord progression and see what scales will be appropriate for improvising, for every occasion in jazz, blues, rock, or whatever.
 
Get the edge on the other guys.
 
Buy Now!

 Get the BIG PICTURE. Combined with the ModeExplorer Web Service, the magnachops™ ModeExplorer is the absolute best way to organize your arsenal of scales and chords. Color your compositions, revitalize old chops, put everything in context.

A lifetime of musical information graphically and sonically represented on the neck of acoustic and electric guitars. See it and hear it all!

Where do I get me one of these things? 		 
 
System Requirements: Pentium II 400 MHz or greater with 128 MB memory, 46 MB HD recommended. Windows 2000, Windows XP, or later recommended. 1024x768 resolution display, sound card, mouse, and CD-ROM required. Internet Explorer 5.01 or greater required. The Microsoft .NET 2.0 Framework is required: Free from Microsoft.


P.O.Box 262, Wayzata, MN 55391Copyright ©2002-2008 by Groveland Software Labs, Inc. All rights reserved.7/24/2008 9:56:45 PM
The best way to organize your arsenal of scales and chords. You can right-click on the guitar to select from several guitars and guitar sounds. You can right-click on the guitar to select from several guitars and guitar sounds. You can right-click on the guitar to select from several guitars and guitar sounds. You can click on the ModeExplorer neck to hear any note. When you play back your chord progressions, the ModeExplorer performs them on the neck, improvising various inversions and voicings of the chords. You can click on the ModeExplorer tree to expand and explore scales and discover the possible component chords built on the degrees of those scales. Right click to play a scale. You can click on the component chords on a scale degree to drill-down and explore inversions of the component chords and voicings of each. The ModeExplorer displays and plays them all. You can drag and drop chords to the User-defined section to build your own chord progressions, or use the Chart Editor. Drag and drop scales to the User-defined section to edit them and invent new ones. The ModeExplorer will figure out the chords for each degree of the scale for you to explore. You can drag and drop chords to the User-defined section to build your own chord progressions, or use the Chart Editor. Drag and drop scales to the User-defined section to edit them and invent new ones. The ModeExplorer will figure out the chords for each degree of the scale for you to drill-down and explore. Once you punch in a chord sequence, the ModeExplorer figures the scales for you. Then you can click on one of the candidate scales in the list and the ModeExplorer opens up that scale for you to explore and hear, complete with all its component chords. You can punch in a chord sequence and the Chord Calculator figures the scales that will accomodate the progression. Great for ideas when soloing over tough passages. Fifty-seven different chords are provided on each root. Chord progressions are transcribed in calligraphy. You can preview your chord progressions, and then print them out. You can change the tonic of any scale, and the ModeExplorer will change the scale and refigure the component chords. You can use the Chord Calculator to determine what scales to play over a chord passage. You can access the ModeExplorer internet web services for additional information on chords and scales. Help for using the ModeExplorer, scales, and chords.