Gesture Synth custom chords, set your way.

01 / YOUR OWN FOUR CHORDS

Set custom chords in Sing & Play

Gesture Synth custom chords let you replace the four slots in Sing & Play. Choose a root, chord quality, inversion and octave for each slot. This is the mode to use when a chord chart needs a different sequence from Easy Jam's fixed pattern. You play the changes yourself; configuring four slots does not create an automatic backing track.

1. Open the instrument, start Use Mouse Mode or Play without camera, and set Play style to Sing & Play.
2. Set Chord mode to Four chords. Each numbered slot has its own Root, Chord, Inversion and Octave fields.
3. Choose Root first, then Chord. Set Inversion after choosing the quality, because changing Chord resets its inversion to root position.
4. Set Octave, then play that slot before editing the next one. Keep the volume comfortable and check each change by listening.

Root offers all twelve pitch classes, including sharp and flat equivalents. Chord offers major, minor, maj7, min7, 7 and dim7. Major and minor have root position plus inversions 1 and 2; the four-note qualities also offer inversion 3. Octave offers 2, 3 and 4. You can reuse a chord in several slots with different registers or inversions.

The Easy Jam and Beat Jam guide covers their fixed four-region progression. Their Key setting transposes a complete pattern. Four chords instead gives each slot its own root and quality, so setting one slot to B major does not require transposing the entire bank.

02 / A COMPLETE EXAMPLE

Build C–G/B–Am–C/G, one slot at a time

This original practice bank combines ordinary triads with two slash chords. Enter these settings in order. The notes column shows the resulting pitches from lowest to highest. An octave number in the settings identifies the root before inversion; it does not guarantee that the chord's lowest note will still be that root.

Start with slot 1, count four relaxed beats, stop it, then try slot 2. Listen for B as the bottom of G/B. Play slot 3, then slot 4, whose lowest note is G. Repeat slowly before adding singing. There is no tempo field or automatic four-bar count-in for this bank; count yourself or use a separate metronome.

The slot buttons still display G and C for the inverted chords. They do not add “/B” or “/G” to their labels. Check the Inversion and Octave fields instead of assuming an unchanged button name means the setting failed. The Creep chord exercise offers a separate ready-made bank if you prefer to learn slot switching first.

03 / CHOOSE THE LOWEST NOTE

How G/B and C/G work through inversions

In a slash chord, the name before the slash identifies the chord and the name after it identifies its lowest note. G/B means a G major chord with B at the bottom. C/G means a C major chord with G at the bottom. Neither instruction means playing two complete chords at once.

Each inversion moves the current lowest note one octave upward. The chord keeps the same three pitch classes while its register changes. Try all three C settings in a single slot, keeping Chord major and Octave 3. Release the sound between edits so you hear the new arrangement clearly.

These controls cover inversions of the supported chords. They do not provide an independent bass instrument or an arbitrary bass-note field. C/D, for example, cannot be created by inverting a C major triad because D is not one of its notes. The bank also cannot place a separate B2 underneath an otherwise unchanged G3–B3–D4 chord. Use the available voicing only when it suits your arrangement.

04 / READ THE CHORD SYMBOL

Match a chord chart to the supported qualities

For an ordinary letter such as C, choose major. For Cm, choose minor. For Cmaj7 choose maj7; for Cm7 choose min7; for C7 choose 7; for Cdim7 choose dim7. These choices have different notes, so “seventh” alone is not enough information to select a quality.

At Root C, Octave 3 and root position, major gives C3–E3–G3 and minor gives C3–D#3–G3. The instrument spells that minor third with a sharp; a score may write the same pitch as E-flat. Cmaj7 adds B3, while C7 adds A#3, commonly written B-flat. Cmin7 combines the minor third with that B-flat pitch. Cdim7 uses C3–D#3–F#3–A3.

There are no add9, sus4 or augmented choices in this bank. Changing the octave or inversion cannot add a missing chord tone. If your chart requires an unsupported quality, choose an explicitly simplified arrangement that you understand, or use another instrument for that passage. Do not silently substitute a major chord and expect the same harmony. For single pitches and scale spelling, see the Melody note reference.

05 / PLAY THE CHANGES

Mouse, touch and camera use different controls

Without a camera, use the numbered chord buttons. A quick click or tap keeps a chord playing; click the active button again to stop it, or choose another slot to change chords. For a temporary sound, press and hold for more than a quarter-second, then release. Move within the playing pad to shape volume and tone. Release or stop the chord before adjusting its settings.

In Four chords camera mode, show both hands. Raise one to four non-thumb fingers on the left hand with the thumb folded to select slots 1–4. Right-hand height controls volume and wrist tilt changes tone. A left fist or loss of a valid hand stops the chord. This differs from Melody's pinch-to-sound control. Learn the bank with buttons before adding hand tracking.

Free chords is another Sing & Play chord mode, with seven degrees and its own quality, voicing and hand controls. Use Four chords while following this page's numbered settings. If a chord is silent, check the active mode, instrument volume and your selected button. If tracking is uncertain, return to mouse or touch to check the musical settings separately.

06 / CHECK YOUR TAKE

Record your custom progression

Playing, recording and watching the complete preview are free without an account. Sing & Play offers 15-second and two-minute clips. Its optional microphone can mix singing into the recording without live speaker monitoring. You can leave it off and practise instrument-only.

Video export is optional and paid: a single-recording export costs US$9.99, and packs show their price and included recordings before payment. Export requires Google or email/password sign-in. Your free preview is temporary, so review it before making another take or closing the tab. The recording guide explains recovery, paid file availability and sharing.

This custom bank has no MIDI download. MIDI belongs to a saved Beat Jam loop and does not export a Sing & Play arrangement. Keep your four settings written down if you want to rebuild them later; this tutorial does not create a shareable custom-preset link. Camera tracking runs locally; the privacy policy explains recording uploads and wider site data practices.

QUICK ANSWERS

Custom chords FAQ