Pad Player: Difference between revisions
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Marekpalka (talk | contribs) Created page with "= Pad Library = The Pad Library is where you store the ambient audio pads used by JustChords. It's a general-purpose collection of looping audio tracks tagged by musical key — currently used to drive the Tonic Pad, but built to support other pad-based playback modes in the future. JustChords doesn't ship with any built-in pads. You bring your own recordings (for example a commercial pack like Churchfront Pads, or your own ambient drones) and import them into the libr..." |
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# Open '''Tools''' in the Library sidebar and select '''Pad Library'''. | # Open '''Tools''' in the Library sidebar and select '''Pad Library'''. | ||
# Tap the '''+''' button. | # Tap the '''+''' button. | ||
# Choose | # Choose an audio file from Files (mp3 and most other common audio formats are supported). | ||
# JustChords tries to detect the '''name''' and '''key''' from | # JustChords tries to detect the '''name''' and '''key''' from the filename automatically. | ||
# Review and adjust the name or key if needed, then tap ''' | # Review and adjust the name or key if needed, then tap '''Save'''. | ||
== Managing your pads == | == Managing your pads == | ||
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* Search the library by name. | * Search the library by name. | ||
* Tap a pad to edit its name or key. | * Tap a pad to edit its name or key. | ||
* Delete a pad to remove it from the library and delete its audio file. | * Delete a pad to remove it from the library and delete its audio file. | ||
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Tonic Pad is a quick button that plays an ambient drone matched to the key of the song you're viewing. | Tonic Pad is a quick button that plays an ambient drone matched to the key of the song you're viewing. | ||
* '''Ready''' — | * '''Ready''' — you have at least one pad in your library (or one chosen for this song). Tapping will play it, retuned if needed to match the song's key. | ||
* '''Active''' — the pad is currently playing. | * '''Active''' — the pad is currently playing. | ||
* '''Inactive''' — | * '''Inactive''' — your pad library is empty. | ||
Tap the button to start or stop the pad. While a setlist is running, the pad automatically crossfades to match each new song's key, and keeps playing uninterrupted across songs that share the same key. | Tap the button to start or stop the pad. While a setlist is running, the pad automatically crossfades to match each new song's key, and keeps playing uninterrupted across songs that share the same key. | ||
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# Add '''Tonic Pad''' to your quick button bar. | # Add '''Tonic Pad''' to your quick button bar. | ||
Tonic Pad can also be triggered remotely, for example from a Bluetooth pedal or MIDI controller. | Tonic Pad can also be triggered remotely, for example from a Bluetooth pedal or MIDI controller. It isn't available when running JustChords as an Audio Unit (AUv3) plug-in. | ||
= Choosing a pad for a song = | = Choosing a pad for a song = | ||
By default, JustChords picks the pad | By default, JustChords picks the closest-matching pad in your library and retunes it to the song's key — including any transposition or capo you've applied. If you'd rather use a specific pad regardless of key, you can set it per song. | ||
# Open the song in the '''Song Editor'''. | # Open the song in the '''Song Editor'''. | ||
# Go to '''Details'''. | # Go to '''Details'''. | ||
# Under '''Tonic Pad''', pick a pad from your library, or leave it on '''Default''' to auto-match by key. | # Under '''Tonic Pad''', pick a pad from your library, or leave it on '''Default''' to auto-match by key. (This section only appears once you've imported at least one pad.) | ||
You can also long-press the Tonic Pad quick button to jump straight to this same picker for the current song, without opening the Song Editor. | |||
= How pad matching works = | = How pad matching works = | ||
* Pads are matched to a song by '''key''', using the song's key after transposition. | * Pads are matched to a song by '''key''', using the song's key after transposition. | ||
* | * JustChords doesn't require an exact match: it picks whichever pad in your library needs the smallest pitch shift to reach the song's key, then retunes it in real time (up to a tritone, i.e. up to 6 semitones in either direction). | ||
* If | * Because of this, a single imported pad can back a song in any key. Importing one recording per key still gives the cleanest sound, since less pitch-shifting means less audible artifacting — but it's no longer required. | ||
* If your pad library is empty, Tonic Pad shows as inactive. | |||
= Looking ahead = | = Looking ahead = | ||
The Pad Library is intentionally kept independent of the Tonic Pad button. It's designed to grow beyond a single static drone per song — for example, playing pads that follow a song's chord progression rather than just its tonic. | The Pad Library is intentionally kept independent of the Tonic Pad button. It's designed to grow beyond a single static drone per song — for example, playing pads that follow a song's chord progression rather than just its tonic. | ||
Revision as of 11:09, 5 September 2026
Pad Library
The Pad Library is where you store the ambient audio pads used by JustChords. It's a general-purpose collection of looping audio tracks tagged by musical key — currently used to drive the Tonic Pad, but built to support other pad-based playback modes in the future.
JustChords doesn't ship with any built-in pads. You bring your own recordings (for example a commercial pack like Churchfront Pads, or your own ambient drones) and import them into the library.
Importing pad tracks
- Open Tools in the Library sidebar and select Pad Library.
- Tap the + button.
- Choose an audio file from Files (mp3 and most other common audio formats are supported).
- JustChords tries to detect the name and key from the filename automatically.
- Review and adjust the name or key if needed, then tap Save.
Managing your pads
- Search the library by name.
- Tap a pad to edit its name or key.
- Delete a pad to remove it from the library and delete its audio file.
Tonic Pad
Tonic Pad is a quick button that plays an ambient drone matched to the key of the song you're viewing.
- Ready — you have at least one pad in your library (or one chosen for this song). Tapping will play it, retuned if needed to match the song's key.
- Active — the pad is currently playing.
- Inactive — your pad library is empty.
Tap the button to start or stop the pad. While a setlist is running, the pad automatically crossfades to match each new song's key, and keeps playing uninterrupted across songs that share the same key.
Enabling the quick button
- Open Settings and go to Quick Buttons.
- Add Tonic Pad to your quick button bar.
Tonic Pad can also be triggered remotely, for example from a Bluetooth pedal or MIDI controller. It isn't available when running JustChords as an Audio Unit (AUv3) plug-in.
Choosing a pad for a song
By default, JustChords picks the closest-matching pad in your library and retunes it to the song's key — including any transposition or capo you've applied. If you'd rather use a specific pad regardless of key, you can set it per song.
- Open the song in the Song Editor.
- Go to Details.
- Under Tonic Pad, pick a pad from your library, or leave it on Default to auto-match by key. (This section only appears once you've imported at least one pad.)
You can also long-press the Tonic Pad quick button to jump straight to this same picker for the current song, without opening the Song Editor.
How pad matching works
- Pads are matched to a song by key, using the song's key after transposition.
- JustChords doesn't require an exact match: it picks whichever pad in your library needs the smallest pitch shift to reach the song's key, then retunes it in real time (up to a tritone, i.e. up to 6 semitones in either direction).
- Because of this, a single imported pad can back a song in any key. Importing one recording per key still gives the cleanest sound, since less pitch-shifting means less audible artifacting — but it's no longer required.
- If your pad library is empty, Tonic Pad shows as inactive.
Looking ahead
The Pad Library is intentionally kept independent of the Tonic Pad button. It's designed to grow beyond a single static drone per song — for example, playing pads that follow a song's chord progression rather than just its tonic.