The Theory Behind AutoTheory
Mozaic Beats describe AutoTheory as an “open arpeggiation system”, and it has two main functions. First, to the left of a MIDI keyboard split point, you can map a set of chords for the currently selected key and then play any of these full chords simply by pressing the appropriate single MIDI key. Second, on the other (right-hand/high-pitch) side of the keyboard split, the software automatically adjusts the notes mapped to your keys so that they are confined to those available either within the currently triggered chord or an associated scale. Within this zone, the note generated by a particular key changes as you trigger different chords.
In practice, what this means is that you can leave the fingers of your right hand poised over the same five keys on your MIDI keyboard and, based on the chord you trigger with a single finger of your left hand, whichever notes you hit with your right will be harmonically ‘correct’ given the current chord. No more fluffed chords and no more out-of-key melody notes. And this is, of course, where the “open arpeggiation system” concept comes from, as you could play an identical finger pattern with your right hand but the MIDI notes generated would change in response to the chords your left hand triggers. The end result will be a perfect arpeggio pattern from your right-hand playing. You can, of course, vary your right-hand note pattern to vary the nature of the arpeggio.
Original source: Sound on Sound
