Scaler, recently updated to version 1.2, is a plugin instrument capable of outputting MIDI as well as audio. It's designed to make finding chords and progressions intuitive and fun, with note detection, scale selection and chord suggestions all aiming to help you out when composing. The aim is to take the hassle out of coming up with new musical ideas. It's priced at £39.95 and runs in all major plugin formats.

Scaler can determine what key and scale you’re in and suggest chords that match your music, or it can inspire a tune from scratch by providing a set of initial chords in an unexplored key. With the onboard bank of 1,728 scales and modes including genre and artist presets, there’s more than enough to keep the juices flowing. A piano and three sampled synth sounds are built in for scratch work, so you can quickly get a chord progression together for export as a MIDI file entirely within it.

Features

• Discover your music’s key and explore alternative scales and chord sets
• Choose from hundreds of keys, and get the harmonic flavours of pro artists
• Easily audition chords and find alternative voicings and common substitutions
• Quickly build intelligent progressions by dragging chords into Scaler’s chord sequencer
• Drag chords and progressions from anywhere in the plugin out to your DAW

Mike Huckaby: Yeah this is dope. Almost too dope 

Carl Cox: As for Scaler, my life has just changed right there.

Once you’ve determined a scale, Scaler lays out basic diatonic chords for you to audition, and lets you take things further with dozens of chord variations and voicings to try out. Theory buffs can also get an insight into each chord’s harmonic function.

Ready to put together a progression? Simply drag and drop chords into Scaler’s sequencer, change up octaves and inversions, and record or drag the progression into your DAW. 

New Features in Version 1.2

• Humanise Velocities: the velocity of each note within chords is randomised to provide a more natural playing style.
• MIDI Export Length: select length of MIDI notes for export and drag and drop.
• Improved Progression Builder: Now handles up to 16 chords & chord progression is now played at DAW tempo.
• 21 New ChordSets: Classical (8), K-Pop / J-Pop (6), Neo Soul (6)
• 11 New Scales: Lydian augmented scale, Acoustic scale, Major locrian scale, Ukrainian dorian scale, Hungarian gipsy scale, Melodic minor scale (asc), Half-diminished scale, Phrygian dominant scale, Persian scale, Neapolitan major scale, Neapolitan minor scale