I will love You in the
morning when I rise
I will love You in the
morning when I rise
When the sunrise rides
the eastern skies
I will love You in the
morning when I rise
I will sing my song of
praise when day is done
I will sing my song of
praise when day is done
At the evening setting
of the sun
I will sing my song of
praise when day is done
I will love You in the
night-time when I dream
I will love You in the
night-time when I dream
When the moonlight paints
a mystic scene
I will love You in the
night-time when I dream
Songwriters
Music Educators
Music Students
Churches
Worship Leaders
Anyone in a Band
Vocalists
Homeschool Groups
Little Kids
What should I do?
First,
download the free
version and try it.
Let everything that has breath praise the
LORD.
A Music Tool for Everyone...
Do you have a song in
you?
Music can be like fireworks, shining light in all directions. Have
there been times when a song has meant a lot to you?
Have you ever wanted
to write a song?
Almost everyone's thought about it. The idea that you can express your
love, your wonder or your prayers in music is a beautiful thought.
Then comes the
challenge.
What if I don't play a chordal instrument, like piano or guitar? Is
there a way for me to explore chords and chord progressions?
Yes, here's a
songwriting tool for you! We call it "Yours To Play It."
To explore chords and how they sound, all you have to do is move a
mouse around and click. You may be surprised how much music you can
make with a mouse.
Take a look at this map. This is what your computer screen will look
like when you are working with the free demonstration version of the program.
Each blue-colored box has multiple zones in it. When you click on them,
your computer will play chords, using sounds from your soundcard. The
name of the chord is then displayed in the top right corner.
Before going any further, this summary...
You've probably visited sites on the web that go on and on, so we'd like to summarize this page for you. It will give you a better idea what's coming.
1 - First, you will be invited to watch a few short video demonstrations. The first one shows three chord progressions played on a piano, and also on the computer using a mouse as the controller. The idea is that you can explore chords and progressions, even fairly complex ones, just by "clicking," even if you've never played piano or guitar before.
2 - Videos 2 and 3 show how you might use the program to explore chord progressions in a songwriting context. Imagine you are looking for an interesting idea while moving the mouse around on the screen.
3 - At some point, you may wonder about the price, so we'll tell you now... we've kept it "user-friendly"... for a single user... $11.95. We've also made it easy to share the program with your family, your friends, your music students, or the players in your band. We have very good prices for all these situations.
4 - Along the way there are explanations about how this program was developed, and how we're hoping to share this tool with people who would enjoy songwriting a lot more if they had a simple, effective way to experiment with chords and progressions.
Would
you like to see how it works?
This short movie demonstrates the basic idea...
These next two videos demonstrate exploring chords in Version 0.35.
A layered sound has been added to the piano sound.
A word for
educators and musicians... (Each chord in the short
video clips above can be played in more than one way, called inversions.
These inversions are mapped out across the blue boxes from left to
right. Also, the progressions were played in the key of C, but any
other major key can be selected at the bottom of the screen.)
A word about
performance and "latency"... (The sound quality
depends on the MIDI soundfont you have on your computer. Also, the way
your computer handles MIDI requests affects how fast the computer
responds. On our home computer, which runs Windows XP, the response is
fast. Some of my friends have computers which experience a short delay,
called latency, whenever the mouse is clicked or a key is typed. You can test to see how fast your computer responds by downloading and running the free demo version below.)
Why
are Roman numerals on the map?
In classical music theory, chords are named with Roman numerals. The I
chord, seen at the bottom of the map is "home." That's where many songs
start and end.
From the I chord you can jump anywhere you like. After that, you are
free to jump again. There are also arrows suggesting places you might
try next.
The idea is to work your way back toward home... then jump again. You
can leave home and come back many times in one song.
What are the computer
requirements?
The program is designed to work on PC's running Windows.
Is
there a way I can try it?
Yes, there is a free demo version you may
download now, but please remember... this free version is
just a small sample. After you've experimented with the idea -
clicking a musical mouse anywhere on a musical map - come visit this page again, because...
...our newest version, Version 0.35, will do a lot more for you!
Here's how to download the free version.
First, please join our mailing list so we can let you know when new programs or updates are added to Chordmaps.com.
Just type your email address into the box and click
"Submit." Next time you check your email, you'll find a message asking
you to confirm your choice to be included. Then click on the
confirmation link in the email.
Thank you. (We do not sell or rent
email names or addresses.)
Second,
accept our license agreement.
By using the software, you are agreeing to be bound by the terms and
conditions in the license agreement which is included in the download
package. The license agreement is a typical one. Mostly it relates to
these four ideas, all words beginning with S.
* Please don't "Send" this software out... for example, from your web
site.
* Please don't "Sell" the software... either alone or in combination
with other things.
* Please don't "Steal" the software... by reverse engineering or any
other method.
* Please don't "Sue" anyone for any reason relating to this software or
how it performs.
1 - Download and save the file
on your computer.
2 - Unzip the file.
3 - Find the mouse icon in the folder and double-click on it.
(Be sure your
computer's volume is on. If you don't hear anything, check to see the
"sound" section of
your computer's control panel is set up to play MIDI files.)
I've tried the free version. What's
next?
Introducing Version 0.35!
Our newest version, Version 0.35, plays in all of the major keys.
Variations now appear in the chord
boxes. First inversions are in the lower right of some of the blue
boxes and sus4 chords are
in the upper right. M7, m7, 2, 6, 9, 11, and 13 chords are
represented.
The bass note boxes, the ones
with the varied shades of brown, can play one note or four different
notes (or even twenty different notes if you like walking from bass
note to bass note, sometimes playing notes a half or whole step away
from the chord notes.)
A visual keyboard displays the
notes being played when the "Watch" option is selected.
Power chords (no third in the
chord) have been added (see the smaller boxes in the middle of the
map.)
The arrow keys play the
individual notes in the chord. The typing keyboard on your computer now
plays drum sounds. The screen looks like this.
How
did this come about?
It started years ago when I was teaching piano to young students.
While teaching young students, I wondered how to make the principles of
chord progression theory easy enough for them to understand. I decided
to draw a map, with a house on it, which I called "home," and little
roads going to various places. I wrote short songs demonstrating some
of the "trips" you could take to leave home (the I chord) and then come
back.
One variation of those early maps became what I call the "Simple Map."
Time went by, and one day it came to me that secondary chords could be
added, creating the "Big Map."
When the web came along, the maps were redrawn and shared at a site
called Music Theory for Songwriters (Chordmaps.com.) But though
helpful, the maps were not interactive. What if you could point to a
location and hear the chord being played?
In February, 2008, after discovering a program called Liberty Basic,
the maps began to sing.
So the next question
was how to share it.
I woke up one night and an idea came...
"Share
Wherever"
It's a little like
shareware, but with a twist.
For a Single User,
the program is just under $12... actually $11.95.
But the price drops very quickly if you will "share it" by buying the
program as a gift for others, and then email it to them.
Here are the categories.
"My Family and
Me" - $14.95
Put it on all the computers in your home. (designed
to work on PC's running Windows)
"My Family, My
Friends and Me" - $18.95
Put it on all the computers in your home, and then email the package to
up to 15 friends.
For example, if you play in a band, you may buy it and send it to all
the others as a gift.
"My Family, My
Students and Me" - $24.95
If you are a private teacher with more than 15 students, then this
package may be for you.
You have permission to email the program as a gift to all your guitar,
piano, vocal, trumpet,
flute, percussion, or music theory students, etc.
"The
Thirty-Five Package" - $34.95
Besides your family, email the package as a gift to up to 35 people...
a choir maybe, or
a youth group.
"The Fifty
Package" - $50
For groups of 35 to 50 people... a high school band maybe, or a concert
choir.
"The
Seventy-Five Package" - $75
For groups of 50 to 150 people... maybe an entire homeschool group.
"Large Groups"
- 50 cents per person
Perhaps you are part of a church with an attendance of 500. You have
permission to email
the program as a gift to everyone in your church for 50 cents a person
($250).
Why share it this way?
There are a number of reasons...
1 - To encourage giving. It's good for us to think of others. Giving is
one of the ways to flow good will into the lives of people all around.
2 - I work a lot with kids, and this program will benefit them, both as
an educational tool, and as a musical tool. "Share Wherever" provides a
way for kids everywhere to receive it.
3 - "Yours To Play It!" will have a much deeper impact when groups of
friends receive it together. As they play the maps, sharing with each
other what they discover, as well as the songs they will write when the
tool is in their hands, the fun and the learning will both be richer.
4 - I'm especially encouraging churches and youth groups to try this,
because it's a strong thought that someday every congregation will be
singing songs of praise written by people there. Then, all around the
world, original worship music will be rising up from cities, villages
and towns, and no two places will be the same.
(If a church or youth
group would like to try this, a member of the worship team can
demonstrate the program using the church's video projection system.
After seeing how the map works, the congregation or group can then
receive the program by email or download it themselves.)
You're
on the "Honor" system.
Have you ever been in a place where something was for sale, but instead
of a cash register, there was a basket? This site is a little like that.
The download link is at the bottom of this page. On
your way there you'll see the payment section. We're asking you to be
honest and participate at the level which is best for you.
Offering something this way may be unusual, but I have confidence that
what we give is never really lost, and the good that we share with
others always returns multiplied.
Special note for all who have purchased Version 0.25 previously...
If you have participated in the "Share Wherever" program for Version
0.25, either by checking out with one of our payment links, or if a
friend has purchased it for you, then this next version (Version
0.35) is a free upgrade for you. You have permission to scroll
past the checkout links to the download link at the bottom of the page.
Thank you.
Would
you like to be part of "Share Wherever?"
Here's how...
1 - First, please
join our mailing list.
We mentioned this further up the
page. Here's a place to sign up if you haven't yet.
Thank you. (We do not sell or rent
email names or addresses.)
2
- Accept our license agreement.
By using our software, you are
agreeing to be bound by the terms and conditions in the license
agreement which is included in the download package. You may read it
here if you like.
When buying for a group, you may
wish to check with someone first, a secretary or an administrator, to
ask if anyone has already made the purchase.
4
- Choose the package you like.
Exact numbers are not
necessary... estimates are fine... and you may add packages together as
needed to reach the desired number.
5
- Come back to this page after checkout.
Thank you for sharing this
program with the ones you have chosen. The download link is on this
page, so be sure to come back here when you are ready to download the
program.
"Share Wherever" Possibilities
Thank
you for considering the people you know and love, and purchasing this
program for them. We hope this tool will encourage a lot of
people to explore music and songwriting. * Listed below
are a few "Add to Cart" links for various group sizes.
* Quantities can be changed (or removed) after they are added to the
cart.
* The secure checkout process is handled by PayPal. You
do not have to be a member. You can pay with a credit card without
joining Paypal. Just look for the line that says, "Don't
have a PayPal account?" and click on "Continue."
* (For New Jersey residents, 7% sales tax is added at checkout.)
* Remember to return
to this page after checking out. The download link is located at the
bottom of this page. ***
(Please note - all who have purchased Version 0.25 in the past,
either by checking out here, or if a friend has purchased it for you,
may scroll directly to the download link below. This new version,
Version 0.35, is a free upgrade to Version 0.25.)
Single User
$11.95
My Family and Me
$14.95
(put this program on the other computers in your home)
My Family, My Friends and Me $18.95
(share the program with up to 15 friends... i.e. your band, or your
worship team)
My Family, My Students and Me $24.95
(share this program with your private music students or with groups of
up to 25 people)
The Thirty-Five Package
$34.95
(share this program with groups of up to 35 people)
The Fifty Package $50
(share this program with groups of 35 to 50 people)
The Seventy-Five Package
$75
(share this program with groups of 50 to 150 people)
Larger Groups - for each 200 users
$100
(share this program with large groups for 50 cents per person)
Thank You! Your Participation Helps!
Thank you for reaching out to people by purchasing and sharing this
music tool with them.
Here's the download link.
* Download the file.
* Unzip it.
* Read the "Read Me" file first. It has some important suggestions.
* Look for and double click on the mouse icon.
* Email the zipped file to the friends you were thinking of when you
decided to share.
(Or send them to this page and ask them to scroll to the download link
at the bottom.)
