Chord Mode

Even though the Solo and Harmony modes let you create realistic guitar parts, RealStrat is at its best when it’s time to emulate chord playing. For that purpose, the editor has included the chord recognition and rendering modes: Chords, Bass & Chords and Bass & Pick. RealStrat perfectly analyses the chords played on a keyboard and above all places them as a guitarist would play them. This ensures an authentic “feel” with typical guitaristic inversions, repetitions and omissions of notes. RealStrat can detect 26 chord types which are detailed in the .PDF manual, with information about mandatory and optional notes to use for correct analysis.

Bass & Chord Mode

Even if all chords aren’t recognized, it’s easy to use chord substitutions, and to limit the number of strings in order to avoid unwanted notes. It works quite nicely, and the chord and note monitoring on the virtual neck (big green spots) helps to better understand a real guitar. In Chords mode, RealStrat can play four different inversions, thanks to Chord Position (from I to IV), not including the Kbd option. Once the chord is recognized, you can play it with the Repeat keys, whose velocity determines the number of strings that are used. With proper aftertouch, modulation and KeySwitch settings, you can make surprisingly realistic rhythmic parts, all the more so since every parameter can be automated, you can change crucial settings in real time to cover any scenario (change inversion II to IV, for example).

The two other modes separately handle bass and chord notes and extensions. In Bass & Chords, the Repeat keys play the chords on five strings and you can alternate the bass notes. In Bass & Pick, white keys from E5 to C6 correspond to the six strings and allow you to play arpeggios, while black keys trigger a Unison (different sample) or a lower chromaticism. Thus you can play folk or country or any other rhythmic figure that would hardly be convincing if directly played from a keyboard. Here, with Repeat and Unison keys, it works right away.