Support

I'm trying to play a song, and I'm missing a chord I need.

The chords on screen are the chords that fit the musical key you've chosen — by default, Polychord opens in C major. If a song calls for a chord you don't see, flip through the keys along the top of the screen (C through B, major and minor) until you find the one that has all the chords you need. Trying a different chord palette can help too — each palette arranges different harmony under your fingers.

If you're reading tabs from the internet, this is also the quickest way to discover what key a song is actually in. And some songs really do change key partway through — the Beach Boys did it all the time. When that happens, change key along with the song.

How do the strum key settings work?

When the strum is set to chord, the keys play the individual notes of whichever chord you last touched. Set it to a scale instead, and the keys play that scale in your current key — so solos always land in tune with your chords.

Notes are quiet, or louder the harder I press. Can I change that?

First check the device volume, then Polychord's master volume in the Volume Mixer panel. If you'd rather every note play at full volume regardless of touch, turn off the touch pressure setting, found in both the Strum and Chord settings panels.

How do I turn Auto Accompany on and off, or change the beat?

The Auto Accompany section of the settings panel has the on/off switch, and the button beside it chooses the rhythm pattern. Slide the tempo slider to change speed, or tap the BPM readout and type an exact number — it goes as high as 500 BPM, which is more useful for generating textures than for keeping time.

What are Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release?

These sliders shape the sound — whether it's short and percussive, or slow and smooth. Attack is how quickly a note reaches full volume. Decay is how long it takes to settle down to the sustain level. Sustain is how loud the note stays while you hold it. Release is how long it rings out after you let go. A piano, for instance, has a very short attack, no sustain, and a release that lets notes ring.

What is bitshift?

Bitshift gives your instruments the sound of vintage game hardware — think NES or Commodore 64. Try it on the drums at high tempos.

How do I use Polychord to play other instruments?

Turn on MIDI output in the MIDI settings panel and Polychord will play any app or hardware that accepts MIDI — turn each part (chords, strum, bass, arpeggiator, drums) on or off individually. You can also split your MIDI output across channels to drive multiple instruments at once in DAWs like Logic Pro — strum keys playing a grand piano while the chords hold down strings.

Can I trigger chords from a hardware keyboard?

Yes. With MIDI input enabled, incoming notes trigger Polychord's chords — set the base note the chords are mapped from in the MIDI settings panel.

How do I use the AUv3 plugin?

The Polychord AUv3 is a MIDI-effect plugin: it puts the chord grid inside your host, where it plays the host's instruments. Add it as a MIDI effect on an instrument track in a DAW that supports MIDI effect plug-ins, like Logic Pro. Note that hosts which only support AUv3 instruments won't list a MIDI effect — that's a host limitation, not a missing install.

How do I record and share my songs?

Hit record and play. When you stop, you'll be prompted to save the take — from there you can loop it, layer more parts on top, and bounce the result to an audio file to share via Files or AirDrop.

How do I get a performance into my DAW?

Two ways: bounce to audio, or export multi-track MIDI — chords, strum, bass, arpeggiator, and drums each arrive on their own track, ready to reassign to your own instruments.