Scale Generator

A faster way to add notes to your fretboards is to use the Scale Generator wizard*. First, create a fretboard, horizontal or vertical, on a page. Make sure the fretboard is selected, then open the Scale Generator wizard. 

(*) only available in Neck Diagrams Pro and Publisher 🎸

Simply choose your root note, the position (CAGED shape or three-note-per-string) or simply choose to have all the notes added between a range of frets!

Note that you can also open the Scale Generator when a note on an existing fretboard is selected; in this case the note will be treated as the root, and the corresponding note in the "Root note" list will be automatically selected appropriately (which of course you can still change if you choose!).

If you don't check the option "Adjust the fretboard area so all notes show", then you may find that notes have potentially been placed off either edge of the fretboard. If this is the case, then you'll need to manually adjust the visible range of the fretboard in the Inspector, via the "Frets" and "Starting fret" properties. Checking the option will automatically adjust the fretboard to show from one fret below the lowest fret of the added notes and one fret above the highest.

Adding Custom Interval Maps

You can add to the list of scales and arpeggios by defining your own interval maps. Simply check the "Use custom map" option and you can then click on the intervals on the interval map graphic.

With the "Use custom map" option checked the interval map becomes clickable.

If you want to base your new interval map on an existing scale/arpeggio then just select it in the list and the map will update to match, then add/remove intervals as you wish. In the example image above, we've taken a major 7th arpeggio and embellished it with a 9th.

Each interval map must be unique, so you cannot create duplicates of existing scales/arpeggios - there will be a warning message at the top of the window, e.g. "The selected intervals match existing item 'Major Pentatonic'" and the Next and Finish buttons will not be enabled.

Clicking Next will then show a page allowing you to name and save your custom interval map:

Naming and saving your custom interval map

• if you choose to save your map then it will be stored using the name entered and available for later use under a new group "Custom (User Defined)" in the scale list
• the name given will also be used for the "Set title of fretboard" option on the Position page

You don't have to enter a name, but you will have to if you want to save the map. If choose to save the map and the name matches that of an existing custom map then you will be warned and prompted whether you wish to overwrite the existing custom map.

Renaming or Deleting a Custom Interval Map

If you want to change the name of a custom interval map or decide you don't need it anymore, you can rename it and you can delete it. This is done by right clicking on it in the wizard window. You'll see options to ‘Rename...’ and ‘Delete...’ - click either one and then enter a new name, or confirm that you do want to delete the entry.

Rename/Delete options on the custom interval map items.

Replacing vs. Adding Scales

When you run the Scale Generator more than once on the same fretboard, the new notes are added on top of the existing ones rather than replacing them. If you'd like to start fresh, simply check the option "Remove any existing note markers from the fretboard" before finishing the wizard.

If you want to clear a fretboard without using the Scale Generator, select the fretboard and go to Edit > Select All Notes (also available by right-clicking on the fretboard), then press Delete.