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 🎸

Opening the Scale Generator wizard

There are four ways to open the Scale Generator wizard when a fretboard is selected:

1. By clicking on the Scale Generator icon on the application toolbar		2. By using the keyboard shortcut	ALT+SHIFT+G (Windows) ⌥+⇧+G (Mac)
3. By clicking on the Scale Generator option under the Edit menu on the main menu		4. By clicking on the Scale Generator option on the context menu

Using the Scale Generator

The first page of the Scale Generator wizard looks like this 👇:

The Scale Generator wizard.

Here you can select which scale/arpeggio you want to add to your fretboard. You can type in text into the filter text field which will update the list to show only those entries that contain the text you entered. When you select an item, the "interval map" updates to show you a representation of the scale.

The Scale Generator wizard with filter text and a selected scale, with interval map.

Controlling Note Positioning

Once you've chosen your desired scale/arpeggio, press the Next button to show the Position page, which allows you to control where notes will be placed on the fretboard:

The Position page of the Scale Generator wizard allows you can define where you want the notes to be placed.

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.