Captain Plugins Wiki

How to create chords

Build triads, hear the differences and turn a few chords into a progression.

Types of chords: the basics

Learn the difference between major, minor, diminished and augmented chords, then see what sevenths and suspended notes add.

Minor chords explained

Build a minor chord from any root, understand how it fits a key, and use inversions to connect it to the next chord.

Power chords: roots, fifths and rhythm

Learn why power chords leave out the third, how to build them on guitar or keys, and where they fit in a production.

MIDI chords: write, edit and export

Turn a chord idea into editable MIDI. Work on the notes, voicing, timing and instrument without rebuilding the whole progression.

Chord charts explained

Read chord symbols, find the notes, and turn a chart into a part that fits your song.

How to compose with seventh chords

Hear the difference between major, dominant and minor sevenths, then use them without overcrowding your progression.

How to compose with suspended chords

Replace the third with a second or fourth, hear the tension, and decide whether to resolve it or leave it open.

How to compose with diminished chords

Build diminished triads and sevenths, then use their moving notes to connect chords more deliberately.

How to compose with augmented chords

Raise the fifth of a major triad and use that chromatic movement to connect one harmony to the next.

How chord progressions work

Understand keys, chord roles and voice leading, then use rhythm and repetition to shape a progression into a song.

Chord progressions to start a song

Compare useful major and minor progressions, choose one for your idea, and make it your own through melody, rhythm and voicing.

Minor chord progressions that you can build on

Map the chords in a minor key, compare natural and harmonic minor, and give a loop a clearer sense of direction.

How to use chord substitutions

Replace a chord with a useful alternative while keeping the melody, bass and direction of the phrase in view.

Five ways to develop a chord progression

Keep the musical idea that works, then improve its rhythm, movement and colour one decision at a time.

C major chord: notes, inversions and progressions

Learn the notes in C major, compare its inversions, and hear a progression you can build on in your DAW.

C minor chord: notes, inversions and progressions

Learn the notes in C minor, compare its inversions, and hear a progression you can build on in your DAW.

D major chord: notes, inversions and progressions

Learn the notes in D major, compare its inversions, and hear a progression you can build on in your DAW.

D minor chord: notes, inversions and progressions

Learn the notes in D minor, compare its inversions, and hear a progression you can build on in your DAW.

E major chord: notes, inversions and progressions

Learn the notes in E major, compare its inversions, and hear a progression you can build on in your DAW.

F major chord: notes, inversions and progressions

Learn the notes in F major, compare its inversions, and hear a progression you can build on in your DAW.

F minor chord: notes, inversions and progressions

Learn the notes in F minor, compare its inversions, and hear a progression you can build on in your DAW.

G major chord: notes, inversions and progressions

Learn the notes in G major, compare its inversions, and hear a progression you can build on in your DAW.

G minor chord: notes, inversions and progressions

Learn the notes in G minor, compare its inversions, and hear a progression you can build on in your DAW.

A major chord: notes, inversions and progressions

Learn the notes in A major, compare its inversions, and hear a progression you can build on in your DAW.

A minor chord: notes, inversions and progressions

Learn the notes in A minor, compare its inversions, and hear a progression you can build on in your DAW.

B major chord: notes, inversions and progressions

Learn the notes in B major, compare its inversions, and hear a progression you can build on in your DAW.

B minor chord: notes, inversions and progressions

Learn the notes in B minor, compare its inversions, and hear a progression you can build on in your DAW.

B♭ major chord: notes, inversions and progressions

Learn the notes in B♭ major, compare its inversions, and hear a progression you can build on in your DAW.

B♭ minor chord: notes, inversions and progressions

Learn the notes in B♭ minor, compare its inversions, and hear a progression you can build on in your DAW.

Musical modes: the seven diatonic scales

Compare all seven modes from the same root. Learn the intervals that distinguish Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian and the other modes.

How to write music with modes

Use a tonal centre, a characteristic note and a small chord loop to make a mode audible in a track.

Modulation in music: how to change key

Learn direct and pivot-chord modulations, distinguish a key change from a brief tonicization, and plan a transition that fits your song.

Counterpoint: writing two musical lines together

Build a second line that works with your melody. Learn motion, note placement and the difference between free and species counterpoint.

How to transpose notes, chords and a song

Move music to another key without losing its intervals. Check MIDI, audio, vocal range and the difference between transposition and changing a scale.

Melody vs. harmony: what each part does

Learn to hear a tune and its harmonic setting separately, then use both when writing chords, bass and a lead.

Cadences: how a musical phrase ends

Compare authentic, plagal, half and deceptive cadences, with chord examples and clear explanations of the terminology.

House music chords: voicings, stabs and groove

Build a house chord part with triads, sevenths and ninths, then shape its rhythm around the bass and drums.

Chord progressions: a beginner’s practical guide

Learn what a progression is, read chord symbols and Roman numerals, and build a first loop with a clear rhythm.

Common pop chord progressions to try

Compare five familiar pop progression patterns, transpose them to a useful key, and develop them around your own melody.

Trap chord progressions: write around the 808

Build a focused chord loop, leave space for vocals and 808s, and use tension without overcrowding the beat.

Writing better chords: voicing, space and context

Improve an existing chord part by choosing its job, sharing notes across instruments, and using extensions where they help.

How to write a chord progression from scratch

Build a progression around a musical idea, test its loop boundary, and develop a second phrase without losing the first one.

How to use arpeggios in a track

Turn chords into rhythmic patterns, choose note order and gate length, and make an arp follow the harmony without crowding the lead.

Easy chord substitutions: three changes to try

Replace one chord at a time using shared notes, a secondary dominant or a borrowed minor chord. Check each change against the melody.

Hip-hop chord progressions: loops that leave room

Compare one-, two- and four-chord ideas, build a clear bass relationship, and develop the loop around the vocal.

Chord progressions for a love song

Choose harmony that supports your melody and words. Compare major and minor starting points, then shape the rhythm and voicing.

EDM chord progressions: build a loop for your track

Choose a useful major or minor progression, shape its rhythm for the arrangement, and make space for the lead and bass.

How to write a melody over chords

Choose strong target notes, connect them with passing notes, and shape a phrase that follows the harmony without tracing every root.

Music composition techniques: five ways to start

Start with chords, melody, rhythm, bass or a sample, then turn a small idea into a phrase and a workable arrangement.

Melody writing: turn a motif into a phrase

Write a short motif, develop it into a phrase and check how the melody works with your chords, rhythm and sound.

Write a melody with Captain Melody

Use Captain Melody to develop a phrase, shape its rhythm and edit the notes while keeping the parts you already like.

How to write a melody: a beginner’s guide

Build your first melody from a small note set, a simple rhythm and a clear phrase ending. Follow the exercise in any piano roll.

808 drums: shape the kick, bass and rhythm

Build an 808-based drum part with clear tuning, controlled decay and space between the kick, bass and percussion.

Give your melody a beginning, middle and ending

Use repetition, register, tension and silence to give a melody direction across a phrase and through the arrangement.

How to arrange a dance music track

Turn a loop into a dance track with clear phrases, transitions and changes in energy that suit the way it will be played.

Choose sounds that support your melody

Compare attack, sustain, register and texture to choose a sound that makes the rhythm and shape of your melody clear.

How to write a vocal melody

Write a singable vocal line with natural word stress, a workable range and space to breathe between phrases.

10 practical tips for new music producers

Build a manageable production routine: learn your DAW, finish small projects, compare references and organize the work you want to keep.

How to prepare a mix for mastering

Export a clean premaster with clear version names, complete tails and delivery settings agreed with your mastering engineer.

10 ways to improve your music production workflow

Reduce setup time, organize decisions and move from a promising loop to a finished arrangement with fewer distractions.

What a melody does in a song

Understand how melody, harmony and rhythm work together, and decide which musical part should lead your arrangement.

Five steps to shape a kick drum

Choose a kick for the track, shape its attack and tail, and check how it works with the bass before adding more processing.

Improve a melody with shape, space and repetition

Edit a melody that already exists: simplify its contour, strengthen the rhythm and make its most important moment easier to hear.

Songwriting basics: build and finish a song

Bring lyrics, melody, chords and structure together, then edit the song around the idea you want listeners to remember.

Get past creative block in a music project

Identify what is stuck, set a small constraint and turn an unfinished idea into a concrete next step.

Improve a bassline: rhythm, movement and space

Develop a bassline with chord tones, passing notes and controlled note lengths while keeping the kick and main hook clear.

Five common EQ mistakes and how to fix them

Avoid automatic cuts, misleading solo decisions and louder-is-better comparisons when equalizing a mix.

Five practical checks when mastering your own track

Prepare a self-mastering pass with fresh listening, useful references and careful checks of tone, dynamics and the exported file.

Mixing vs. mastering: what each stage does

Understand the difference between balancing individual tracks and preparing the finished mix for release.

10 practical EQ techniques for a clearer mix

Use EQ to solve specific tonal problems, create space between parts and make fair comparisons in the full mix.

Melody tension and resolution: guide the listener

Use stable notes, passing tones and phrase endings to make a melody’s tension and direction easier to hear.

How to arrange a track from a loop

Build a full arrangement by assigning section roles, choosing contrasts and checking how each transition leads to the next.

How to write a hook people can remember

Build a clear hook from a small musical idea, then use repetition and one distinctive detail to make it easy to recognize.

Mix kick and bass with clearer low end

Balance kick and bass through sound choice, note length, arrangement and targeted processing, then check the result across playback systems.

How to start making electronic music

Set up a small production system, make a first drum-and-bass loop and turn it into a short finished track.

Three useful applications of multiband compression

Control uneven bass, occasional harshness and competing frequency ranges without compressing every part of the sound equally.

10 ways to improve a drum part

Refine an existing beat with better sound roles, purposeful accents, controlled tails and variations that support the phrase.

What makes a song work? A practical writing checklist

Evaluate a song through its central idea, phrasing, contrast and delivery without reducing every style to the same formula.

Use repetition to develop a melody

Keep a melody recognizable while changing its harmony, rhythm, ending or arrangement across the track.

Find new ideas through focused production experiments

Experiment with rhythm, sound and writing methods while keeping enough structure to develop the result into a track.

How and when to use reverb

Choose a space, set its timing and balance the wet signal so reverb supports the track without hiding the performance.

Seven creative reverb techniques to try

Turn reverb into a rhythmic or textural part using gating, reversing, ducking, pitch changes and resampling.

How to program drums in your DAW

Build a drum pattern from its pulse and backbeat, then add hats, accents and a phrase-ending variation.

Five sound-design techniques using your DAW

Develop sounds through envelope edits, resampling, modulation, transient layering and parallel effects.

Eight common reverb mistakes to check

Find the routing, timing and tonal choices that can make reverb obscure a mix, then adjust the wet signal with a clear goal.

10 steps for a more focused mixdown

Work through a mix in a clear order, from session cleanup and static balance to automation, references and final export checks.

Write unusual melodies that still have a clear shape

Explore unexpected notes, leaps and phrase lengths while keeping a recognizable rhythm or motif for the listener to follow.

Build a practical routine for improving as a producer

Use focused practice, finished projects and specific feedback to turn production sessions into skills you can repeat.

Five more ways to build sounds from existing material

Create new instruments and textures from short recordings, pitched layers, rhythmic edits and printed effect tails.

Vocal production: from recording to a finished part

Record a clear performance, organize takes and shape the vocal with editing, dynamics and effects that support the song.

Songwriting prompts that lead to a usable idea

Start from an observation, rhythm, chord movement or sound, then capture a small idea before judging the whole song.

Multiband compression: what it does and when to use it

Understand bands, crossovers and dynamics controls, then decide whether multiband processing is the right tool for the problem.

Seven ways to use sidechain compression deliberately

Use an external trigger to create space or rhythmic movement, then adjust the timing and frequency focus to suit the track.

How to write a bassline around your chords

Build a bassline from chord roots, find a rhythm with the kick and add movement without losing the low-end foundation.

Melody generators: create an idea, then shape the phrase

Use a melody generator as a writing partner: set the musical context, keep useful notes and edit the result into a deliberate phrase.

G major: notes, chords and songwriting examples

Learn the G major scale, its seven diatonic chords and practical ways to write a progression that makes G sound like home.

F minor: scale, chords and useful progressions

Build progressions in F minor, understand its relationship to A-flat major and hear why C major or C7 can lead back to F minor.

A minor: notes, chords and how to use them

Write in A minor with the natural-minor chords, then compare E minor and E7 to hear two different ways of returning to A.

C major: scale, chords and songwriting basics

Use C major to understand diatonic chords, tonic and dominant movement, then turn a simple progression into a short musical phrase.

Creating a DJ mix: plan, transition and record

Plan a DJ mix around phrasing, energy and compatible keys, then record and review the transitions in context.

How to make lofi hip-hop: chords, drums and texture

Build a lofi hip-hop beat with voiced chords, a relaxed drum pocket, simple bass and texture that leaves the musical parts clear.

Make a trap beat: melody, 808 and drum space

Build a trap beat around a short melodic idea, a tuned 808 and deliberate drum spacing. Hear the parts separately and in context.

Selling beats: prepare a clear offer and reliable delivery

Prepare beats for sale with a focused catalogue, clear licensing options, useful previews and an organized delivery process.

How to sell beats online: build a usable catalogue

Build an online beat catalogue with clear previews, searchable information, dependable files and a buying process you have checked yourself.

10 ways music producers can offer useful work

Compare ten practical services and products a music producer can offer, from production and editing to lessons, sample packs and custom music.

Music composition tools: choose the next musical step

Choose composition tools for chords, melody, bass and rhythm, then turn the results into an arrangement you can edit in your DAW.

MIDI plugins: notes, instruments and routing explained

Understand what a MIDI plugin does, how it differs from an instrument or audio effect, and how to get its notes into your DAW.

Make an indie dance track with Captain Chords

Build an indie dance sketch with rhythmic chords, a bass line that answers the groove and an arrangement with room for a vocal or lead.

Logic Pro plugins: instruments, MIDI FX and audio effects

Understand Logic Pro’s plugin slots, use its included instruments and effects, and install compatible Audio Units without confusing MIDI and audio.

How to make a hip-hop beat: groove and space

Make a hip-hop beat with a clear drum pocket, a focused musical loop and a bass line that leaves room for the vocal.

Choose a DAW: six questions to test with a real project

Choose a DAW by testing your recording, editing, MIDI, collaboration and export needs in a small project on your own computer.

How to remix a song: build around a recognizable idea

Plan a remix around a vocal or musical hook, check timing and harmony, then build an arrangement that gives the original idea a new setting.

Sample sourcing: find useful sounds and keep them organized

Find samples for a specific musical role, check their timing and tuning, keep license records and build a library you can use while writing.

How to use MIDI effects in Ableton Live

Use Ableton Live’s MIDI effects to turn a held chord into a pattern, shape note lengths and capture the result for editing.

Key detection plugins: check samples inside your DAW

Use key detection inside your DAW, distinguish a sample’s pitch from a musical key, and confirm the result against the track.

Find a key in Logic Pro: pitch, notes and tonal context

Find useful key information in Logic Pro with pitch inspection, dedicated audio analysis and a listening check against the music.

Beat-making tools: build a small working setup

Choose a practical beat-making setup for drums, samples, bass and chords, then use it to finish an arrangement in your DAW.

Choose VST plugins by the job you need to do

Choose plugins for composition, synthesis and mixing with a practical test: the right format, a useful sound and a workflow you can repeat.

Plugins for Logic Pro: cover the essential jobs first

Build a useful Logic Pro plugin set around instruments, harmony, sampling and mixing, then add specialist tools only where they improve your work.

How to make drum and bass: drums, bass and arrangement

Build a drum-and-bass sketch with a clear two-step rhythm, controlled sub bass and melodic parts that leave room for the groove.

Free software instruments: three synths worth learning

Explore Surge XT, Vital Basic and Dexed as free instrument options, then choose one by synthesis approach and practical workflow.

Beat-making equipment: what you need to start

Build a beat-making setup around your computer, DAW and listening needs, then add controllers, recording inputs or monitors for a clear reason.

How to use MIDI FX in Logic Pro

Use Logic Pro MIDI FX to trigger chords, create arpeggios and capture the processed notes so you can edit the final phrase.

C minor: chord notes, key and progressions

Learn the C-minor chord, the notes of its key and practical progressions you can play, arrange and develop in your DAW.

Plugins for Ableton Live: build a useful toolkit

Choose plugins for Ableton Live by the job they solve: writing, instruments, mixing and collaboration. Start with the tools already in your edition.

How to learn electronic music production

Build a practical learning plan using your DAW manual, focused lessons, listening exercises and small projects you can finish.

How to prepare music for streaming services

Prepare the audio, credits, artwork and release information a distributor needs, then check that the delivered release appears correctly.

VST instruments: choose the sounds your tracks need

Build a practical instrument collection for bass, chords, melody and texture. Compare sound design, preset browsing and project demands.

Free VST effects: a focused mixing toolkit

Use free effects for clear mixing jobs: dynamic EQ, space and creative movement. Learn what to test before adding them to a project.

B♭ major: notes, chords and songwriting ideas

Play the B♭-major scale, build its seven chords and use practical voicings to turn a progression into a song section.

Build a driving techno arrangement with Captain Plugins

Build a techno loop around a steady kick, controlled low end and a short musical idea, then develop it through arrangement and automation.

F major: scale notes, chords and progressions

Learn the notes and chords of F major, then try a progression, a simple melody and smoother keyboard voicings.

A major: notes, chords and practical progressions

Build the A-major chord and scale, learn the diatonic chords and try progressions with clear bass and melody movement.

G minor: scale, chords and harmonic choices

Learn G-minor notes and chords, compare natural and harmonic minor, and build progressions with a clear return to G.

10 practical tips for music collaboration

Keep a collaboration moving with a clear brief, compatible files, useful feedback and an agreed route from the first loop to the final version.

How to choose a DAW for your music

Compare DAWs by the work you need to do: recording, beat programming, arrangement, performance and collaboration.

How to promote a release with a practical plan

Build a manageable promotion plan around a finished release, clear links, useful stories and direct feedback from listeners.

10 chord progressions to try in your songs

Try ten useful major and minor progressions, then change their rhythm, voicing and melody to make the musical idea your own.

Choose effects plugins by the mixing job

Compare EQ, compression, saturation and spatial effects by what your track needs, then evaluate the result at matched loudness.

Compare software instruments before you buy

Test a software instrument with your own phrases, arrangements and computer setup before adding it to your production toolkit.

Tools for remote music collaboration

Choose a collaboration setup for project exchange, audio and MIDI sharing, listening sessions and clear version control.

Five useful benefits of online music collaboration

Use remote collaboration to gain new musical perspectives, share specialist skills and finish projects with a clear working process.

Collaborate in Ableton Live without missing files

Prepare an Ableton Live project for another producer using collected files, aligned audio, MIDI and a clear reference mix.

Share audio and MIDI with Satellite Plugins

Use Satellite to exchange musical parts from your DAW, while keeping the project timing, reference mix and collaboration roles clear.

Prepare a Logic Pro project for collaboration

Share a Logic Pro project with the right assets, or export aligned audio and MIDI for collaborators working in another DAW.

Collaborate in FL Studio with reliable file handoffs

Prepare FL Studio projects, aligned audio and MIDI for collaborators, and use Satellite where in-DAW exchange suits the session.

Share a Studio One song with collaborators

Prepare a Studio One handoff using a reference mix, complete media, aligned audio and a clear description of the next musical task.

How to start and finish a producer collaboration

Choose a useful collaborator, agree a small first project and move from the initial idea to a checked final handoff.

Rod Wave type beat: melodic space and strong drums

Build an original melodic rap beat with a clear piano or guitar idea, supportive bass and enough space for an expressive vocal.

Polo G type beat: write a clear melodic foundation

Create an original melodic rap instrumental using a focused piano or guitar phrase, restrained harmony and drums that leave room for the vocal.

Gunna type beat: build a relaxed rhythmic pocket

Write an original melodic trap beat with a light plucked phrase, an active bass relationship and space for flowing vocal lines.

Trippie Redd type beat: balance bright synths and bass

Build an original synth-led rap beat with a strong upper melody, controlled distortion and enough space for a vocal.

Fivio Foreign type beat: drill rhythm and bass movement

Build an original drill-influenced beat with syncopated percussion, a controlled sliding bass and a restrained melodic loop.

Lil Baby type beat: melodic trap with a clear pocket

Build an original melodic trap beat with a focused instrumental phrase, clear bass movement and space for a flowing rap vocal.

Travis Scott type beat: atmosphere and arrangement contrast

Create an original atmospheric rap instrumental using a restrained motif, controlled effects and deliberate changes between sections.

NBA YoungBoy type beat: balance melody and direct drums

Build an original rap instrumental with a focused melodic loop, direct drum accents and contrasting space for sung and rhythmic phrases.

Migos type beat: leave room for triplet phrasing

Create an original trap groove with a sparse motif, clear bass accents and room for triplet-based vocal rhythms.

DaBaby type beat: write a short, bouncy motif

Build an original rap beat around a compact melodic hook, short bass notes and clear spaces in the drum pattern.

Nardo Wick type beat: tension through space and texture

Build an original sparse trap instrumental using a restrained motif, controlled dissonance and a strong low-end pattern.

Future type beat: hypnotic loops and controlled 808s

Build an original trap instrumental with a repeating atmospheric idea, a clear bass pattern and space for a melodic vocal.

Pop Smoke type beat: drill groove and low-end control

Create an original drill-influenced instrumental with a restrained melodic loop, syncopated drums and purposeful bass slides.

21 Savage type beat: make a sparse loop feel deliberate

Build an original minimal trap instrumental with a memorable motif, controlled low end and carefully placed gaps.

Juice WRLD type beat: melodic loops and vocal space

Build an original melodic rap instrumental with a clear guitar or keyboard phrase, supportive drums and room for a sung hook.

Study the Stranger Things theme’s synth techniques

Explore repeating arpeggios, filter movement and layered synth arrangement with an original exercise inspired by retro soundtrack production.

What great musical collaborations can teach producers

Study memorable collaborations for practical lessons in shared grooves, contrasting voices and arrangement, then apply those ideas to your own music.

Make an R&B and hip-hop sketch with Captain Plugins

Build a chord-led R&B and hip-hop idea with close voicings, a supportive bass line and a drum groove that leaves room for a vocal.

Plugins for FL Studio: choose a useful writing toolkit

Choose FL Studio plugins by the musical task they solve, from chord writing and bass design to mixing and project exchange.

Write chord progressions in Logic Pro with Captain Chords

Use Captain Chords to explore harmony for a Logic Pro project, then edit the voicing, rhythm and relationship to your melody or vocal.

Find a sample’s key in Ableton Live

Understand the difference between pitch and key, use Ableton’s Tuner for suitable single-note material and check an analysis result against your music.