Get your solutions here!
- Chive Gherkin
- Mbn
- February 6, 2026
Table of Contents
A list of common problems, issues and difficulties musicians face. How can Music By Numbers (MBN) help?
How do I know what notes to play for a solo?
MBN allows you to visualise your instrument with colour coded scale patterns.
The chord tones tones are highlighted in light green. The root note dark green.
See the scale degree number, to appreciate the note’s order and placement within the scale.
See the note number to determine the actual pitch using MBN notation.
I’ve learnt the TAB to my favourite songs but what am I actually playing?
MBN is a realtime visualisation tool as well as a knowledge base of music theory information.
Use MBN to analyse what you have already learnt and get a deeper understanding of what you are playing.
Chord changes can be recorded into the software and timings set to synchronise with your favourite songs. Now you can see the changes and supercharge your musical vocabulary.
I know simple chords - can I find my own chords?
Use MBN to select the root (tonic) of the chord and the major/minor quality. Apply the built in filter to show the chord tones only and unlock all of the shapes and inversions across your instrument.
Move through the filter options to find extensions to the chord e.g. the seventh, ninth etc.
What does C-9, Dmaj11, Gsus4 mean?
MBN breaks down seemingly complicated topics and makes them accessible. Concise chapters demystify concepts that once may have felt out of reach.
Use the visualisation tools to ‘play’ with music theory, see the patterns and solidify your knowledge.
How do I compose my own chord progressions?
The MBN dashboard updates to show the chords of the key to guide and inspire your creativity.
Use the inbuilt recording functions to capture your ideas and the onboard MIDI functions to make music!
Pair MBN with virtual instruments and the sonic possibilities are endless.
MBN includes specific chapters that discuss the ‘Virtual Band in a Box’ (onboad MIDI) functions and there is a chapter on ‘Recording Audio’ to help you get started.
What are the Modes?
MBN allows you to visualise the 7 modes of the major scale and understand their relationships.
You can use keyboard shortcuts to navigate between them and quickly highlight the differences.
Use these features to explore new sonic landscapes and musical opportunites.
Unlock elements in your playing that you didn’t even know existed!
But music theory is complicated?
Music By Numbers has been designed to make music theory easy and accessible to all.
Self contained chapters break topics down into manageable pieces using straight forward language and examples.
Unlock the knowledge to master your understanding of music and master your instrument!
