Friday, November 7, 2025

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Fluid Chords 2 Review & Tutorial: Chord Generation VST Guide

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Introduction

Making expressive chord progressions just got easier. Fluid Chords 2 by Pitch Innovations is a game-changing MIDI plugin that lets you bend between chords in ways you’ve never experienced before. Whether you’re creating EDM, hip-hop, lo-fi, or R&B, this chord generation VST eliminates rigid chord triggers and unlocks real-time, musical harmony. This complete guide covers everything: how it works, key features, tutorial walkthrough, and why it deserves a spot in your music production arsenal.

![Music Producer Using Fluid Chords 2 for Chord Bending](attachment://Generated-image-2-7.jpg composing expressive chord progressions with Fluid Chords 2 on a modern DAW setup.*

What Is Fluid Chords 2?

Fluid Chords 2 is an intelligent MIDI-FX and standalone plugin designed for expressive chord bending. Unlike traditional chord plugins that trigger fixed voicings, Fluid Chords 2 lets you smoothly bend from one chord to another with musical intelligence—no pitch bend wheel gymnastics needed. It combines a hybrid sound engine (wavetable synth + MPE sampler) with a smart harmony generator to create progressions that feel alive and human.

Key Features That Make Fluid Chords 2 Special

Real-Time Chord Bending

Play two chords with your MIDI keyboard and Fluid Chords 2 automatically bends between them in real-time. No sustain pedal or extra hardware required—just smooth, expressive transitions.

Hybrid Sound Engine

The Fluid Sound Engine combines a powerful wavetable synth with an MPE sampler, letting you layer organic and electronic textures. Blend the two for rich, custom chord sounds that fit any genre.

Harmony Engine (Smart Chord Generator)

Select your key and musical genre (hip-hop, R&B, lo-fi, jazz, etc.), and Fluid Chords 2 generates fresh, style-appropriate chord progressions in seconds. Stop staring at blank projects—start creating.

Strum & Flow Modes

Strum mode bends notes sequentially for natural, guitar-like transitions. Flow mode gives you advanced control over voice leading, deciding whether chords resolve close together, wide apart, or musically optimal.

16 Chord Triggers (Double the Original)

Map up to 16 chords chromatically from C1 to C3 on your keyboard—no more cramped 8-chord limits. Trigger complex progressions from a single performance.

Split & Play Mode

Play melodies with your right hand while bending chords with your left. Perfect for live performance and studio flexibility.

Watching the Expert Tutorial

This official 20-minute walkthrough by Pitch Innovations covers everything from loading presets to exploring the new harmony engine and strum features. Watch this first for the complete picture.

How to Use Fluid Chords 2: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Load a Preset and Get Started

Open Fluid Chords 2 in your DAW. Load a master preset—each one pairs a chord progression with matching sounds from the Fluid Sound Engine, so you hear inspiration immediately.

Step 2: Play Your First Chords

Use your MIDI keyboard to play chord triggers. Each key from C1 to C3 holds a different chord. Play them in sequence, and watch the automatic bending happen.

Step 3: Adjust Glide Time

Control how fast or slow your chords bend using the Glide Time knob (top left). Sync to your DAW’s BPM or set fixed milliseconds—the choice is yours.

Step 4: Experiment with Strum or Flow

Switch from Fixed mode to Strum mode for sequential note bending (sounds like guitar strumming), or use Flow mode for smart, musical voice-leading.

Step 5: Generate New Progressions

Head to the Harmony Engine, pick your key and genre, and hit Generate. A fresh chord progression appears—ready to use or refine.

Pros and Cons of Fluid Chords 2

Advantages

  • ✔ Real-time chord bending transforms static progressions into living, expressive music
  • ✔ Harmony Engine instantly sparks creativity when you’re stuck
  • ✔ Hybrid sound engine lets you layer synths, samples, and external VSTs
  • ✔ Built-in reverb, delay, and compression for complete sound design
  • ✔ Works in every major DAW (Ableton, FL Studio, Logic Pro, Cubase, Reaper)
  • ✔ Affordable intro price ($49, typically $99)
  • ✔ Smart voice-leading (Flow & Strum modes) sounds natural and musical

Disadvantages

  • ❌ Learning curve—more features mean more to explore
  • ❌ Requires MIDI keyboard for best workflow
  • ❌ Stock sounds are good, but may need tweaking for some genres
  • ❌ Split & Play mode takes practice to master

Who Should Use Fluid Chords 2?

Perfect For:

  • Electronic producers (EDM, house, lo-fi, chillhop)
  • Hip-hop and R&B beat makers
  • Singer-songwriters recording chord-driven songs
  • Live performers wanting expressive, real-time harmony
  • Anyone tired of rigid, robotic chord triggers

Less Ideal For:

  • Minimal beat makers who prefer simplicity
  • Genre-specific tools over versatile generalists

External Resources & Official Links

💡 Final Thoughts

Fluid Chords 2 is more than an update—it’s a rethinking of how chord plugins should feel and inspire creativity. The real-time bending, harmony generation, and hybrid sound engine give producers a tool that grows with their skills. Whether you’re struggling to find chord progressions or want to add expressive, human-like movement to your music, Fluid Chords 2 delivers. At its intro price, it’s an investment worth making.

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