In this assignment, you need to create a loop that utilizes an automation clip for a parameter of any channel, and a fade out on the master volume at the end. It sounds more complicated that it actually is. Here's how it works:
1. Come up with a drum pattern (you can use FPC or write one from scratch), and add the SimSynth to your step sequencer (Channels, add one, SimSynth). Note- you can use any synth plug in, but for this project, I'd like to keep everyone using the same one for simplicity in getting going.
2. While you are looking at the channel settings of the SimSynth, hover the mouse over one of the controls in the SVF (State Variable Filter- more on that in another lesson) section. If that parameter can take an automation clip, the status window (upper left corner of the screen) will show a red dot.
3. Play a note on the keyboard and turn one of the knobs in the SVF section (I used the cutoff frequency). Notice the change in sound? We can automate the motion that you are doing with your mouse using the automation function in FL Studio.
4. In the piano roll, put in a long note (the same way you did for the chop project). Then go to the drop down arrow in the upper left of the piano roll window and choose tools chop like you did in the last project. Note, you could also use the riff machine. The riff machine is a lot like the chop tool, but fancier. When you get a riff that you like, hit the accept button, close the piano roll and put the new pattern in the playlist along with your drums. you could also write something from scratch in the piano roll. It's up to you.
5. Now open up the SimSynth controls in the step sequencer and select the parameter that you were tweaking in step 3. Right click the parameter and select "Create automation clip". The clip will appear in the playlist on the top.
6. You can tweak this by right clicking on the line in the clip and creating handles so that you can change the shape of the clip. Tweak away (and be sure you are in song mode) while you are listening. Also observe that the parameter control on the SimSynth plug in will move by itself according to your clip's shape.
7. For a finishing touch, create an automation clip on the master volume control to make your loop fade out.
6. Post as usual. Here' s mine: (note, your post should be this descriptive. Notice I didn't say "Here's my loop. I hope you like it!" because that's lame.
For pattern 1 I used with the FPC set to Ambient Beat #1. I used this throughout my loop. Next I put the SymSynth through the riff machine and found a 4 bar pattern that I liked for pattern 2. I used the clone selected command and transposed the same pattern down a step for pattern 3. Finally I added a bass sound from the Sytrus, and I set it to double the first notes of the symsynth. I added the bass line to patterns 2 and 3.
For the automation, I selected the cutoff frequency parameter on the SVF section of the symsynth. I like the way it sounds when it's set really low, but I wanted the first few seconds of my pattern to be with no automation so I started the clip with the control in the middle, then dropped it at a steep curve after a few seconds. I brought it up to midway, the made it come down again but at a much softer slope.
I added a slow fade on the master volume at the end to coincide with the soft slope of the final controller tweak.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Project 2: Chop and Transpose
The chop tool can take a single note and break it up into a bunch of different pre-set patterns. Try this:
1. Select a generator that will produce a sustained pitch (not a drum) and drop it into the step sequencer.
2. Open the piano roll for that instrument (I used the slayer, channels, add one, slayer) and enter in a long note.
3. In the upper left hand corner of the piano roll window, there is a small icon that looks like a piano keyboard. Select it and from the drop down menu select tools, then chop.
4. Viola! Your note has been chopped into segments. Click on the check mark to accept the changes to your note and give it a listen.
5. So you're not impressed. Fine. Go to the piano roll window again and repeat step 3 (or use the keyboard shortcut Alt u) and select a different pattern from the pattern folder. There are hundreds to choose from. From this window you can also dial the time mul controller to change the population of notes in your window.
The same pattern played over and over again can cause brain damage if you're not careful. Beware of monotony. :-) To add some variation, transpose your pattern like this:
1. In the step sequencer, select the channel with the loop you wish to transpose, and copy it (Right click the channel name, Edit, Copy).
2. Select an empty pattern in the step sequencer, and edit, paste.
3. Now you have the exact same musical pattern in two separate step sequencer patterns.
4. Open the piano roll in one of them, and from the keyboard icon, choose edit, transpose (up or down- doesn't matter) or use the keyboard shortcut- shift, arrow keys.
Your assignment is to create a loop that utilizes the chop tool and the transpose function. form is up to you, but it must be organized in some way- be sure to mention the form in your post.
You will be assessed on your:
1. Use of the chop tool
2. Use of the transpose function
3. Use of drums and bass
4. Descriptive post (see sample post below).
Here's my example and sample post:
I started out with my favorite drum sounds from the RealDrumKits tab in the browser and wrote an up tempo rock beat. Then I added the slayer plug in and cranked up the distortion (double coil pickup setting too) . The chop tool gave me this pattern (trance 6) and I went with it. I added some effect (chorus on the slayer) and that gave me the main riff.
I used the chop tool again on a bass sound (also in the slayer plug in), and found that the two rhythms fit together nicely.
I used the transpose function to change the pitch of the bass and guitar sounds to create an 8 measure pattern, and then layered a melody on top of that pattern with a piano sound (I'm not sure if I really like the piano sound, but I do like the melody).
The for has a 2 measure introduction followed by a statement of the transposed 8 measure sequence in the bass, drums and guitar. That section repeats, but on the repeat, the piano comes in. Then there's an interlude where I used the chop tool again on one note (F), but I wasn't totally happy with the pattern it gave me, so I edited it a little in the piano roll and made the last two hits long. There is a drum breakdown section too. It's all FPC stuff. The song ends with a fade out on the original chop pattern.
1. Select a generator that will produce a sustained pitch (not a drum) and drop it into the step sequencer.
2. Open the piano roll for that instrument (I used the slayer, channels, add one, slayer) and enter in a long note.
3. In the upper left hand corner of the piano roll window, there is a small icon that looks like a piano keyboard. Select it and from the drop down menu select tools, then chop.
4. Viola! Your note has been chopped into segments. Click on the check mark to accept the changes to your note and give it a listen.
5. So you're not impressed. Fine. Go to the piano roll window again and repeat step 3 (or use the keyboard shortcut Alt u) and select a different pattern from the pattern folder. There are hundreds to choose from. From this window you can also dial the time mul controller to change the population of notes in your window.
The same pattern played over and over again can cause brain damage if you're not careful. Beware of monotony. :-) To add some variation, transpose your pattern like this:
1. In the step sequencer, select the channel with the loop you wish to transpose, and copy it (Right click the channel name, Edit, Copy).
2. Select an empty pattern in the step sequencer, and edit, paste.
3. Now you have the exact same musical pattern in two separate step sequencer patterns.
4. Open the piano roll in one of them, and from the keyboard icon, choose edit, transpose (up or down- doesn't matter) or use the keyboard shortcut- shift, arrow keys.
Your assignment is to create a loop that utilizes the chop tool and the transpose function. form is up to you, but it must be organized in some way- be sure to mention the form in your post.
You will be assessed on your:
1. Use of the chop tool
2. Use of the transpose function
3. Use of drums and bass
4. Descriptive post (see sample post below).
Here's my example and sample post:
I started out with my favorite drum sounds from the RealDrumKits tab in the browser and wrote an up tempo rock beat. Then I added the slayer plug in and cranked up the distortion (double coil pickup setting too) . The chop tool gave me this pattern (trance 6) and I went with it. I added some effect (chorus on the slayer) and that gave me the main riff.
I used the chop tool again on a bass sound (also in the slayer plug in), and found that the two rhythms fit together nicely.
I used the transpose function to change the pitch of the bass and guitar sounds to create an 8 measure pattern, and then layered a melody on top of that pattern with a piano sound (I'm not sure if I really like the piano sound, but I do like the melody).
The for has a 2 measure introduction followed by a statement of the transposed 8 measure sequence in the bass, drums and guitar. That section repeats, but on the repeat, the piano comes in. Then there's an interlude where I used the chop tool again on one note (F), but I wasn't totally happy with the pattern it gave me, so I edited it a little in the piano roll and made the last two hits long. There is a drum breakdown section too. It's all FPC stuff. The song ends with a fade out on the original chop pattern.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Project 1
Your first assignment is to create two different drum loops in the step sequencer, and separate them with drum fills. In class, we discussed what constituted a "good" drum pattern, and what constitutes a "good" drum fill. Keep your repeated patterns simple, and save the flashy/ busy stuff for the drum fills.
Use different sounds from the browser in your patterns and don't forget to use the graph editor, panning and volume controls for each sound in your final mix. Once you have rendered your file to MP3, upload it to your blog and write your post.
This is a sample description of what I'm looking for in your post and embedded file:
I was inspired by the sounds of ZZ top, Justin Timberlake and Madonna. I have always been a fan of their music, and I guess it pours out of me easily. Anyway, I started with a straight four bass drum pattern with the snare on 2 and 4 and an eighth note pattern on the hi hat (al la "Legs" by ZZ Top). All of the sounds I used came right out of the FPC section of the browser. The A section morphed into something a little more syncopated in the B section where I used the ride cymbal instead of the hi hat and included two toms in the pattern. I was trying to make the B section strongly contrast to the simplicity of the A section by mixing up the rhythms with the toms. the ride cymbal has a darker color to it than the hi hat, so I figured it would contrast as well. Enjoy!
When you have finished your post, you need to go to the comments section of at least two other members of the class and leave a comment. Click on the comments section of this post to see the sample comments I left about my piece.
By the way, this guy is a pro and uses the same tools you have to create something very high quality. check it out and be prepared to be humbled:
http://vimeo.com/2864302
Use different sounds from the browser in your patterns and don't forget to use the graph editor, panning and volume controls for each sound in your final mix. Once you have rendered your file to MP3, upload it to your blog and write your post.
This is a sample description of what I'm looking for in your post and embedded file:
I was inspired by the sounds of ZZ top, Justin Timberlake and Madonna. I have always been a fan of their music, and I guess it pours out of me easily. Anyway, I started with a straight four bass drum pattern with the snare on 2 and 4 and an eighth note pattern on the hi hat (al la "Legs" by ZZ Top). All of the sounds I used came right out of the FPC section of the browser. The A section morphed into something a little more syncopated in the B section where I used the ride cymbal instead of the hi hat and included two toms in the pattern. I was trying to make the B section strongly contrast to the simplicity of the A section by mixing up the rhythms with the toms. the ride cymbal has a darker color to it than the hi hat, so I figured it would contrast as well. Enjoy!
When you have finished your post, you need to go to the comments section of at least two other members of the class and leave a comment. Click on the comments section of this post to see the sample comments I left about my piece.
By the way, this guy is a pro and uses the same tools you have to create something very high quality. check it out and be prepared to be humbled:
http://vimeo.com/2864302
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