Independent Creative Project 2 - with MIDI drums

Your next assignment is to complete an Independent Creative Project that fulfills the following basic criteria:

1. Uses your own MIDI drum beat including minimum 3 drum sounds (bass, snare, cymbal)
2. Minimum Length 32 bars
3. Uses a variety of textures (i.e. not every instrument plays at the same time, all of the time.)
4. Uses a Master Effect of "Compressor" to give it a polished sound. 
5. All levels are balanced and no sounds go into the RED and distort.
6. All tracks are labeled.
7. Mixdown to MP3 and submit an MP3 and Mixcraft file to the folder Independent Creative Project 2.
8. Due: Wed. Dec 10. 

You may create your own song using Loops from the Library, your own MIDI creations, samples from other songs, audio recordings, and anything you can think of. 

MIDI Drumbeats assignment

We will be using a handout to complete the MIDI drumbeat assignment where we will use the MIDI keyboard to record the sounds of a drum kit playing a variety of styles of drum beats.

Objectives:

• To learn to read rhythms and understand beat division
• To learn to count and play rhythms accurately
• To learn the MIDI drum map
• To learn to record multiple parts in one MIDI track
• To learn to label recording regions

Instructions:

1. Practice reading rhythms and clapping together as a class. 
2. Use the Drumbeats Assignment handout and read instructions. 
3. Make sure each of your recorded rhythms are two bars long and follow each other in the same Virtual Instrument track.
4. Label each two bar "region" with the name of the drum beat from the handout.

Final Project should sound like this.

Learning to Play the Piano Keyboard

We will be learning to play the Piano Keyboards by using our MIDI keyboards, Mixcraft, and online resources.

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO HAND THIS IN!

Objectives:

• Learn left and right hand note reading and playing on MIDI keyboards
• Learn to set-up a MIDI keyboard and choose sounds in Mixcraft
• Learn to use the Metronome while practicing and recording.
• Learn to Arm a track and record MIDI 

Your final project should sound like this.

Steps:

Setting Up MIDI

1. Open up a new Virtual Instrument Project in Mixcraft and call it "Piano Practice 1"
2. Plug in your MIDI keyboard through USB
3. Choose the first Virtual Instrument Track and click on the Keyboard symbol.  Choose a keyboard or Piano sound from the selection of MIDI instruments. Click "Musical Typing" to try the sounds out before you settle on one.  Then close the musical typing window and the MIDI selection window.
4. On the Virtual Instrument Track, click the ARM button to prepare the track for recording.  Beside the Arm button is a downward arrow.  Click it to make sure the if Acorn 25 is selected as the input source. 
5. Now that your track is Armed, you should be able to hear your MIDI keyboard when you play the keys.
6. Try recording some sounds and playing them back AFTER turning the ARM button off.
7. Turn on the Metronome to 75bpm and try to play some notes at that speed.  Choose 2 Bars of count in measures in the metronome dialog box.  

Practicing Piano

1. Click on Exercise Page each link below and read and practice the piano music on each page.  
2. Record the pages with the word "Record" beside them.  Record all songs on the same project, but use different Tracks. Use the metronome when you record.
3. Don't worry about perfection, this is just an exercise for practice.  Listen to your recordings and play them for a classmate to get feedback.  Do not quantize for this assignment.
4. Place each of the three songs in their own Virtual Instrument Track, and start each where the last finished.  For instance, Ode to Joy ends at the end of bar 8, and Aura lee should start in Bar 9. 
5. Name your file "Piano Practice 1 Your Name" and submit it for completion marks.

Exercise Pages

1. Right Hand C Position Introduction

2. Right Hand C Position - Ode to Joy *Record

3. Left Hand C Position Introduction

4. Left Hand C Position-Aura Lee *Record

5. Grand Staff Introduction

6. Melodic Intervals 2nds and 3rds

7. Melodic Intervals 4ths and 5ths - Good King Wenceslas *Record

EXTENSION Activity: If you finish the above activity early, add 2 or three tracks of Loops that complement the songs in the KEY OF C! 

ADVANCED PLAYERS: If you have piano training, record this piece with left and right hands together.  If you do this and find it simple, please ask Ms. Moynihan for some extra challenge work. 

Challenge Piece

Cockles and Mussels *Record (Change your Time Signature to 3/4 time first!)
Extension Activity: Find drum or rhythm tracks in a 3/4 time signature and add it to your recording. 

Orchestral Compositions in Mixcraft

Tomorrow, the class will be seeing the Toronto Symphony Orchestra perform at Roy Thomson Hall. Grade 10s: Depart from the Rotunda at 9:45AM - Bring TTC Fare
Grade11/12s: Meet at Roy Thomson Hall at 10:30PM - Please travel with a buddy.
Click HERE for a map and instructions on TTC

Today, we will be learning about the Instruments of the Orchestra and composing a short composition using Orchestral Loops in Mixcraft.

Preparation:
Open this website from the San Francisco Symphony to learn the Instrument Families in the Orchestra: Strings, Woodwinds, Brass and Percussion and the seating arrangement for each instrument.

Orchestral Composition Project
Due: At the end of class Thursday, Nov. 6.

Objectives:

• Learn the instruments of the Orchestra
• Learn to use loops in Mixcraft 6
• Use a variety of TEXTURES in your composition. 
• Use Pan to represent the Seating Arrangement of the Orchestra
• Learn to use Master Effects to represent an Orchestra performing in a concert hall.

1. Open Mixcraft 6 and start a New Project
2. Name your project "Orchestral Composition Project" and select Build Loop and Beat Matched Music
3. Open the Library tab at the bottom of the screen and Sort By: Style
4. Select Orchestral from the list below.  On the right, you will have a selection of loops of instruments of the orchestra.  You can "Audition" the sounds by clicking the green play triangle or drag them into your Audio Tracks.
5. Create a composition using each of the following instruments at least once each.
1. Strings: Violins, Viola, Cello, Bass, Harp
2. Woodwind: Flute
3. Brass: Trumpet, French Horn
4. Percussion: Snare, Bass Drum, Cymbal
6. Your piece must be a minimum of 32 bars long but has no maximum length.  
7. TIP: In an orchestra, the strings play most of the time, while the woodwinds and brass play a little less and the percussion play the least.  Not everyone can play at the same time, ALL the time.  Consider using a variety of TEXTURES to create interest. 
8. Balance all your tracks volumes or automate volume. 
9. Pan your tracks to represent the seating arrangement of the orchestra found on the website above.  i.e. Violins on the left, Bass on the right, etc.
10. Under the Project tab, click on Master Effect : Select an Effect.  Listen to each effect and choose one that makes the piece sound like it is being played in a large concert hall.  
11. Complete the Checklist. 
12. Submit a .mx6 file to the Orchestral Composition Project Folder.  Ensure your name is in the title. 

Video Tutorials are available for Using Loops and Using Effects

Project 4: Building Textures and Layers

You will create a composition in Soundation that demonstrates your understanding of building texture in music.

Objectives:

• To understand the concepts of layers and texture in music
• To use layering of sounds to build tension and excitement in your composition
• Use your critical listening skills to identify the best order of instrument entrances in your composition
• Balance track volume using automation and use pan for final mixdown stereo effect

Process:

1. Use loops from the library that are all part of one folder (i.e. 95BPM).  This will ensure that all choices will be pitch matched correctly. You may use sounds from multiple folders if you ensure they match correctly.
2. When choosing melodic instrument (not drums or beats) use instruments that are in the same musical key. i.e. SynthArp C and AltoSax C are both in the key of C and will work together. BassLine A is in the Key of A and will not match with the loops in the key of C.
3. Start with one sound, then add another 4 bars later.  Repeat this process until you have at least 6 different tracks and 6 different sounds.  Keep each sound going until the end of the piece.
4. You must have (minimum)
1. drum or beat ( or a combination of several drum sounds that make up a drum kit)
2. bass
3. a combination of any 4 melodic instruments (synth, piano, guitar, instruments, etc
5. Additional tracks are your choice, but must not conflict with the drum tracks already chosen.
6. Your piece must be a minimum of 32 bars long.
7. Use the Automate Volume function to control the volume of your tracks and balance your sounds.
8. When you are done, use the "Pan" function to make your tracks fill the left and right ear to create a stereo sound. 
9. Optional: Drop the beat; add your own MIDI track; record a vocal on your phone and import it.  Be creative! 
10. Complete the Checklist.
11. Submit as a .wav file and a .sng file  (Project 4 Your Name.sng)

Due: End of class on Friday, Oct. 31

Preparation for Project 4: Texture and Layers in music

Texture in music is the way multiple voices interact in a composition.

Read this introduction to texture and listen to the audio examples on the page.

Consider these questions:
We have already created a composition that is "polyphonic." Which project was it?
We have created a project that was "homophonic."  Which project was that?

Using Soundation, we will be creating a song with a texture that starts very simple, or thin, and becomes increasingly more complex.  Before we do this, you will do some listening and analysis of examples of this kind of texture and layering of sound.

Texture Assignment: DUE Wednesday, Oct 29
Complete on word document and submit.

1. Analyse the song "Wonderwall" by making a list of the instruments or vocals that you hear in the order which they start to play or sing.
Wonderwall by Oasis

(For example:)
Wonderwall, by Oasis
1st -  Acoustic Guitar
2nd - Male Vocals
3rd -
4th -
etc.

2. Find the video for another song that follows this texture pattern.  The song should start with one instrument or vocal and slowly add more and more.  The song can be from any style or genre of music.  Remember to choose "Radio Edits" if you song has profanity.  Provide the name of the song, artist, and a link in the Word document.

3. Analyse the song you chose in the same way as you did "Wonderwall."  Make a list of the instruments or vocals in the song in the order in which they start to play or sing.

More Test Prep

First:

Complete these theory exercises and games about Rhythms

1. Rhythm Match
2. Rhythmic Hoop Shoot
4. Rhythm Math

Complete these exercises and games about the piano keyboard
5.  Keyboard Words
6. Keyboard Battle: Play in pairs

Next:
Complete the worksheet distributed by Ms. Moynihan about the Soundation program.