Overview: You'll create one really good 8 bar loop (1 bar equals 4 beats, therefore you are creating a 32 beat loop). Then you'll copy and paste that loop 8 times, and then create a full 3 minute long track out of it by removing some things, adding some things, and using automation. This tutorial will teach you SO MANY tricks on how to use Ableton.
PART 1 of Assignment: Recreate everything up to the 10 minute mark of the video below.
Downloads: Click "Add Folder" and call it "Free Sample Pack" in Ableton and drag each file individually (if you do as a zip file it doesn't seem to work)
Make your first midi file 32 bars long just like in the video. Instead of dragging 65-97 as in the video, just drag over 1-32 to create your first midi file. He ends up dragging it back to just be 16 bars at around the 10 minute mark, but let's start with 32 bars as well.
You will not find "EQ Eight" in your version of Ableton. Use "Boom Capture" and turn down the low dial to -15db. This will cut out all of the low sound.
What is EQ? Equalization allows you to manipulate the frequency content of your sound, and help all of the elements of your production work together sonically.
Minor Chord Formula: 3 semitones, then 4 semitones
Major Chord Formula: 4 semitones, then 3 semitones
The four chords of this song are
Amin = A C E
Fmaj = F A C
Cmaj = C E G
Gmaj = G B D
PART 2 of Assignment: Recreate up to the 17min30second mark of the video below.
1) "Karimba" sound: substitute "Basic Brushed Bells" or your choice of something from "instrument" category
2) "Fog" sound: Substitute "Warm Bubbly Pad"
PART 3 of Assignment: Recreate up to the 23 minute mark of the video below.
1) "Hybrid Reverb": substitute "Reverb"
2) To EQ the "Basic Organ" sound, you will not find "EQ Eight" in your version of Ableton. Use "Boom Capture" and make sure lots of the frequencies are happening below the 100 marker so that you know you've got lots of bass sound happening.
PART 4 of Assignment: Recreate up to the 34min40sec mark of the video below.
1) "Air Flute Magnus" substitute "Jarble Ambience Pad" (mess around with frequencies to cut out the super high sound, and also make the attack immediate). Other possible sound is "Supersine"
2) To EQ the "Basic Organ" sound, you will not find "EQ Eight" in your version of Ableton. Use "Boom Capture"
3) "Operator" subsitute "Basic Brushed Bells"
4) You will not find "EQ Eight" in your version of Ableton. Use "Boom Capture"
PART 5 of Assignment: Recreate up to the 50minutes 41 seconds mark of the video below.
In Ableton on the left hand side underneath "Places" click on "Add Folder" and create a folder called "Free Sample Pack"
You will then need to download these sounds to do your work on the drums today. I recommend to download each of the 8 files individually, then drag them from your downloads into Ableton in the folder you created.
Sidechaining means using the output of one track, such as a kick drum, to alter the compression on another track, such as a bassline. In simple terms, it's a way to set up your mix so that when one sound comes in, another one quiets down.
HINT: when using the Compressor, **Click on the top left arrow to get the Sidechain option**
PART 6 of Assignment: Recreate up to the 50minutes 41 seconds mark of the video below.
1) Remember that when he modifies the "Flute" sound we instead used the "Jarble Ambience Pad"
2) When he automates the EQ 8 on the Flute sound, instead automate the Frequency dial on the "Jarble Ambience Pad" starting high at 1.6khz down to 540hz.
PART 7 of Assignment: Recreate up to the 1hr 03min mark of the video below
You'll learn about: Automation, how to make the hats sound more snappy, applying "Auto Filter" to an entire group of the Drums to allow for a decresendo then a big entrance, doubling the length of the breakdown by inserting blank space, insert a ride cymbal at the climax,
PART 8 of Assignment: Recreate up to the 1hr 14min mark of the video below
Remember, when he adds notes to the "Flute" sound during the climax, we used the "Jarble Ambience Pad" sound
For the automation on "EQ Eight" of the "Flute" sound, instead automate in "Boom Capture" the highs and the mids.
Remember, when he adds another layer of "Kalimba", we are using "Basic Brushed Bells"
"Operator" "White Noise": You will run out of tracks to be able to do this. So skip this. HOWEVER, just so you know there's a work-around sound in our version called "Riser White Noise"
PART 9 of Assignment: Recreate from 1hr 14 min to the END of the video below
Instead of Kalimba sound we are using the "Basic Brushed Bells" -put Auto Filter on "Filter Frequency" knob