Making A 2 Octave Melody

Today we are going to create our own melodies using the technique that Lil Jon used in Snap Yo Fingaz.

1. Open Reason
2. Make sure you have a Mixer 14:2
3. Set Tempo between 70-110 bpm
   
4. Create a Malstrom
5. On The Malstrom, click on the folder in the upper left hand corner.
6. Go to Reason Factory Sound Bank: Malstrom Patches: Mono Synths: Choose any of the patches
   
7. Create a Matrix.
   
8. On the Matrix, change the steps from 16 to 8.
9. On the Matrix, move the Octave switch, on the left from the keyboard, from 3 to 4.
10. Turn the Volume off on three notes.
11. Create a melody with between three and five notes.
    
12. Now, move your Right loop point to R3.
13. Right Click on the Matrix and select Copy Pattern To Track.
14. Move the Right loop point to R5 and the Left loop point to L3.
15. On the Matrix, Select Pattern 2.
16. Move the Octave Switch from 4 to 5.
17. On the Matrix, change the steps from 16 to 8.
18. Create the same melody you made for Pattern 1.
    
19. Right Click on the Matrix and Select Copy Pattern To Track.
20. Move the Left loop point to L1.
21. Click the Pattern Button on the Matrix.
22. Highlight all the boxes in the sequencer window and drag them up to the Malstrom track.
23. Create a Redrum and create a beat using a Clap or Snap, Bass Drum, High Hat, and Percussion.
24. When you have finished the beat, Copy Pattern To Track.
25. Create a Dr. Rex.
26. Load in a Dr. Rex Percussion Loop.
27. On The Dr. Rex, click To Track...and "push play"
28. Save your beat as anything you want.

Changing the Octave and Making 2 Patterns on the Matrix

Today we are going to play 'Snap Your Fingers' on the Matrix. We will be learning how to change the Octave on the Matrix and how to make two patterns.


After you create the melody, listen to the instrumental and recreate the drums.

1. Open Reason
2. Make sure you have a Mixer 14:2
3. Set Tempo at 82 bpm
4. Create a Malstrom
5. On The Malstrom, click on the folder in the upper left hand corner.
6. Go to Reason Factory Sound Bank: Malstrom Patches: Mono Synths: Chingy Lead.xwv
7. We need a way to add the melody from Snap Yo Fingas, which is in C minor...Create a Matrix!
8. On the Matrix, change the steps from 16 to 8.
9. On the Matrix, move the Octave switch, on the left from the keyboard, from 3 to 4.
10. Turn the Volume off on notes 4, 6, and 8.
11. On Steps 1 and 2, click on the lowest note boxes to bring the notes up to the 4th Octave from the 3rd Octave.
12. On Step 3, click on the 4th box up.
13. On Steps 5 and 7, click on the 3rd box up.
14. It should look like this.
15. Now, move your Right loop point to R3.
16. Right Click on the Matrix and select Copy Pattern To Track.
17. Move the Right loop point to R5 and the Left loop point to L3.
18. On the Matrix, Select Pattern 2.
19. Move the Octave Switch from 4 to 5.
20. On the Matrix, change the steps from 16 to 8.
21. Repeat lesson steps 10-13.
22. Right Click on the Matrix and Select Copy Pattern To Track.
23. Move the Left loop point to L1.
24. Click the Pattern Button on the Matrix.
25. Now, listen to the instrumental.
26. How many steps is the drum beat?
    
27. What sounds are they using? A clap or a snap? What kind of Bass Drum? How about Percussion?
    
28. What numbers do the sounds go on?
29. Create a Redrum and recreate the beat from Snap Yo Fingas.
30. When you have finished the beat, Copy Pattern To Track.
31. On The Dr. Rex, click To Track...and "push play"
32. Save your beat as Snap (your name)'s Fingers
33. Let me or Vernell hear your beat so you can get credit.
    

Crank Dat Minor Scale

Yesterday we played the C minor scale, both up the scale and down the scale, using the Matrix.

Today we are going to recreate the Crank Dat Soulja Boy melody which is in C minor.

After we make the melody you will create your own melody using C minor.

1. Open Reason
2. Make sure you have a Mixer 14:2
3. Set Tempo to 70 bpm
   
4. Create a NN-XT Digital Sampler
5. Click on the Folder in the upper left hand corner of the NN-XT.
6. In the Patch Browser, click Orkester Sound Bank: Mallets: Glockenspiel.smp
7. Now that we have our sound loaded we need to create a Matrix to play it.
   
8. Go to the Create Menu and select the Matrix, all the way at the bottom of the menu.
9. We want to use the Matrix to play a the melody from Crank That Soulja Boy.
10. First, turn the volume down on the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 12th, 13th, 15th, and 16th steps.
11. Now on step 1, move the note up 12 spots.
12. On step 4, move the note up 7 spots.
13. On step 7, move the note up 8 spots.
14. On step 11, move the note up 12 spots.
15. On step 14, move the note up 7 spots.
16. When you are done it should look like this.
17. How many notes have the volume on?
18. How many different notes are there?
    
19. Now, create a Redrum and make a 16 step drum pattern using a Clap, Bass Drum, Hi Hat, and Percussion. Make sure you put the sounds on appropriate boxes!
20. Or instead of a Clap, try putting a Snap on 5 and 13 just like Soulja Boy.
21. When you finish your Drum Beat, Copy Pattern To Track.
22. Now we want to revisit the NN-XT and the Matrix.
23. On the Matrix, change the pattern to PATTERN 2.
24. Turn the volume down on all the steps.
25. Create a melody with the notes from C minor, with the volume up on 5 of the steps in the Matrix, using between 3 and 5 different notes.
26. When, you are done with your melody, right click on the Matrix and select Copy Pattern To Track.
27. Click the Pattern button on the Matrix.
28. Highlight all the boxes on the Matrix in the sequence window and drag them up to the NN-XT track.
29. Save the beat as Crank That (your name)

The Minor Scale and the Matrix

Tuesday we made a melody (the part of a song you sing along to) with the C Major Scale and on Monday we played the C Major scale on the Matrix.

Today we are going to create the C minor scale using the Matrix.

The difference between the C Major Scale and the C minor Scale is that the 3rd, 6th, and 7th notes of the C minor scale are one step below those notes in the C Major Scale.

1. Open Reason
2. Make sure you have a Mixer 14:2
3. Create a NN19 Digital Sampler
4. Click on the Folder in the upper left hand corner of the NN19.
5. In the Patch Browser, click Reason Factory Sound Bank: NN19 Sampler Patches: Guitar: ACGUITAR.smp
6. Now that we have our sound loaded we need a way to play it...ENTER THE MATRIX
7. Go to the Create Menu and select the Matrix, all the way at the bottom of the menu.
8. We want to use the Matrix to play a C minor Scale both up the scale and down the scale.
9. First, change the STEPS on the Matrix from 16 to 32.
   
10. Now, let's turn the volume down on the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, 20th, 22nd, 24th, 26th, 28th, 30th, and 32nd step.
11. On the 3rd step, move the note (the rectangle) up 2 notes.
12. On the 5th step, move the note up 3 notes.
13. On the 7th step, move the note up 5 notes.
14. On the 9th step, move the note up 7 notes.
15. On the 11th step, move the note up 8 notes.
16. On the 13th step, move the note up 10 notes.
17. On the 15th step move the note up 12 notes.
18. On the 17th step move the note up 12 notes.
19. On the 19th step, move the note up 10 notes.
20. On the 21st step, move the note up 8 notes.
21. On the 23rd step, move the note up 7 notes.
22. On the 25th step, move the note up 5 notes.
23. On the 27th step, move the note up 3 notes.
24. On the 29th step, move the note up 2 notes.
25. When your done, the Matrix should look like this.
26. Save the project in your folder as C minor Scale.
27. Think about the following questions:
28. How does the C minor scale sound different from the C Major scale?
29. What's a melody that uses the C minor scale?
30. What's your favorite instrument?
31. What's your favorite song right now? Why do you like this song?
32. Do you think the song is in the major or minor scale?
    

T.I. Rubberband Man Melody

The song Rubberband Man by T.I. and produced by David Banner uses a melody based off of the C MAJOR scale. Let's recreate the melody and then add our on drums.

1. Open Reason
2. Make sure you have a Mixer 14:2
3. Set Tempo to 82 bpm
   
4. Create a NN19 Digital Sampler
5. Click on the Folder in the upper left hand corner of the NN19.
6. In the Patch Browser, click Reason Factory Sound Bank: NN19 Sampler Patches: Organ: Organ1Perc.smp
7. Now that we have our sound loaded we need a way to play it...ENTER THE MATRIX
8. Go to the Create Menu and select the Matrix, all the way at the bottom of the menu.
9. Now we want to create the melody for T.I.'s song.
10. The first step is....the steps. This melody is 2 bars long so change the steps from 16 to 32 on the Matrix.
11. Now we need to turn the volume down on all the steps we aren't going to use. Leave the volume on on STEPS 1, 8, 10, 11, 17, 24, 26, and 27. For all the other STEPS, turn the volume off.
12. Now we can change the notes of the steps we have left.
13. On STEPS 8 and 10, move the note up four spots.
14. On STEP 11, move the note up five spots.
15. On STEP 17, move the note up seven spots.
16. On STEPS 24 and 26, move the note up 11 spots.
17. On STEP 27, move the note up 12 spots.
18. When you're done with the melody it should look like this:
19. Now, create a Redrum and make a 32 step drum pattern using a Clap, Bass Drum, Hi Hat, and Percussion. Make sure you put the sounds on appropriate boxes!
20. On the Redrum, Copy Pattern To Track and Click on the Pattern button.
21. Save your beat as (Your Name) Rubberband Man
    

The Matrix

Today we are going to start a new section on creating melodies in Reason using the Matrix. But first we need to understand a little more music theory. In music, musicians use scales as the frame for their melodies. There are two basic types of scales, the Major Scale, which has a happy sound, and the minor scale, which has a somber sound. You hear the Major Scale a lot in Pop Music. And you hear the minor scale a lot in Hip Hop music. Today we're going to learn the Major Scale. And more specifically the C Major Scale.

The Major Scale is made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first an octave higher. These notes correspond to the syllables "Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, (Do)". The simplest major scale to write or play on the piano is C major, the only major scale not to require sharps or flats, using only the white keys on the piano keyboard:

1. Open Reason
2. Make sure you have a Mixer 14:2
3. Create a NN19 Digital Sampler
4. Click on the Folder in the upper left hand corner of the NN19.
5. In the Patch Browser, click Reason Factory Sound Bank: NN19 Sampler Patches: Piano: BRIGHTPIANO.smp
6. Now that we have our sound loaded we need a way to play it...ENTER THE MATRIX
7. Go to the Create Menu and select the Matrix, all the way at the bottom of the menu.
8. We want to use the Matrix to play a C Major Scale.
9. Look at the Matrix, do you see the keyboard? We can use this to help us put the NOTES (the red rectangles) on all the white keys.
10. Below the NOTES in the Matrix, do you see the lines? These move up and down and control the VOLUME.
    
11. To make the C Major Scale we are going to move every other note up to the next white key. (I moved the NOTES in between all the way up to the top so that they wouldn't be in my way.)
12. After I've moved all my NOTES, I want to turn the VOLUME all the way down on the NOTES I don't want to hear. After you finish this step, your MATRIX should look something like this.
13. Listen to your scale, does it sound like Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti, Do?
14. Save in your folder as C Major Scale.
15. Think about the following questions...
    
16. What is a Scale?
17. What does a Major Scale sound like? Who uses it?
18. What is a Melody?

Friday Quiz 09/19/08

Friday Quiz 4/16/08

In today's quiz you will be remixing a sample from the Dora the Explorer Theme Song.

This will test your ability to change Dr. Rex sample loops using both PITCH and TIME. And then creating a 32 step Redrum drum beat that goes with the sample.

Make it slap! The student who makes the best remix may win a special prize!

1. http://www.zshare.net/download/19027703f54e265d/ Click this link & download the Dr. Rex Sample to the Computer. Save it in your folder or on the desktop.
   
2. Open Reason
3. Make sure you have a Mixer 14:2
4. Create a Dr. Rex
5. Click on the "Folder" in the upper left hand corner.
6. Find and Select the Dora sample, it should be on your desktop or your folder
   
7. Click "TO TRACK"
8. Now we want to adjust the PITCH and TIME of the sample.
9. To do this we need to change two things.
   
10. To change the Time, change your Tempo. Set it to anything except what it says on the Dr. Rex.
11. To change the Pitch, use the keyboard on the Dr. Rex to transpose your sample up or down.
12. After you get your sample sounding the way you want it, it's time to add some drums that go with the sample.
13. Create a Redrum and make a 32 step drum pattern using a Clap, Bass Drum, Hi Hat, and Percussion. Make sure you put the sounds on the correct boxes!
14. On the Redrum, Copy Pattern To Track and Click on the Pattern button.
15. Create a Dr. Rex. Load a Percussion Loop and adjust the PITCH. Put it "TO TRACK."
16. Save your beat as (your name) 9.19.08
17. 

Posted by Mr. Price at 12:32 PM

Continuing Quiz Practice

Tomorrow we will have the quiz. There will be a sample I will have on the internet for you to download. For now, keep practicing!

Friday Quiz Practice

Wednesday & Thursday we will practicing for the quiz on Friday.

The object of the quiz is to change a Dr. Rex Instrument Loop or Music Loop by lowering or raising the Pitch and making the Tempo different from the original loop.

1. Open Reason
2. Make sure you have a Mixer 14:2
3. Create a Dr. Rex
4. Click on the "Folder" in the upper left hand corner.
5. Select either Dr. Rex Instrument Loops or Music Loops.
   
6. Choose a loop and then click "TO TRACK"
7. Now we want to adjust the PITCH and TIME of the sample.
8. To do this we need to change two things. To change the Time, change your Tempo. Set it to anything except what it says on the Dr. Rex.
9. To change the Pitch, use the keyboard on the Dr. Rex to transpose your sample up or down.
10. Remember, if you choose a high tempo you might want to transpose the sample to a higher note. If you have a slow tempo you might want to transpose the sample to a lower note.
11. After you get your sample sounding the way you want it, it's time to add some drums that go with the sample.
12. Create a Redrum and make a 32 step drum pattern using a Clap, Bass Drum, Hi Hat, and Percussion. Make sure you put the sounds on the right boxes!
13. On the Redrum, Copy Pattern To Track and Click on the Pattern button.
14. Create a Dr. Rex. Load a Percussion Loop and change the PITCH. Put it "To Track."
15. Save your beat as 091708 quiz practice.
    
16. How To Make A Reggeton Beat
17. Set your Tempo around 100 bpm.
18. Create your Redrum
19. In Sound 1, load a Snare Drum.
20. Put it on Boxes 4, 7, 12, and 15.
21. In Sound 2, load a Bass Drum.
22. Put it on Boxes 1, 5, 9, and 13.
23. In Sound 3, load a Shaker.
24. Put it on Boxes 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, and 16.
25. Add other sounds to accent the beat.

The Good Life

Today we're going to remix Kanye West's song The Good Life. But before we get started let's listen to the song.

Do you recognize the sample? It comes from the Michael Jackson song PYT.

What did Kanye do with the sample?

So, like Kanye I want you to change the PITCH and TIME of the PYT sample and make it your own.

1. Open Reason
2. Make sure you have a Mixer 14:2
3. Create a Dr. Rex
4. Go to this link to download the dr. rex sample http://www.zshare.net/download/18884492a5ba7c93/. Save the sample in your folder.
   
5. Click on the "Folder" in the upper left hand corner.
6. Select the PYT sample in your folder.
   
7. On the Dr. Rex click TO TRACK
   
8. Now we want to adjust the PITCH and Time of the sample.
9. To do this, you will need to do two things. Change your tempo. And transpose the sample on the Dr. Rex keyboard.
10. If you choose a high tempo you might want to transpose the sample to a higher note.
11. If you have a slow tempo you might want to transpose the sample to a lower note.
12. After you get your sample sounding the way you want it, it's time to add some drums that goes with the sample.
    
13. Create a Redrum and make a 32 step drum pattern using a Clap, Bass Drum, Hi Hat, and Percussion. Make sure you put the sounds on appropriate boxes!
14. On the Redrum, Copy Pattern To Track.
15. Create a Dr. Rex. Load a Percussion Loop and adjust the PITCH. Put it "To Track."
16. Save your beat as The Good Life

Changing the Pitch in Dr. Rex

1. Open Reason
2. Make sure you have a Mixer 14:2
3. Create a Dr. Rex
4. Click on the "Folder" in the upper left hand corner.
5. Pick a Dr. Rex Instrument Loop or a Music Loop.
   
6. On the Dr. Rex click TO TRACK
   
7. Now we want to adjust the PITCH and Time of the sample.
8. To do this, you will need to do two things. Change your tempo. And transpose the sample on the Dr. Rex keyboard. To have a high pitch, click to the right. To have a low pitch, click to the left.
9. If you choose a high tempo you might want to transpose the sample to a higher note.
10. If you have a slow tempo you might want to transpose the sample to a lower note.
11. After you get your sample sounding the way you want it, it's time to add some drums that goes with the sample.
    
12. Create a Redrum and make a 32 step drum pattern using a Clap, Bass Drum, Hi Hat, and Percussion. Make sure you put the sounds on the correct boxes!
13. On the Redrum, Copy Pattern To Track.
14. Create a Dr. Rex. Load a Percussion Loop and adjust the PITCH. Put it "To Track."
15. Save your beat in your folder.
    
16. Start a new beat.
    

Friday Quiz: Dr. Rex

1. Open Reason
2. Make sure you have a Mixer 14:2
3. Create a Dr. Rex. Load either an Instrument Loop or a Music Loop and put it "To Track."
4. Now set your tempo to the same tempo as your loop.
5. Create a Redrum and make a 32 step drum pattern using a Clap, Bass Drum, Hi Hat, and Percussion. Make sure you put the sounds on appropriate boxes!
6. On the Redrum, Copy Pattern To Track.
7. Create a Dr. Rex. Load a Percussion Loop and put it "To Track."
8. Let me or Vernell know you've finished your work and one of us we'll check it.
   
9. Save your beat as (your name) Friday quiz.
10. When you are finished you may QUIETLY have free time.
    

Practice for Friday Quiz

You guys have been doing great this week using the Dr. Rex Loop Player. I'm very impressed with the beats made so far. Friday, we're going to have a quiz so I can make sure everybody who knows their work can receive credit. If you have been paying attention this week, you should have no problem with the quiz. For now, lets get started practicing.

1. Open Reason
2. Make sure you have a Mixer 14:2
3. Create a Dr. Rex
4. Click on the "Folder" in the upper left hand corner.
5. Select either Dr. Rex Instrument Loops or Music Loops.
   
6. Choose a loop and then click "TO TRACK"
7. On the quiz, steps 3-6 will say Create a Dr. Rex Instrument loop and put it TO TRACK.
   
8. Now set your tempo to the same tempo as your loop.
9. Create a Redrum.
10. Change the Steps to 32.
    
11. In Sound 1, load a clap and put it on boxes 5 and 13.
12. Now toggle "EDIT STEPS" to 17-32
13. Put the clap on boxes 5 and 13
14. Toggle "EDIT STEPS" back to 1-16
15. In Sound 2, load a bass drum and put it on 1 and a few other boxes that go with your loop.
    
16. Now toggle "EDIT STEPS" to 17-32
17. Put the bass drum on 1 and a few other boxes that go with the loop.
    
18. Toggle "EDIT STEPS" back to 1-16
19. In Sound 3, load a high hat and put it any boxes...make sure it goes with your loop.
    
20. Now toggle "EDIT STEPS" to 17-32
21. Click on boxes that go with your loop.
    
22. Toggle "EDIT STEPS" back to 1-16
23. In Sound 4, load either a percussion-hi or percussion-other and put it any boxes...make sure it goes with your loop.
    
24. Now toggle "EDIT STEPS" to 17-32
25. Click on boxes that go with your loop.
    
26. Once you're happy with how your drums sound right click on the Redrum and select Copy Pattern To Track.
27. Don't forget to click on the Pattern Button.
28. Steps 9-27 will say Create a Redrum and make a 32 step pattern using a Clap, Bass Drum, Hi Hat, and Percussion.
    
29. Now let's add a Dr. Rex Percussion Loop.
30. Go to the Create menu and Create a Dr. Rex Loop Player.
31. We need to load a loop, so click on the folder in the upper left hand corner of the loop player.
32. Go to Reason Factory Sound Bank: Dr. Rex Percussion Loops: and select any of the folders: choose a loop.
33. On The Dr. Rex, click "TO TRACK"
34. Steps 29-33 will say Create a Dr. Rex Percussion Loop and put it TO Track
    
35. Save your beat in your folder! Give it whatever name you want.