Real World Digital Audio

Chapter 5

Quick Songs with

Patterns and Loops

New software makes mixing musical elements more like playing with

blocks: combine pre-built elements, like musical patterns and recorded

sound loops, and within minutes you can produce a piece of music that

sounds like a professionally recorded song. You can use this as-is or as a

sketch for creating original material.

W

Essentials

Quick Songs with Patterns and Loops

We’ll apply the building-blocks production approach

,

using audio loops and patterns, to two scenarios:

Create a Backing Track with

Apple GarageBand

•

Build a linear song arrangement

•

Mix and export music to a CD or iPod

Build a Custom Groovebox

with Cakewalk Kinetic

•

Edit and assemble individual grooves

•

Apply basic effects

•

Play an interactive song structure from a

keyboard

Essential Terms

•

Loops

•

Patterns

Where to Start

You can use loops and patterns with many applications, so if you’ve already got a sequencer, fire it up

and try working with the free loops included on the DVD. In this chapter we'll work with applications

that import and play loops.Tutorial files are located on the DVD so you can hear the finished project.

Mac: Apple GarageBand (www.apple.com/garageband) is available preinstalled on recent Mac mod-

els and is included in Apple’s iLife application (www.apple.com/ilife); Apple Soundtrack (part of Final Cut

Pro) and Logic Express/Pro have similar features.

Windows: Cakewalk Kinetic (http://cakewalk.com/Products/Kinetic/) is available in a fully functional

demo version included on this book’s DVD.