Making Music from Everyday Sounds
Welcome
Welcome
This course is focused on how to use recordings from the world around you to create never-before-heard sounds and music.
This course is focused on how to use recordings from the world around you to create never-before-heard sounds and music.
What you need
What you need
For this course, you'll need a computer with a copy of Ableton Live, or you can follow along in your DAW of choice. It's also recommended that you have an external soundcard, microphone, and headphones. If you don't, no worries. The best mic is the one you've got with you, so just follow along with your built-in. Oh yeah, and one more thing...
For this course, you'll need a computer with a copy of Ableton Live, or you can follow along in your DAW of choice. It's also recommended that you have an external soundcard, microphone, and headphones. If you don't, no worries. The best mic is the one you've got with you, so just follow along with your built-in. Oh yeah, and one more thing...
You'll also need a cooking pot similar to the one pictured above. With most stainless cookware, you've got up to five layers of metal, resulting in even heating and temperature control. The polished stainless-steel exterior creates a sleek look that's dishwasher safe, while the stainless-steel interior makes for excellent browning, sautéing, and deglazing. Hungry yet? Well, head to your kitchen, and grab your favorite pot, pan, or platter. It's time to start cooking up some sear-ious sounds!
You'll also need a cooking pot similar to the one pictured above. With most stainless cookware, you've got up to five layers of metal, resulting in even heating and temperature control. The polished stainless-steel exterior creates a sleek look that's dishwasher safe, while the stainless-steel interior makes for excellent browning, sautéing, and deglazing. Hungry yet? Well, head to your kitchen, and grab your favorite pot, pan, or platter. It's time to start cooking up some sear-ious sounds!
Recording
Recording
Let's begin by collecting our sounds. I'll be using a Zoom H6 field recorder with the X/Y attachable capsule. The nice thing about field recorders is that they allow you to go out into the world and grab sounds from anything. You can use your phone to record as well.
Let's begin by collecting our sounds. I'll be using a Zoom H6 field recorder with the X/Y attachable capsule. The nice thing about field recorders is that they allow you to go out into the world and grab sounds from anything. You can use your phone to record as well.
Record all the sounds you can think of with your pot. What mic will you be using?
Record all the sounds you can think of with your pot. What mic will you be using?
Collecting Your Instruments
Collecting Your Instruments
Once we've recorded everything, it's time to start chopping, cleaning, and organizing. It's likely that you have lots of percussive samples from the pot, so let's cover some quick editing basics and then start constructing the beat.
Once we've recorded everything, it's time to start chopping, cleaning, and organizing. It's likely that you have lots of percussive samples from the pot, so let's cover some quick editing basics and then start constructing the beat.
Editing
Editing
Going through can be a little slow, so knowing some basic editing shortcuts can really speed things up. The most valuable one might be cmd+E (ctrl+E on a PC), which is the Split shortcut to break up clips.
Going through can be a little slow, so knowing some basic editing shortcuts can really speed things up. The most valuable one might be cmd+E (ctrl+E on a PC), which is the Split shortcut to break up clips.
After splitting, you can clean things up further by clicking and dragging on the edges of clips to extend or shorten them. To delete unwanted sections, highlight a section of the clip with your cursor and use the Cut command, cmd+X (ctrl+X on a PC).
After splitting, you can clean things up further by clicking and dragging on the edges of clips to extend or shorten them. To delete unwanted sections, highlight a section of the clip with your cursor and use the Cut command, cmd+X (ctrl+X on a PC).
As you're making these cuts, think about what sounds would make good kicks, snares, hi-hats, or perhaps even melodies. At this point, it's not imperative to be super exact with your edits. This is just a first pass to eliminate unusable sounds, and make things visually easier to work with. Try to get through this round quickly. On the second pass, it's easier to get more detailed. Try to clean things up so your regions start as close to the beginnings of the sounds as possible.
As you're making these cuts, think about what sounds would make good kicks, snares, hi-hats, or perhaps even melodies. At this point, it's not imperative to be super exact with your edits. This is just a first pass to eliminate unusable sounds, and make things visually easier to work with. Try to get through this round quickly. On the second pass, it's easier to get more detailed. Try to clean things up so your regions start as close to the beginnings of the sounds as possible.
For samples that are a bit quieter, try using Clip Gain to boost the signal of the sample up to a more useful level.
For samples that are a bit quieter, try using Clip Gain to boost the signal of the sample up to a more useful level.
Getting Creative
Getting Creative
At this point, you can start making some creative decisions about what sounds you'll actually use. For instance, we recorded two different shaker type sounds by rhythmically scraping the bottom of the pot. After moving them to their own tracks, it can be helpful to use some EQ to make each one sound a bit more like an actual shaker. Ultimately, we picked this one because it sounded a bit better after the EQ changes we made.
At this point, you can start making some creative decisions about what sounds you'll actually use. For instance, we recorded two different shaker type sounds by rhythmically scraping the bottom of the pot. After moving them to their own tracks, it can be helpful to use some EQ to make each one sound a bit more like an actual shaker. Ultimately, we picked this one because it sounded a bit better after the EQ changes we made.
Pitch shifting your samples can produce interesting results as well. Try it by selecting a clip and using the Transpose knob to alter the pitch of a sample by semitones. If you want finer adjustments, you can make pitch adjustments on the cent scale by clicking and entering, or clicking and dragging the number box just below the label that says Detune.
Pitch shifting your samples can produce interesting results as well. Try it by selecting a clip and using the Transpose knob to alter the pitch of a sample by semitones. If you want finer adjustments, you can make pitch adjustments on the cent scale by clicking and entering, or clicking and dragging the number box just below the label that says Detune.
Arranging Your Beat
Arranging Your Beat
Now let's start making a beat. First, create a bunch of blank tracks. Start by dragging your kick-like samples to the first new track, and rename the track by clicking on the label and pressing cmd+R (ctrl+R on a PC). Then do the same for sounds that would make good claps, or snares, or high hats. Seriously, rename the tracks as you go. You'll be much happier later with a clean session.
Now let's start making a beat. First, create a bunch of blank tracks. Start by dragging your kick-like samples to the first new track, and rename the track by clicking on the label and pressing cmd+R (ctrl+R on a PC). Then do the same for sounds that would make good claps, or snares, or high hats. Seriously, rename the tracks as you go. You'll be much happier later with a clean session.
If you recorded anything rhythmic, you may want to try using tap tempo to build your session around it. Cut a 4- or 8-beat loop from your sample. Then, play it back and using the tap tempo button in the top left corner of Live, click along with your sample. You'll need to make sure it's exactly one bar. Click and highlight from beat 1 of the next bar over to the right. Press delete, and then hit cmd+D (ctrl+D on a PC) to loop the sample for a couple bars.
If you recorded anything rhythmic, you may want to try using tap tempo to build your session around it. Cut a 4- or 8-beat loop from your sample. Then, play it back and using the tap tempo button in the top left corner of Live, click along with your sample. You'll need to make sure it's exactly one bar. Click and highlight from beat 1 of the next bar over to the right. Press delete, and then hit cmd+D (ctrl+D on a PC) to loop the sample for a couple bars.
At this point, you just start experimenting. I tend to start with the kick pattern and build up from there. Try out different samples, or even layer them to see what's possible.
At this point, you just start experimenting. I tend to start with the kick pattern and build up from there. Try out different samples, or even layer them to see what's possible.
If you want to see the whole process for how I put together the beat using our samples, check out the video below!
So now we've got the beat. If you haven't saved recently, now would be a good time to do so! Next we'll look at making some melodic elements for track.
So now we've got the beat. If you haven't saved recently, now would be a good time to do so! Next we'll look at making some melodic elements for track.
Making Melodies
Making Melodies
To create a melodic component, we'll need to find the most tonal samples we collected. In our case, this came from hitting the side of the pot with the lid.
To create a melodic component, we'll need to find the most tonal samples we collected. In our case, this came from hitting the side of the pot with the lid.
In some cases when you collect sounds like this, the attack or transient can be much louder than the actual tone underneath. Start by chopping off the impact sound.
In some cases when you collect sounds like this, the attack or transient can be much louder than the actual tone underneath. Start by chopping off the impact sound.
Create a new MIDI track by pressing shift+cmd+T (shift+ctrl+T on a PC) and drop a Sampler instrument, or Simpler if you're using Live 9 Standard, onto the track. Now click and drag your sample onto the instrument. Raise the gain up on the sample by clicking and dragging the gain box, as shown below.
Create a new MIDI track by pressing shift+cmd+T (shift+ctrl+T on a PC) and drop a Sampler instrument, or Simpler if you're using Live 9 Standard, onto the track. Now click and drag your sample onto the instrument. Raise the gain up on the sample by clicking and dragging the gain box, as shown below.
Now play around! Check out the video below to see the whole process in action. Try adjusting the envelope settings and maybe add some effects.
Now play around! Check out the video below to see the whole process in action. Try adjusting the envelope settings and maybe add some effects.
Challenge
Challenge
Create a piece of music using just one item! It can be anything, but consider things like whether or not you'll be able to generate rhythmic and melodic material from your choice.
Create a piece of music using just one item! It can be anything, but consider things like whether or not you'll be able to generate rhythmic and melodic material from your choice.
Email your piece to your teacher
Email your piece to your teacher