Unit 3: 3RD PARTY SOUND EFFECTS/ DRUM PATTERNS
Sound Bible
There are many sites that have sound effect you can download to use license free.
Let's talk about MP3 and WAV files.
An MP3 file is an audio file saved in a compressed audio format developed by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) that uses "Layer 3" audio compression. It is commonly used to store music and audiobooks with near-CD quality sound (stereo, 16-bit) and roughly 1/10 the size of a . WAV or . AIF file.
WAV is a file extension for an audio file format created by Microsoft. The WAV file has become a standard PC audio file format for everything from system and game sounds to CD-quality audio. Also referred to as pulse code modulation (PCM) or waveform audio, a WAV file is uncompressed audio.
Knowing this, when we find sounds to add into our projects, we will download the WAV file versions of them to use. To create and export/bounce a high quality audio track to an MP3, we need to use uncompressed sound files in the making of this work. We wouldn't want to use a compressed (MP3) audio file or sample then export/bounce the 'full' project as an MP3. That would mean we would compress certain sounds twice. In all we we use WAV files from Soundbible.com. http://soundbible.com/
FIRST
Go to the sound sample website. Type "Bells in the search engine. You can listen to samples that come up if you would like. Please select "Bells Tibetan Large" which is in green. This brings you to "Bells Tibetan Large" sound files. It offers this sound as a WAV and MP3 file. To download it, click the WAV file and watch it upload into your "downloads" folder.
NEXT
Simply just drag and drop your newly downloaded sound sample into a new or preexisting "Music" project in Soundtrap. Export/bouncing instructions are found further down on this page.
Drum Pattern Loops
Let us begin with opening a new "Music" project in Soundtrap. You will select 'Patterns BeatMaker' to open your beat making options.
Do not be overwhelmed as this might look very intimidating at first.
To go over what you are seeing, there are many blocks grouped in fours linearly.
This displays the beats you will select for the already provided 'Kick', 'Snare' and 'Hihat (closed)'. These three drums sounds are all you really need to make a quality drum beat or pattern.
To help you make your first beat we will create a standard drum pattern together. After that you can play around with the pattern maker to make your own.
FIRST
Select all 'Hihat (closed)' by clicking the individual boxes. The will highlight in a light purple. You can also click the first box in 'Hihat (closed)' and drag through to select multiple boxes at once.
You can right click you mouse to remove a unwanted selected box.
NEXT
I would like you to add the 'Kick' and 'Snare' as I have provided in the given screen shot.
After this is completed, you can now successful listen back to your one measure of you beat pattern bringing you cursor to the beginning if the song using 'enter' and pressing play using the 'spacebar'.
This beat seem very short so to 'loop' it out, we need to go to hover our mouse over the newly created 'Vanilla' drum track. Select the loop option in the top right corner, hold it down and drag it out to the length that you desire.
You can now export or bounce this beat by following the instructions provided toward the bottom of the page.
EXPORT OR BOUNCE SONG
Once you are finished with your song or piece. you are to SAVE. The program will say that it is "Mixing" your project which means it is saving it. You cannot bounce or export your project when the song is "Mixing".
Please go to >File >Export >Export project to MP3
Here is a video to help you navigate if you are having issues.
JOURNAL YOUR THINKING
For this activity, you can keep a personal journal document or become part of the online KNILT learning community by posting your reflections and/or questions of your own.
Here are a few considerations when evaluating sound samples looping experience:
- Can I successfully find 3rd party sound effects and use them in my song creation?
- What new terms can I identify in this unit?
- Can I create a new drum pattern by myself?
- Can I use the many concepts I have learned in past units and create my own new project?
NAVIGATION
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