Brief 2 - Unit 49 - Sequencing A Pop Song

Cubase

Final Song -  Click Here

Information on Cubase 

Cubase is a music production software developed in Germany created by 'Steinburg Cubase'. Released in 1989, the first version ran on at Atari ST Computer. 
Cubase works by creating projects which allows the user to edit Midi patterns, edit raw songs (audio files) and much more. 
After 47 versions its now on its latest - Cubase 8.5.

It is a highly respected music production software allowing people to create and edit music. It has been relatively easy to use with an acceptable amount of challenge. 

Creating a new project

To set up a new project in 'Cubase' open 'Cubase 6' and create a new project by heading into file and then new project. Press create project and the project is now there.

Creating new tracks

To create tracks go to the top of 'Cubase' and click on project then add track. Your 3 options will be audio, instrument and Midi - click instrument and scroll down to 'Synth, then 'Halion Sonic SE'. Under the count option add how many tracks you need then click add track. This should ad the requested amount to the project.

Assigning a synth

To assign a synth to track click the header of the track and to the side it should show the instrument, Midi output and the sound its going to play. Make sure the Midi input is 'Halion Sonic SE' and under that there should be an instrument tab. Click that and use the search box to find the instrument needed. Once found the instrument the sound will be played through when requested.

To input Midi data

To input Midi data you fist need to create the space for the music to be in. This involves getting the pencil tool from the top toolbar ad drawing along the track the needed amount of space for music to inhabit. Get rid of the pencil tool and select the space for music you just created. Once double clicked you should enter a timeline view seeing each piano note on the Y axis then the time of the note on the X axis. To create a note. Find the pencil tool once again and draw on the note you need to make. The length will replicate the sound made as will the note.

Fading and Exporting 

To fade a track out first press the down facing arrow in the instrument block. When you drag the box down to expose the volume of the bar a line should appear going across the track. First press 'R' on the left where the instrument if you click on the line whereabouts you need the sound to start decreasing and then press where you want the sound to go, in this case faded out.

To export the track head to file, export then audio mixdown. Change the name of the track and then export it to an audio file. This should then be able to play through the computer. 

Sylenth

Sylenth is a digital synthesiser. Synthesiser being it actually creates the sound rather than just manipulating a sound inputted into it.

Oscillators -

A oscillator allows you to change the waveform of a sound.

A normal wave form would be sine. This is curved with the crest and the trough being the same under the waveform and above it. This creates a soft sound.

Another wave form used is square. A square waveform jumping from the trough to the crest very quickly creating a sharper sound.

This is similar with triangle and sorto. They are not completely soft or sharp as each one posses attributes contributing to each sound variation.

One can mis these waveforms together to create sounds that are much different.


Amp MV-

The amp MV is also referred to as an envelope  It changes how the sound starts and finishes. It does also  change the middle part of the sound however it strongly links to how it begins and ends.

Attack is how the sound starts. More importantly how long it takes the sound to start. It changes if there is a long or short build up. This again can change the tone of the song.

Decay is how long the sound takes to reach its peak; its constant sound.

Sustain is how long the sound carries on for in a constant state.

Release is how the sound ends. It increases or decreases the cut-off of the sound. Allowing a delay can increase the atmosphere of the sound.


Volume -

Volume on Sylenth includes the master output. This controls the volume of the overall sound outputting the synth. Next to the volume control there is a bar showing the volume of sound emitted. This shouldn't be to high it touches red as it will clip the sound making it distorted and less smooth. It should be managed and kept around yellow.

The EQs are also next to the master output. They include the low, medium and high sound frequency's that can be altered. Low focuses on the bass and lower frequency's while mid is the medium and the high is the treble.  


LFO -

Low Frequency Oscillation or LFO provides repeating waveforms (usually between .1 and 250Hz) that may be used for control and timing in voltage-controlled modular synthesizer applications. LFO's are generally used to create slow modulations such as vibrato and tremolo in electronic music equipment.


Filters -

Filters also manipulate the sound. A low pass filter will only allow high frequency's to pass while high pass filters only allow higher frequency's past.

Sampling Packages 

Groove Agent 

Groove agent is a sampler in Cubase. This means it plays sounds when asked to. The sounds can be assigned to pads, like a keyboard, when pressed it will then play the notes.
Cubase has 8 groups of 16 pads. You can switch through these groups through the top above the pads. On drum agent you can control Volume, Pan, Cut off and more through 6 knobs underneath the screen.
It uses samples from 'Media Bay'. Samples just therefore play the respected sounds linked to the pad notes.


Assigning a drum track in Cubase 

To create a drum track add a track as normal instead of selecting 'Halion Sonic SE' select 'Drum - Groove Agent One'. To the left head to the box under 'All Midi Inputs' and select 'Drum - Groove Agent One'. To the bottom right of that select box there should be a piano symbol. Once clicked a virtual drum machine will pop up on the screen showing 16 pads to the right. After you have opened the drum machine head to the top tabs once again, had along to media and click media bay. Media bay is where you locate, preview and use all your needed drum sounds. Head to the search box after reading the drum notation for the correct drum on the piece of music and try to find it in media bay. Once found drag the sound onto the drum pad. Each pad has a corresponding note on the piano. If you open the recording view on the track preparing to add notes in, when adding a note to the selected key a drum corresponds to the drum sound will activate in relation to the timeline.

Midi

Musical instrument digital interface - Midi

• Midi is not musical 
• Midi is not an actual sound
• Midi is not an actual digital music file
• Midi is nothing more than data - Set of instructions for a Midi player

The instructions to the computer determine the instrument, note and length of the requested note.

Format

Stored as '.Mid'. Files are extremely short as it is just instructions, a series of code. It is much bigger than '.MP3' or '.Wav'. These files are much larger as they have actual audio to play. 

These files allow you to edit, playback and open midi audio instructions - Tracks on Midi software.

Used for - 

• The Karaoke industry
• Old video games
• Old mobile phones

Midi Specifications

Midi is written in Binary.

Binary is written individually in bits.

8 bits make up a byte.

3 bytes create a Midi file.

The 3 Midi files are -

1. Status 
2. Data 
3. Data 2

Midi Connections 

Midi controllers have 'Midi in' and 'Midi out'.

Some also have 'Midi Thru' which allows multiple controllers to be hooked up to a computer and controlled  This is useful in a classroom situation. 

Midi Manager 

There are 2 different ways to manage and view Midi files.

1. Key Editer - This allows one to edit, apply and delete notes 
2. List Editer - This view allows you to see the binary code associated with the notes

Channel Messages

In the beginning of Midi there were 16 channels.

1 x x x - defines the type of message.

x x x x - defines the channel number.

Midi Interface 

Hardware to control Midi tacks are called controllers.

• *see - 'Midi Connections'*

General Audio 

A way to define the sounds needed in a Midi track is defined using 'GM' codes. Each instrument is directed a number. In this case 'GM - 01' or 'GM - 02'. This tells the Midi player software what instrument to assign to the sounds. 

There are 127 different instruments to assign as thats the highest number the binary code can reach.