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This lesson explores the concept of rhythmic ideas (or patterns), and how these can be repeated and combined to form phrases. Students will work with a song file containing several sequenced tracks, but no drums. They will create their own drum track, using some provided drum patterns that can be recorded into the sequencer and edited to fit the musical structure of the existing material.
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! When switching
between patterns in this particular lesson, the pattern changes should always occur on the 1st beat of the bar. Here you can simply click the next pattern button any time during the bar before you want the change to take place. (Pattern change points are normally determined by the time signature setting on the Transport Panel and the resolution setting in Redrum, see Lesson 4.)
D To hear the different patterns, first click the RUN button, then click buttons A1-8 to change from one pattern to another. You may notice that, when starting the Reason sequencer, Redrum will probably start to play as well, even if there is nothing currently recorded on the linked sequencer track. This is because Redrums pattern sequencer is designed to synchronize with the main Reason sequencer. It means that any pattern you record in Redrum will automatically play back in sync and at the same tempo as any other material recorded on the sequencer tracks. This is useful when experimenting with different rhythm patterns before actually recording them. If you dont want Redrum to play automatically with the sequencer, you can click the Enable Pattern Section switch (which turns white) to disable the pattern sequencer. Or you can simply mute pattern playback by clicking the Pattern switch (which will also turn white).
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A 4-bar phrase recorded into the sequencer might therefore consist of 3 identical 1-bar pattern repeats (e.g. pattern 7), followed by a 1-bar fill (pattern 5). When you come to create your own patterns you can of course set the number of pattern steps and note lengths to whatever you like.
Shuffle can be activated for individual patterns by clicking the Shuffle switch (1).
The actual amount of Shuffle applied to the patterns is determined by the Pattern Shuffle control (2) on the Transport Panel.
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The Song Position marker (1) determines the point from which recording will start, so move this to the place where you want to start your drum pattern recording. You can record from any point on a track.
During the lesson, different patterns will be recorded onto the sequencer track called Drums.
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To help you see the start and end points of your recording, you can also set the Left and Right Locators (2 and 3) as markers.
1 Select the Drums sequencer track by clicking on it. 2 Now click the In column of the track and a MIDI icon will appear. This enables you to
record onto the track.
3 Click the Record button (6) on the Transport Panel. Recording will not actually start until
you click Play (5).
4 Change patterns while recording by clicking on the numbered pattern buttons with the
mouse. When youve finished recording a section, click the Stop button (4).
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What actually gets recorded on the sequencer track is pattern change information. On the Drums track you should be able to see where the pattern changes have occurred ( 7). If not, try enlarging the sequencer track view by clicking on the + magnifying glass icon to the right of the sequencer window.
D If you look at Redrum you will also notice a green frame around the pattern buttons. This indicates that pattern playback has been automated (more on automation in later lessons).
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1 Select the drum track by clicking on the name Drums, then click the icon at the top left
of the sequencer window (1).
Having viewed the pattern changes, you may decide that you now want to change the playback order, or replace a pattern with a completely different one.
3 Select the pencil tool, by clicking on it. 4 Select a pattern from the drop-down menu (4).
5 Draw in the newly selected pattern at the required place (5). If you want the new pattern to play for several bars, keep the mouse button pressed and drag to the right. Should you drag too far, select Undo Draw Events from the Edit menu and try again.
1 Open the Pattern lane and select the pencil tool. 2 From the Pattern drop-down menu, select a Redrum pattern that you know is empty, for
example D8.
3 Now draw in the new pattern at the required place. When the sequencer starts you
should not hear any drum sounds, because the pattern being played is empty.
When editing pattern changes you may want to restrict these to occurring at the start of a bar. The Snap drop-down menu at the top of the sequencer window needs to be set to Bar in order to do this, and the Snap to Grid button activated. Setting smaller values such as 1/4 or 1/8 allows you to move items to the next quarter note or eighth note instead.
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! Lesson Aims:
Introducing the concept of rhythm patterns and how these can be combined to form structured and varied phrases. Introducing the musical significance of rhythmic feel. Exploring drum pattern selection, playback, recording and editing. Understanding basic musical concepts of pattern and phrase construction. Playing and changing drum patterns to synchronize musically with other material. Recording drum pattern changes in real time to build up longer rhythmic phrases. Editing the playback order of patterns to fit the musical structure and phrasing of other material.
! Student Skills:
Introductory activity
! It is suggested that
this is done as a class listening activity in order to save time. However you may prefer to go straight to Task 1 instead.
1 Open the song file Lesson 3a. 2 Play bars 1-5. How many different rhythmic ideas are used in this 4-bar phrase?
(This is a 1-bar idea or pattern, which is simply repeated.)
4 Play bars 17-21. How have the ideas or patterns been used here?
(This phrase contains three identical pattern repeats followed by a 1-bar fill.)
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! see Student
Worksheet
a. Try out the different sounds that make up the drum kit. b. Click RUN and listen to the patterns you've been given (click pattern buttons 1-8, bank A). c. What happens when you click the Shuffle switch on Redrum?
Play some of the patterns again. How would you describe the difference? Do you prefer any particular patterns and why?
d. Start the main sequencer and change drum patterns as the music plays.
Which patterns could fit with the main musical ideas in 2-, 4- or 8-bar rhythmic phrases? Which patterns are similar, but have a slight rhythmic change? Which patterns could be used as whole or half bar fills at the end of a phrase?
Your notes:
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! see Student
Worksheet
a. Aim to record 4 or 8 bars of patterns and changes at a time. b. Listen for different song sections. Perhaps use a drum fill at the end of a phrase that
leads into a new section or idea.
c. Drums and bass work together as a team in many styles of music. Try soloing the bass
to hear the length and style of its phrases. Now try and match your drum pattern repeats, changes and phrase lengths to those of the bass.
d. Did you click the wrong pattern during recording? Try editing the playback order of your
recorded patterns in the Pattern lane.
e. The drums could perhaps drop out at some point for a change. Try inserting an empty
pattern in the Pattern lane to cover the number of bars in which the drums dont play. Your notes:
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b. Click RUN and listen to the patterns you've been given (click pattern buttons 1-8, bank
A).
d. Start the main sequencer and change drum patterns as the music plays.
Which patterns could fit with the main musical ideas in 2-, 4- or 8-bar rhythmic phrases? Which patterns are similar, but have a slight rhythmic change? Which patterns could be used as whole or half bar fills at the end of a phrase?
a. Aim to record 4 or 8 bars of patterns and changes at a time. b. Listen for different song sections. Perhaps use a drum fill at the end of a phrase that
leads into a new section or idea.
c. Drums and bass work together as a team in many styles of music. Try soloing the bass
to hear the length and style of its phrases. Now try and match your drum pattern repeats, changes and phrase lengths to those of the bass.
d. Did you click the wrong pattern by mistake during recording? Try editing the playback
order of your recorded patterns in the Pattern lane.
e. The drums could perhaps drop out at some point for a change. Try inserting an empty
pattern in the Pattern lane to cover the number of bars in which the drums dont play.
Check out: How to edit pattern change information. How to insert silence using empty patterns.
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How to audition Redrum sounds: Click on the arrow button (1) at the top of each sound channel. How to change drum patterns: Click on the pattern number buttons 1-8 (2) to change pattern. How to add Shuffle to drum patterns: Click the Shuffle switch (3) on Redrum. To alter the amount of shuffle applied to the rhythm, adjust the Pattern Shuffle control (4) on the Transport Panel.
1 Select the sequencer track you want to record on, and click the In column (1) so that
the MIDI icon appears.
2 Make sure that the Song Position marker (2) is set to the start. 3 You may find it useful to set the Left and Right Locators (3) as start and end boundaries
this will help you see where to stop recording.
4 Click the Record button (4) on the Transport Panel... 5 ...then click Play (5). 6 When youve finished recording, click the Stop button (6).
This is what you can expect to see on your Drums track when youve recorded some different patterns. It is information about the different pattern changes youve made.
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1 Select the track on which youve just recorded the drum patterns (1). 2 Switch to Edit view by clicking the icon in the top left corner of the sequencer window
(2).
3 Click on the Pattern icon (3) to display the Pattern lane. This shows which particular patterns you recorded in what order.
5 From the Pattern drop-down menu (in the top left of the lane - 5) select the pattern number you want to use.
6 Now draw in that pattern change at the required position. If you want the new pattern
to play for several bars, keep the mouse button pressed and drag to the right. Should you drag too far, select Undo Draw Events from the Edit menu and try again.
positions is normally affected by the snap value set in the sequencer drop-down menu. A Bar snap value means that pattern changes can only be edited to start at the beginning of a bar. A 1/2 snap value will allow you to draw in changes at half bars etc.
1 Open the Pattern lane and select the pencil tool. 2 From the Pattern drop-down menu, select a Redrum pattern that you know is empty, for
example D8.
3 Now draw in the new pattern at the required place. When the sequencer starts you
should not hear any drum sounds, because the pattern being played is empty.
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