MUC4313/5315
Small Project No. 1
    Follow these guidelines to complete Small Project No. 1 in the EMu studio.
The goal of this project is to impart an understanding of the basic function of the equipment in the studio through the creation of a short loop based piece using DP and the hardware in the studio.

The resulting piece should be between 1:30 and 3 minutes in length. A loop must be present throughout the entire piece. At least one effects module must be used. You should also apply at least one additional creative element to the project, such as another loop, dynamically changing effects, or something out of the ordinary.

Please see the course site for this project's due date. You will be turning in the project on DATA CD AND DAT Tape. The CD will contain the DP file, the tap will contain the audio result of your efforts.

REMEMBER: Follow all procedures as outlined in the web handout "Getting Started."

PART 1: CREATE LOOP

  • From the Dock on the G5 (Mathews), choose Digital Performer.
  • Once Digital Performer is loaded, go to the File menu and select New; this will create a new project. Be careful to remember the folder you chose to save this project to so that you may locate it later.
  • Upon creation of a project, a window displaying the project will appear (it is helpful to increase the size of this window by dragging on the lower right-hand corner of the window). The items labeled as Track hold MIDI data, and the ones labeled as Audio hold digital audio. We will only be working with the MIDI Tracks for the scope of this project.
  • Under the OUTPUT heading accompanying Track 1, you may assign the audio module of choice to receive MIDI data from Track 1. A menu of audio module choices is displayed, corresponding to the units in the rack to the left; some of the units are synthesizers, some are samplers and some are effects. The information sent out by Digital Performer will control them. Drag and then release on the desired module and channel assignment.
  • Choose a desired PATCH (specific sound) by clicking on the PATCH menu for the track and dragging the cursor to highlight the wanted sound.
  • Using the event list, (double-click on the track in question, and then click on the top left menu and select "Event List"), input a MIDI event (note) into the track as that has these EXACT parameters:
    • Start time 1|1|000: measure 1, beat 1, part of beat 000
    • MIDI event C3: pitch C, 3rd octave
    • Down velocity 64 (down arrow): how "hard" the event was hit (range 0-127)
    • Release velocity 64 (up arrow): how "quickly" the event was released (range 0-127)
    • Event duration 1|000: 1 beat, no partial beats
  • CHANGE THE TEMPO. The tempo is located on the transport bar.
  • In N/4 meter, 1|240 would equal a dotted quarter note, 0|240 is an eighth note, and 0|120 is a sixteenth note. There is a 480 parts per quarter resolution (PPQ) in Digital Performer.
  • Select "set loop" from the INSERT menu to set the length of your loop and the number of loop iterations. Click on the "I" above the event list to bring up the INSERT menu.
  • To hear your work follow all procedures for assigning your chosen MIDI device to the L/R Mix buss on the Mackie board (Please refer to the patch bay diagram for device output channel) Then bring up the main slider for the L/R Mix, assign the l/R Mix to the monitor section of the board, and bring up the control room volume dial. REMEMBER: be conservative with your slider/dial settings until you have sound. THIS WILL PREVENT DAMAGING YOUR EARS AND THE MONITORS IN THE STUDIO!
This is the basic procedure for creating a loop in Digital Performer at the FEMS. Try to use this technique to emulate the spirit of the phase music you've been listening to for class. You may find it rewarding to try this with pitched, non-pitched, and eventually sampled sounds. Let your creativity drive your exploration of the facilities, not allowing the facilities to define the boundaries of your creativity. It is often most productive to limit the amount of material used on a project thus focusing on the maximum development of the material chosen.

 PART 2: ADD EFFECTS
  • Use the Aux Sends to send your output to the effects processor(s). The easiest way to assign Aux Send is to use the GUI interface. For example, to assign channel 1 to Aux 1:
    • Select Channel 1
    • Double click the Assign button on the Board (Not on the GUI). This will take you to the fat channel mode
    • Find knobs for Aux 1 on the screen. Turn up the aux 1.
  • Look at the meters on the front of the processor(s) to ensure that signal is being received.
  • Once the processor(s) is/are receiving signal, the resulting output must be patched into the Mackie via the patch bays. Look at the patch bay diagram (available on the course web site in PDF form, or on the Russolo (the other computer, silver/white, in the studio) and make the appropriate connections.
  • Listen to your results, and experiment with selection of effect on the processors, the balance between original and effected signal, and the results of various types of sends to the processors (pre/post fader, sending the same signal to different processors, sending different signals to the same processor, etc.).
PART 3: MAKE IT MUSIC
  • Do something creative to add interest to your project. Some suggestions include:
    • Create an additional track using a different sound on the same module used in step one or a different module altogether.
    • Gradually (or suddenly) alter one or more of the effects by which your loop is altered through controller changes on a separate track in Digital Performer.
    • Add a second loop that relates to the first one.
    • Alter the first loop in some way.
    • Provide a new loop to cycle upon the completion of the first loop.
What ever you do, it should be minimal and should enhance rather than detract from your current material. Sometimes, the slightest changes create the most profound changes of expression.

PART 4: RECORD YOUR PROJECT
  • Select all desired output channels to route to the L/R Bus, and set the levels as you would like them to sound.
  • Use the patchbay diagram to route the signal to the appropriate device (the DA-30 DAT is recommended for this project).
  • Insert a tape in the DA-30, select "Record/Pause", and set input levels accordingly.
  • When ready, begin the recording process.

PART 5: SAVE YOUR PROJECT
  • Lab management will periodically clear the hard drives, so it is essential to save your work on CD or Flash drive. Try to make more than one copy of your work as a backup. Here are instructions on burning a CD-R
  • Insert a blank CD. The eject button is located on the top right corner of the keyboard
  • The computer will ask what to do with your blank CD. Label your CD-R and choose to make it a data CD-ROM
  • Drag and Drop your Digital Performer Project folder to the CD Icon in the Desktop
  • Go to Special->Burn Disc
  • After burning a CD-ROM, test it to make sure it contains your data.

PART 6: NORMALIZE THE STUDIO
  • Make sure to normalize ALL the pots and faders, including the mixer and the modules.
  • Erase your files and turn off the computer.
  • Sign out in the Studio Log book
  • Turn off the light, and MAKE SURE THAT THE DOOR IS LOCKED before you leave.

- last update 3 September 2010 -