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MIDI Composition

Welcome to MIDI composition, the class where we’re going to learn to create music with nothing but a computer! Days with an asterisk (*) mean you have something to print.
Navigational Link: Quarter 2

Day 1

1. This semester we’re going to be using Signal, a free online MIDI editor. You do not have to sign in to use the app or even to download music that you create, but if you do you will be able to save your projects. I recommend you sign in with Google.
2. Today, play around with Signal and see what you can figure out with it.
3. You’re going to be learning some basic music reading and notation this semester (this will just make things easier). Watch the lesson about staffs, clefs, and ledger lines.

Day 2*

1. Print and complete the worksheet about the grand staff and ledger lines.
2. Watch the lesson about note duration.
3. Try to replicate this music in Signal. Be sure to use both the notes on the top staff and the notes on the bottom one.

Day 3*

1. Watch the lesson about measures and time signatures.
2. Print the worksheet and identify the notes.
3. Try and replicate this song on Signal. Pay attention! The timing of the notes is more complex than the song yesterday, and sometimes you will have 4 notes playing at once.

Day 4*

1. Watch the lesson about rest durations.
2. Read about how to recognize the notes on the piano. Stop at “note recognition and landmark notes.” We will be reading more about that later.
3. Print and complete the ‘navigating the keyboard‘ worksheet.
4. Play around in Signal again today. Create whatever you like.

Day 5

1. Watch the lesson about constructing major scales.
2. Replicate the 3 scales from the lesson in Signal. Then, choose a new starting note and follow the formula to create a different major scale.
3. Read the worksheet about sharps and flats (you do not need to print). Complete the exercises by the blue ‘play’ buttons using Signal.
4. Try to do the last exercise as well. If you create your own melody, be sure to do it in a new project and save it.

Day 6

1. Watch the lesson about minor scales.
2. Replicate the scales from the lesson in Signal. Then, choose a new starting note and follow the formula to create a different minor scale.
3. Create a tune in Signal in a minor key. It only needs to be 4 measures long.

Day 7

1. Now we’re going to learn about intervals! Watch the lesson about generic intervals.
2. Choose a starting note (C seems like a good one) and create intervals in Signal. (Make sure you go from firsts all the way through eighths.)
3. Read about chords and intervals. Reproduce the intervals and triads in Signal.

Day 8*

1. Watch the lesson about measuring specific intervals. Follow along in Signal and reproduce the intervals.
2. A melodic interval occurs when notes are played separately. A harmonic interval is when the two notes are played at the same time. Print and complete the worksheet to create melodic and harmonic intervals.
3. Bonus: reproduce the notes from your worksheet on Signal. How does it sound?

Day 9*

1. Learn about the three types of chords. Try making all the chords in Signal.
2. Print the worksheet and complete the chords.
3. Can you create a melody using chords? Give it a try. This only needs to be a few measures long.

Day 10

1. Learn about composing with minor scales. Recreate all 3 minor scales in Signal.
2. Today use Signal to create a longer melody. It needs to be at least 8 measures long. It does not have to be complicated.

Day 11*

1. Watch the lesson about voicing chords. Notice how all the notes of a chord go together, even if they aren’t arranged the same way.
2. Watch the analysis of “O Canada.”
3. Print and complete the worksheet “Skips, Steps, and Repeats.”
4. This would be a good time to play around in Signal. How does it change the sound of your melody if you use skips vs. steps? What about repeats?

Day 12

1. Watch the lesson about non-harmonic tones.
2. Watch the stepwise rule for better melodies.
3. Today you are going to compose a tune. Your tune must be:

Using multiple notes at once is optional. Title your tune and save it.

Day 13

1. Watch the lesson about phrases and cadences.
2. Then watch “Three Tips for Writing a Great Melody.”
3. Can you incorporate some of these tips into a melody? You can edit a melody you’ve made before or create a new one.

Day 14

1. Watch the lesson about circle progression.
2. Recreate the chord progressions in Signal. How do they sound?

Day 15

1. Watch the short “How to Write Catchy Melodies.” You can go over it more than once.
2. Try out that tactic in Signal (although I think you’ll have to input the scale manually). See if you can compose a piece inspired by whatever holiday is nearest. Have some fun with it!

Day 16

1. Watch the video “rhythm rule for better melodies.” Do you understand what is meant by syncopation?
2. Either create a new melody using syncopation, or take an old project you have created and change the rhythm to employ syncopation. If you revise an old project, be sure to copy and paste and ONLY work on the copy so you can hear the difference.

Day 17

1. Read “How to Write a Chord Progression.” Read the sections “What is a Chord?”, “What is a Chord Progression?” and “How to Write a Chord Production in 7 Steps.” STOP at step 3.
2. Recreate the chords from step 2 in Signal.
3. Now recreate this chord progression in Signal.

Day 18

1. Choose two of the chord progressions from the cheat sheet. Create them in Signal. (Each chord should probably last 2 or 4 beats).
2. Choose one. Create a melody to go with the chords. Use the title of the progression to help inspire your melody.

Day 19

1. Today, choose two of the chord progressions that you did not use yesterday. Create them in Signal.
2. Choose one. (It can be the one you did not use yesterday, if you like.) Create a melody to go with the chords. Use the title of the progression to help inspire your melody.

Day 20

1. Today, use the last two chord progressions. Create them in Signal.
2. Choose one. (It can be the one you did not use before, if you like.) Create a melody to go with the chords. Use the title of the progression to help inspire your melody.

Day 21

1. Today, replicate Jingle Bells in Signal. Save your work, you will be using it tomorrow.

Day 22

1. Take your copy of “Jingle Bells” and make some changes. You can make changes to the melody, timing, key, or whatever you like. The goal is to start with something familiar and end with something original. What can you come up with?

Day 23

1. Freestyle! Compose something of your choice in Signal.

Day 24

1. Here’s a cheat sheet for different keys. You’re going to need this.
2. Watch this short video explaining melodic resolution.
3. In the next step you will need to know what phrase form is. ‘Phrase form’ in this context may be written as sentence or period. “Period” is typically an 8 measure composition of 2 phrases. The first phrase is meant to end on an incomplete feeling (like asking a question) and the second phrase is meant to resolve it, like an answer. “Sentence” is also typically 8 measures, but it has 3 parts. The first part is the main idea, or melody. The second part repeats the phrase with some changes, and the third part provides a clear resolution to the melody.
4. Visit What to Compose and click generate. Use as much or as little of the prompt as you want and create a composition.

Day 25

1. Replicate this version of Für Elise by Ludwig van Beethoven in Signal.

Day 26

1. Here is a familiar melody. Create a composition using it as part of your melody. (You do not have to replicate it or use the complete melody in order. How can you incorporate this melody into a new composition?)

Day 27

1. Read about repeats and endings.
2. Replicate the following in Signal. (Check out the repeat!)

Day 28

1. Choose between ‘Ode to Joy’ and ‘Surprise Symphony.’ Create a composition that incorporates the melody that you chose.

Day 29

1. Watch “How to Craft an Unforgettable Melody.”
2. Compose something inspired by a lesson from the video. It should be 16 bars long. (Don’t forget you can repeat phrases.)

Day 30

1. We’re going to break down some of the techniques in yesterday’s video. Today, try to compose a melody by whistling or humming it FIRST, then trying to replicate it in Signal.
2. To do this, begin composing away from your keyboard. That’s right, shut the computer and go do something else. While you do, try to whistle or hum a tune. When you have gone over the tune several times and think you have it down, open Signal and try to write it out. Then clean it up and turn it into a composition (8 measure minimum).

Day 31

1. Watch 3 Tips for Writing a Great Melody.
2. Write a melody (8 measure minimum) using some tips from the video.

Day 32

1. Watch the video “The only chords you need to know.”
2. Scroll down and watch the video “Beginner’s Money Patterns.”
3. Recreate one of the money patterns in Signal. Once you have the chords going in the pattern, try making a melody over the top of it.

Day 33

1. Choose one of the chord progressions and one of the patterns and create a composition. (Should be at least 16 measures long, to allow you to get through all 4 chords in the progression.)

Day 34

1. Choose one of the chord progressions and one of the patterns you did not already use. Create a composition (melody over chord progression.) This should be at least 16 measures long, to allow you to get through all 4 chords in the progression.

Day 35

1. Watch the video “What makes a melody catchy?” (Not sure what a tonic note is? It’s also called the root note, or the first note of the scale in which you are composing.
2. Try to compose a catchy melody today. Be sure to consider the following elements:

  • Small intervals between notes
  • Repetition of rhythms and phrases
  • The tempo is ‘singable’
  • The end resolves in a satisfying way

Day 36

1. Today, replicate this piece of music in Signal.

Day 37

1. Today replicate this piece of music in Signal.

Day 38

1. Today we’re going to be trying out a new tool: Chrome Music Lab.
2. Watch the video about making music for non-musicians (Stop watching when they get to beepbox.)
3. Create a composition of your choosing in Chrome Music Lab.

Day 39

1. Check out this tutorial about Chrome Music Lab.
2. Create another composition in the Chrome Music Lab.

Day 40

1. Let’s move on to Beepbox! Watch the video about beepbox.
2. Check out Beepbox and get familiar with it. See what you can make!
3. Did you want to try out the type a tone site shown in the video? Here it is!

Day 41

1. Spend some time working in beepbox again. Here are some videos for your perusal:

Day 42

1. Today, create a composition in any of the three platforms you’ve tried out.

Day 43

1. Create another composition.

Day 44

1. Create another composition.

Day 45

1. Today, create a composition to show off what you have learned. Make sure it is at least 16 bars/measures long, with at least 3 layers (melody, background/chords/rhythm).