Exporting audio out of Reason

So, today we will be turning in our songs for the class compilation.

As I said yesterday, you need to turn in audio files of your songs.  Audio files are files that you can  listen to through your computer. There are different types of audio files, including WAVs, AIFs, and MP3s.

Audio files are different from Reason files because you can open them and listen to them on any computer, you can burn CDs of them, etc.  Reason files, on the other hand, can only be opened with a computer that has Reason installed on it.

So Reason allows you to export your songs as audio files. Here's how...

1. Make any final adjustments to your mix (volume levels, panning, etc.)
2. In the Sequencer Window, make sure the E marker is set to just past the end of your song. This tells Reason where the end of the song is.
3. Go to File>Export Song as Audio File.
4. Name the file. PLEASE include your name somewhere in the file name.
5. Choose the location where you want to save your file.
6. Hit Save.
7. When the Export Audio Settings window comes up, leave everything the way it is and hit Export.
   
8. Put a copy of the file in the Dropoff folder.
9. Come to the Holiday Fest and listen to your beats! 

Holiday Festival compilation

This Wednesday (Dec. 17th) there is going to be a Holiday Festival here at O'Connell at 5:30. Our class is going to contribute music to be played over the P.A. 

Everyone must submit 1-2 songs to be part of our class compilation. I want to hear your best work from this class. This is going to count as our quiz (10 points) for this week, so it is not an optional assignment. Please note that we you will be turning in an audio file, not a Reason file. I will be posting the steps for doing this on our blog tomorrow. In the meantime, you can find instructions here.

Your final song should include all of the following elements:

1. Identifiable structure (Intro, Verses, Choruses)
2. Basic mixing - volume, panning, use of FX
3. A fade out at the end.
4. If you are turning in an instrumental song, don't make it longer than 1-2 minutes. Acapella remixes can be as long as you need them to be, BUT if you turn in a remix, then you also need to turn in an original instrumental.

Friday Assignments 12/11/08

So today you have a few things to work on...

• First priority is on finishing and turning in the "Single Ladies" remix that we've been working on this week.
• Second priority is to get a song finished for the Holiday Festival compilation (see below). You must get one of the instructors to sign off on your beat before you turn it in.
  
• If you finish both of the above assignments, I have another acapella remix for you to work on (5 points extra credit.)

Next Wednesday (Dec. 17th) there is going to be a Holiday Festival here at O'Connell at 5:30. Our class is going to contribute music to be played over the P.A. system. I'm going to put together a compilation and I want everyone to submit 1-2 pieces of their best work to be in it.

Your final song should have all of the following elements:

1. Identifiable structure (intro, verses, choruses)
   
2. Basic mixing (volume, panning and FX)
3. A fade out at the end
4. If it is a strictly instrumental song, this should be no longer than 1-2 minutes(the acapella remixes can be as long as you want).

Note: you are welcome to submit one of the acapella remixes we've been working on, but if you do so you must also submit one of your original beats!

Acapella 2 - part 2

Today we're going to finish working on the "Single Ladies" remix and turn it in. This will be worth a quiz (10 points).

I've put three more parts of the acapella in the Pickup folder. These files are:

• Single Ladies_Verse2 (8 bars)
• Single Ladies_Bridge  (12 bars)
• Single Ladies_Whuh Oh  (4 bars)

Please note how long each part of the song is.

To get full credit, you must include all of the following:

1. Both Verses, at least 2 Choruses (either A or B) and the Intro
2. At least 3 instruments, including at least one melodic instrument
3. A fade out at the end of the song.

EXTRA CREDIT if you include the Bridge!!!

Remember to do Song Self-Contain Settings before you save.  Save this as "(your name)_Single Ladies.rns" and turn it in to the Dropoff folder.

Acapella 2 - part 1

This week we're going to be working with another acapella and remixing the song. This one is going to be the song, "Single Ladies" by Beyonce.

Like last week, I have broken the song into different sections for you to import into your song using NN19s. The files are in the Dropoff folder (look for files called "Single Ladies"). For today, concentrate on the Intro and Verse 1. If you have time, feel free to move on to the Chorus.

Couple things you should be aware of:

• The tempo is 97 BPMs.
• This song has a lot of swing to it, so you should probably want to turn on the Shuffle button on in your Redrum.
• Pay attention to the melody and figure out what key this is in. Play your own parts in the same key.
• Save this as "(your name)_Single Ladies.rns"

Remember to do Song Self-Contain Settings before you save!

Acapella remix - part 4

Today is your last day to finish your remix of "Tell Me When to Go". I've been hearing some amazing tracks so far!

Anyway, in order to get full credit (20-points), you need to include all of the following elements:

• All 3 verses and at least 3 choruses.
• At least 4 instruments (in addition to the NN19's for the vocals) with clearly different parts for the verses and choruses.
• Some kind of FX on the vocals.
• Basic mixing, including volume and panning adjustments.
• A fade out at the end of the song.

Remember to Self Contain the file before you save it. Name the file "(your name)_Tell Me When.rns" and turn it in to the Dropoff folder.

To do a fade out, do the following:

1. Highlight the Mixer track in your Sequencer Window
2. Now decide what bars you want to do the fade out at.
3. Click on the button to go to the Edit View.
4. Click the Envelope Button.
5. Click the Controllers Button and select Master Level from the menu.
6. Now find the bars where you want to do the fade out.
7. Select the Line Tool.
8. Click and drag the line tool diagonally down to the right to the zero

Acapella remix - part 3

So by now you should have the first chorus and verse from "Tell Me When To Go" in your song. Today, your goals will be to:

1. Add the second and third verses to the song.
2. Copy and paste the chorus in between the verses (and wherever else you want).
3. Add additional instruments to the song (at least 4).
4. Add some kind of FX to the chorus.
5. A fade out at the end.

You can find the audio files of the 2nd/3rd verses in the Pickup folder. (Pickupdropoff>Runde>Pickup>Period 5).

A few things you should be aware of...

• The structure of the original song is:  Chorus-Verse 1-Chorus-Verse 2- Chorus-Verse 3-Chorus.  If you want to switch the order up, I am fine with that, but I want all three verses in your song and at least 3 choruses.
• Verse 3 is 24 bars long!!!  Remember to draw a note that is long enough.  If you're not sure how long to make it, just take the number of the bar you are starting on and add 24 to it.  

For example, if you are putting Verse 3 in at Bar 57, you would just do this: 

        57 + 24=81. 

The note ends on Bar 81.

Please remember to Self-Contain your song before you save it. (File>Self Contain Settings>Check All).

We'll be turning these in tomorrow.

Acapella Remix - part 2

Yesterday we started working on our own remixes of "Tell Me When To Go" using the acapella of the hook. Today we're going to focus on making a verse section to the song.

Please do the following:

1. Go to the Pickup folder and find the file called "Tell Me When_Verse 1.wav" Copy it to the same place where you copied the hook yesterday.
   
2. Open your Reason file from yesterday.
3. Create a new NN19 sampler (you should have 2 now) and load this new audio file.
4. Move your markers so that they go for 16 bars AFTER the hook. Hint: if your hook goes from Bar 1-9, then your Verse should go from Bar 9 - 25. (L marker on 9, R marker on 25).
5. In the Sequencer, switch to Edit Mode and, use the Pencil Tool to draw in a note for this whole 16-bar section. Remember that to draw the note at C3.
   
6. Now switch to a new pattern in your Redrum and make a beat to go under this section. Please make it at least a little different from yesterday's beat.
7. Add at least one more melodic instrument (NN19/Subtractor/Malstrom/etc.)
8. Save, save, save!!!

Acapella Remix - part 1

Today we're going to start a new remix project using an acapella from a famous song...

Here's what you're going to do:

1. Go to the Pickup folder and find the file called "Tell Me_hook.wav".  Copy it to your folder.
   
2. Create a new Reason file.
3. Create an NN19 Digital Sampler.
4. Click the Browse Sample button and load the file you just copied to your folder.
5. Switch the Sequencer Window to Edit Mode by clicking on this button:  
6. Use the Pencil Tool to draw in a note at C3 that goes from Bar 1 to Bar 9. It should look like this: 
7. Switch back to Arrange Mode by clicking this button again:  
8. Set your L Marker to Bar 1 and the R marker to Bar 9.
9. Important!  Set the Tempo to 107 BPMs. Hit play and listen to the loop.
10. Create a Redrum and make a 32-step beat to go under this (remember, it will probably work best if you put a snare or clap on 5 & 13!)
11. Create a Subtractor/NN19/Malstrom/NNXT/Combinator and make a melody to go with this.
12. Create a Dr. Rex and load a Percussion loop to go along with your drums.
13. Save this beat to your folder as "(your name)_Tell Me.rns".

Tune in tomorrow to start working with the verses!