MAKING YOUR OWN RHYTHM(2)

Tips & Tricks
K7
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E3
Editor: Cees Schenk Date published: 13-04-04
Emailadress: info@keso.nl Updated: 16-04-04

THE 'TIME IS TIGHT' TUTOR
In 5 steps from a midi-song to a great KN7000 song
This 'tutor' intent to describe how to make your own composer rhythm.

Please visit the KESO-CAFÉ, item 'ABOUT COMPOSER',  to react/reply on this subject .... thank you!

You should realise that it can be done in a quicker way by using a midisequencer-program, like Cakewalk or whatever. However most people doesn't have it. So I stick with the KN7000 tools and used no other software.

Material:

  • a midifile

  • a pencil and paper

  • a kn7000

  • patience and persistence

DOWNLOAD the 'tutor-pack', including:
1. the midi-file I used
2. The KN7000 Composer rhythms of 'Time is tight'
3. The 'Time is tight'-song recorded with Easy Record
 

THE 5 STEPS

FASE 1. Global analyse of the song.

  • I listened several times to the original song

  • and I listened several times to the midi-song;

all this with the intention trying to analyse the song. Kind of estimate if the song could be made suitable as a composer rhythm.

FASE 2. More detailed analyse of the song.

A. LOADING THE MIDISONG

  • I loaded the midisong in the KN7 sequencer;

  • choose if you whish to load as GM(2) or NX.

I loaded the midisong as GM2 to obtain the original soundsettings (instead of using GM/NX). It depends on the original quality of the midisong if you choose for GM or NX in relation with personal preference.

B. EXAMENING THE TRACKS

  • I played the midi-versions on very slow tempo;

  • muted some tracks to examen which instruments are in the single tracks

  • The (midi)song is played in C, F, G and D -chords

In this midisong I could use some of the tracks for making the composerstyle:

  • TRACK 2: the bass

  • TRACK 3: 'shadow'-bassline

  • TRACK 7: the organ accompagniment

  • TRACK 9: the guitar accompagniment

  • TRACK10: the drums

I made a quick concept of which parts of the song could be used in the various parts of the composer (intro/fill ins and variations).

FASE 3. EDITING COMPOSERPARTS
In this fase the 'copy and paste' starts from the midiparts/-tracks in the sequencer to the composerparts in the composermemory.

  1. <PROGRAM MENUS>
  2. <COMPOSER>
  3. <RECORDING MEMORY A>
  4. <MEMORY CLR> : to clear the Memory A
  5. <NAMING>: in this case 'Time is tight'

Now choose which part you whish to create (i.e.: intro, variations and fill-ins, endings)

An example (variation 2 of 'Time is tight')

Regarding to my remarks in FASE 2 (see above) I had decided that the following parts from the midisong should be copied to Memory A (Var 2)

  1. <PROGRAM MENUS>
  2. <COMPOSER>
  3. <SEQ TO COMPOSER copy>

  1. <MEASURE SEQUENCER> COPY TO <COMPOSER MEMORY>

P.S. The original miditrack is in G and D. I used in this composerpart the 'transpose'-function to play in the right scale. Therefore I transposed it from G to C (+5) to play in the composer in the right tonality (Cmaj)

I also changed manually measure 2 (4th count) (the single guitarbeat, which is in D-key) to C in the composer- steprecord menu.

End of example.

Tip: don't forget to save frequently between some greater changements. Don't overwrite files if you are not sure, better to save on another place and with another name.

SUMMARY OF MAKING OTHER RHYTHM PARTS AS DESCRIBED ABOVE:

COMPOSER PATTERN DESCRIPTION FROM MIDIFILE REMARKS
INTRO Drums, bassline and 'shadow-bassline' track 10 and 2 (and 3): measure 20 - 28 Track 3 is the 'shadow-bassline'
VAR1 PATTERN First accomp. pattern track 10 and 2 (and 3): measure 30 + 31  
VAR1-FILL IN1   track 10 and 2: measure 41  
VAR2 PATTERN Second accomp.pattern track 10, 2,3, 9 : measure 56 - 59 Midi is in G/D
Transposed +5 to C.
And changed manually in 2nd measure on 4th count to C-maj.
VAR2-FILL IN2   track 10,2: measure 77  
VAR3 PATTERN Third accomp. pattern track 10,2,3,9: measure 78-79  
VAR3-FILL IN2   track 10,2: measure 85  
VAR3-FILL IN1   track 10,2: measure 89  
VAR4 PATTERN As VAR3 copied from VAR2 Manually added
ENDING 2   track 10,2: measure 126  

Notes:

  • Maybe that the measure numbers could be the wrong numbers. It also depend of the midi-setting (e.g. panel header on/of). It is more to give you an idea how to..
  • I didn't use the intro (about the first 20 measures)
  • Be aware that sometimes it is needed to make a note-value conversion to the right scale (in this case in VAR2 ..)


FASE 4: EDITING SOUNDS AND DRUMS
In this fase one can change the sounds (like organ and/or guitar or drumsstyles) if you whish.

I have changed the drumsstyles from GM2 to  DRUMKIT <Standard Kit1> and used the organ and guitar sounds I liked.

  1. <PROGRAM MENUS>

  2. <COMPOSER>

  3. <RECORDING MEMORY A>

  4. choose i.e. <VAR1><PATTERN><OK>

  5. choose one of the tracks f.i. <DR1>

  6. choose <PART SETTING> and choose the wanted drumkit (e.g. I used drumkit <STANDARD KIT 1>)

In this menu you can choose the sound/drums you whish to change.

FASE 5: FINE TUNING
In this fase you can do the 'fine tuning'.

For instance in <STEP RECORD>: deleting and/or adding some notes; or in <PART SETTING> changing sounds and/or note value etc.

  • Tip: use the <SOLO>-button to switch between the individual track and all tracks

About the MSA (Music Style Arranger) setting.

  • I have choosen to set <MSA> on <OFF> for the reason that I have decided to use the Panel Memory

  • I have programmed/set the Panel Memories

  • During the playing I can use the FILL-IN and just afterthat push on the next PANEL MEMORY (in this song I use the panels 1 to 8)

And finally the composer is ready for take off. Only now rests the playing and recording in Easy Record of the song.

Hope you enjoy and I hope that this contribution is helpful to develop your skills on creating your own styles.
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