Music Class - Home Information Technology - Home Music Technology - Home OzMusEd - Australian Music Resources - Home
Downloads References Class work
Click on each module below
MT Introduction & history
Internet Resources
Sampling & Synthesis
Arranging
Sequencing
Digital Recording & Editing
Multimedia Applications
CD Mastering & Publishing
Music Links
Music Software
General Links

© S. Wilkins 12 December, 2005

Acid Activities

1: Experimentation and Familiarisation
2: Adding Tempo and Key Changes (12 Bar Blues)
3: Construct a basic Rock or Pop song
4: Madonna Remix

Activity 1 - Experimentation and Familiarisation

Experiment freely with the large range of loops that come with Acid. These can be found on your school server. (Ask your teacher for the exact location).

Some style CD's available include Techno, Rock, Latin, DJ, Hip Hop

At home you might like to download the software from Sony Media, and build up a loop library by Googling for free acid loops.

Experiment with changing key, speeding up and slowing down, looping, dragging, drawing, pasting, panning and volume.

Remember that digital audio will clip and crackle if you have everything turned all the way up so that the DB Meter is constantly in the red. Make sure your levels are turned down so that the meter is only going into the red every now and then. You will be suprised with how much clearer everything sounds.

Activity 2 - Adding Tempo and Key Changes (12 Bar Blues)

What to do:-
  1. Create a song with 2 distinct sections of 12 bars in length. (The Bar numbers are across the top of the screen.)
  2. Right click on the horizontal bar underneath the time marks on the main Acid screen.
  3. Choose to "Add Key Change" at the following bars.
    |A |A |A |A |D |D |A |A |E |D |A |A |
  4. Repeat this pattern over the next 12 bars
  5. Replace bar 12 with some kind of drum fill or effect
  6. Add a tempo change at bar 13
EXTENSION: If you want to be really tricky, add a few tempo changes in bar 12 during the fill to make the music sound like it is gradually changing speed

Activity 3 - Construct a basic Rock or Pop song

What to do:-
  1. Select 4 loops to represent each of the basic instruments in a rock band:-
    1. Drums
    2. Bass
    3. Guitar
    4. Keyboard

    These loops will be used for the VERSE section.

  2. Choose a second loop for each instrument to make a CHORUS section.
  3. Use this structure:- INTRO (4 bars only), VERSE, CHORUS, VERSE, CHORUS, MIDDLE, CHORUS, CODA.
    Each section should have 8 bars (or a multiple of 8).
  4. Use these chord progressions for each section:-

    VERSE: |A |A |D |D |E |E |D |D |
    CHORUS & CODA: |A |A |C |C |D |D |A |A |
  5. Use a mixture of loops from your VERSE and CHORUS to create the INTRO, MIDDLE, and CODA sections - mix and match these loops to create variety and contrast.
  6. Make up your own chord progression for the MIDDLE section
Check your piece using the Acid Tips and Checklist

Activity 4 - Madonna Remix

Create a remix of Music by Madonna. Use the Music files on the 'O' Drive (at school) to create your own version of this well known song. Save it to disk as a Windows Media File (.wma) and play it to all your friends!

At home, visit the AcidPlanet Remix Contest page to download Acid loops of other well known songs. You can submit them to the contest if you like!