Theme and variation

For this project, you will use MIDI loops (or Musical Instrument Digital Interface) in order to create variations of that theme. MIDI loops are different than audio loops because they are not pre-recorded sounds set to a specific tempo. A MIDI loop is like sheet music for computer instruments and can be played at any tempo and on any instrument you choose.

Go into the “MIDI loops” folder. You can drag MIDI loops into a BLUE track. In order to hear the theme, you need to assign an instrument to your channel from the drop down in the upper part of of the channel (see the arrow in the image below "GM-2” has the most choices of instruments.

To create variations (altered versions of the original theme), you can copy your MIDI loop into other MIDI tracks that use different instruments, or you can mix different sounds with your MIDI track so that is accompanied in different ways. Create at least five variations of your theme, more if you have time.

Please note: blue MIDI channels are not compatible with audio loops, and gray audio channels are not compatible with MIDI loops. To create a new blue MIDI channel, click the + button with music notes in the lower left corner of the Soundation window. To create a new gray audio channel, click the plain + button. Each group of MIDI loop should be accompanied by a different audio loop, and the MIDI loop is played by different channels for different instruments.

Make sure to save your assignment frequently so you don’t lose your work. Save your file as “Theme and Variation.” When you believe you have finished, ask a friend to listen to your composition and give feedback on how well you created effective variations of your theme.

Vocabulary from this assignment:

Theme: a memorable, important melody in a piece of music

Variation: an altered form a theme; it is not completely different from the original theme, more like a new interpretation of the theme

MIDI or Musical Instrument Digital Interface: sheet music for computers; tells which notes to play, when, and for how long

Theme and Variation: a type of musical composition in which a theme is presented then repeated several times in an altered form.