STEP 5: Adding the Bass for the introduction

It's missing something isn't it? When you played the video, it was lacking a BASS! Let's add one.

• Click the + button and ADD A NEW SOFTWARE INSTRUMENT TRACK 

• Using the Midi Keyboard, or musically typing, input the notes for the bass riff at the start. The notes are minims so last for 8 spaces, and you will need 2 bars

• Ensure you are accurate when playing or recording the notes in - check the image for more information

• Loop this until start of bar 5.

Notes needed:

G#1 F1 G1 C1

TOP TIP: look how long the 'blocks' are on the image below, and how many there are.

STEP 1: Adding the first drumbeat riff

• Select a new track and search for a suitable snare sound. In the example, Snare 2 - Blazing Hot was used.

• On the kick drum from earlier, add a new region by recording it in or musically typing with the pen tool

• There's more than one section for the drum beat. Look below for the image and video to see where they are supposed to go

STEP 2: Adding the second drum beat riff

There is a second drum beat riff and it starts on bar 8

On the Snare

There is only one beat near the end of the bar. Look below for a visual guide.

STEP 3: Adding the third drum beat riff

There is a third drum beat riff for the verse and this starts on bar 10.

On the snare

There is a beat in the middle of 10 and 10.3. Then there is another one again in the middle of the bar. See below for a visual guide. 

STEP 4: Arranging the parts

If you have managed to get this far, brilliant! Now we have to arrange the drum parts for the verse. Here is an image below. Notice how the parts are labelled so it is easier to find. Here are some tips

• Bar 8 has the 2nd riff and this is the only time it is played

• It alters between the 1st riff and the 3rd riff. 

• The verse finishes on bar 17. 

• The hi-hat is repeated throughout.

Also, in the video, the synth riff was muted to highlight the drums, but this is needed eventually (more on this below). The drums are colour coded and renamed to make it easier...

STEP 5: Adding the bass

Adding the bass again aren't we? This bass can be a little trickier than the intro one so follow along and you will be just fine. Here are the steps:

• Right Click to create a new MIDI region to musically type or press record to use the keyboard

• This riff is over two bars and the notes needed are below (or check out the picture below).

• Double check the accuracy as there are many different pitches and rhythms here - yours should look exactly the same as the one below

• Loop this until the end of the verse on bar 17

STEP 1: Drumbeat

• Find the Kick that looks like the one below or alternatively right click to create a new MIDI region for the kick drum and input the notes

• Find the Snare drum that looks like the one below or alternatively right click to create a new MIDI region for the kick drum and input the notes

Looping the drums

• Loop the Kick, snare and hi-hats from bars 17 all the way to end of bar 24.

STEP 2: Chorus Synth Riff

The synth beat is repeated but an octave higher. You can simply copy and paste or you can input the notes. 

To copy and paste

• Right click the synth riff region from the verse.

• Click copy or CMD on the keyboard and C (CMD + C)

• Move the playhead bar to bar 17

• Right click and click paste. Alternatively, you can click CMD + V for keyboard shortcuts

• Loop this until end of bar 25

To input the notes again

• Right click and create a new midi region

• Using the Midi Keyboard, or musically typing, input the notes for the synth riff.

• This riff is 2 bars long - look at the picture to see what it's supposed to look like - very similar to the Synth Riff for the verse.

Notes needed:

C6 C6 C6 C6 B5 B5 C6 G5

C5 C5 C5 C5 B4 B4 C5 G4

TOP TIP: look how long the 'blocks' are on the image below, and how many there are.

STEP 3: Adding the Bass for the Chorus

We are going to copy Bass riff B that we used for the verse for the chorus. If you have forgotton which one this is, find the bass riff that looks like the image below

To copy and paste

• Right click Bass riff B region from the verse.

• Click copy or CMD on the keyboard and C (CMD + C)

• Move the playhead bar to bar 17

• Right click and click paste. Alternatively, you can click CMD + V for keyboard shortcuts

• Loop this until end of bar 25

STEP 4A: Adding the Choir - Main Riff

The choir starts on BAR 17 and is made up of two riffs and two layers. Here is how to do the main riff that is most prominent and most important. You can either play them in and record it, or type it in. The example below shows a musically typed in version

• Add a new track 

• Choose a choir that sounds similar. The example uses Classical Female Ensemble however you can choose something a little more suitable should you wish to

• Right click and click on Create MIDI region

• Double click that region to bring up the editor

• Right click to create your notes. Make sure they are accurate rhythms when you input the notes. 

Notes needed:

C4 D#4 D4 C4 B3 C4 D4 D#4

STEP 4B: Adding the Choir - Counter Melody

Follow the Steps for 4A to add the counter melody for the chorus. The notes needed are below. 

It should look like the one below.

Notes needed:

G#1 G1 F#1 D#1 D1 D#1 C1 D1 D#1

STEP 1: Drumbeat

You will need

• The 3rd Kick Drum from the verse

• The 3rd Snare Drum from the verse

• The 1st Kick Drum from the verse

• The 1st snare drum from the verse

Here are what they look like for your reference:

The Structure

If you need a visual guide for the drum structure for Verse 2, then scroll down...

• Bar 25 until end of bar 28 = Kick 3 and Snare 3

• Bar 29 = Kick 1 and Snare 1

• Bar 30 = Kick 3 and Snare 3

• Bar 31 = Kick 1 and Snare 1

• Bar 32 = Kick 3 and Snare 3

• Bar 33 = Kick 1 and Snare 1

• Bar 34 = Kick 3 and Snare 3

• Bar 35 = Kick 1 and Snare 1

• Bar 36 = Kick 3 and Snare 3

Hi hat are all the way through until end of bar 36. 

STEP 2: Bass riff

You will need

• The Bass riff A (with 4 notes from the very beginning

On Bar 25, copy this riff once

On Bar 27, you only need to input two notes. 

On Bar 29, copy and paste Bass Riff A and Loop this until the end of Verse 2

Notes needed:

G#1 F1

STEP 3: Synth riff

Notice how the song takes this riff away from bar 25 - end of bar 28. It is then resumed on bar 29 until the end of bar 36. 

If you got this far, well done - you have hit 1 minute 48 seconds of a track. 

Here is the synth riff together with the rest of the track

STEP 1: Drumbeat

The Drum beat has also been copied from these sources below. A visual guide is given as well to follow

The Kick Drum

• The first kick from the introduction is put into BAR 37

• The first kick from the verse Is then added into Bar 38

• The introduction kick is then copied into bar 39 and looped until end of bar 41

The Snare Drum and Hand Clap

To add a little bit of Timbre into the mix, Snare 2 was added at the end with a hand clap.

• Insert a new instrument (+ button)

• Search for Clap. The example uses Clap 1 - Absolute Zero however, you can use whichever one you like.

• A single note was added at the end (see image below) which was played at the same time as the Snare 2.

Hi Hats are played throughout again.

STEP 2: Synth Riff

The Synth riff is continually repeated however with a couple of changes here.

Velocity

At the start, you saw on the hi hats how to change the velocity to make it quieter or louder on some sections. This is being done here on bars 39-41 to make the strings a bit quieter.

• Double click the region you wish to change the velocities for

• Highlight the area or select the note

• Using the velocity tool in the bottom left, slide it left to make it quieter or to the right to make it louder.

Note changes

On the last two notes, they ended up being doubled to make it longer. This meant that it gave a nice transition into the chorus.

Here is a visual clue

STEP 3: Bass Line

The bass line is continually looped, and taken from the first Bass Riff used. Take a listen for how everything is supposed to sound like...

2nd Chorus

Highlight all of the chorus that you have done previously

Hold down the CMD button (command button). This is the button next to the space bar

To copy, click C (so the keyboard shortcut is CMD+C)

Put the playhead at the end of the bar 41, and click CMD + V to paste the chorus. 

Here is a screenshot of the finished chorus after the bridge:

STEP 1: Drum section

Drums are copied and pasted. Here is the structure and the screenshot to accompany them.

Bar 49: Kick and snare riff 1
Bar 50: Kick and Snare 3
Bar 51: Kick and snare riff 1
Bar 52: Kick and snare 2
Bar 53: Kick and snare riff 1
Bar 54: Kick and Snare 3
Bar 55: Kick and snare riff 1
Bar 56: Kick and snare 2

Continue to loop the hi-hats as usual.