Exploring Effects 1

1 - DSP VOCAL EFFECTS

This is a two-part exploration activity.

You are going to experiment with changing the sound of your voice using DSP effects in Garage Band.

You are going to identify 3 of your favorite VOCAL TRANSFORMER effects, and 3 of your favorite VOCALS effects.

Part 1: The setup

First, open Garage Band and create a new "Voice" project and save it as "vocaltransformer_last name."
Record your voice saying something for 5-10 seconds. Not sure what to say? Record this: "Complete strangers can stand silent next to each other in an elevator and not even look each other in the eye. But at a concert, those same strangers could find themselves dancing and singing together like best friends. That's the power of music. - LZ Granderson." Or click here and pick a different music quote.
Create two new tracks. Copy and paste your 5-10 second recording into each new track, so that they play one after the other (not all at the same time).

Part 2: Use Vocal Transformer to transform your voice

Use the Vocal Transformer to experiment with changing your voice.

Find the Vocal Transformer

- Click the Track Info button (bottom right). You can also choose Track - Show Track Info.

- Click the EDIT button (upper right) and the effects area will appear. You will see some effects that are always shown, like compressor, reverb, echo.

- Click one of the empty effect slots. A pop-up menu of additional effects will appear. Find and click "Vocal Transformer."

2. Working with Vocal Transformer

- Each effect has a pop-up menu from which you can choose different effect presets.

Each preset name suggests the purpose of the preset or how it modifies the sound.

To see the preset, you need to make sure the effect is on.

You can turn individual effects on or off so you can hear how each effect changes the sound of your music.

There is a little blue rectangle to the left of the effect name. The rectangle will light to show that the effect is active. Click it to turn it off.

3. Experiment with the presets in the Vocal Transformer. Some will make a huge difference in your voice and some won't sound any different.

4. Repeat this process for the other two copies, but use a different effect for each one. BE SURE TO MAKE A NOTE SOMEWHERE OF WHICH THREE EFFECTS YOU USED.

5. SAVE YOUR WORK.

AT THIS POINT, let someone else from your group do Parts 1 and 2.

Part 3: Use Vocals to transform your voice: A different place to transform your voice

1. Select a spot at the end of your three recordings, then record a new 8-10 second clip. Copy it three times, just as you did before.

2. Instead of clicking the EDIT button, click the BROWSE button, and then VOCALS. You will see some additional options for transforming your voice.

3. Experiment with these options. Choose three of your favorites (one for each copy of your recording.)

4. SAVE, then share to disk and save as an mp3. Submit your mp3 to Google Classroom. When submitting, comment with the three Vocal Transformer effects you used in Part 2, and the three Vocal effects you used in Part 3.

THE GRADE

5 points for each recording/effect (15 points for Vocal Transformer; 15 points for Vocal) = 30 points possible

5 points for listing the three Vocal Transformer Effects you used.

5 points for listing the three Vocal effects you used.

40 POINTS TOTAL

Thanks to the Music Tech folks at Brandywine Heights High School for the above project and information. http://bhmusichome.wikispaces.com/

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