EarSketch

Teach music with coding and coding with music

Elements of Coding that can be Introduced at the Early Levels

Theses should be pointed out and emphasized to the students.

Importing Libraries

Example:

from earsketch import *

Functions and Arguments

Examples: 

fitMedia(clip name, track number, starting measure, ending measure)
init()
setTempo(140)

Loops

Using the makeBeat() function is a perfect way to require the use of loops in a student project. In order for beats to repeat you must use a for loop.

for i in range(1,17):
  makeBeat(OS_KICK06, 1, i, "0++-0++-0++-0++-") 
  makeBeat(OS_SNARE01, 2, i, "----0++-----0+00")
  makeBeat(OS_CLOSEDHAT04, 3, i, "000-000-000-0-00")
  makeBeat(OS_OPENHAT04, 3, i, "-----------0----")

Variables

The best way to start using variables is to create a list of variables for the sounds you want to use. This will simplify the names of the sounds when you want to use them.

Example:

#Sound Library
Kick = "YG_EDM_KICK_1"
Snare = "RD_EDM_DRUMBEATPART_2"
Hat = "RD_EDM_DRUMBEATPART_4"
Loop1 = "RD_EDM_DRUMBEATPART_8"
Bass = "DUBSTEP_BASS_WOBBLE_013"
DrFill = "RD_EDM_DRUMROLL_BREAK_6"
Crash = "RD_EDM_DRUMBEATPART_1"
Lead = "RD_EDM_HIT_LEAD_1"
Synth1 = "YG_EDM_SYNTH_2"

fitMedia(Kick, 1, 1, 32)
fitMedia(Snare, 2, 1, 32)
fitMedia(Hat, 3, 1, 32)
fitMedia(Loop1, 4, 1, 32)
fitMedia(Bass, 5, 5, 8)
fitMedia(Bass, 5, 9, 16)
fitMedia(Bass, 5, 17, 24)
fitMedia(Bass, 5, 25, 33)
fitMedia(DrFill, 6, 15, 17)
fitMedia(DrFill, 6, 23, 25)
fitMedia(DrFill, 6, 31, 33)
fitMedia(Crash, 7, 33, 34)
setEffect(5, VOLUME, GAIN, -20)
fitMedia(Lead, 8, 9, 17)
fitMedia(Synth1, 9, 17, 25)
fitMedia(Lead, 8, 25, 32)

Conditionals

A conditional (IF statement can be used to modify a drum beat within a loop. In this case we are creating a fill. We use the modulas operator "%" to get the remainder of the division. This means that a drum fill will be played every 4 beats. 

for i in range(1,33):
  if i % 4 == 0:
  makeBeat(OS_KICK06, 1, i, "0++-0++-0++-0000")
  makeBeat(OS_SNARE01, 2, i, "00-00+00--00----")
  makeBeat(OS_CLOSEDHAT04, 3, i, "000-000-000-0-00")
  else:
  makeBeat(OS_KICK06, 1, i, "0++-0++-0++-0++-") 
  makeBeat(OS_SNARE01, 2, i, "----0++-----0+00")
  makeBeat(OS_CLOSEDHAT04, 3, i, "000-000-000-0-00")
  makeBeat(OS_OPENHAT04, 3, i, "-----------0----")

Video Tutorials