Composition Projects for iPad - 2016 Edition Copyright The Fun Music Company 2016
Garageband Projects for iPad
Student Assignment #1 - Drums
Aim: To be able to record an eight bar drum beat on the ipad.
You need: iPad with Garageband app
Task A:
Record this beat on your iPad, using regular drums:
TIPS:
• Choose the instrument ‘drums’ NOT ‘smart drums’
• Stick to just the bass drum and snare for this task
• Try to stay in beat with the metronome click
• If you make a mistake, just keep playing and
garageband will ‘loop around for you’ and re-record
Task B:
Add some more drums and cymbals to your beat.
Task C:
Edit your beat using the piano roll editor.
Student
Achievement
(teacher initial)
Bass Drum
Snare Drum
• Click on the small icon that looks like this to
change to the track editor
• when you’re in the track editor, select the track, then
choose ‘edit’ from the pop-up menu
• in the track editor, you can swipe to move around,
plus select notes and move them around.
• If you avoid using the bass and snare drums they
will stay there and hold your beat in time.
• keep practicing until you get something that sounds
good to you.
• Experiment with the different drum kits if you wish
Composition Projects for iPad - 2016 Edition Copyright The Fun Music Company 2016
Student
Achievement
(teacher initial)
Garageband Projects for iPad
Student Assignment #2 - Record Melody
Aim: To be able to record a simple melody, and add a drum beat to it.
You need: iPad with Garageband App
Task A:
Record a simple melody using a ute sound or similar over the drum beat you made in
the last lesson.
• Before you start, duplicate your project so you can go back if you wish.
• Choose a melody instrument like ute or clarinet for this exercise
• Change the scale to Major Pentatonic, or just use notes
C, D, E, G, and A if you can play the keyboard.
• Make sure you know how to edit your work in the piano roll editor
Task B:
Record a new beat for your song using the Smart Drummer
• Duplicate the project again and rename if you wish to keep all stages of your work
• Experiment with loud and soft, simple and complicated parts of the drum beat
• Get used to using the ‘power on’ button at the left when you’re ready to record
Student
Achievement
(teacher initial)
Composition Projects for iPad - 2016 Edition Copyright The Fun Music Company 2016
Garageband Projects for iPad
Student Assignment #3 - Smart Drums
Aim: To be able to use ‘smart drummer’ with variations, and record a new melody.
You need: iPad with Garageband App
Task A:
Record an 8 bar drum pattern using the smart drummer, with a musical change at the fth bar.
• Experiment with clicking the ‘dice’ to randomly change beats
• Experiment until you get a beat that you’re happy with, then record.
• Stop at the fth bar, then make changes and record again
• Change just enough in the fth bar to make it different
Task B:
Record an 8 bar drum pattern using the smart drummer, with a change in beat every second bar.
• Experiment with different sounds
• You don’t need all the drums on the screen at once
• Experiment with big or small changes
Task C:
Record a melody over the top of the drum beat you recorded in Task B.
• Pick a melody instrument by going to the instrument
scroll and choosing ‘keyboard’
• Choose any melody instrument you would like
• Choose either ‘major pentatonic’ or ‘minor pentatonic’
Student
Achievement
(teacher initial)
Composition Projects for iPad - 2016 Edition Copyright The Fun Music Company 2016
Garageband Projects for iPad
Student Assignment #4 - Smart Guitar
Aim: To be able to use ‘smart guitar’ to create a guitar part
You need: iPad with Garageband App
Task A:
Record an 8 Bar guitar part using just C and G Chords:
|C | |G | |C | |G | ||
Task B:
Record an 8 Bar guitar part using a contrasting style to your rst:
|C | |Am | |Dm | |G | ||
Task C:
Record an 8 Bar guitar part using a chord progression of your choice
Student
Achievement
(teacher initial)
Possible Chord Progressions:
|C |Am |F |G ||
|C |F |C |G ||
|C |F |Dm |G ||
• You can use other chord progressions that these
suggested ones, but try to include the tonic chord (C)
and the dominant chord (G).
• Remember each chord goes for eight counts in this progression
• Make sure you use a different guitar sound and autoplay pattern
to your rst task
• Try using the effects buttons as well for a different effect
• Each bar is four beats, so there is eight beats to each chord in
the progression above
• Try the different guitar sounds and styles
• Experiment with different autoplay patterns
Composition Projects for iPad - 2016 Edition Copyright The Fun Music Company 2016
Garageband Projects for iPad
Student Assignment #5 - Expanding Guitar
Aim: Expanding the use of the smart quitar
You need: iPad with Garageband App
Task A:
Use the smart guitar to record this progression, with one chord per bar:
|C |F |Dm |G ||
Task B:
Use the ‘notes’ feature to record a lead guitar part
Task C:
Add a drum part to your composition using the ‘smart drummer’
Student
Achievement
(teacher initial)
• You should end this assignment with three parts - the
rhythm guitar, the lead guitar and the drums.
• Make sure your guitar and drum sounds are stylistically
similar. For example it may sound strange to the
listener to have ‘hard rock’ guitar with ‘hip hop’ drums.
• Because this is four bars long, it will be played twice if
your iPad is set to an 8 bar progression
• Use a different guitar and autoplay patten than you
used for the last assignment
• Experiment with different effect settings as well
• Remember to start a new track for your lead guitar,
otherwise it will replace your rhythm guitar part
recorded in task A.
• If you’re not a guitarist, use the ‘scale’ feature
and choose ‘major blues’ or ‘minor pentatonic’ or
experiment with a different scale.
Composition Projects for iPad - 2016 Edition Copyright The Fun Music Company 2016
Garageband Projects for iPad
Student Assignment #6 - Guitar & Bass
Aim: Using Guitar and Bass together
You need: iPad with Garageband App
Possible chord Progressions:
|C |Am |Dm |G |C |Am |F |G |
|C |F |C |G |C |F |Dm |G |
|C |G |C |G |C |Am |Dm |G |
Task A:
Record a bass line using ‘smart bass’ to one of the chord progressions above
Task B:
Record a rhythm guitar part which matches the bass line you recorded in task A above
Task C:
Add a drum part to your composition using the ‘smart drummer’
Student
Achievement
(teacher initial)
• You can vary the chord progression if you wish, but make sure you write down
your progression
• Don’t use more than one chord per bar
• Try experimenting with changing the bass sounds and effects.
• Make sure you use exactly the same chord
progression as the bass used, otherwise it will
sound strange.
• Try to use a guitar sound which matches the
style of the bass you chose in task A.
• Again, try to match the sound and style of the bass and
guitar parts you have chosen
• You might want to put a change in the drum part in the
fth bar.
• If you have the 2016 version of Garageband, try the
‘session drummer’ feature instead. Its just like ‘smart
drummer, but with more control over style.
Composition Projects for iPad - 2016 Edition Copyright The Fun Music Company 2016
Garageband Projects for iPad
Student Assignment #7 - Vocal Recorder
Aim: Learn to record vocal and other sounds using the garageband vocal recorder
You need: iPad with Garageband App
Student
Achievement
(teacher initial)
• Firstly change the length of the section to four bars,
rather than eight, by clicking the “+” sign on the
upper right hand corner.
• Use one of the ‘drum machine’ kits to create a dance
beat style
• Use a variation in the third bar for variety
• You may want to nd a quiet space to do this, as
sounds in the environment will be recorded.
• Be sensible, tasteful and follow the guidelines set by
your teacher for this activity.
• First make sure you’re happy with your original
vocal sound before experimenting with effects.
• Try to choose an effect which supports, not
detracts from the style of music you are creating.
Task A:
Use the Smart Drummer to create a four bar rap backing beat
Task B:
Use the vocal recorder to record some live audio vocal sound effects.
Task C:
Experiment with the vocal sound effects to create different sounds from your audio recording
Composition Projects for iPad - 2016 Edition Copyright The Fun Music Company 2016
Garageband Projects for iPad
Student Assignment #8 - Loops
Aim: Learn to use prerecorded loops to create a new composition
You need: iPad with Garageband App
Task A:
Construct an 8 bar song using loops from the apple loops library
Task B:
Extend your piece of music into ternary form A-B-A
• Start out by choosing ‘audio recorder’, but don’t record anything. When
it opens click the ‘track view’ button to enter track view.
• Click the loops icon to load the apple loops library
• If you need to add additional tracks, click the ‘+’ sign at the lower left of
the track view window.
• Look for ‘groups’ of loops that are named similarly: these are designed
to go well together. Use this as a starting point before mixing ones of
different groups.
• Click the “+” icon near the
top right hand side of the
screen to add sections. Add
a ‘B’ section, then duplicate
section ‘A’ after it.
• Use contrasting, but similar
loops in the ‘B’ section, so
that it gives the listener
variety, but still sounds like
the same music.
Student
Achievement
(teacher initial)
Student
Achievement
(teacher initial)
Composition Projects for iPad - 2016 Edition Copyright The Fun Music Company 2016
Garageband Projects for iPad
Student Assignment #9 - The Sampler
Aim: Learn to use the sampler to create a musical instrument
You need: iPad with Garageband App
Task A:
Sample a real musical instrument using the sampler.
Compare and contrast the difference between using the sampler and recording the
instrument being played live by a musician. Write down your observations:
Student
Achievement
(teacher initial)
Task B:
Record a sound effect using the sampler, and make that into music using the sampler
Task C:
Use the sampler to add another sound effect part to one of your previous projects in Garageband.
• First record a sound effect or vocal sound.
• Trim the effect to just the sound you want
• Then record a melody by pressing the top
record button, and recording a melody, just
like you would do with keyboard recording.
Student
Achievement
(teacher initial)
Student
Achievement
(teacher initial)
• The sampler is useful for adding
sound effects such as record
scratches or vocal effects to another
project
• Use it tastefully and carefully - make
sure it makes sense to the listener.
Composition Projects for iPad - 2016 Edition Copyright The Fun Music Company 2016
Garageband Projects for iPad
Student Assignment #10 - Your Own Composition
Aim: Create your own composition from scratch
You need: iPad with Garageband App
Task A:
Write down your plan - your form and chord progression for your song.
Student
Achievement
(teacher initial)
Task B:
Create chordal parts (bass, guitar, or keyboard parts) for your song.
Task C:
Complete the composition using as many tools as possible.
• Make sure you follow the chord progression with every part you create.
• Experiment with ‘smart keyboard’ and/or ‘smart strings’ as well.
• Make sure you think about your ‘form’ - is there the right amount of contrast
between ‘A’ and ‘B’ sections?
Student
Achievement
(teacher initial)
Student
Achievement
(teacher initial)
• Did you use a planned structure, and is that structure obvious to the listener?
• Are your chords following a structure that sounds good to a listener?
• Did you use a variety of instruments and tools within your project?
Your criteria for assessment is:
Teacher’s assessment/comments:
