Hello, and welcome to today's music lesson.

I'm Miss Mansell and I'm gonna be your teacher for today.

Let's get started.

Today's lesson outcome is I can identify ways to use technology to refine a composition and can use some of these effects to refine my own composition.

Let's look at some keywords for today.

Reverb, an effect that creates the impression of a sound being played in a more echoey space.

Volume automation, a DAW tool that allows you to gradually increase or decrease dynamics within a track.

Balance, the relative volume of the different parts.

Creating effective balance is crucial when composing.

Chorus, an effect that makes it sound like more than one voice or instrument is playing the part at the same time.

EQ, a process that adjusts the sound frequencies within a track.

EQ is short for equalization.

Today's lesson on using technology to refine a composition is in two parts.

Part one is analyzing an EDM composition and part two is using technology to refine your composition.

Let's get started with part one, analyzing an EDM composition.

Modern music technology provides composers with a wide range of tools that can be used to refine compositions.

These include live effects, that's where the sound is recorded with the effect already in place, and post-production tools, that's where the effects are added or the changes are made after the sound is recorded.

In many modern musical styles, these tools are idiomatic features, typical of the style.

In others, they used subtly to refine and polish a composition.

Let's analyze an electronic dance music that's EDM track, focusing on how the composer has refined it using a range of technological tools.

Listen to the EDM track.

Can you identify any specific ways that the composer has used technological tools to refine the composition?

Have a listen to that now.

♪ Keep movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin' ♪ ♪ In the dim of the night ♪ ♪ Our shadows paint the light ♪ ♪ To the Moon and Mars ♪ ♪ We dance to the stars ♪ ♪ Movin' to and fro ♪ ♪ The music keeps us going ♪ ♪ Movin' to the beat ♪ ♪ The music keeps us movin' ♪ ♪ We see a future rise ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ I see a future life ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ We see a future life ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ I see a future life ♪ ♪ Keep movin', keep movin' ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ As I learned who we are ♪ ♪ Where we're going it's so far ♪ ♪ To the Moon and Mars ♪ ♪ We end to the stars ♪ ♪ Movin' to and fro ♪ ♪ The music keeps us goin' ♪ ♪ Movin' to the beat ♪ ♪ The music keeps us movin' ♪ ♪ We see a future rise ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ I see a future life ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ We see a future life ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ I see a future life ♪ ♪ Keep movin', keep movin' ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin', movin' ♪ <v ->There are numerous examples in this track.

</v> Let's explore some of the key ones.

This song makes heavy use of reverb and echo effects.

While these two effects are related, they're not the same.

Reverb creates the effect of a sound being played in a larger, more echoey space.

Have a listen to the vocals from the verse on their own.

Can you hear how the subtle use of reverb enhances the vocals?

Have a listen to that.

♪ In the dim of the night ♪ ♪ Our shadows paint the light ♪ ♪ To the Moon and Mars ♪ ♪ We dance to the stars ♪ <v ->Echo effects, on the other hand,</v> usually create a defined echo of a musical idea that repeats back after the main idea is heard.

Now listen to the processed vocal tracks from the climax of the song.

Can you hear how they echo back in very clear repetitions?

Have a listen to that now.

♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ <v ->In this song, the echo effect works effectively</v> to create a thick vocal texture, particularly in the climax section.

This song also uses a chorus effect and distortion to create an unnatural electronic sounding vocal effect.

Chorus makes it sound like more than one part or voice is playing the same idea at the same time, giving it a thicker and richer timbre.

Distortion adds a slightly fuzzy effect to a sound, making it less clear.

Listen to vocal hook from the introduction before and after the chorus and electronic distortion were added.

Can you hear how these create a unique and memorable timbre that suits the style?

So have a listen to the original vocals with the echo.

♪ Keep movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin' ♪ <v ->And now listen to the vocals with chorus and distortion.

</v> ♪ Keep movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin' ♪ <v ->Let's do a check for understanding.

</v> What is the difference between live effects and post-production tools?

Pause and have a think.

I hope your answer was something like live effects are added while the sound is being recorded.

Post-production tools add effects to the sound after it has been recorded.

Creating a good balance between parts is essential so that every line can be heard clearly.

In a DAW, volume automation helps achieve this by gradually increasing or decreasing the volume within a track.

In the pre-chorus, the composer increases the vocal volume using volume automation.

Before this, the vocals are harder to hear.

After automation, the balance is clearer and the vocal line stands out.

Listen to these two tracks to hear the difference, so you can listen to it with no volume automation.

♪ Movin' to and fro ♪ ♪ The music keeps us goin' ♪ ♪ Movin' to the beat ♪ ♪ The music keeps us movin' ♪ <v ->And then with volume automation.

</v> ♪ Movin' to and fro ♪ ♪ The music keeps us goin' ♪ ♪ Movin' to the beat ♪ ♪ The music keeps us movin' ♪ <v ->This tool can also be used to change dynamics</v> to create contrast between sections and to create buildups.

In this section, the composer has used volume automation to increase the dynamics of a few tracks, creating an effective buildup to the climax of the song.

Without this dynamic change, the buildup would be much less effective, and you can see it here on the screen where we've used volume automation and have a listen to that now.

♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ <v ->A more subtle effect is the use of EQ,</v> a tool that allows you to adjust the sound frequencies in a track.

This can significantly change the timbre, creating new sounds or improving existing ones.

It is especially useful for enhancing vocal tracks.

In the pre-chorus, the EQ of the vocals has been tweaked to look like this.

This creates a more rounded timbre that brings out the richness of the singer's voice.

Compare the vocal tracks before and after the EQ was adjusted to notice this difference.

So have a listen to it before the adjustment.

♪ Movin' to and fro ♪ ♪ The music keeps us going ♪ ♪ Movin' to the beat ♪ ♪ The music keeps us movin' ♪ <v ->And now listen to it after the adjustment.

</v> ♪ Movin' to and fro ♪ ♪ The music keeps us goin' ♪ ♪ Movin' to the beat ♪ ♪ The music keeps us movin' ♪ <v ->A final example of the use of technology</v> is sampling of vocal lines.

Listen to this short clip.

Can you hear where the vocal phrase has been chopped up and repeated?

Have a listen now.

This creates an interesting rhythmic effect that varies the vocal hook.

While this wouldn't be appropriate in some styles, it's very idiomatic for EDM.

In summary, this composer has used various technological tools to refine the composition.

These include reverb and echo to create musical interest and to enhance the vocals, chorus and distortion to create interesting timbres and harmony, volume automation to achieve effective balance and to create contrast between sections and energetic buildups, EQ to enhance timbres particularly of the vocal lines, and sampling of vocal lines to create interesting melodic and rhythmic effects.

Let's do a check for understanding.

Which these describes effective balance?

Is it A, you can hear all parts clearly, B, you can hear the melody most clearly, C, you can hear the accompaniment most clearly, or D, the volume of tracks changes continuously?

Is that A, B, C, or D?

Well done if you said A.

Effective balance is where you can hear all parts clearly.

So let's do task A.

We want you to listen to the whole EDM track and write a paragraph explaining how the composer has used music technology to refine and polish the final product.

Have a listen to that EDM track now and write your paragraph.

♪ Keep movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin' ♪ ♪ In the dim of the night ♪ ♪ Our shadows paint the light ♪ ♪ To the Moon and Mars ♪ ♪ We dance to the stars ♪ ♪ Movin' to and fro ♪ ♪ The music keeps us goin' ♪ ♪ Movin' to the beat ♪ ♪ The music keeps us movin' ♪ ♪ We see a future rise ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ I see a future life ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ We see a future life ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ I see a future life ♪ ♪ Keep movin', keep movin' ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ As I learned who we are ♪ ♪ Where we're going it's so far ♪ ♪ To the Moon and Mars ♪ ♪ We end to the stars ♪ ♪ Movin' to and fro ♪ ♪ The music keeps us goin' ♪ ♪ Movin' to the beat ♪ ♪ The music keeps us movin' ♪ ♪ We see a future rise ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ I see a future life ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ We see a future life ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ I see a future life ♪ ♪ Keep movin', keep movin' ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin, ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin' ♪ ♪ Keep movin', movin', movin', movin' ♪ <v ->How did you get on?

</v> So for your paragraph, you could have mentioned reverb and echo to create musical interest and to enhance the vocals, chorus and distortion to create interesting timbres and harmony, volume automation to achieve effective balance and to create contrast between sections and energetic buildups, EQ to enhance timbres particularly the vocal lines, and sampling of vocal lines to create interesting melodic and rhythmic effects.

I hope your paragraph included most of those.

Let's move on to part two of our lesson, using technology to refine your composition.

Different styles use technology in different ways, so it's important to use effects idiomatically.

In EDM and modern pop, heavy use of digital effects such as chorus, echo, EQ, filters, auto-tune, compression, and sampling is typical, often at extreme levels.

For styles from before the 1980s, effects should be used more subtly, mainly reverb, EQ, volume, automation, and sometimes like chorus, compression, echo, or distortion.

Let's do a check for understanding.

As a general rule, which musical styles are most likely to use digital effects heavily?

Is it A, non-classical styles, B, styles that developed since the 1950s, C, styles that developed since the 1980s, or D, styles that use vocals?

Which do you think, A, B, C, or D?

Well done if you said C.

It's styles that developed since the 1980s.

Let's do task B.

Reflect on your composition.

How is technology used idiomatically in this style?

Identify a few opportunities to use technology to refine your composition and then refine your composition using the tools you have identified above.

And here's a reminder of the tools you might consider using.

So pause the lesson video now and go and work on your composition.

How did you get on?

Let's reflect on the changes you've made to your composition.

Use these questions to help you consider your next steps.

How have you used technology to refine your composition?

Is your use of technology idiomatic for the style?

If it's not a modern musical style, have you used the tool subtly?

Have you created defective balance between parts?

Are there any other digital tools that you think you could use?

Let's summarize today's lesson.

Technology can be used in many different ways to refine a composition.

These vary between musical styles.

Common tools to use across many styles include reverb, EQ, and volume automation.

In modern styles, for example, pop and electronic genres, songwriters often use echo, filters, chorus, auto-tune, and sampling.

It is generally best to use these tools subtly, but in some cases, it can be appropriate to use them at higher levels.

Thank you for joining me for today's lesson.