Stage 1

Hook
Know: What a hook is.
Be able to: Decode the main hook from Kids by MGMT.
Starter: Work out the riff by ear.
Understand: How to play and record into Cubase.

Task 1:

Decode the main hook

Tempo: This tells us that the tempo is 122 beats per minute. We will need to set the tempo on Cubase to match this.
Key signature: The sharps F, C and G. So every time we see F, C or G we play F#, C# and G# instead.

?#

?#

?#

?#

?#

HEADPHONES: Unplug the splitter from the back of the

keyboard and put into the white Guitar link in the
headphone slot.

CUBASE - SETUP

YOU WILL NEED TO REPLACE THESE AT THE END OF THE LESSON!

1. Push the function button

2. Push the down category button

16 times until PC Mode appears
on screen

3. Move the black wheel so the

screen says PC2

4.
5.
6.
7.

Open Cubase: Cubase 6 shortcut on desktop

Wait (it takes time to load)
Open a new File: Click on the More tab and select MGMT template . Make sure
the prompt for project location is selected before clicking continue.
Create project folder:
Select Music

Select My Music

Create a new folder : give it your

name and class eg. Sam and Billy 8g1

Quantize:

1. Corrects timing mistakes.

2. Input notes with precise timing.

1. Ensure Snap is white.

2. Select the quantize box.
3. Select 1/8: By selecting 1/8 you are dividing each
bar in eight, therefore into quaver beats.

1 blocks

2 blocks

4 blocks

8 blocks

MELODY - RECORDING
1. Select the Melody track so that the
track is light grey and the record
symbol is red.
2. Press the Beginning button to make
sure the play bar is at the start of your
track.
3. Press the record button on the
transport bar. Wait for the 8 clicks and
then play in your melody line.
4. Press the stop button when you are
finished. If it is too long move your
pointer to the end of the part and click
and drag to make it shorter.
If you dont think it is correct, click on it
with the pointer and press delete and
try again.

Stage 2

Bass
Know: What a bass clef is.
Be able to: Decode the bass line from Kids by MGMT.
Starter: Work out the bass line by ear.
Understand: How to play and record into Cubase.

Task 1: Decode the Bassline

Key signature: The sharps F, C and G. So every time we see F, C or G we play F#, C# and G# instead.

?#
F#

?#
?#

?#
?#

?#
?#

?
?

?
?

C is to the left - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR_cwELdtHk

?
?

?
?

?
?

?
?

?
?

?
?

?#
?#

?#
?#

?#
?#

Virtual Keyboard - http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/music/piano/

?#
?#

FINISH RECORDING THE MELODY LINE FIRST!

Reopening Cubase
Dont forget to plug in your headphones to the white Guitar link.

1. Push the function button

2. Push the down category button

16 times until PC Mode appears
on screen

3. Move the black wheel so the

screen says PC2

Two input options:

OPTION 1:

OPTION 2:

Record the bass line

Draw the bass line

Use this option if:

Use this option if:

You can play the

bassline

You struggle to play in

time

You want to push your

playing

You want a more

realistic sound

Follow the recording

instructions from
STAGE 1

You want to move on

quickly

You took a lot of time

completing the
melody
Follow the sequencing
instructions which

BASS LINE SEQUENCING

Open Cubase and open your work from last lesson - It should be on the Recent tab.

1. Here is the zoom control. Zoom in so you can see bars 1-8 along the
top of the screen.

2. Select Draw from the tool bar

3. Draw across 4 bars (up to the 5)

in BASS, creating a box.

4. Select the arrow from the tool

bar and then double click in the
box you have just created.

Drawing in Cubase
1. Select the Draw function
(pencil)
2. Click in the columns to get a
note one note per column.
3. Use the zoom feature to zoom in
so you can see an octave. (C0C1)
4. Utilise the piano on the left as a
note guide.
Get back to the main screen
Click the small grey x in the
top right hand corner

Stage 3

Drums
Know: How a drum kit works.
Be able to: Perform the drum pattern from Kids by MGMT.
Starter: Work out the drum pattern by ear.
Understand: Music technology can aid composition.

FINISH RECORDING THE MELODY and BASS

LINE FIRST!

DRUMS
Open Cubase and open your work from last lesson - It should be on the Recent tab.

1. This is the zoom control in the bottom right hand corner. Zoom in so
you can see all the numbers 1-8 clearly.

2. Select Draw from the tool bar

3. Draw across 4 bars (up to the 5)

in DRUM track, creating a box.

4. Select the arrow from the tool

bar and then double click in the
box you have just created.

DRUMS
5. Make sure the Quantise level is set to 1/8. If not, click on it and
chose this level. (At the top right of the screen.)
6. Select the drum stick from the tool bar.
7. Recreate my drum pattern as below:

8.. You can hear your drum part by pressing play.

Get back to the main screen
Click the small grey X in the top right hand corner.

Stage 4

Counter
Melody

Stage 4
Whats a counter melody?
Decode the counter melody
Key signature: The sharps F, C and G. So every time we see F, C or G we play F#, C# and G# instead.

F#

F#

C is to the left - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR_cwELdtHk

#
Virtual Keyboard - http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/music/piano/

COUNTERMELODY
Open Cubase and open your work from last lesson - It should be on the Recent tab.

1. Here is the zoom control. Zoom in so you can see bars 1-8 along the
top of the screen.
2. Select Draw from the
tool bar
3. Draw across 8 bars (up
to the 9) in
COUNTERMELODY,
creating a box.
4. Select the arrow from
the tool bar and then
double click in the box
you have just created.

Two input options:

OPTION 1:

OPTION 2:

Record the countermelody

Draw the countermelody

Use this option if:

Use this option if:

You can play the

bassline

You struggle to play in

time

You want to push your

playing

You want a more

realistic sound

Follow the recording

instructions from
STAGE 1

You want to move on

quickly

You took a lot of time

completing the
melody
Follow the sequencing
instructions which

COUNTERMELODY: Sequencing
Drawing in Cubase
1. Select the draw
function - to draw
notes into cubase.

2. Use the piano on

the left hand side
as a note guide.

3. Select the pointer

function - and you are able
to lengthen and shorten notes..

To get back to the main screen

click the small grey x in the
top right hand corner

Stage 5

Copy &
Paste

Know: The Lyrics to Kids

Be able to: Copy and paste
Starter: Copy and paste
Understand: Music technology can aid composition.

Open Cubase and open your work from last lesson - It should be on the Recent tab.

This is what your work should look like. (Your drums might look slightly different.)

1. COPYING: Press and hold ALT

2. Click and hold onto the part you want to copy drag it to where you want it. Try
to create this:

Drums, Melody
and Bass have
been copied!

STRUCTURE

3.

Select the gluing tool.

4.

Glue the parts for each instrument together so that you have four parts
which last 8 bars each (up to 9)

5.

Go back to the pointer tool.

STRUCTURE

6.

Here is the structure for the first 32 bars. Use ALT to copy the parts to makes
yours look like this:

7.

Listen to the original MGMT track to work out what the structure of the bars up
to bar 65 should be. Try singing along to help you.

STRUCTURE
Full structure

Listen to the original track:

What is added into the drum part before the end of each 8 bars?
How is the Bass line at 57-73 different?
How are the drums at 65-73 different?
How does the hook change at bar 21?
When else does it do this?
Correct this issues in your piece.

Stage 6

1. Click on the TEMPO button so that TRACK changes to FIXED

2. Change the tempo to 122.

TEMPO

VOCALS
You can use pre-recorded vocals, or record your own. For pre-recorded vocals follow below

1. Go to www.stanboroughmusic.com using Chrome.

2. Decide between Male vocals and female vocals
3. Right Click on the vocal part and save in your working folder

4. Drag the samples from the bottom of Chrome into Cubase.

5. If it asks to add to the working directory, click Copy.
6. Place the vocals in the correct place for the song.
7. Repeat for Chorus harmony.

Stage 7

DYNAMICS

1. Press the letter R to glow green.

2. Press the down arrow under the little piano
diagram.
3. Click a point on the coloured line. Up is
louder and down is quieter.

You will be marked on your use of dynamics. they should be

appropriate and well balanced. NO CRAZINESS.

Dynamics- EXAMPLE

PANNING
1. Press the down arrow under the little piano
diagram. Volume will appear.

2. Click the + icon. Panner will appear.

(If something else appears, ask your
teacher for help.)
3. Click a point on the coloured line. Up is the left
speaker and down is the right speaker.

You will be marked on your use of PANNING. It should be

appropriate and well balanced. NO CRAZINESS.

REVERB
1. Click on the letter E
2. Select Reverb

3. Click here

4. Choose from a list of reverberation settings

DELAY
1. Click on the letter E
2. Select Delay

4. Choose from a list of delay settings

3. Click here

EQ
1. Click on the letter E
2. Pushing a point down compresses it. Pushing a point up boosts it.

Note: The higher or

lower you push the
EQ, the more
extreme it will
sound. Effective EQ
is much more
subtle.
Bass

Mid

High