RapidComposer Tutorial Videos! 15 total

[auricle]

Thanks for the really useful tutorials!

You're using a beta version, do you know when this version will be released?

[musicdevelopments]

The planned release date for this version is the end of October (28th if all goes well).

[auricle]

The planned release date for this version is the end of October (28th if all goes well).

Thank you!

[thebutler]

1. yes, you can go back and forth in history. You can view your changes in a list under the History tab.

Ok, but is this new in the MG (a History tab) or are you talking about main program History tab..? Maybe there can be something self-contained in the new MG that handles store/retrieve for convenience... just thinking out loud...

2. there is MIDI drag-and-drop to a DAW (tracks: Ctrl-drag track header, composition: Ctrl-drag 'file' icon)

Ok, but I'm talking about drag-n-drop the MIDI generated inside the Melody Generator, to either a ('Melody' designated) track in your main RC sequence/composition window, or to your DAW. Is that what you mean..? Drag and Drop from inside the Melody Generator..? Is that possible..? Still a little unsure whats being described here.

>But after they are saved, they can't be edited/tweaked in the same way (Probabilistic rhythm, etc)

No, they can be edited as a generator if you save it that way...

How does one 'save it that way' in the Inspector..?

3. you press 'Z' (undo) as far as you want to go back. Select the phrase, and press 'C' (copy). Press 'Y' multiple times to return to the present state. Press 'V' to paste the old phrase. You can then split the phrases and delete the unneeded ones.

Fine, but it seems hampered if those phrases generated/edited inside the Melody Generator, only 'exist' inside there. I want to quickly use the MIDI ideas generated there, in my main composition.

I'm sorry Attila, I must be really missing the deal on this somewhere.! Maybe I should just wait and get the update when released and have a play for myself - perhaps things will fall into place better. Maybe I'll be able to explain myself better too, if I can see improvements/enhancements to what you have provided... Don't get me wrong, this MG looks like a very funky additional tool; very flexible...!

Cheers,
TheButler

[thebutler]

Would it be useful to have 'Store current composition in history with comments' and you could provide your comments? This way you can find an earlier idea quicker in the list.

Thanks,
Attila

Sounds promising, but my idea is it would be more useful to 'Store current generated melody/phrase' (with comments..?), from inside the Melody Generator itself. Automatically number them as they are generated, into a drop-down list say, for recall at will.

(Does this in fact amount to the same as what you are suggesting, but simply using the (global..?) Undo/History info..?)

[themixtape]

thebutler--- I might not know a ton about some of the shortcuts, but I understand your needs to save the "better" melodies... the best way to do this, in my opinion... is to:

1. Create a new Composition
2. Go to Structure Inspector, and double-click the "Line" (so you're working on that particular piece of the Composition)
3. Put your chords in
4. "Add after", in Structure Inspector... a new Line, identical to the other... and do this as many times as you'd like. So, you'll have multiple "Lines" that all have the same chords (in essence, generating a 4-bar progression that goes over multiple measures)
5. Double-click the first "Line", so the Composition shows only the first 4 bars (the first "Line") in Structure Inspector.
6. Add another track (A) and fill it in with the default Chord Generator (H)
7. Hit (F) to fill the 1st track with the default Melody Generator

So now you have chords, and two tracks... (track 2 with Chord Generator so you can hear the harmony, track 1 with MG so you can "test melodies out")

So you re-generate, and you like a lot of the melodies over those chords.

Each one you like... copy it, and then paste it to a new line.

This way, all your favorite generated melodies are on different lines, so you always have them available in that composition. Just double-click a new "Line" in the Structure Inspector, to hear them (you may need to generate Chord Generators on Track 2 on all the other lines, to remind you of how the melody sounds over those particular chords).

Seems to be a nice workflow.

Then, you can drag them into your DAW, as Attila suggested.

MIDI isn't a perfect science (it isn't in DAWs, either)... but to me, this seems like an effective way to work.

[themixtape]

It's very easy to save any Generator into its own category in the Phrase Browser, from the Phrase Inspector view. Just click Save button, and name it! So this way, all your stuff is there. They aren't auto-numbered, but it's not impossible to number them as you go (that's what I do).

[J.F.K.]

Would it be useful to have 'Store current composition in history with comments' and you could provide your comments? This way you can find an earlier idea quicker in the list.

For my workflow it would be the best if it would be possible to have multiple composition windows (i.e. instances of RC) open simultaneously and to move phrases from one window to another via drag/drop or via copy/paste. Seems not to be possible at the moment.

If this would work, then I would hold different stages of a composition in different windows and then collect the best phrases of each of them in another window.

[VariKusBrainZ]

How about a batch generator function for the Meldoy Generator?
Eg The ability to get it to generate an arbitrary number of random generations.

You could then surf through all the generations and when you find one you like, load it as a melody generator template and then tweak to perfection.

[themixtape]

Batch sounds like a great idea. But guys.... don't forget about the "Manual Rhythm" ability in Melody Generator. This lets you input your own rhythm (up to 16th notes I believe)... over two bars. You place "diamonds" where you want the MIDI notes generated (that's the rhythm) and you can get a lot of useful stuff that way, too. I tried it with some pop song vocal rhythms and I got some really nice stuff that was unique, pitch-wise... but used the same rhythm as established pop songs. I didn't show any of this in the video. That's the next one.

The next version of RC will come with about 50 "vocal-style" Melody Generator presets (I'll talk with Attila about how to "deliver" these). We might have them as a separate zip file, that you can extract to your own custom folder for custom phrases (a new settings tab in the next version of RC).

Are you guys now seeing the potential of this awesome program? Yes, we had some kinks we had to work out, but I think the future looks very bright for RC and its customer base.

[themixtape]

Would it be useful to have 'Store current composition in history with comments' and you could provide your comments? This way you can find an earlier idea quicker in the list.

For my workflow it would be the best if it would be possible to have multiple composition windows (i.e. instances of RC) open simultaneously and to move phrases from one window to another via drag/drop or via copy/paste. Seems not to be possible at the moment.

If this would work, then I would hold different stages of a composition in different windows and then collect the best phrases of each of them in another window.

Why not use different "Lines" in the Structure Inspector? This seems to be the easiest way to do what you want. Copy phrases you like to a different line, etc.

There are a lot of ways to get the job done.

[J.F.K.]

Why not use different "Lines" in the Structure Inspector? This seems to be the easiest way to do what you want. Copy phrases you like to a different line, etc.

Yes thanks, not a bad idea. Maybe that's a useful workaround. But the problem with this idea is, that I then would missuse the structure inspector for this task, so to speak. Actually the structure inspector is intended to be used for building up the song structure.

[themixtape]

Correct, but it can also be used to "bounce" between sections easily. Just double-click the part or line, and the Composition shows only that section.

It's easy to misuse anything, if you think about it.

Just hang tight for the update... by the way, Attila is reading and taking all of these things into consideration. Some are very difficult to implement, others are easy.

Just hang tight.

[thebutler]

Chris - you are a diamond bloke..! Thanks for your patience and for taking the time to write and explain; really appreciate it. (And thanks to Attila for listening/advising too).

The recipe you wrote earlier for quickly saving good (liked) melodies to new lines, looks to be very workable. I also hadn't thought of simply saving the Generators (with a number..!) into a specific category of the Phrase Browser - so obvious now you mention it..!

Looking forward to trying all this out at the end of the month.
TheButler

[themixtape]

Next few videos are going to coincide with the manual:

Structure Inspector vid

Building a Full Composition Part By Part

Idea Tool (main rundown)

Tweaking Phrases (Phrase Inspector)

up to 40 Tips/Tricks (if I can fit them all in 15 minutes).. if not, then 20 for part A and 20 for Part B. Right now I have about 15 tips. Maybe it will just be 20 tips total for this part.

I'll try to get them ALL done by tomorrow night. Might be tricky, but I'll certainly try.