Digital Music and Push Playground

@ Spark! Mesa’s Festival of Creativity 2017 #WeAreAllMusical

Curated by Evan Tobias in Collaboration with AZBeatLab and Oh My Ears (with additional resources by the Consortium for Innovation and Transformation in Music Education)

Learn, Engage during and after the Spark! 2017

How do I. . . ?

Use Push and MIDI controllers:

• Setup a MIDI Controller
• Use Ableton Push1 to make beats
• Use Ableton Push1 to make beats
• Use Push to record and improvise with loops
• Use Push to play chords and melodies
• Use Launchpad as MIDI controller with Ableton
• Use the computer keyboard as a MIDI controller
• Practice Finger Drumming

Use Ableton:

• Setup Audio in Ableton
• Setup an Audio Interface with Ableton
• Import and Manipulate Audio in Ableton
• Use Audio clips in Ableton
• Recording Audio with Ableton Live

Learn more about Ableton and Music Learning and Teaching

Projects I can try at home

• Download a 30-day free trial of Ableton and start making music.
• Do you own an Ableton Push or other MIDI Controller? Make a live video of your playing and share it #WeAreAllMusical. Here are some resources:
  • Download and jam with these free 64-pad drum racks by Mad Zach
• Choose a Beat Dissected to make at home. Don’t worry about using the same plugins, the generic ones included in Ableton will work just fine too.
  • Once create a beat, try playing a software instrument and creating an additional MIDI track to with chords and/or a melody.
• Don’t own a MIDI controller or DAW? You can still jam and record beats by going to these websites and only your keyboard:
  • Samplestitch
  • Incredibox
  • Soundation
• Create your own Ableton soundpack to make music?
  • King Britt and Mad Zach talk about Ableton Sample Packs
  • Ableton Live: How To Create Ableton Live Packs | WinkSound

Did you know. . .?

People often use MIDI controllers to create and perform music live:

• TecBeatz Performs with Ableton Push
  • TecBeatz Performance Walkthrough
• Mad Zach Ableton Push Performance
  • Mad Zach Performance Explained
• Astronautica Beat Series Set
• MIDI Keyboard Performance
• MIDI Keyboard Performance II

What are digital audio and MIDI?

• Ableton Live Concepts: Audio and MIDI
• What’s the difference between audio and MIDI?
• What is MIDI? The Basics

What is a sample?

• Producer Bonobo discusses sampling and his creative process

What is synthesis?

• Learn about Sound Design and Randomness in Synthesis w/ James Patrick
• Ableton Co-founder Robert Henke explains physical modelling in synthesis.

Visit the other areas of #WeAreAllMusical @ Spark! 2017.

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