Introduction to MIDI Sequencing with Cubase SX

Section 9 - Recording the Chorus

Briefing

Now the backing tracks for the chorus section have been built up, it's time to record the chorus itself. Here it is:

Step 1 - Setting Up The Track

You will record the chorus melody on track 1, next to the verse melody

What To Do

Follow these steps. Put a tick next to each one as you finish it:

• In the Arrange window, check that the Left and Right locators are at bars 19 and 35.
• Select track 1, 'PianoLead'
• Double click between the locator lines to create a new empty part.
• Change the name of the part to "Chorus".

Step 2 - Recording the Chorus

Now you have an empty part, you will use Punch In to gradually build up the complete chorus

What To Do

Follow these steps. Put a tick next to each one as you finish it:

• Enter the Score Editor.
• Set the Quantize and Length Q values to 1-8 (=eighth notes or quavers).
• Set the main locator several bars before the Left locator, say bar 15.
• Press the "Punch In" button on the main locator bar.
• Press "play".
• When play back reaches the Left locator, the "Record" button will light up and you should play the first four bars of the verse.
• When you've recorded the four bars, press "stop".
• Use Quantize to see if your music looks ok.

If you make a mess of it, delete the notes you've just recorded and try again. You don't have to delete the entire part!

Step 3 - Adding More Bars to the Chorus

By repeating the previous operations over and over again, you can record the complete melody for the chorus.

What To Do

Follow these steps. Put a tick next to each one as you finish it:

• Using the Punch In technique, record successive four bar chunks of the chorus into the part.

If you make any mistakes then you can delete the notes you've just played and try again.

Step 4 - Tidying Up Note Lengths

Just as when you recorded the melody, you have to tidy up the note lengths using Legato.

What To Do

Follow these steps. Put a tick next to each one as you finish it:

• Exit the Score Editor and enter the Key Editor.
• From the main menu, select: MIDI, then Functions, then Legato.
  You should see all the notes lengthen until they touch the next note.

It is possible that the end of some notes may overlap the start of the next. The following step will correct this:

• From the main menu, select: MIDI, then Functions, then Delete Overlaps (poly).

The Legato operation will have made the last notes of each of the following bars too long:

• Bars 21, 24, 29, 33 - last note should be four beats long (1.0.0.0)

Each of these should be corrected as follows:

• Ensure that Note Info data bar is present at the top of the window. If it is not there, then click on the "upward looking eye" icon:

  

• Select the desired note
  The note details should appear at the very top of the window.
• Click on the "Length" field (at the top of the window).
• Set the length of each note to '1.0.0.0' you can use [UP ARROW] and [DOWN ARROW] to add or subtract small increments to the length of the note.
• Repeat for all the note which require adjustment.

Step 5 - Setting the Velocities

As with the verse, you need to adjust the velocity of the part in relation to the other tracks being played.

What To Do

Follow these steps. Put a tick next to each one as you finish it:

• Inside the Key Edit window, select the Line tool.
• Adjust the velocities of the notes to between 110 and 120.
  They don't all have to be the same velocity.

Well done! You have now successfully created a version of the chorus melody - and you probably did it much more quickly than the verse. This is an indication of your growing skill and confidence in using Cubase.

You're ready to proceed to the next section.