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Minimal Effort

Minimalism in music involves the use of very short patterns which are repeated and combined in various ways to give a sense of organic development. Although this sequence is 37 bars long, and uses seven different tracks, there are only thirteen bars of original material to be recorded. Most of the creative work is done by pasting these patterns into a musical collage over the continually repeated drum, bass and guitar parts. This chapter also introduces the concept of cycled recording, in which new material can be gradually added to a track which has been set to loop.

 
The Plan
 
Note-length quantization lets the musician adjust the endings of all the notes in a pattern. Most sequencers offer a variety of different types of note length adjustment.
To record a number of very short patterns onto separate tracks, where they can be quantized and edited before being copied and pasted into position to make a much more complex piece of music. The minimal amount of material and the need for complete rhythmic precision may make it simpler to input notes in step time for this sequence. The chapter also investigates the uses of note-length quantization to make the notes of certain patterns very short.
 
The Method
 
The drum, bass and rhythm guitar tracks (A, B and C) form a constantly repeating backing known as an ostinato on which other patterns can be superimposed. The layout diagram at the end of the section gives a possible arrangement of the material, although you will almost certainly be able to improve on this.
 
diagram

In addition to the basic quantization used in earlier sequences, rhythm-based music like this can often benefit from a note-length quantize to ensure that the ends of notes are regular (see left). Sequencers also offer the option of a fixed-length quantize which makes all notes of the pattern the same length. Using a fixed-length quantize, all notes can be made very short (staccato) or can be expanded until there is no perceptible gap between them (legato).

Only patterns G and H have any note-lengths that are not sixteenths, so fixed-length quantizing will definitely be an option for most tracks. The silence in the gaps between notes is as important as the sound of the notes themselves. When a note is shortened, the ensuing silence will inevitably be lengthened in order to preserve the correct start position of the next note.

 
PATTERN A

• First write the following two-bar drum pattern:

diagram

 
PATTERNS B-H

• Record patterns B to H, below, onto seven suitably voiced tracks.

The dotted lines in the score separate the four beats of the single-bar patterns, while the grid further illustrates the precise rhythm and length of notes.

We used a deliberately distorted guitar voice for pattern C to contrast with the lead guitar pattern I, below. The three trumpet tracks can share the same MIDI channel and voice number.

If you are step writing, you may have to create an empty one-bar pattern in the track before you can proceed.

 
diagram diagram
 
Patterns F, G and H contain chords which may prove tricky when recording in real time. Many sequencers have a cycled recording (or overdub) mode which allows recording into a pattern while it is looping, adding extra data on each pass. The chords could therefore be built up in layers, one note at a time.
 
PATTERN I This pattern could be constructed by recording just the first bar and copying it three times. The few necessary pitch adjustments in bars 2, 3 and 4 can then be made on the grid - the sharp signs remain in force throughout each bar. If this pattern sounds too high for a guitar transpose it down one octave: guitar parts are traditionally written one octave higher than they are meant to sound.
 
diagram
 
EDITING

You will need to quantize each pattern to sixteenth-notes so that the starting points of notes are rhythmically precise (Pattern H could be quantized to eighth-notes, since none of its chords are as close as sixteenths).

It is essential that no pattern spills over its final barline, as this will make accurate copying impossible.

• Fixed-length quantize all patterns to make them sound staccato (try dotted thirty-seconds or even shorter lengths). This will also tidy up ragged bar endings. Manually re-lengthen the two longer chords in Patterns G and H.

 
ASSEMBLY

• Create the ostinato by copying and pasting the drum, bass and rhythm guitar patterns into the sequence as shown on the diagram below. Notice how the start points of these three tracks are staggered.

• Copy and insert the other patterns into the sequence at the points indicated, or in any other arrangement that sounds well. Try a playback speed of around 120 bpm.

 
diagram
 

Final decisions can now be made about voicing and balance. Any changes in track velocity levels can be made from the sequencer.

• Listen to the mix at a fairly low volume to ensure that every element is clearly audible.

Recording engineers whose hearing has not been irreparably damaged by the high-level mixing of Heavy Metal often use this technique in the studio.

 
Developments
 
CHORDS
AND
SCALES		 The effect of this sequence relies largely on the insistence and variety of its various rhythm patterns. This disguises the fact that the whole piece is based upon the notes of a single chord: A, C and E (with G and occasional other notes for interest). To reinforce this chord, the bass plays nothing but A throughout the sequence.
 
A scale is a series of adjacent notes. Most music uses a variety of different chords which form a harmonic structure for the piece. More on the uses and naming of chords in Sequence 4. Scale patterns are also very common. Even this one-chord piece contains fragments of scales, as in the falling contour of the Marimba part:
 
diagram

The Lead Guitar part similarly outlines a scale shape. You should be able to hear both of these clearly, as they are formed from the highest notes of their respective patterns. Each on its own does not radically disturb the overall effect of the underlying chord. You may have discovered, however, that these two patterns will not combine very comfortably - there are too many clashes when the different scales are superimposed.