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Welcome to Sound Explorations: Creating, Expressing, Improving Communities.

This is our Getting Started Creating Instruments and Interfaces Music Learning Playlist.

Before Starting Read This First

1) You are about to try out something called a music learning playlist. Each “track” in the playlist is called a learning experience or “XP”

2) If you see a group # next to an XP, please try out the version that has the group # you were assigned – you can also try out other versions later.

3) The last part of each XP is “Share What you Learned” you can then move on to the next XP in the playlist.

4) We want your opinions and ideas. So, please fill in the survey at the bottom of this page after you try out some of the XPs.

Enjoy!

These are updated versions of XPs as of 5/27/17 . [If you would like to continue working on older versions of XPs you can access them here]:

Getting Started Making Beats

Start Here 1. How do I get started making a beat?

2. How do I choose sounds when making a beat?

3. How is sampling a part of making a beat?

4. How do I build a beat?

5. How can I arrange my beats?

6. How do I choose a tempo when making a beat?

7. How can I share my beats?

8. Final XP. I can get started making beats!

Please consider providing feedback if you are 18+ and have expertise in Beat Making or Production or are a music teacher, teaching artist, or mentor of a community program that might use this list.

Old Versions of XPs

Topic 1: Getting Started

Groups 1 & 2 try this XP

How do I get started making a beat? (XP 1 version 1)

Group 3 try these XPs

How do I get started making a beat? Part 1 (XP 1a version 2)

How do I get started making a beat? Part 2 (XP 1b version 2)

How do I get started making a beat? Part 3 (XP 1c version 2)

Topic 2: Choosing Sounds

How do I choose sounds when making a beat? (XP 2 version 1)

Topic 3: Sampling

Group 1 try this XP

How is sampling a part of making beats? (XP 3-1 version 1)

Group 2 try this XP

How is sampling a part of making beats? (XP 3-1a version 2)

How is sampling a part of making beats? (XP 3-1b version 2)

Group 3 try this XP

How is sampling a part of making beats? (XP 3-1 version 3)

All Groups try this XP

How can I include sampling in my beat? (XP 3-2 version 1)

All Groups try this XP

How can I choose samples from a recording? (XP3-3 version 1)

Topic 4: Creating Musical Content for your Beat

 

Topic 5: Arranging 

All groups try this XP

How can I arrange my beats? Counting beats and bars. (XP5-1)

  Topic 6: Choosing Tempo

Group 1 try this XP 

XP6-1a How can I choose a tempo when making a beat? (Version 1 of this XP6)

Group 2 version coming soon 

Topic 7: Sharing Your Beats

Group 1 try this XP

How can I share my beats with others? (Version 1 of this XP7)

Group 2 try this XP

How do people share beats with others? (Version 2 part 1 XP7)

How can I share my beats with others? Part 1 (Version 2 part 2 XP7)

All Groups Try this XP

How can I share my beats with others? Part 2 (Version 1 of XP8)

All Groups Try This XP

What do audio files and quality have to do with sharing my music? (Version 1 of XP9)

Feedback

After you try the XPs please give us feedback using this form: