Dr. REX_pt.2

Materials:
• Computer with internet access and speakers
• Song examples (“PYT” by Michael Jackson and “The Good Life” by Kanye West)
• Dr. Rex loop file 0401_PYT.rx2

Discussion
Today we're going to continue working with the Dr. Rex to make a remix of a song that uses a famous sample. First, let's learn about a function on the Dr. Rex called Pitch.

Changing pitch is pretty easy. You click on one of the notes in the section of the Dr. REX called Transpose:

What you should hear is the sample playing in a lower or higher pitch. The cool thing about the Dr. REX is that, even if you change the pitch, it will play back at the same speed and stay in time with your beat. This helps you to make the sample really fit in with the rest of your song.

So today, you are going to make a remix that uses a sample from a song by Michael Jackson (R.I.P) called PYT. Let’s take a quick listen…

(Instructor: Play PYT for the class. Draw attention to sampled section.)

Have you heard this sample used in any other songs?

(Instructor: Play “The Good Life”)

That’s right. Mr. West took that sample and flipped it into, “The Good Life”.


So today, you’re going to use the Dr. REX to make a PYT/Good Life remix of your own.

Please do the following:
1. Click the link above to download the file PYT.rx2 to your computer. Save this to your folder.
2. Open Reason.
3. Create a Dr. Rex Loop Player
4. Click on the Browse Patch button in the upper left hand corner.
5. Select the file 04_01_PYT.rx2 from your folder and load it into the Dr. REX
6. On the Dr. Rex click To Track.

Now we want to adjust the Pitch and Tempo of the sample…

7. Hit play and listen to how fast the sample is playing back. Adjust the Tempo to what you think sounds good.
8. Now adjust the Pitch in the Dr. REX. If you want the beat to have a fast tempo you should try to transpose the sample to a higher note.
9. If you have a slow tempo you should transpose the sample to a lower note.

After you get your sample sounding the way you want it, it's time to add some drums that go with it…

10. Create a Redrum and make a 32 step drum pattern using a Clap, Bass Drum, Hi Hat, and a Percussion instrument. Make sure you put the sounds on appropriate boxes!
11. On the Redrum, Copy Pattern To Track.
12. Create a second Dr. Rex and load a Percussion Loop.
13. Adjust the Pitch and put it To Track.
14. SAVE your beat to your folder as: your name_GoodLife
15. Have the instructor listen to your remix.

Resources:
www.youtube.com
www.grooveshark.com