Arcadia - BandLab Instructions

Today’s BandLab will be about melody! As we learned last time, the melody in music is the main
tune of the piece and has a form called phrase structure.

Goal: To create a 69 measure ABA form composition using ABAC melodic phrase
structure.

For this project, each phrase of the melody will be 4 measures long. Each letter in ABAC will
equal four measures. Four letters times four equals 16 measures.

A: 4 measures
B: A different sounding 4 measures
A: The same 4 measures from before
C: Another different sounding 4 measures

Before starting, make sure you have Snapping on. Click view, then click Snap to Grid first.
Make sure there is a green check mark next to it. Then click grid size, and click Bar.

Directions on the next page!

Directions
A section
1) Search up Arcadia in the search bar
2) Find the loop Arcadia Bass 01 and place it on the workstation at the beginning. Loop it
to measure 25

3) Search up 2-step beats, pick your favorite beat and add it to the project at measure 5
and loop it to measure 25

4) Now to add some melody! Search for Arcadia Lead loops and you will find 6 options.
5) The phrase structure we are trying to create is ABAC, which means you will need 3
loops.
 6) Place your favorite Arcadia Lead loop at measure 9 (DO NOT LOOP). Pick another lead
loop and place it at measure 13, place the first lead loop at measure 17, and finally,
place a new lead loop at measure 21

7) Pause, look at your loops and make sure you have the phrase structure correct
8) Listen to your composition so far and ask yourself the following questions
a) Is everything lined up and sounding “good”
b) Do I like my ABAC loop order? Is it a smooth transition?
9) Fix any mistakes or anything you do not like before moving on!

B Section
10) Pick a different Arcadia Bass Loop and place at measure 25 and loop to measure 45

11) Pick a new 2-step Beats Loop and do the same, place it at measure 25 and loop to 45.
Remember that the B section should contrast (sound different) than the A section. Pick a
 drum loop that sounds different than your A section loop

12) Now we will be adding melody to our B section

13) Search for Arcadia Melody and you will find 6 options.
14) Like you did before, the phrase structure we are trying to create is ABAC, which means
you will need 3 loops.
15) Place your favorite Arcadia Melody loop at measure 29 (DO NOT LOOP). Pick another
melody loop and place it at measure 33, place the first melody loop at measure 37, and
finally, place a new lead loop at measure 41

16) Pause, look at your loops and make sure you have the phrase structure correct
17) Listen to your composition so far and ask yourself the following questions
a) Is everything lined up and sounding “good”
b) Do I like my ABAC loop order? Is it a smooth transition?
18) Fix any mistakes or anything you do not like before moving on!

A section (reprise)
 1) Copy measures 9 - 25 and put them at 45 - 61

2) Continue the bass loop to measure 69 and continue the beat loop to 65

Finishing touches
1) Instead of fills, we will be using sound effects (SFX) to link our sections together. Search
up SFX in the search bar and place two SFX loops in the workstation to link the sections
2) The first loop needs to end right before measure 25
 3) The second loops need to end right before measure 45

4) Listen to your project to make sure everything lines up!

5) Submit your link and answer the questions in the google form

Double Check!
1. Do you have a correct ABAC phrase structure throughout?
2. Are your SFX lined up?
3. Did you create your own composition and not an exact copy of mine?
4. Is everything lined up?
5. Does it sound “good”?

Sample Project

Click here to listen