Bandlab Tutorial (Mobile App), Lesson 2B: Editing and Quantizing a Melody

[@aysymphony]

Hi Everyone! There has been a change in Bandlab's latest update! The Input Quantization function (03:36) now has a new name and location in Bandlab! Here's how to find it: 1. Go to Settings (the gear icon at the top of the screen). 2. Scroll down to the section labeled "Recording." 3. Find "Quantize MIDI recordings" and turn that effect on! Bandlab will now quantize your MIDI notes to the nearest 1/16th note line on the grid as you record them. This is the same effect as "Input Quantization," just labeled differently and moved to a new location! Shoutout MR. P£NGU1N for pointing this out! Keep making amazing beats everybody!

[@midozgaming7579]

In 2023 and I'm gonna tell you bro you're a legend and ur the only one who really explained bandlab in an organized, funny way tysm ♥

[@Iamoyomix]

Now i understand on a whole new level...where have u been all my life🤧... Going to put this into practice

[@aysymphony]

I'm glad that it's helping the concepts click!

[@Beardracle-bx5cl]

So help. Just new on bandlab and your tutorials are so helpful

[@twinkie911]

so helpful. everything I have been wanting to know in a way I understand. finally thank you !!

[@aysymphony]

So happy to hear it's helpful!

[@andrebaskin6788]

You have a gift my friend. So glad l stumbled on your tips and skills!

[@aysymphony]

Thanks! I'm happy it's helpful!

[@Bagpipecoasters9233]

I started using bandlab. I will be doing this with space rider.

[@activeseasons]

Thank you so much your video was so plain and helpful!!!! Bammmm!!

[@lonixsolomon6692]

Best bandlab totorial

[@aysymphony]

Thanks! That means a lot!

[@timabella8623]

Thank you so very, very, duper much!! This is very helpful 😎🤌

[@aysymphony]

Woohoo! I'm glad you liked it!

[@davidejizu4302]

Bro I love ur lessons so good💯💯💯💯

[@aysymphony]

Thanks so much! Trying to make it fun, clear, and simple.

[@thagoodzgirl3840]

Very helpful

[@aysymphony]

I'm glad we could help!

[@TimiRogers]

Dope! Thanks a lot!

[@UziBlancoOfficial]

Okay but what if my loops line up the first time or two that they play but later in the track they start to become off beat? Is there a way to fix that besides manually going through an moving the different sections to exactly where they go?? BTW I'm looking for a video showing how to use a metronome when making a beat.. like I know how to turn it off an on an things like that but im trying to fig out why the beats I'm making sound good but don't exactly line up like they should..

[@aysymphony]

1. If you are looping your melody and it's gradually becoming offbeat, then that means your MIDI region isn't the right size! Take a look at 03:18. The purple rectangle is our MIDI region. It contains the MIDI notes we created using the MIDI instrument. When we edit/loop this, we have to be super careful. If the MIDI region doesn't line up EXACTLY with the vertical line BEFORE the bar number (in this case, 5), then your region will loop incorrectly and become gradually offbeat. 2. Also, this is a little more complicated but make sure you are looping full bars/measures. For example, if the notes of your melody end on beat three of the first bar/measure, it might seem intuitive to change the length of your MIDI region so that it also ends on beat three. But this would throw off the alignment of your melody, because it would start on beat 4 of the first bar/measure! By default, always make sure your MIDI regions go all the way until the end of a bar/measure, unless you want the notes to repeat in a misaligned or polyrhythmic way. 3. As far as recording with a metronome, here is the trick: When you jump into an open project and want to create some music, start with FEELING the music in your body. Do this BEFORE making anything. Once you can feel your tempo (the speed of the beat/pulse of the music), then turn on your metronome and CHANGE it to match what you are feeling. Bandlab defaults to 120BPM I believe, which is NOT common in genres like Hip Hop, Trap and RnB, so this is super important if you like that music. Anyway, now that your metronome and project tempo are changed to match what you are feeling, keep the metronome on and start creating. You basically want to keep the metronome on at all times that you are creating, especially if you are using MIDI instruments. Only turn it off when you are listening back to your work to see how it sounds all together. That may seem like a lot but try it a few times. I find that it's the best way to make your music sound organic to you! If you are unclear about the words Beat, Rhythm, or BPM and Tempo, drop into this video timestamp for a quick explanation: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKTOiGWHhLlpkKM Hope this helps! Keep making great music!

[@Bryant.Defiant]

So helpful. Thank you 🤟

[@aysymphony]

Glad it was helpful! Keep making great music!

[@End-c1q]

🙏 great videos thank you 🙏 😁🎶🦋

[@aysymphony]

I'm glad they are helpful!

[@End-c1q]

@@aysymphony yesssss for sure so helpful 🙏😁👑

[@gal3xystar]

Very helpful, though, how do you merge layers if they get cut?

[@aysymphony]

Hi! Can you give an example of what you mean? When you say cut do you mean the way I shortened the MIDI region at 03:13?

[@gabri3ltz]

Thanks for the video! Is it possible to zoom in and out in pianoroll?

[@aysymphony]

As of now, it seems like there isn't a way to zoom in and out of the piano roll or the MIDI editor. However, turning your phone or tablet sideways will change how the keys on the keyboard are organized and give you a wider view of the MIDI editor.

[@HudaHuda-kd6zj]

So helpful

[@hurricane4268]

I already wrote my lyrics on paper so I only needa know how to combine my beat with my songs

[@aysymphony]

The best thing to do is loop your beat and practice, saying/rapping or singing your lyrics over the beat... Once you've got it down, then you can use the recording function in BandLab to record your vocals. Here's the link for the video, explaining how to record vocals and apply effects on them, including auto tune: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4aXiWhsf9qpm6M&ab_channel=AmericanYouthSymphony

[@illuminatiroom1749]

Superb

[@aysymphony]

Wow! The Illuminati liked our video!

[@_raser]

hello. I uploaded a recorded mp3 in bandlab which the singer recorded it without using a metronome. It's a free timing. When I am trying to use the drum machine, it doesn't fit the timing. how will I reconcile those?

[@digitallion3861]

Can you group 2 tracks together into 1 track?

[@aysymphony]

From what I understand, that's not possible in BandLab, but it is possible in Cakewalk. Cakewalk is owned by the same creators of BandLab, but it is a much more detailed Digital Audio Workstation. As of the time of this comment, Cakewalk is free to install, but only on desktop.

[@danieljr2731]

Hey what about Triplets?

[@aysymphony]

Hi Daniel, great question! I didn't discuss this in the video, but go ahead and take a look at 02:13 for a visual reference. 02:13 is the point after we've clicked Q for quantize, but we still haven't selected a specific rhythm for quantization. In the video I choose 1/16, to make my MIDI line up to the boxes on the grid. If you instead choose 1/8, it would make the MIDI line up to every other box on the grid. This is where things get interesting. You'll notice there is a 1/8T option, and also a 1/16T option. The "T" stand for triplet! You can quantize to either 1/8 triplets or 1/16 triplets. It sounds like you already have some musical knowledge, so feel free to skip this next part! As I didn't cover triplets in the video, I'll just explain a little more below. In Bandlab Mobile, it seems that the grid only shows "straight" rhythms like the 1/8th and 1/6th notes, not the triplet rhythm. That means there is an invisible grid of triplets! For every two grid-boxes in Bandlab there are three invisible grid-boxes of a triplet rhythm. That means Selecting 1/16T will map your notes to the triplet over a space of two boxes on the visible grid. The grid will not change, but your notes will align with the closet note of the triplet. If you select 1/8T, however, the rhythm will be slower. Instead of mapping your notes to the triplet over a space of two boxes, it will map your notes to the space over four boxes on the visible grid! So to summarize, 1/16T= 3 notes per 2 Boxes 1/8T = 3 notes per 4 boxes Thanks again for the question Daniel, I think this will be a great topic for a future video! Hope that helps!

[@BootyWorm_v1]

I don't see the Q 😞

[@ednorm6241]

you ruined this video by not talking and explaining. is this a tutorial for def people I didnt understand one bit of it