# DAW Skills?

Here are a few activities that will introduce some skills you will use when you use BandLab, Garageband, or any other kind of DAW that you will be using.

## Sequencing

>"Sequencers allow you to program a combination of notes, rhythms, articulations and effects that can be sent to anything from your DAW of choice to hardware synths. By programming your patterns, melodies and loops, you free yourself up to experiment with mixing, dynamics and performing with other instruments."" [^1]

### Try Sequencing!
* Open [Song Maker](https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Song-Maker) and play around with this sequencer.

There are a couple of key features of sequencers:
1. Timeline - A grid map of notes that can be programmed and sequenced.
2. Horizontal Axis - Represents "when" a note is played (earlier or later)
3. Vertical Axis - Represents the "pitch" of a note that is sequenced at a given time (*"How high/low do you want the note to be?"*)
4. Cursor - Passes through the timeline and plays the note that it passes over in real time.
5. Pause/Play Button - Starts and stops the cursor from moving.
6. Tempo control (BMP) - Controls how fast the cursor will pass through the timeline.

**GOAL**: Just play around with it! Try clicking around on the boxes to see what they do. Write down your reflections. What did you get out of trying it out? Do you feel more comfortable after having tried out a simpler sequencer?

>Sequencers across a vast majority of DAWs will work in this exact fashion. The only difference might be the organization of the sequencer.

## Sampling
* As stated in [Learning the Art of Sampling](https://hackmd.io/bmBsCk_GQsyAR7el2cIluw), Sampling is a technique of capturing, editing, and sequencing sounds.

### Try Sampling!
* Open [The MK-1](https://ericrosenbaum.github.io/MK-1/) and try capturing your own sounds!
1. To record a sound, click the red "REC" button. **You must enable microphone permissions and you must have a microphone to use this feature.**
2. Press the corresponding keys on your keyboard to activate commands shown on the screen.
3. Try clicking around in the waveform to change the "start time" of the sample.
4. Select the different options on the left under "key maps" and "samples" to see their effect on what the keyboard does.

**GOAL** Just play around with it! Did you feel more comfortable with sampling after this small activity?

## Recording Instruments

The wonderful thing about DAWs is that you can record actual instruments into your timeline.

To do so, you need several things:
* A Digital [Audio Interface](https://hub.yamaha.com/proaudio/recording/what-is-an-audio-interface/)
* And either/or/both:
* A microphone and an [XLR cable](https://www.techopedia.com/definition/31107/xlr-connector) to connect it to your Audio Interface
* An electric instrument (like an electric guitar) and a [Quarter-inch Cable](https://www.guitarcenter.com/Instrument-Cables.gc)

### Try Recording Instruments!
Here are some guides on how to set them up with your computer:
* [Digital Audio Interface](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vATI1NySpCo)
* [Microphone Setup](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSsv74a-GEA)
* [Electric Guitar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4-KBxMRKdE)

For this section, there's no other option but to try it out on BandLab.
* [Watch this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx9Pk9G5xS8) on how to record an instrument into BandLab and try it out yourself!

[^1]: ["How To Use a Sequencer"](https://blog.andertons.co.uk/learn/how-to-use-a-sequencer-to-make-music#:~:text=Sequencers%20allow%20you%20to%20program,and%20performing%20with%20other%20instruments.)