Introduction: Compose a Melody With Ardour

This introduction will teach you how to compose a simple melody with ardour.

Supplies

What do you need?

  • A computer
  • A stable network
  • About 2 hours
  • A piano keyboard (optional)
  • Ability to install software
  • Some creativity

Step 1: Install Requirement Software

2 Free Software will be used:

  • Ardour (A Digital Audio Workstation)
  • x42 setBfree(a ToneWheel Organ plugin)

Ardour

  1. Download Ardour software from https://community.ardour.org/download
  2. Follow the instruction from ardour website install the software

setBfree

  1. Download Ardour software from https://x42-plugins.com/x42/setBfree
  2. Follow the instruction from x42-plugins website install the software

Note: During the installation process, keep all settings as default

Step 2: Setup Software

  1. Plugin your piano keyboard into your computer(optional)
  2. Open Ardour
  3. A setup window should popup if this is the first time running Ardour
  4. Follow the instruction on the software. Make sure all the settings are the same as the screenshot
  5. A new window named "Audio/MIDI Setup" should popup
  6. In the "Audio/MIDI Setup" window, choose the right speaker and microphone device in the "input device" and "output device" section
  7. Left-click Calibre audio, you should hear a test tone
  8. left-click "Start"

Step 3: Create a Track in Ardour

A track means a type of instrument.

  1. Input a name for your melody into the "Session Name" section
  2. Left-click open
  3. The windows look like the second screenshot should popup
  4. Right-click the area shown on the second screenshot to add an instrument
  5. The windows look like the third screenshot should popup
  6. Select "MIDI Tracks" on the left-hand side of this window
  7. Select "setBfree DSP ToneWheel Organ" in the "Instrument" section on the left-hand side of this window
  8. Left-click "Add and close"

Step 4: Add Note Into a Track

  1. Left-click the line shown on screenshot 1 and hold, then move curse down
  2. a keyboard should show up like screenshot 2
  3. Left-click the pen icon on the top
  4. Click and drag on the track to create notes
  5. play key on the piano keyboard(option)
  6. Click "play" to hear what you have done

Step 5: How to Create a Simple Song

How to create a simple song:

  1. Choose a Key to make the song in
  2. Understand that the notes in the key will be replaced by Do, Re, Mi,... and so forth.
  3. Create a simple melody that sounds pleasing to the ear(this is extremely subjective).
  4. Now understand that Playing two notes at the same time are like puzzle pieces, the piece that go together are obvious and will sound like the belong together. Usually the basic harmony will be a third above the original not. So if you are playing Do, The third above is Mi.
  5. Now Play the notes together to see if it sounds pleasing to you, add continue to further experiment with your song!