Getting Creative With Midi w/ Jacky
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Start your free trial to get access to this pro course and hundreds more on Mixmasters
Get Started for FreeGetting Creative With Midi w/ Jacky
Course Lessons
Course Preview
Creating a varying sequence
Altering a sequence with MIDI effects
Finding melodies within a generated sequence
Live Q & A
Q & A
Make Label-Ready Music
Learn Music Production Skills From The World's Best Artists.
About This Course
In this lesson, Jacky demonstrates how to use Ableton Live’s MIDI effect range to create pitch perfect melodies with no prior composing knowledge necessary.
He uses no external plugins, so his method is applicable to any Ableton Live user.
This course is suitable for aspiring composers who lack the formal knowledge needed to make music, or experienced composers who understand what it’s like hitting ‘the wall’. This method can create melodic concepts for further adjustments
You will learn:
- How to create buses to route effects to MIDI tracks
- How syncopation can be used to create evolving melodies
- How to add variety to a progression with randomness
- How to use MIDI effects to create chords and scales
- How to record a randomly generated sequence
- How to use a random sequence to form a melody or bassline
Lessons:
1. Creating a Varying Sequence:
How to create a melody that varies over time. Jacky shows how altering the length of a loop can create new melodic results and shows how to route multiple MIDI progressions to play through another channel which controls the properties of a sound.
- Limitations of single track MIDI progressions
- Routing multiple MIDI progressions to one sound
- Creating syncopation by changing loop lengths
2. Altering a Sequence with MIDI Effects:
How to create an effects bus: a channel made specifically to route effects to multiple MIDI tracks. Jacky shows how to apply MIDI effects to a bus in order to generate varying melodies that remain in key.
- Adding an effects bus
- Using Ableton Live’s ‘Scale’ MIDI effect
3. Finding Melodies within a Generated Sequence :
Once a sequence has been generated, patterns can be recorded, manipulated and rearranged in order to create a catchy melody. Jacky shows how to finely pick the best loop from the sequence, as well as tips for adjusting the loop to sound the best it can be.
- Recording a random progression
- Using a sequence to find a melody
- Final recap
4. Live Q&A:
Jacky reveals how to apply the technique to multiple keys, how to use this technique to create chords and more in this Q&A.
- If you use notes that are close together sonically, would that make faster work of this process?
- Because it’s all in C, can you use any part of the pattern, and would it work with another part you choose ?
- Would you typically record that as an audio track and then consolidate, or is this going to record the MIDI pattern?
- Does it ever repeat, or will it always be random?
- Would this method be any good for making chords if you lined the notes up?
- How would you go about doing sustained tech-house basslines with this method?
- Do you use this method for remixes?
- What is affecting the note length once the notes have been generated?
- For hats would you use the randomiser?
- Would you always use that many notes for a bassline?

Meet Your Teacher
Jacky
DEFECTED favourite Jacky has in a short space of time racked up an impressive collection of releases across Elrow Music, FFRR, Repopulate Mars, VIVA and of course DFTD among many others. Known for his versatility when DJing, his chunky studio productions reflect this too, spanning the genres of disco, tech and deep house.
Having hit the top of the Beatport charts on numerous occasions with his tracks and his own label, Jacky & Friends, you will learn a lot from this larger-than-life electronic artist who has worked his way up to the top.
Discussions
Dream of finally finishing that draft or launching that side-hustle? Make your next creative project your best yet, with simple steps from creative superstar Emma Gannon!
Discussions
Dream of finally finishing that draft or launching that side-hustle? Make your next creative project your best yet, with simple steps from creative superstar Emma Gannon!
About This Class
Dream of finally finishing that draft or launching that side-hustle? Make your next creative project your best yet, with simple steps from creative superstar Emma Gannon!
In this new class, Emma shares the framework that allowed her to overcome self-doubt and carve her own path as an author, broadcaster, and podcast host. The secret to her success? Fed up with feeling afraid—of failure, of not being good enough, even of success—Emma dug into the science behind self-sabotage and learned exactly how to get out of her own way.
Now, Emma is sharing what she’s learned so that you can do the same: unlock your creative potential while feeling energized and empowered!
Together with Emma, you will:
- Identify the patterns in your life, and let go of habits that don’t serve you
- Cut out comparison to figure out what you really want and need
- Silence your inner critic by talking back to negative beliefs and behaviors
- Own your success and vulnerability—both go hand-in-hand with creativity
Packed with insights and examples from Emma’s personal journey, this class is designed for every creative who needs a pep-talk or extra push to get started—and includes five exclusive downloadable worksheets to support you along the way.
Whether you’re looking to break through block, remove self-imposed pressure, or simply approach each new project with intention, this 45-minute class will unlock your confidence as a creative. Get started and celebrate taking the first step!
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All you need to follow along is a pen and paper. Download the worksheets to follow along with Emma’s exercises, or jot your thoughts in a notebook.
Resources
- Introduction
- Week one
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