OrchLab Patterns – Activities to try

An iPad with the OrchLab patterns grid on the screen

In this resource, we’re going to look at some of the different ways you can use the new OrchLab Soundmaker, Patterns, including some tips and ideas on how you might use OrchLab Patterns with some of the other Soundmakers on the OrchLab website.

OrchLab Soundmakers are a set of web-browser based instruments that you can use on a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or mobile phone. The instruments available are called Circles, Squares, Percussion, Lines, Bars and the new addition to the collection, Patterns. They can all be found here.

The Soundmakers can be used in a variety of ways. You can use them to play solo melodies and rhythms, and you can use them collaboratively in group music-making sessions. Patterns is unique; it’s a sequencer, which is a type of digital instrument you can use to playback, trigger and arrange audio samples. In Patterns, the audio samples you can play are harp sounds, which are pitched notes, and also drum samples, including woodblock, snare drum and toms. You can learn more about the harp and percussion instruments in our OrchMap videos.

Watch our Introduction to OrchLab Patterns video to learn more about how to play OrchLab Patterns.

When you give it a go, you will notice the harp notes will create a repeated melody line and the drum samples will create a rhythm, or beat.

Before playing along with others, make sure to familiarise yourself with the instrument and have some fun practising it!

An OrchLab participant uses Patterns, assisted by an OrchLab workshop leader

Using OrchLab Patterns in a group music-making setting

If you have multiple iPads, phones or computers in your setting, you can have a go at playing OrchLab Patterns in a group music session. To set this up, make sure everyone is connected to a speaker and that the volume on all devices is as balanced as possible, so no one gets lost in all the noise.

As OrchLab Patterns uses tempo and rhythm, it’s a good idea for everybody to start at the same tempo, by using the tempo slider. The default tempo for OrchLab Patterns is 99 bpm.

Playing OrchLab Patterns in a group requires you to be open to creating a kaleidoscope of intertwining and out of sync rhythms and textures. It sounds wonderful when the multiple harp melodies and rhythms are played in the room, so be free and enjoy!

Here are some activities you could try together:

  • Choose a conductor for the group, who points or makes hand gestures to stop and start each person’s pattern. The conductor can then experiment with having different patterns starting one at a time, layering and building them gradually. Allow for opportunities to hear the solo patterns each person has come up with.
  • Play with tempo – the conductor could use hand gestures to get the group to increase or decrease the tempo at the same time, with the players using the grey slider next to the Start button to make the tempo faster or slower.
  • You could practise changing keys at the same time as a group. Firstly, make sure everyone is familiar with how to change the key, via the settings menu. Then nominate someone in the group to shout a key for the group to change to.
An OrchLab participant looks at an iPad showing the Patterns grid.

Using OrchLab Patterns with other Soundmakers

Having a group of OrchLab Patterns playing together sounds fantastic, but you may also want to try using one pattern as a backing track to jam along with on some of the other Soundmakers, such as OrchLab Circles, Squares or Bars.

The important thing to do will be to set OrchLab Patterns and the other Soundmaker you are working with to the same key. For example, if OrchLab Patterns is in F minor, change your OrchLab Circles, Squares, Lines or Bars to F minor.

As OrchLab Patterns has drum samples, it can set the rhythm and tempo of your group jam. The other Soundmakers can provide melody and harmony.

Here are some activities you could try together:

  • Use one device to create a beat using OrchLab Patterns. Decide on a key and use more devices to set up some of the other Soundmakers in the same key. Jam along with each other on OrchLab Circles, Squares, Lines, Bars and Percussion, making sure to leave space for each other!
  • Take turns to be the conductor of the group, using hand gestures to start or stop different players.

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