MuLab 4 Docs Overview   

Music is composed by using several layers, called tracks, that play melodies, percussion, bass lines, etc all progressing over time. You can also record vocals, guitar, sax etc on these tracks and cut, move and copy parts around. All this is done in the Composer.

There are 3 types of parts: Audio Parts, Sequence Parts and Automation Parts.

 

Audio Parts

An audio part plays an Audio File from your harddisk.
For each audio part, you can set the start location within that audio file.
This can be done in the Audio Lab.
You can open the Audio Lab by double-clicking the audio part or via the part's context menu. Or via a shortcut that you have defined.

 

Sequence Parts

A sequence part plays a sequence of events (e.g. Note events, PitchBend events, ...) that make up a melody, rhythm groove, filter-sweep etc... Sequences can be edited in the Sequence Editor and List Editor, by double-clicking or right-clicking the sequence part.

 

Automation Parts

An automation part controls a certain parameter of a specific module, for example, you can automate the volume fader of a rack, or you can automate te cutoff of a lowpass filter, etc...

 

Connecting Tracks To Modules

The composer itself doesn't make any sound, it's just your tool to compose a song, just like Mozart was writing notes on a sheet. Then you need instruments and effects that will actually make and shape sound. The generic term for instruments and effects is Module.

Each track in the composer is connected to a specific module, the track's target module. All parts on that track will play the track's target module. Simply drag-drop a module on a track to define that track's target module. This is explained in detail on the Composer page.

 

Sessions

All of these objects (i.e. Compositions, Parts, Sequences, Racks, Synth and Effect Modules etc...) are part of a Session. You can have more than 1 composition in a session, and you can work on multiple sessions in parrallel, and copy-paste and drag-drop parts and modules between them!

 

MuLab Tips

  • Most of MuLab's functionality is located in the context menus which popup when you right-click an object! You can never do something wrong by right-clicking somewhere. At the contrary: Try right-clicking every possible object on the screen and you may discover extra functionalities!
  • MuLab likes drag & drop So try dropping files on the various components in the user interface and you'll discover which drops work. And if you have a great drag-drop suggestion, email .

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