Start with the pulse
Open the drum grid and let its soft kit establish the four-bar frame. Do not fill every step; the empty spaces are part of the groove.
Listen for: A steady head-nod with room left for other parts.
▶ Open checkpoint 1 in StudioYour first four-bar loop
Three instruments, one key, and an audible result in two minutes.
Guided project10 minutesFirst stepbeginnerlo-fi
You will make
A complete minor-key loop with a beat, a harmonic bed and a memorable top line.
Build it, one layer at a time
Give it a home
Add the chord progression. The Studio key keeps it aligned with everything else, so you can concentrate on when the chord changes rather than naming notes.
Listen for: The same beat suddenly feels like it has a mood and direction.
▶ Open checkpoint 2 in StudioAdd one small idea
Bring in the plucked line. A short phrase that repeats is stronger than sixteen unrelated notes; leave a gap where the loop can breathe.
Listen for: A phrase you can remember after the loop stops.
▶ Open checkpoint 3 in StudioBalance, then stop
Pull each fader down, then raise the most important part first. Add the others only until they support it. A first loop is finished when every part has a job.
Listen for: All three parts are clear without the master meter living in the red.
▶ Open checkpoint 4 in StudioMake it yours
- Mute the pluck for the first four bars, then bring it back as a tiny arrangement.
- Roll a new key with DICE and notice how the relationships survive.