Creating a Song

Put everything together to create a complete multi-part composition.

Song Structure

A Relanote song consists of:

• Sections - Named parts of the song (Intro, Verse, Chorus)
• Parts - Instrument tracks within a section
• Blocks - Musical content for each part

A Simple Song

Let's create a complete piece:

scale Major = { R, M2, M3, P4, P5, M6, M7 }

; Define our musical material
let melody = | <5> <6> <7> <8> <8> <7> <6> <5> <5> <6> <7> <8> <8>:2 - - |

let bass = | <1>:2 <5>:2 <4>:2 <1>:2 <1>:2 <5>:2 <1>:4 |

melody

Repetition and Variation

Use transformations for development:

scale Major = { R, M2, M3, P4, P5, M6, M7 }

let theme = | <1> <3> <5> <3> |

; Variations
let theme_high = theme |> transpose P8
let theme_reverse = theme |> reverse
let theme_twice = theme |> repeat 2

; Combine all variations
let full = theme ++ theme_high ++ theme_reverse ++ theme_twice

full

Complete Example: Simple Melody

scale Major = { R, M2, M3, P4, P5, M6, M7 }

; Main theme
let theme = | <1> <2> <3> <4> <5> <5> <4> <3> <2> <1> <1>:2 |

; Variation - transposed up
let variation = theme |> transpose P5

; Combine
let fullSong = theme ++ variation ++ theme

fullSong

Tips for Song Writing

1. Start simple - Begin with a melody, then add accompaniment
2. Use repetition - Repeat themes with variations for coherence
3. Create contrast - Vary dynamics, register, and texture between sections
4. Layer gradually - Build from sparse to full arrangement
5. End strong - Bring back main themes in the final section

Exercise

Create your own song with:

• At least 2 phrases
• Some variation (transpose, reverse, repeat)
• Rests for breathing room

scale Major = { R, M2, M3, P4, P5, M6, M7 }

; Your song here!
let myTheme = | <1> <3> <5> <3> |

let myVariation = myTheme |> transpose P4

let mySong = myTheme ++ myVariation ++ myTheme

mySong

Rendering

When you're happy with your song, render it to MIDI:

relanote render mysong.rela -o mysong.mid

Open the MIDI file in your favorite DAW to:

• Add better instrument sounds
• Fine-tune timing and dynamics
• Mix and master your composition

Congratulations! You've learned the basics of Relanote. Continue exploring the Reference for more advanced features.