This movie lasts about 3.5 mins. Max Wheeler shows how he uses software to trim a captured drum recording to make a loop that repeats over and over seamlessly.

This movie lasts about 3 mins. Max Wheeler shows us how to go about adding new keyboard parts to existing drum and bass tracks. He demonstrates the differences between lead and pad sounds and the type of material that works best for each.

This movie lasts about 3 mins. Max Wheeler explains how Hip Hop loops can be sourced in different ways (vinyl, music CD, data CD/DVD, mp3, live mic) and gives tips on the best way to go about capturing from these different media.

This movie lasts about 4 mins. Max Wheeler gives us some tips about choosing bass sounds, the type of line that works best and how to go about recording (and trimming) a new bass line into a software sequencer over a drum loop.

This movie lasts about 2 mins. Max Wheeler shows how to record a rap performance into software and how to recognise and correct 'clipping' distortion.

This movie lasts about 3 mins. Max Wheeler uses and Akai MPC sampler to play in a basic hip hop drum pattern at a tempo of 90 BPM. He explains which sounds go on which beat and then adds a few extra kick drum hits to add more interest. The principles are equally applicable to software drum sequencers.

There are two sample pads, each producing a different 2-beat melodic pattern when touched. As the hip-hop backing plays, pupils need to trigger the pads in the order 1,1,2,1 (i.e. AABA phrase structure) exactly in time with the backing. Touching the pads to the left or right places the sound in the stereo field so that pupils can explore interesting spatial effects and investigate diferent phrase structures. They can record and play back their performances for self-evaluation.

This app works in the musical context of Dubstep style, which has a slower tempo than other Hip Hop styles. There are two sample pads - one triggers an 8-beat bass line, the other an 8=beat pad sound. Pupils need to count the backing as sets of 8 beats and trigger the samples in any order/combination to produce their own texture. They can build up their texture by recording their performances in several layers if they wish. The pad sample allows control of stereo positioning and volume level. There is an on-screen count display to help users keep their place, which can be switched off as skills advance.