Day 31: Remix — Explore and Experiment – Mr. Willingham's Classes

Objectives

I can import a MIDI file into GarageBand and assign it an instrument.
I can listen critically to two pieces and describe what I hear.
I can experiment with remix techniques before committing to a project.

Warmup — Download and Listen

You have two MIDI files to explore today. Download both, import them into GarageBand, and listen to each one. There are no wrong answers right now — this is a sandbox day.

Step 1 — Download the MIDI Files

Bach — Brandenburg Menuetto

Tchaikovsky — Sugar Plum

Step 2 — Import Both into GarageBand

Open a new GarageBand project.
Drag the first MIDI file from your Downloads folder into the GarageBand timeline. GarageBand will create a Software Instrument track automatically.
Drag the second MIDI file into the same project. It will appear on a second track.
Try a few different instrument sounds on each track — click the instrument name and browse the library.

Step 3 — Listen and Think

Press Space to play. Listen to both tracks all the way through at least once.

Ask yourself:

Which one do I find more interesting to listen to?
Which one could I imagine in a completely different style — hip-hop, electronic, jazz, cinematic?
What would this sound like if I changed the instrument? The tempo? Added a beat underneath?

You are not committing to anything today. Just listen and wonder.

Checkpoint: Warmup

I downloaded both MIDI files and imported them into GarageBand.
I listened to both tracks.
I have at least one idea for how I could remix one of them.

Work Session — Explore Remix Techniques

Follow along as Mr. Willingham demonstrates remix techniques in GarageBand. Today is about trying things out — nothing you do here is graded, and you are not building your final project yet. Experiment freely.

Keep up with the walkthroughs — you can always go further on your own, but try each technique as it is demonstrated before moving ahead.

Today’s techniques to explore:

Changing instruments — swapping the default piano for something that fits a different style
Rearranging regions — cutting, copying, and reordering sections of the melody
Changing the tempo — speeding up or slowing down to match a new genre feel
Finding loops in the right key — using the Loop Browser to find drum, bass, or pad loops that match your MIDI file’s key
Automation — drawing volume or filter changes over time to add movement and dynamics

Try each technique. Break things. Undo. Try again. That is the point of today.

Checkpoint: Work Session

I changed the instrument on at least one MIDI track.
I adjusted the tempo and noticed how it changed the feel.
I added at least one loop from the Loop Browser.
I tried drawing at least one automation curve.
I saved this exploration project (it does not need to be finished or polished).

Closing

Play your exploration project from the beginning. It does not need to sound great — it just needs to sound different from the original.

Think about what you tried today:

What worked? What did you like?
What would you do differently with more time?
What style would you want to use for your real project?

Tomorrow you will start fresh with a brand new project. You will pick a piece from a bigger list, choose a style to fuse it with, and begin building a remix that will be finished and shared by Wednesday.

Standards

MSMTC8.CR.1 — Generate musical ideas for various purposes and contexts (exploring how a classical MIDI melody can be reimagined in a new style using GarageBand instruments, loops, and automation).
MSMTC8.CR.2 — Select and develop musical ideas for defined purposes and contexts (experimenting with instrument choices, tempo, and loops to begin forming a vision for a remix style).

Last updated on May 24, 2026

Day 32: Music Remix Project