Song Maker AI Templates and Functions

SP. wrote on 9/26/2021, 8:15 PM

@David-Barselow You can make your own templates like I mentioned here https://www.magix.info/de/forum/ver-30-0-2-30-longer-projects--1282472/#ca1704174 You need to create a new XML file and need to specify all the song parts in it.

David-Barselow wrote on 11/27/2021, 5:58 PM

Song parts ? Is there a tutorial for this can you create one perhaps music was not my top subject in school just listening to it that does not mean I don't have a love for it though. I know it has been a long time since this thread has been created but thats o.k. right?

SP. wrote on 11/27/2021, 6:09 PM

@David-Barselow They are just XML text files. If you read them in a text editor you would probably understand relatively fast how they are structured and then create your own files. I don't have the time to do it.

David-Barselow wrote on 11/27/2021, 6:16 PM

Yes I know this I use to use oop coding type many years and was introduced to xml through Visual Studio creating dynamic websites in the .net platform but I am not familiar with song parts is this something within the xml file here is something I cam across I think everyone will like to look at it is_https://www.w3.org/2021/06/musicxml40/tutorial/introduction/ _https://www.musicxml.com/for-developers/

I just haven't have had enough time to dive in to it. I have been working in the tech industry for many years and am only now becomming interested in this electronic music production business as a hobby at this point in time. let me know what you think of the links !

SP. wrote on 11/27/2021, 6:24 PM

@David-Barselow MusicXML is something different than the Song Maker templates.

David-Barselow wrote on 11/27/2021, 6:26 PM

Written in the same language so I don't understand please explain don't be so vague please

David-Barselow wrote on 11/27/2021, 6:29 PM

There was a first link also the W3.org https://www.w3.org/2021/06/musicxml40/tutorial/introduction/ it is well known for learning

SP. wrote on 11/27/2021, 6:39 PM

@David-Barselow Like I said, if you have some free time then open the folder with the Song Maker templates and open them in a text editor and read them one by one and also compare them.

You will see that they all have the same structure (which isn't MusicXML but something different).

You can create your own template just by copying the structure and changing the values to something different.

The important part is to look at the files by yourself.

David-Barselow wrote on 11/27/2021, 6:49 PM

I get it now, song parts I did not understand at first but I get it now each section of the file representing a part in the song?

SP. wrote on 11/27/2021, 7:16 PM

@David-Barselow Each song part has a name, a length and an id number and is a section of the song you want to generate. Then you have different tracks with a name, a type of instrument that is used and their own id number.

The song parts and tracks are then referenced in the loop place holders by their ids. Song Maker creates then the song parts and fills them with the tracks and selects the Soundpool loops based on the tracks instruments value.

For example, you could try to create a copy of one of the XML files and just switch the instruments value in the tracks around and the Song Maker should create a different kind of combination.

David-Barselow wrote on 11/29/2021, 6:47 PM

Can you please post a couple of screen shots with some indicators it will help me a whole bunch you see I am recovering from a servere head injury.

SP. wrote on 11/30/2021, 3:17 PM

@David-Barselow Here are some screenshots. I think the easiest way is to create a copy of a template that is already done. For example your could copy the "80s - Absolute 80s.xml" and just rename it to "My template.xml".

Then open the file in a text editor of your choice. I use Visual Studio Code.

In my screenshot you can see arrows that point to different values. These values are read by Music Maker. The program understands them and shows them in the Song Maker interface.

You can change the values to something you want. For example I made a simple drum loop template. It looks like this and I saved it as "My Song Maker Drum Loop Template.xml" in the template folder.

At the beginning I define the basic description of my like BPM, genre, name, time signature and so on.

<Template version="2" minSongmakerVersion="2" bpm="160" genre="Pop" displayGenre="Drums" templateName="My Song Maker Drum Loop Template" name="My Song Maker Drum Loop Template" signatureNumerator="4" signatureDenominator="4" songKey="a">

I want four song parts: Intro Drums (8 bars long = 32 beats because the time signature is 4/4), Verse Drums (also 8 bars long), Chorus Drums (you guessed it, it is 8 bars long) and a short Outro (just 1 bar).

<SongParts>

<SongPart name="Intro Drums" length="8" id="0" />

<SongPart name="Verse Drums" length="8" id="1" />

<SongPart name="Chorus Drums" length="8" id="2" />

<SongPart name="Outro Drums" length="1" id="3" />

</SongParts>

I want three tracks. I call them Drums 1, 2 and 3. The loops that should be loaded should be drum loops. That is why I define "drums" as an instrument. I could also load guitar loops if I write "guitars". Of course, this only works if the Soundpools I use have loops in a guitars subfolder.

<Tracks>

<Track name="Drums 1" instrument="drums" id="0" />

<Track name="Drums 2" instrument="drums" id="1" />

<Track name="Drums 3" instrument="drums" id="2" />

</Tracks>

Now I must define the patterns which is the most tedious part.

I want loops on the first track (Drums 1 with track ID 0) throughout the hole song. This is why I need to define patterns for all 4 song parts (song part IDs 0, 1, 2 and 3).

I want two different loops for a song part. Each loop should be 4 bars long because two loops that are 4 bars long each add up to 8 bars which is the lenght of a song part. Except the outro should only have one loop that is one bar long.

Because the loops should be different and not be repeatedly selected I give each pattern a different pattern id.

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="1" start="0" length="4" songPartId="0" trackId="0" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="2" start="4" length="4" songPartId="0" trackId="0" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="3" start="0" length="4" songPartId="1" trackId="0" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="4" start="4" length="4" songPartId="1" trackId="0" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="5" start="0" length="4" songPartId="2" trackId="0" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="6" start="4" length="4" songPartId="2" trackId="0" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="7" start="0" length="1" songPartId="3" trackId="0" />

I repeat the process with the track Drums 2 (track ID 1), but I don't want loops on this track in the first song part ("Intro Drums"). That is why I don't define a pattern for the song part ID 0.

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="8" start="0" length="4" songPartId="1" trackId="1" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="9" start="4" length="4" songPartId="1" trackId="1" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="10" start="0" length="4" songPartId="2" trackId="1" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="11" start="4" length="4" songPartId="2" trackId="1" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="12" start="0" length="1" songPartId="3" trackId="1" />

I repeat the process with the track Drums 3 (track ID 2), but I don't want loops on this track in the first song part ("Intro Drums") and the second song part ("Verse Drums"). That is why I don't define a pattern for the song part ID 0 and 1.

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="13" start="0" length="4" songPartId="2" trackId="2" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="14" start="4" length="4" songPartId="2" trackId="2" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="15" start="0" length="1" songPartId="3" trackId="2" />

The full "My Song Maker Drum Loop Template.xml" looks like this

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<Template version="2" minSongmakerVersion="2" bpm="160" genre="Pop" displayGenre="Drums" templateName="My Song Maker Drum Loop Template" name="My Song Maker Drum Loop Template" signatureNumerator="4" signatureDenominator="4" songKey="a">

<SongParts>

<SongPart name="Intro Drums" length="8" id="0" />

<SongPart name="Verse Drums" length="8" id="1" />

<SongPart name="Chorus Drums" length="8" id="2" />

<SongPart name="Outro Drums" length="1" id="3" />

</SongParts>

<Tracks>

<Track name="Drums 1" instrument="drums" id="0" />

<Track name="Drums 2" instrument="drums" id="1" />

<Track name="Drums 3" instrument="drums" id="2" />

</Tracks>

<LoopPlaceHolders>

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="1" start="0" length="4" songPartId="0" trackId="0" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="2" start="4" length="4" songPartId="0" trackId="0" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="3" start="0" length="4" songPartId="1" trackId="0" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="4" start="4" length="4" songPartId="1" trackId="0" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="5" start="0" length="4" songPartId="2" trackId="0" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="6" start="4" length="4" songPartId="2" trackId="0" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="7" start="0" length="1" songPartId="3" trackId="0" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="8" start="0" length="4" songPartId="1" trackId="1" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="9" start="4" length="4" songPartId="1" trackId="1" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="10" start="0" length="4" songPartId="2" trackId="1" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="11" start="4" length="4" songPartId="2" trackId="1" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="12" start="0" length="1" songPartId="3" trackId="1" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="13" start="0" length="4" songPartId="2" trackId="2" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="14" start="4" length="4" songPartId="2" trackId="2" />

<LoopPlaceHolder patternId="15" start="0" length="1" songPartId="3" trackId="2" />

</LoopPlaceHolders>

</Template>

If I now restart Music Maker it will load my template under the "Pop" category and will show all the definded properties. If I click on "Create song" a song will be generated that follows the structure I defined in the XML file. Each time I click on "Create song" different loops will be selected.

browj2 wrote on 11/30/2021, 9:23 PM

@SP.

Hi,

This is a very good tutorial. I suggest that you transform it slightly into a real tutorial and post it under Tutorials. I think many users will find this very useful.

John CB

David-Barselow wrote on 12/1/2021, 10:16 PM

Well I must say SP great work I'll take a longer look at this and use it as a tutorial with out copying. Hey SP let ask a question if you will. Why do use VS Code over any other Ver. like V.S. Community 2019 whats the diference

SP. wrote on 12/2/2021, 2:08 AM

@David-Barselow VS Code is a text editor. I use it if I just want to edit some text files and it loads quickly.

VS Communitiy is a full development environment that is used to create and manage software development projects with thousands of files easily. If you want, you can just use it as a text editor, too. But it is a big install and if you don't want to use its other functions besides text editing it is likely a complete overkill.

David-Barselow wrote on 12/2/2021, 11:30 AM

I have it installed on my laptop I was just wondering what the code ver. was like I figured it was was a text type but was not sure. I like the community ver. there is a lot of resources it is thru the roof with resources. Speaking of resources do you know of any for this template learning... please do share!

David-Barselow wrote on 1/22/2022, 8:54 AM

Hi SP, there are a couple locations for modifying .xml file which I have forgot how to navigate would you please remind me I am having trouble locating them in my email. Thanks!

SP. wrote on 1/22/2022, 12:54 PM

@David-Barselow I think it should be under "C:\ProgramData\MAGIX\Music Maker\30\SongTemplates" , "SongMakerTemplates", "HarmonyPresets" etc.

Fonzy wrote on 3/28/2022, 2:40 PM

Hi, i made a Template Editor/maker for Magix song maker AI. You can create or modify original templates.

http://enkisoft.nhely.hu/index.html

After you created a template, save it to the Magix SongTemplatesAi directory.

-> add more functions!

Have fun!

Joe

David-Barselow wrote on 3/28/2022, 5:11 PM

How does it work?

Fonzy wrote on 3/29/2022, 2:19 AM

How to use the editor?

1. set basic info - style, bpm, chord...

2. select song parts (click on the Show/Hide menu on the right)

3. select track instruments (the parameters need only when you want randomize song data)

4. click generate Loop Map (create edit map with your selections - song parts and tracks)

5. edit song patterns (click on the map, and move the mouse right -> set pattern length.) Right click delete pattern.

6. in the pattern selector you can set each track patterns - or in default "rnd":random pattern)

7. generate and Copy xml. The whole Magix AI xml file will be in yout clipboard. Create a new xml file, and paste into your xml data. Save file. - or click save xml: only works on some browser.

8. copy your xml file into Magix "SongTemplatesAi" subdirectory.

9. run or restart Magix, select your new song template, and have fun!

You can load an original xml data from SongTemplatesAi directory, and you can modify it.

If you want a really random ized AI song, then click on randomize all button. The song parts, tracks, instruments and loops will be selected full randomly, you need only copy the xml, and use it on the song maker AI.

Joe

David-Barselow wrote on 3/30/2022, 9:25 AM

Hi Fonzy!, I was able to locate strike my last message.

Steve-Doyle wrote on 6/26/2023, 10:16 PM

SP and Fonzy - thanks for your help - Song Maker AI does not even have my favorite genre! (World Fusion) Now I can try more song formats.

GodAtum wrote on 9/23/2023, 2:30 PM

How to use the editor?

1. set basic info - style, bpm, chord...

2. select song parts (click on the Show/Hide menu on the right)

3. select track instruments (the parameters need only when you want randomize song data)

4. click generate Loop Map (create edit map with your selections - song parts and tracks)

5. edit song patterns (click on the map, and move the mouse right -> set pattern length.) Right click delete pattern.

6. in the pattern selector you can set each track patterns - or in default "rnd":random pattern)

7. generate and Copy xml. The whole Magix AI xml file will be in yout clipboard. Create a new xml file, and paste into your xml data. Save file. - or click save xml: only works on some browser.

8. copy your xml file into Magix "SongTemplatesAi" subdirectory.

9. run or restart Magix, select your new song template, and have fun!

You can load an original xml data from SongTemplatesAi directory, and you can modify it.

If you want a really random ized AI song, then click on randomize all button. The song parts, tracks, instruments and loops will be selected full randomly, you need only copy the xml, and use it on the song maker AI.

Joe

Thank you for this. I'm looking at upgrading from the free version and your template builder looks interesting. Does the random button produce usable songs in Music Maker or would they sound awful?

I'm also curious how many different songs the AI can make ... is it a 1000s or millions of combinations?