The object of this assignment was to demonstrate knowledge of what is known as “step recording”, where someone draws in each note or sets things up so that every time a key is pressed on the (piano) keyboard, the note entered into the computer is always the same length (and sometimes velocity/volume). We could choose to either step-record something of our own design, or find some existing sheet music and translate it directly into Cubase. I chose sheet music of “Casey Junior” from “The Disney Collection” songbook, published by Hal-Leonard in 1992.

That’s how this song opens up. A direct transcription of what the sheet music read as, played by the piano. In the background, you can hear a train moving from the left speaker to the right speaker. This is done with automated stereo pan. The train is actually a sound effect that comes with General MIDI.

As the piano part ends, the tamborine comes in, and suddenly you have an electric guitar and bass guitar taking over the exact same parts as the piano played, only with a drumset added. To conclude, the Delay Lama makes a surprise appearance. You only hear him, though. As the song ends, the train passes from the right speaker back to the left again, and it’s all over.

Here are the original lyrics of the song, as given by (and quoted from) the piano/guitar songbook I worked from:

It’s Casey Junior, comin’ down’ the track
Comin’ down the track with a smoky stack.
Hear him puff-in’ ’round the hill
Casey’s here to thrill ev’ry Jack and Jill.

Ev’ry time his funny little whistle sounds. (Toot toot)
Ev’ry body hurries to the Circus Grounds.

Time for lemonade and cracker jack
Casey Junior’s back, Casey Junior’s back again.

Download a MIDI version here: http://dogman15.deviantart.com/art/Casey-Junior-MIDI-147713645

Duration : 0:1:27

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