text:
Blender 3D: Noob to Pro

About This Book
Blender 3D: Noob to Pro is a product of shared effort by numerous team members and anonymous editors. Its purpose is to teach people how to create three-dimensional computer graphics using Blender, a free software application.

This book is intended to be used in conjunction with other on-line resources that complement it:
 * Other Blender-related Wikibooks on topics such as scripting and creating games;
 * The Blender Wiki for technical documentation;
 * User forums, such as the Blender Artists Forum.

While you can learn simply by reading the book, you'll get more out of the tutorials if you follow along. In order to do this, you'll need access to a computer with Blender installed. You can download Blender from the Blender Foundation's website; more detailed instructions are in the first module.

Version-specific content should be tagged with a note that looks like this:

Overview
The core of this book is a series of tutorials that increase in complexity, with later tutorials building on the preceding ones. While experienced users can skip ahead, beginners are urged to proceed through the tutorials in sequence.

The tutorials in the core series are grouped into four units:
 * 1) Background — A basic orientation regarding:
 * 2) * Computer graphics
 * 3) * The Blender user interface (UI)
 * 4) Basic Modeling and Shading — Basic techniques for building and rendering 3D models
 * 5) Broadening Horizons
 * 6) * Alternative modeling and rendering techniques
 * 7) * Introductions to lighting, animation, and game creation
 * 8) Taking Off
 * 9) * Scripting
 * 10) * Advanced techniques for modeling, animation and game creation (Note: the Blender Game Engine is not available as of 2.8x onwards)

Each unit is subdivided into sections, which are made up of modules.

Three appendices are also provided:
 * Reference Material — including:
 * Frequently-Asked Questions
 * Glossary
 * General Advice — Tips to help you get the most out of Blender
 * Miscellaneous Tutorials — Tutorials that aren't part of the core series

{{B3D:N2P/noprint|1=== You Can Help! == {{B3D:N2P/Hidden begin|title=Click "show" for details.}} You are strongly encouraged (read as begged) to contribute to this book! There are many things you can do to help:
 * edit existing modules (to correct errors, improve the writing, or make additions)
 * add new modules (tutorials or reference material)
 * upload new images (screen shots or sample renders)
 * join the team responsible for this WikiBook

How to Edit a Module
To edit any wiki page (including this one):
 * 1) Click on the Edit tab at the top of the page.
 * 2) Make your change in the large text box.
 * 3) Type an explanation of your change in the Edit summary text box below.
 * 4) Click on the Show preview button below the edit summary to preview your change.
 * 5) If you're satisfied with the result, click on the Save page button.

Your contribution will be reviewed before it is officially published.

Things you shouldn't add to modules:
 * external links that are not directly related to the module
 * comments or questions regarding the text

To ask questions and make comments about any module:
 * 1) Click on the Discussion tab at the top of the page. This will take you to the corresponding talk page.  Note that the talk page name begins with the "Talk:" prefix.
 * 2) If the topic of your question or comment is under discussion, edit the relevant section.
 * 3) If it's a new topic, click on the Add topic tab at the top of the talk page to start a new discussion.
 * 4) Sign your message by typing ~ at the end. (This will expand to your username and the date.)
 * 5) Remember to save your edit when you're done!
 * 6) To return to the WikiBook, click on the Book tab at the top of the talk page.

How to Add a Module
To add a module (such as a tutorial or reference page) to this book:
 * 1) Edit the Table of Contents section (below) and add a list item with a descriptive wikilink. (If you're creating a tutorial and are unsure where it belongs, put it in the Miscellaneous Tutorials section.)
 * 2) After saving your edit, follow the redlink to create the module and begin adding content to it.
 * 3) To make it easy to read the book in sequence, each module should have navigation links to the previous module and the next module. Provide these links by transcluding the NAV template at the top and bottom of the page, as shown on the demo page.  (If you expect the module to be moved elsewhere in the sequence, you can skip this step.)
 * 4) Preview your work. When you're satisfied with it, use the Save page button to add your new module to the wiki.
 * 5) If you provided navigation links, update the NAV templates on the previous and next modules, if they exist.
 * 6) If you didn't provide navigation links, please ask someone to insert your new module in an appropriate place. One way to do this would be to create a talk page for your new module and type your request there.

Images
Images are a vital part of Blender tutorials. They clarify instructions, provide a point of reference, and improve the teaching process. However, if the image's copyright is not attributed correctly, we must remove it. This can make a once-great tutorial useless. Even if you believe you know what copyright to use, please check the proper Blender images copyright page to see how and where you should add copyright information. Please make sure every image you use is not copyrighted or that you have permission to use it.

Before uploading an image:
 * Search Wikimedia Commons or look in the appropriate Commons category to see if the image you want to use already exists. (Uploading duplicate images is wasteful.)
 * Before uploading a general image (such as an icon or button) or if you want an image to use as an example, look in our image portfolio. Remember to attribute the work of others.

If you use a Commons image in this WikiBook, please use one of the categories shown in the templates on proper Blender images copyright to make it visible from the category links in the image portfolio.

How to Join the Team
If you want to join our WikiBook team, go to the team page for information and advice.

}}

Unit 1: Background

 * Knowing before Making
 * /What Blender Can Do/

 * Section 1A: 3D Concepts
 * /3D Geometry/
 * /Coordinate Transformations/
 * /Orthographic Views/
 * /Perspective Views/
 * /Coordinate Spaces in Blender/

 * Section 1B: User Interface (UI.)
 * Overview
 * /Keystroke, Button, and Menu Notation/
 * Non-standard Input Devices
 * Operating System-specific Issues
 * Blender User Interface
 * /Blender Windowing System/
 * /User Preferences Windows/
 * /Properties Window/
 * /3D View Windows/
 * /Object Mode/

Unit 2: Basic Modeling and Shading

 * Section 2A: Your First Mesh Models
 * Meshes and Edit Mode
 * /Normals and Shading/
 * /More Mesh Editing Techniques/
 * /Quickie Lighting/
 * /Quickie Model/
 * /Quickie Render/
 * Enter the World
 * /Understanding the Camera/
 * /Improving Your House/

 * Section 2B: Smooth Meshes (Simple Person with a Hat)
 * Extruding a Simple Person
 * Smoothing Your Simple Person
 * Improving Your Simple Person
 * Spinning a Simple Hat
 * Putting the Hat on the Person

 * Section 2C: Materials and Textures
 * Overview
 * /Quickie Material/
 * Multiple Materials per Object
 * Metal Versus Plastic
 * /Texture Settings/
 * /Image Textures/
 * /Procedural Textures/
 * /Quickie Texture/
 * /Halo Materials/

 * Beyond Basics
 * /Blender Memory Management/
 * Using Bones
 * Mountains out of Molehills
 * Modeling a Volcano
 * Penguins from Spheres
 * Dicing With Depth (Dice Modeling)
 * /Model a Goblet/
 * /Model a Silver Goblet/
 * Model a Silver Goblet Another Way
 * /Spin a goblet/
 * Light a Silver Goblet (Early look at lighting)
 * /Simple Vehicle/
 * /Simple Vehicle: Wheel tutorial 1/
 * /Simple Vehicle: Wheel tutorial 2/
 * /Simple Vehicle: Seat/
 * /Simple Vehicle: Rocket Launcher/
 * /Simple Vehicle: Another Shooting Machine/
 * /Simple Vehicle: Body/
 * /Simple Vehicle: Some Assembly Required/
 * /Modeling a 3D Parachute in Blender/
 * /Model a Low Poly Head/
 * /Building a House/
 * /Pipe joints/
 * /Lighting Suzanne: Introductory one lamp lighting/

 * Curve and Path Modeling
 * Overview
 * Intro to Bézier Curves
 * Bevelling a Curve
 * NURBS Patches
 * /Deforming Meshes using the Curve Modifier/

 * /The Empty Object/

 * Using Reference Photos
 * /Background Images/
 * /Aligning Vertices with a Guide Image/
 * /Modeling a Wolf from Guide Images/
 * Using Bézier Curve to Model a 3D logo from a 2D logo

 * Further Materials and Textures
 * Subsurface Scattering
 * Ray Tracing
 * Using Textures
 * /Using a texture to make a material partially transparent/
 * /Creating Basic Seawater/
 * /Mountains Out Of Molehills 2/
 * /Basic Carpet Texture/
 * /The Rusty Ball/
 * Creating Pixar-looking eyes
 * /Procedural Eyeball/
 * /Putting It All Together: A Dragon!/

Unit 3: Broadening Horizons

 * The UV/Image Editor

 * UV Maps - Pasting photos to 3D surfaces
 * /UV Map Basics/
 * /Realistic Eyes In Blender/

 * Lighting
 * /Beginning Lighting/
 * /Understanding Real Lights/
 * /Understanding Blender Lights/
 * /Basic Lighting Rigs/
 * Faked Global Illumination with Blender internal

 * Practicing Good Parenting

 * Basic Animation
 * Overview
 * Introduction to Keyframing
 * /The Ways of the Animator/
 * /Animation Editors/
 * Introducing the Graph Editor
 * Animation Rendering
 * Lattice Modifier
 * Bouncing Ball with Lattice
 * Creating Basic Water Animation
 * Flying Through a Canyon
 * Using the Sequencer to Compile Frames into an Animation

 * /Further Rendering Options/

 * Particle Systems
 * Overview
 * Fire
 * Fur
 * /Fireworks/
 * /Particles forming Shapes/
 * /Billboard Animation/

 * Soft Bodies
 * /Soft Body Animation/
 * /Simple Cloth Animation/
 * Soft Body with Wind

 * Blender Game Engine
 * Blender Game Engine Basics- Rolling Ball
 * Platformer: Controls and Movement
 * Maze: Force and Multiple Levels
 * Platformer: Improving the Physics
 * How to Make an Executable
 * Build a Skybox
 * Basic Mouse Pointer
 * /Text in BGE/
 * Platformer: Creating the Engine with Python

Unit 4: Taking Off with Advanced Tutorials

 * Python Scripting
 * Introduction
 * Anatomy Of An Addon
 * A User Interface For Your Addon
 * Adding A Custom Property
 * A Separately Installable Addon
 * Object, Action, Settings

 * Advanced Modeling
 * Overview
 * High Dynamic Range imaging (HDRi)
 * /Creating a Light Probe/
 * Landscape Modeling with Heightmaps
 * /How to Do Procedural Landscape Modeling/
 * /Landscape Modeling I: Basic Terrain/
 * /Landscape Modeling II: Texture Stenciling/
 * /Landscape Modeling III: Exporting as a Heightmap/

 * Advanced Materials and Textures
 * Bump Mapping
 * Normal Mapping
 * Texture Normals
 * Color Map Normals

 * Nodes
 * Introduction
 * Texture Nodes
 * Material Nodes
 * Compositing
 * Further Compositing: A Portal Effect

 * Advanced Rendering
 * Introduction to Cycles
 * A Glass Material in Cycles
 * Dealing with Fireflies in Cycles
 * Fireflies in Cycles, Continued
 * Procedural Eyeball in Cycles
 * Introduction to Freestyle

 * Advanced Animation
 * Overview
 * Introduction
 * Guided Tour:
 * Armature Object
 * Armature Object in Object Mode
 * Armature Object in Edit Mode
 * Armature Object in Pose mode
 * Mesh Object
 * Connection between Armature and Mesh
 * Envelope
 * Vertex Groups & Weight Paint
 * Shape Keys
 * Lip-Sync with Shape Keys
 * Constraints
 * Copy Location
 * Copy Rotation
 * Track-To
 * Floor
 * Locked Track
 * Follow Path
 * Stretch-To
 * IK Solver
 * Timeline Window
 * Graph Editor
 * Dope Sheet
 * NLA Editor
 * Introduction To NLA Editor
 * Working Example: Bob
 * Building the Rig
 * Deform the Mesh
 * Create a Walk Cycle
 * Working example: Piston, Rod and Crank
 * Working example: Cutting Through Steel

 * Advanced Game Engine
 * Overview
 * Advanced Game Engine Techniques (GUI)
 * Creating Pop-Up Menus
 * Creating Dropping Menus
 * The "5-Layer" Button
 * Creating Object Outlines
 * Advanced Game Engine Techniques (Python)
 * Creating A "HUD"
 * /Hacking Blender/
 * Introduction to Game Engine Source

Reference Material

 * /Glossary/
 * Frequently Asked Questions
 * /Tutorial Links List/
 * /Hotkeys/
 * /Output Formats/
 * /Image Portfolio/
 * /Blender Glossary/
 * Materials Directory: Every Material Known To Man
 * /Sources of free 3D models/ - Sources of free 3D models for additional study
 * All Blueprints Links – blueprints from all over the Web
 * /Materials, Textures, Photos/ - Sources of free materials, textures and photos

Advice
General advice:
 * /Asking for Help/
 * Tips for a Successful Project
 * Modeling Realistically
 * /Modeling tips/

Performance tips (for making Blender run faster):
 * /Cheat the 3D/
 * /Performance vs. Quality/

Miscellaneous Tutorials
''This is our attic, mostly tutorials that could be useful to some extent if they would be revamped completely, but are of little use at the moment. If you can contribute to some of them, go ahead and rewrite them to your liking!''
 * /Modeling a Gingerbread Man/
 * /Modeling a simple space-ship/
 * /Create an animated GIF wallpaper (Blender/GIMP)/
 * /Part 1 - Preparing the Scene/
 * /Creating Weapons based on 2D Images/
 * Modeling with Meta Balls
 * /Match Moving/
 * Match Moving/Motion Tracking with Icarus and Blender
 * /Create a Clayman/
 * /Organic Modeling/
 * /Understanding the Fluid Simulator/
 * /Creating a jewel in Blender/
 * /Modeling a picture/ [[image: 00%.svg]]
 * /Modeling with the Spin Tool/
 * /Spin Tool Introduction/
 * /Illustrative Example: Model a Wine Glass/
 * /Creating Ogg-Theora movies using Blender/
 * /Creating animated GIFs using Blender and Gimp/
 * /3D Tiling Backgrounds For The Web/
 * Cool Things That Aren't That Obvious in Blender
 * /Troubleshooting/ Common Technical Issues and What to do About Them
 * /Creating Blender Libraries/
 * /Add some depth with stereo/
 * Ways to create a "fluffy" effect (materials and lights)
 * /Human Body/
 * /Rendering Information/
 * /Using Blender Libraries/
 * /Beginning Modeling Final Project/
 * /Using Inkscape to make advanced Bezier curves/
 * Light Mapping
 * /Platonic Solids/
 * /Polygonal Modeling/
 * /Box Modeling/
 * /Illustrative example: Model a Chair (Swan Chair)/
 * /Model a Chair-Preparations/
 * /Model a Chair-The Seat/
 * /Model a Chair-The Feet/
 * /Illustrative Example: Modeling a Simple Human Character/
 * /Modeling a Human Character - Preparations/
 * /Modeling a Human Character - Modeling/
 * /Polygon by Polygon modeling/
 * /Animation Notes and FAQ/
 * Customization
 * /Mist - Make Objects Opaque/

Additional Resources

 * The Blender Reference Manual for the latest release

ca:Blender 3D: novell a professional Blender Dokumentation es:Blender 3D: novato a profesional Blender 3D gl:Blender 3D: de novato a profesional Blender 3D ממתחיל למתקדם 블렌더_3D_배우기 Tornando-se profissional em Blender 3D Blender 3D/Шаг за шагом tr:Blender 3D: Noob to Pro Blender 3D：从入门到精通

title: Blender 3D: Noob to Pro


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Writing Effective Songs

"Songwriters and poets suffer from the same affliction . . . they both believe they have something to say."

Do any of the following statements describe you? If these statements generally describe you, then read on, as we discuss "Writing Effective Songs".
 * "I spend a large portion of every day thinking about writing songs."
 * "I read scripture and think . . . surely these are the lyrics to a song."
 * "I write down interesting remarks I overhear."
 * "I put a lot of energy into writing songs, and trying to write songs."
 * "I see all the bits and pieces of songs I have lying around and it drives me crazy."
 * "I go to songwriting workshops given by people who make their living writing songs."
 * "I spend time with other songwriters."
 * "I read books on songwriting."
 * "I think I am a songwriter."
 * "I am obsessed with songs."
 * "I sometimes feel angry with lyrics and just go with the flow."
 * "I feel an overwhelming sense of satisfaction when I finish writing a song. Writing is difficult, but I am always challenged to do my best. Sometimes I feel like songwriting should be called song rewriting, because I spend a lot of time rewriting until the song is right."

Music and lyrics come from the heart. It's not something you can just do easily. Lyrics are created from events that have happened in your life, for instance - an ex lover, the present, dreams, or everyday life. All the different experiences you have had in your life can be written down as songs if you think hard enough.

The Mechanical Elements of a Song
For the beginning songwriter, it may be helpful to know something about the various elements of a song. Following are some definitions: Different time signatures can offer different rhythmic feelings depending on the beat emphasis. 4/4 is very standard feeling, befitting a time signature known as "Common Time", whereas 6/8 is most often played as if it were 2/4 with the beat divided into 3 equal parts in a triplet or "dotted-quarter feel and is "bouncy" (It is common to many Irish/Celtic dances/jigs as well as "naval"/sailor music such as shanties). More complex music can feature "odd", uncommon time signatures such as 7/8 which vary as far as beat subdivision from song to song but the uneven number of beats per measure creates uneven rhythmic patterns. An example in 7/8 could be counted 1-2, 1-2, 1-2-3 (emphasis placed on the 1's), and would feel like 3/4 with an extended 3rd beat. Different eighth note groupings and emphasis are used to vary the feel.
 * Measure (Bar): a segment of time defined as a given number of beats of a given duration.
 * Melody: the part of a song that can be sung alone so that the song is recognizable; the "lead". Elements of the melody include:
 * Motif: a short group of notes
 * Phrase: Two motifs combined
 * Sentence or period: Two phrases combined
 * Paragraph: A group of sentences
 * Sequence: a melodic phrase that is repeated but is transposed
 * Harmony: the notes that compliment or support the melody line. These may be sung or played. In music theory, they are described as the vertical structure. If using a chord progression format, should base the harmony of the song upon the progression and only vary a bit.
 * Rhythm: the pattern of beats to which the words are sung. There are two versions: The traditional, where every note is played as shown, and the "swing", used in Blues and Jazz, where, for example, two half-beats go "bomp-bomb" (kind of like heartbeat). A more technically useful definition of swing is best described using eighth notes. Rather than playing "straight", or on the down and up-beats: there is a lengthening of the on-beat eighth note, a pause perhaps in slower tempos, and a rushed offbeat eighth note. This is derived by forming two triplets (assuming 4/4 or "Common Time") and playing the first note in the triplet, a silent second note or "rest" and playing the third note. Swing can create a sort of laid back, lazy feel at slow tempos and at higher tempos can give a driving force that pushes the music forward. At extreme tempos, it can become technically impossible or cause a loss of pulse/beat, but this is mainly only an issue with electronic music forms.
 * Tempo: the speed of the song, measured in beats per minute (BPM). A higher BPM number indicates a faster speed, whereas low BPM indicates slow speed.
 * Time Signature: 4/4, 2/4, 2/2, 3/4, 6/8, etc. the top number relates to the number of beats in a measure/bar and the bottom number relates to the value of the notes in the bar. i.e 4/4 = four Quarter/crochet notes in a bar. 6/8 = six eighth/quaver notes in a bar.

Usually, each song consists of the following:
 * Intro: the short instrumental section at the beginning of the song.
 * Verse: a section of the song having its own melody, usually following the introduction and occurring again after the chorus. Most songs have two or three verses, repeating the same melody with different words. Verses usually have about eight measures, but traditional twelve bar blues may use twelve measures.
 * Pre-Chorus (a.k.a. Channel): a short section that builds beyond the verse and usually leads to the Chorus.
 * Chorus: a different section in the song with a different melody, usually following the verses and the bridge. The chorus may be very repetitive.
 * Bridge, or Middle 8: a section of the song that is different from the verses and chorus. The bridge usually occurs during a transition between verse and chorus or between two choruses in separate keys; hence, it is sometimes called the "bridge." Because it is frequently 8 bars long, it also known as the "Middle 8," particularly in Britain and Europe.  However it is conceived, its primary function is to provide the ear with a kind of "relief" from the repetitiveness of the Verse and Chorus, to provide a fresh perspective within the context of the overall structure.
 * Hook: an important phrase in the song, the memorable theme. The hook is usually repeated at various times during the song. Also referred to as the motif.
 * Coda: the ending section of the song; usually repeats the hook or an important portion of the song. Maybe integrated into the chorus. In traditional western music, a coda is a separate section of music from the rest that is only played when indicated (written: to Coda), usually only once and often is used as a resolution or ending in songs that involve a repeating loop such as the traditional American graduation song Pomp and Circumstance or other marches that need to be played for varying durations (or other creative uses, or as a method of saving space/ink in written music).

Often, it is worth the effort to first invent a melody from a chord (or string for guitar) sequence around which your song will be focused. Song writing for the popular vote requires a 'hook' as it is known. The hook may be simply a melodic structure, but is perhaps preferably a mix of the melody coupled with a clever line of words.

For instance, in the well known 'Danny Boy' or 'Derry Air' as it is sometimes called, the 'hook' is found where the melody appears to try to surge forward into the chorus and the words "But come ye back" accompany that surge in chord progression.

The reverse process, putting music to words, is a lot more difficult and is also less successful in most formats. (fitting lyrics to a melody can create some "forced" lines or wording in order to fit. Developing a melody after writing lyrics allows you to form the basic rhythmic structure from the syllables of the words, adding expanding and altering to develop interesting melodic movement. Knowing the tone of a particular line or section also allows you to better able match the mood musically for more consistent feeling. Plenty of people find these advantages helpful and it is by no means incorrect or more difficult writing in this fashion. Song writing is a process unique to everyone, do what works best for you.)

But there are certain cases where putting music to words is a better option... for instance, a rhyming poem or free verse with a regular meter can easily be made a song. Basic chords lend themselves well, the I - IV - V progression and iv - IV - V - I chords work.

Popular Song forms
Popular music has several forms that are commonly used. These usually consist of four 8-bar phrases, making up the typical 32 bar form. Typically, this entire 32-bar is a chorus.
 * A-A1-B-A (ternary) is the most famous. The hook is typically in A, which allows it to be repeated, setting the hook in the listener's mind. The hook is a memorable, catchy part of the song, and may consist of one or more of the following: the title, a musical phrase, a riff, or a production effect. In section A1 the song develops usually by adding new instruments or increasing energy level in some other way. The B section, often referred to as the bridge, is a musical (and usually lyrical) contrast.
 * Example: Over the rainbow, Yesterday, Just the Way You Are, What'll I Do, Ain't Misbehavin', As Time Goes By.

 * A-B-A-B (binary verse/chorus) consist of eight-bar of A as verse, followed by eight bar of B as chorus. The 2nd half, acting as repetition, have a slight difference either melodically, harmonically, or both.
 * Example: Material girl, "Sunrise, Sunset"

 * A-A-B-B (binary): One A phrases for 8 bars, followed by its repetition, then followed by B phrases for 8 bars and its repetition. Repetition may or may not have variations.
 * Example: Bouree in E minor

 * A-B-A-C: Provide variation with the B phrase and repetition of A phrase with new concluding material in C phrase.
 * A-B-C-D: Each phrase provides a variation with new melodic material. This is rarer since it requires more attention from the listener and fewer opportunities to bring home the hook through its repetition.

The other popular form, the 12-Bar Blues, is also common. See Music Theory/Blues for numerous type of 12-bar blues form.

Tools for Your Songwriting “Toolbox”
Some things that will help, but are not required:
 * The gift of songwriting. Obviously, if you are gifted in this way, you’ll be way ahead of the game.  Some people are born skilled writers.  It comes to them like breathing.  Others want to write so bad it's killing them, but they can't come up with anything that moves people.  Most of us are somewhere in between . . . pretty good writers who could benefit from studying the craft of songwriting. (Those naturally gifted wouldn't be here most likely, for the "ungifted", you are actually just unpracticed. Experience is more useful than being gifted, you will learn all the wrong ways of doing things which will actually give you a better understanding of the craft rather than being "lucky" and making something good but with no idea of why and how you might expand from there.)
 * Absolute Pitch. Of course it is a helpful tool but is not necessary. (More commonly called "Perfect Pitch", and is the ability to distinguish and identify the pitch, note, or chord playing by name. This is a gift you are born with or without. An equally useful and similar tool is "Relative Pitch", the ability to distinguish and identify intervals and chord movement from a known starting pitch. Again, you gain more musical knowledge such as scale degree and chord tendencies that you wouldn't just "have" if you had Perfect Pitch. Experience is always better, natural gifts just give a starting advantage while simultaneously discouraging actually learning correctly (taking shortcuts).)
 * Some creative bent. "Most people see the sun go down.  I see the mountain rise up."
 * A good understanding of poetry writing. (Though if you listen to pop songs these days you'll notice a frequent lack of form or rhyme. Decide to rise above and keep making music with meaning, it's your method and chance of sharing yourself or a message with anyone that listens to your song. Don't waste it on materializing women and fantasizing about drugs unless that's your intention, eh?)
 * Ability to sing or play an instrument. (Many rich song writers actually don't play anything... its certainly useful and enriching playing music you write but its perfectly possible to write songs without hearing them. Take, for example, Beethoven. He was writing 26 part symphonies deaf. Another option is going the electronic route like many modern artists with software that allows you to put in notes/chords/whatever individually and accurately, then play it back.)
 * Collaboration with other writers. (In general the best way to learn and grow as a musician is collaborating and playing with others, its a whole different level than playing solo and typically much more fun)
 * Multi-track Recorder (cassette 4-track, computer program, smartphone app, etc.)
 * A voice recorder, to record how it sounds.
 * Music Theory. While some of the greatest songs being sung around the world today were birthed in the hearts of people who knew nothing about music, if one wants to play in a certain style, they should also follow the style. One should not deviate too much from the 12-Bar Blues, for example, if they are to make a song in the style of Blues, regardless of the song's content. (Anyone with any sort of ear for pitch and pitch relation should be able to come up with something musical given a bit of time, theory allows you to understand why things work but also how best to achieve certain effects, in addition to understanding ways to develop a musical idea rather than guessing/experimenting until you find what you want. A lot of new, interesting ideas can develop this way and you should do a bit of it regardless but knowing some basic theory will speed up the process and help prevent discouragement due to getting "stuck".)
 * material from experienced writers/musicians you don't have to listen to anyone else to make your own music, but immersing yourself in the work of other talented people is good for inspiration and seeing what has been proven to work well, as well as motivation

Things that are not required, PERIOD
 * Virtuoso ability on an instrument.
 * A great singing voice. (you definitely don't have to sound good, but its a good idea to at least develop the ability to sing in tune and correct pitches. if not singing, humming or whistling would do. being able to experiment with musical ideas or prototype things anywhere with no additional materials than your own body is highly useful. you can even record these ideas as inspiration hits to save for later, which is also encouraged. Finally, singing either lyrics or pitches along with a song gives an organic connection to it and helps you better understand whats happening in analysis; and singing harmony or bass parts expands your creativity for adding depth to a simple idea in addition to just being fun.)

Requirements:
 * An intimate and vital relationship with your topic.
 * A sensitive spirit relative to your intended audience.
 * Patience. (Sometimes you block or hit snags.  Work through them.)
 * A paying job, or normal education. (Don't expect to hit a record contract so soon, pal)

Becoming an Effective Songwriter
You need to know your subject matter, this is imperative. After all, it is difficult at best to discuss subjects that you’re not knowledgeable of—and research, know about the subject matter as much as possible

Write about what you know. If your songs are not meaningful to you, they probably won't be meaningful to other people, and the lack of knowledge on your subject and your lack of enthusiasm for it will show through.

Write primarily as an expression of your own feelings, and who knows better about what you're feeling than you?

Strive to expand your vocabulary. While some phrases may be very meaningful, there are probably words that fit the image you are trying to create more appropriately. Also, if possible, try to live "in" the subject matter.

You need to be vulnerable; to be a good writer, you must remain vulnerable in your writing. If you hide, then the song hides. There is no safe haven for songwriters. If you choose to play it safe and not lay it on the line, your songs will be cliché-ridden, shallow and boring.

You need to practice and you need to be persistent; Yes, sometimes, the words and melody simply flow. But most of the time songwriting is hard work. Songwriting requires work, practice, mentors, study, diligence, and commitment. We should give ourselves to the development of our writing	skills.

Practice, sing and write constantly. Write something every day, even if you come up with something that might initially sound trite. You can revise it and make it something good later. Whatever musical impulse lies within will come out.

Important Elements of a Song
The most important aspect of a song is "sing-ability"
 * Do the stressed syllables of the lyrics match the stressed beats of the music? (If you write the lyrics first, as mentioned earlier, this becomes less of an issue.)
 * Are the words you want emphasized sung with longer notes? (higher or contrasting pitches also bring attention to a word better than lower pitches that can get lost in the rest of the music or repeated pitches that usually create no musical interest unless used a particular way)
 * Does it have a smooth melody? (occasional leaps or breaks, if used artfully, are perfectly fine and add interest)
 * Are the intervals easy to sing? (Usually 2nds, 3rds, 4ths, 5ths and octaves are easiest.)
 * Is the melody supported by the chord progression?
 * Does the melody fall within the sing-able range of the	majority? (Usually, not much lower than an A; not much higher than a D.) (A what? D what? Octaves exist. If you want an anthem this is important, but if your range is atypical or you have a greater than average range don't feel like you can't show it off. People like singing along to songs, but people also like being impressed and appreciate a show of talent/ability)
 * Is it too wordy? Too many words make it difficult to focus on the subject matter.
 * One Theme: stay focused on the "seed thought".
 * Repetition: This makes the song easier for the congregation to retain and memorize. (And potentially boring. Much music is not repetitive, again do you want an anthem or something personal?)
 * Imagery: Does it capture an image? Does it paint a picture of how you feel about a given situation at a given moment in time?
 * Consistent within itself: Is the melody "saying" the same thing as the lyrics? Try to avoid putting happy sounding lyrics with a haunting melody. Of course, this can be done: for example, songs by Asaki are a good example (they have haunting, but celebratory songs ) (psst, writing lyrics first often makes this easier)
 * Is it “catchy”?: Is there a creative chord progression? Is there an interesting rhyming scheme? Is there a creative melody? Is there alliteration?

Making the Connection

 * The lyric is arguably the most important part of a song. Be clear.  It is primary and fundamental that the audience understands what you are saying. If not . . . it might as well have been an instrumental. (the human voice is an instrument and many musicians use it as such, focusing on musicality of the syllables rather than clear words... Listen to Zac Condon of Beirut, can't understand a thing he says half the time but boy does it sound nice. also many singing styles distort the voice such as growling and screaming in more hardcore music.)
 * Does it use the language of the assembly? If aimed at Youth, does it "groove"? If aimed at kids, is it happy?
 * Is it simple "ABC-rock," or is it 70's "Art-Rock"?
 * Is it intended for small group or a large crowd? Can it be sung by your choice of line up?
 * Are there long pauses that could be filled with a lead instrument?
 * Could there be more pauses to let your rhythm take a "rest"?

Simplicity
Simple images cut deep like a sharp knife. One of the most common mistakes made by beginning songwriters is trying to say too much. The simplest songs are usually the most powerful.

Complex writing in "code" that sounds like some other good song somewhere doesn't cut it. Many writers play it safe behind vague or complex lyrics. (And many listeners enjoy decoding the meaning of them. Do what you want.)

If you try to say in three minutes or less how you feel about everything in your life, you will lose people. It is more powerful to show how you feel about ONE thing, right now.

Once you've gained considerable experience in writing songs, you may decide to add some elements of symbolism, metaphor, or irony into your work. A song with several layers grows progressively interesting; if there is more to the song than first meets the ear, it will stay fresh.

Sparking the Creative Flow
Meditation is a very effective way to do this. There is no more creative expressiveness than your inner voice. Inner voice can both flow and be shaped: you can let ideas come to you and you can alter them. It usually comes when you quiet your mind. As you open to your inner voice, it becomes easier to hear, grasp and shape ideas. This is important in folk-style songs, such as Blues and Country Music. Negative stories with a positive resolution can be very inspirational. Angry lyrics can be the release a listener is looking for. If you are a lyricist, write or sing whatever comes to mind. Even seemingly boring or strange lyrics must be written down, to open your mind to the more interesting and familiar lyrics. It is important to at least consider everything that comes to mind. You can rewrite and reshape the lyrics later, as it becomes more and more clear, what you were trying to say or realized you could say instead.
 * Quiet time: The key to expressive songs and lyrics is personal quiet times.
 * Difficulties and Devastation Speaking from life-changing personal experience.
 * Brainstorming If you are a musician, sit at your instrument and just play.

Put those feelings into words and music. Either you must look for situations to match the feeling or feelings to match the words, Be emotionally well-rounded: write songs of varying feelings, but realize what emotions won't fit, Don't write funny if you consider your genre very serious. Flip the notes around: try the second note as a fifth then as a fourth and third. See what works. Remember that the more familiar always sounds better, so you have to try any new melody you wrote several times before throwing it out. Single thoughts are a powerful way to write. The feeling is often already implied. An interesting story, onatomatopiea, or extended reasoning or metaphor, could easily be written around a simple thought with enough hours spent. Every little thought counts, that you have about every phrase, word, and sound. Don't be afraid to try anything that comes to mind. Use the satisfaction from improving your thoughts to continue to improve your thoughts.
 * Was it just a feeling? Then follow your feeling—do not look for anything else.
 * Do you just have a melody? Sing something, anything, to it.
 * Is it just a thought?

and don’t ever throw anything away. Bob Dylan is quoted in his famous deal with a higher power interview, as saying that he would move onto other songs if a new song wasn't happening. In another interview about Dylan's song Tangled Up In Blue, he said he spent years on the song grafting various women into one character, so sometimes move on, but keep every idea for some use somewhere.
 * Brainstorm - write down every corresponding thought that comes to mind,

Listen to the recording. Does it have a linear thread through the whole song? Or is it like this wiki: a patchwork of many separate ideas under one umbrella? Are there any phrases that don't quite make sense? Is there another phrase you could replace it with? Is there anything you cringe at? Do you talk about your muffin in a song about poker? Is there a clunky bunch of words? Is there anything that means something very powerful, but doesn't sound that way out loud? What is that powerful meaning and can you just write that instead? Remember theme is the universal meaning behind the details like love, bravery, good, evil, etc. There is always a theme, you just have to make it consistent. There are actually a limited number of simple good progressions, and they've all been written already, which explains why you wrote that really cool song, and then realized you took it from so and so, They "took" it too, because we ran out of "new" simple chord progressions centuries ago, and the more complex ones are really combinations of simple ones.
 * Write down your ideas and lyrics, and always record a rough draft of your songs.
 * Read your lyrics out loud.
 * Is the theme universal, or is it so personal that it could only mean something to you?
 * Do you have a great chord progression? If you have access to a piano, voice the chords with left hand and just improvise a melody with the right.

Well don't waste your time in music; there are a lot of other professions that immediately pay a lot more than 99.99% of musicians ever make. Even many supposedly rich musicians never made a dime, because of too much money spent on production, touring, and distribution. If you want to get rich, then check out any profession with a lot of demand. Yes you can become a millionaire from music, but count the number of hit songs and then think of the total number of songs written ever, and then think of the number of hit songs that were profitable. Also, consider that even if you wrote a hit level song, how do you get the national audience needed to become a millionaire? Record labels don't even listen to submissions anymore. You have to tour relentlessly after you spent years begging friends to come to shows and not even listen your perfectly written songs. And then consider that everyone has an ego, and that your song is not as good as it at first seems. Actually success depends on you opening your ego, unless you just happen to part of a social movement, and then nobody is really listening anyway. One exercise in ego would be to take the first two lines of your favorite song and break it down, then break down the language and poetry of your best song. And even opening up to better writing still doesn't guarantee success, There are countless songwriters that pop up years after their death as being great writing, but yet unacknowledged in their lifetime. If you make songs just to get rich, there’s a strong chance you’re going to be terribly frustrated. We have little control over how others receive what we create. And if you try to change to fit what you think they want, you will never be happy with it, and they will never be happy with you. But at the same time, if you are unwillingly to change your lyrics to make more sense, because of some intangible lofty feeling, then you might be fooling yourself, and your success depends on deaf ears.
 * Or . . . do you just want to get rich?
 * It's not completely impossible. Just close to impossible.

A Word Concerning Originality...
As songwriters, we don't have to re-invent the wheel; we just need to spin it our own way. A composer fails to be original when he or she does not listen to his or her own musical voice. Composers frequently re-create melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic tapestries that lie deep in their sub-conscious. Initially this is not a problem, since all music must take off from somewhere. We must be able to take it to a NEW place. . . one that it is original to our "take" on the style. Sometimes a composer is successful with a song only to find it has already been written.

Alternatively, it is common for a songwriter to use the same (or similar) well known melody. for example, Gekkoka (Moonlight Flower) and Tsubasa (wings) are both based on a classical piano piece, Midori no haze. However, with variations on melody (one is more melodramatic, while Tsubasa is more upbeat), and different lyrics, they become two distinct songs. Still, one should be very careful about using another person's melody, especially in countries in the developed world, which usually have the toughest copyright laws.

The most commonly reused part of music is chord structure. There are only so many chords and over the centuries people have found many of the chord changes that are most naturally pleasing. You can play about a million songs that all have the chord progression in the key of C: C - Am - F - G or some variation of the order (C - F - Am - G). So long as you have your own musical ideas building off of those chords, your song will still be unique same as the million others. This allows an excellent opportunity to really make your song stand out by using other chords creatively. don't feel confined to a key or set progression, some of the most interesting music uses out of key (non diatonic) chords or chromaticism, and modal interchange. All of those are more advanced music theory, but its something to work towards when you get tired of hearing the same progressions you always do. You can also play in different keys with the same progression: I - vi - IV - V in the key of Bb for example would be Bb - g - Eb - F. These are different chords, but it will have the same "feel" to it as it is the same pattern of tension building and release. It will change the pitch and note range, however (make sure its a key you can actually play or sing in), which can lend a brighter or darker mood and changing keys mid-song can be very effective, if done tastefully, in addition to giving your song a more unique identity.

Conclusion
Meter is something not always fully understood, by learning writers, briefly meter in songs is the measurement of each note, Study the best writers and see where they  relieve any chance of metric boredom, by inserting contrasting sections in each stanza.
 * Once you have a song that you think is ready for the group, run it past a few objective and mature friends for an honest critique. Don't be afraid to refine it, taking into consideration their input.
 * Focus on the process, not the outcome. It's good to have a goal.  It's more important to spend your days doing what pleases you.  Years of deprivation and sacrifice to reach a “place” most times equal years of deprivation and sacrifice.  The “place” is never enough compensation.  Just ask anyone who is in the “place” you want to be.
 * If you are really strong, you can find your identity in the songs you write, just like any poem.

Style Reference

 * Elements of an Effective Praise & Worship Song
 * /Rock Album Arranging/

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Writing Effective Songs


text:
Blender 3D: Noob to Pro/What is a Mesh?

The most fundamental step in the 3D development process is modeling, which entails creating 3D models of objects.

Blender supports many modeling techniques. "Mesh modeling" is the most basic and common modeling technique.

In this module, you'll learn the parts of a mesh, and you'll construct 2D meshes on paper and using Blender. You'll also learn how to create, select, and grab vertices in Vertex select mode.

Definitions
A is a collection of vertices, edges, and faces that describe the shape of a 3D object:
 * A is a single point.  (The plural of vertex is "vertices")
 * An is a straight line segment connecting two vertices.
 * A is a flat surface enclosed by edges.  (Some other applications call these "polygons")

An Exercise
To give you a feel for how the components of a mesh fit together, you'll now draw a 2D mesh on paper.

 * 1) Get a piece of paper and a pen or pencil.
 * 2) Draw three dots that are a couple centimeters (about an inch) apart from each other.
 * 3) * Each dot represents a vertex in the mesh.
 * 4) Connect two of the dots with a line segment.
 * 5) * The line segment represents an edge in the mesh.
 * 6) Draw two more edges so that all three vertices are connected.
 * 7) You've drawn a triangle; fill it in.
 * 8) * The area you filled in is a face.
 * 9) Now draw a fourth vertex (dot) on the paper.
 * 10) Connect the new vertex to two of the vertices you've drawn previously.
 * 11) You now have another triangle; fill it in to create the second face.

Could you imagine creating a mesh of faces in 3D space? That's what mesh modeling boils down to.

You can keep filling up the paper with more vertices, edges, and faces if you want. You may want to try and create something interesting (like a letter of the alphabet) with your triangles.

More about Meshes

Early versions of Blender supported faces only with three edges (triangles) or four edges (called ). However, faces with five or more edges (so-called ) are supported in Blender starting from version 2.63. Before Blender 2.63, for creating a new face you'd had to select 3 or 4 verts in order and then create the face, repeating the process for every new polygon needed. Version 2.63 and following versions with, you can create N-gons, regardless the number of verts.

Examine a 3D video game or CGI character for a while. Believe it or not, it is made up of little faces joined together. With modern technology, of course, there can be a lot of faces, so they may be tiny and hard-to-see. Surfaces that appear curved are composed of very many individual flat faces.

When you edit objects in Blender, you'll see every vertex and edge. However, vertices and edges are never rendered; only faces are rendered. The purpose of vertices is to provide 3D control points for faces.

Another Exercise
While it's possible to construct 3D meshes vertex-by-vertex, this is rarely done. However, doing it once the hard way will help you appreciate the powerful modeling tools built in by Blender. Along the way, you'll learn about Edit Mode and the grab tool, both of which you'll need in the next module.

First, summon the default cube:
 * 1) Launch Blender.
 * 2) If the NumLock indicator on your keyboard is unlit, press  so that numpad hotkeys will work properly.
 * 3) Load the factory settings using File → Load Factory Settings.

(If you're unsure what means, please review .)

Because you loaded the factory defaults, the 3D manipulator will be enabled. For mesh editing, it helps to turn the manipulator off:
 * 1) Make sure the 3D View window is active.
 * 2) Press  to toggle the manipulator on or off. You also could turn it on/off with the manipulator button on the 3D View header.

Because you just loaded the factory defaults, Blender should be in Object Mode with the default cube selected.

In order to modify the cube's mesh, you must put Blender into. (Edit Mode is a special mode for making changes to a single object.)

 * 1) Press  once to go into Edit Mode on the cube.

Edit Mode has three (sub-)modes for selecting vertices, edges, and faces. Because you just loaded the factory defaults, you should be in Vertex select mode. In Vertex select mode, vertices show up as yellow, black, or white dots when they're selected and as pink dots when they're not. Because you just loaded the factory defaults, all eight vertices of the cube should be selected.

In Blender 2.59/2.60 the vertex(ices) that are either unselected/selected are the following colors: Unselected will be black; Currently selected will be white; Already selected (other than the current selection) will be orange. Also note that these colors correspond to edge selections as well.

To clear the boards for your first model, delete all of the cube's vertices:
 * 1) Press
 * 2) A "Delete" menu will pop up.  Choose Vertices.

Now you can repeat the previous exercise using mouse and monitor instead of pen and paper.

 * 1) Create a vertex by clicking with.
 * 2) Create another vertex.  Blender will automatically join the two vertices with an edge.
 * 3) Create additional vertices (and edges) by clicking, but don't attempt to close a loop yet.

To create a face:
 * 1) Press  to deselect all vertices.
 * 2) Move the mouse to one of the vertices you want in the face.
 * 3) Click  (or ) to select the vertex.
 * 4) Move the mouse to another vertex you want in the face.
 * 5) Click  (or ) to add it to the selection.
 * 6) Continue adding vertices until you have three or four selected.
 * 7) Press  to create the face.

Create additional faces until all vertices belong to at least one face. Congratulations! You've just created your first 2D mesh in Blender.

You can reshape your mesh by moving vertices with the "grab tool".

To move one or more vertices:
 * 1) Select the vertices using  and.
 * 2) Drag in the viewport with  (or press ) to activate the grab tool.

The 3D View header will be replaced by numbers: "Dx: 0.0000 Dy: 0.0000 Dz: 0.0000 (0.0000)". You're now using the "grab tool" and can drag the vertex around using the mouse.

The grab tool disables most of the normal hotkeys, so it's important to know how to get out. You can exit the tool at any time using: or
 * or to confirm the changes
 * or to cancel the changes.

If you're up for a challenge, try making your mesh 3D:
 * 1) Change the viewpoint, perhaps to one of the perfect views.
 * 2) Add vertices and/or move the existing ones around in the new view plane.
 * 3) When you're done, rotate to a new viewpoint to examine your work.

Now that you know how to create and grab vertices, you're ready for a quick lesson in extrusion and merging.

title: Blender 3D: Noob to Pro/What is a Mesh?


text:
Blender 3D: Noob to Pro/Quickie Model

In this module, you'll learn how to extrude and merge vertices of a mesh and how to save a model. This module also introduces the File Browser window type.

Your first model will be a house, which we will develop over the course of several modules. Here we will start with four walls and a pyramidal roof. Simple! Since you're going to use the default cube as a base, all you actually need to build is the roof!

Editing in Blender generally involves four steps:
 * 1) Selecting an object to edit.
 * 2) Activating Edit Mode on that object.
 * 3) Selecting part(s) of the object to act upon.
 * 4) Specifying the action(s) to be performed on those parts.

Bring up the Default Cube

This should give you a perspective view of a scene containing three objects:
 * 1) Launch Blender.
 * 2) Load the factory settings using File → Defaults → Load Factory Settings.
 * a cube,
 * a light source,
 * a camera.

Setting up the Viewport
It will be easier to work on the roof of your house in a perspective side view:
 * 1) Press  to switch to a "perfect" right side view.

"Right Persp" will be shown on the top left of the 3D View. The "up" direction in the scene is now "up" on your monitor as well.

It will also help to zoom in a bit:
 * 1) Make sure the 3D View window is active (which means your mouse cursor is in it).
 * 2)  or press  a few times until the cube is about 1/3 the height of the viewport.

Because you just loaded the factory defaults, the 3D transform manipulator will be enabled. For mesh editing, it will help to turn the manipulator off:
 * 1) Make sure the 3D View window is active.
 * 2) Press  to toggle the manipulator on or off.

Press once. This puts you into Edit Mode on the selected object, i.e. the cube.

Here's how the cube should look at this point:

The default cube is constructed as a mesh. Now that you're in Edit Mode, you can access the individual vertices, edges, and faces that make up the mesh. The default cube consists of eight vertices, twelve edges, and six faces.

Adjusting the Height
Right now, all eight vertices are selected, so any vertex edits you make will affect them all. For instance, if you were to move a vertex, the other seven vertices would follow. In order to build a roof peak for the house, you need to alter just the four top vertices of the cube. To do that, you must change the selection so that only those vertices are selected.

 * 1) Turn 'Occlude Background Geometry' off, so you can see all vertices. Note, in newer versions, this button is called "Limit Selection to Visible." It is one of the buttons to the right of transform orientation which is to the right of the mode select which should be currently set to "edit mode".
 * 2) Deselect the bottom four vertices, one by one, using.

The picture to the right shows the cube (in right perspective view and occlude background geometry "off") with the correct vertices selected.

Now you'll adjust the height of your house's ceiling. Activate the grab tool:
 * 1) Make sure Blender is in Edit Mode, with the relevant part(s) of the object selected.
 * 2) Make sure the 3D View window is active.
 * 3) Press.

The 3D View header will be replaced by numbers: "Dx: 0.0000 Dy: 0.0000 Dz: 0.0000 (0.0000)".

You want to lower the ceiling without making the walls crooked. This is hard to do freehand, but happily the grab tool provides an option for doing just that.

With the grab tool activated:
 * 1) Press to limit movement to the global Z-axis.

When your ceiling is the height you want, confirm the grab with (or ).

Extruding

Now you're going to "add on" to your house by extruding. Extrusion begins by duplicating selected parts of an object. Then the new parts are pulled away from the old ones, with new faces and edges created as necessary.

To add an attic to your house:

 * 1) Make sure Blender is in Edit Mode, with the top four vertices selected.
 * 2) Make sure the 3D View window is active.
 * 3) Press to activate the extrude tool.
 * 4) Restrict movement to the Z axis and move the mouse pointer upward.
 * 5) When the attic is the height you want, confirm the extrude with or.
 * 6) Keep the extrusion visible: you will need it for the next exercise.

Merging

You can change the roof from a flat one to a pyramidal one by merging the vertices of the roof:

 * 1) Make sure that you still have the extruded roof from the previous exercise visible.
 * 2) Make sure Blender is in Edit Mode, with the four top-most vertices selected.
 * 3) Make sure the 3D View window is active.
 * 4) Press  to bring up the Specials menu.
 * 5) Select Merge. (You can also access this by pressing +.)
 * 6) The Merge menu should pop up, select At center.

A message should appear on the Info header saying that 3 vertices have been deleted, this is because in order to merge four vertices into one, three vertices must be deleted.

Saving your Work

We will be developing the house in later modules, so save your work now. To save the current scene in a  file:
 * 1) Press  (or select File → Save As).  The active window temporarily changes into a File Browser window.
 * 2) Navigate to the directory (folder) where you want to write the file by clicking  on directory names in the File Browser window.  (Clicking on ".." will take you up one level.)
 * 3) If you wish to name the file something other than "untitled.blend", type a filename in the text box to the left of the "Cancel" button.  (The .blend suffix will be added automatically.)
 * 4) Click  on the "Save As Blender File" button.  As soon as the save operation is complete, the window will automatically revert to its former type.

Saving Further Changes
Once you have saved your work to a file for the first time, you can save subsequent changes to the same file name by pressing and confirming you want to overwrite the existing file.

Additional Resources

 * A Video Tutorial on Edit Mode

title: Blender 3D: Noob to Pro/Quickie Model


text:
Blender 3D: Noob to Pro/Quickie Render

If you haven't completed, do so now. You will need the resulting model for this module.

Now that you've created your first model, you'll probably want to try rendering it. Your first render, with a single light source and only nine faces, should finish quickly. However, as your 3D scenes become more complex, you'll find that rendering can take a long time.

In this module, you'll render your quickie model and save the result in various file formats. You'll also learn how to aim cameras and create lamps.

Rendering the Quickie Model

 * 1) Launch Blender and load factory settings.
 * 2) To load the house model from the previous module, select File → Open Recent, and select the file you saved. Alternatively, press  or select File → Open, find the file, and open it. As soon as the operation is complete, the window will load the quickie model that you created in the previous exercise.
 * 3) Press  or select Render → Render Image. This opens the  so you can watch the render progress.

 * With the new Apple keyboard, use to avoid the Mac Dashboard.
 * With Macintosh OS X 10.5, use.
 * With Gnome, use to avoid the Gnome Search Dialog.

Seeing Your Render
By default, pressing will switch to the UV/Image Editor window, and show your render there. You can switch back to the 3D view with. Pressing in the 3D view will switch you to the UV/Image Editor window without redoing the render, i.e. you will see the same image as last time.

Aiming the Camera
If you don't get a picture of the house, or if the picture is not framed well, try moving or re-aiming the camera:
 * 1) Press  to get back to Edit Mode, if needed.
 * 2) Press  to take the camera's viewpoint.
 * 3) Press  to put the 3D View window into.

In camera fly mode, you can:
 * and by moving the mouse pointer up, down, left, or right.
 * Accelerate by forwards.
 * Decelerate by backwards.
 * Press any key or button to exit fly mode.

(It works differently in version 2.70 and later, more like a FPS game with possibility to slide and so on, buttons are regular FPS controls)

When you're done positioning the camera, try rendering again.

Lighting
If your cube is completely black, you may not have a lamp in the scene. Either the default lamp got deleted, or you're using a version of Blender that doesn't provide a default lamp.

To add a lamp:
 * 1) Make sure Blender is in Object Mode.
 * 2) Place the 3D cursor where you want the lamp to go; or add the lamp then immediately grab it, and move it somewhere else.
 * 3) Press.
 * 4) In the popup menu, select Lamp → Point.

Saving the Render
This is old information and is no longer valid. Saving the scene (with, for instance) does not save any renders. Saving renders is a separate step.

To save your current render :
 * 1) Make sure you are in the Image Editor. If not press  to render
 * 2) Press . This temporarily changes the active window into a File Browser window. (in the older versions you use F3 but in the newer versions the button can be FN + S or SHIFT + S
 * 3) Navigate to the directory (folder) where you want to write the file.
 * 4) Type a filename in the text box (to the left of the "Cancel" button).
 * 5) To the left of the window, choose your preferred file type.
 * 6) Click  on the "Save as Image" button. As soon as the save operation is complete, the window will return to the Image Editor.

Renderer Selection
Blender offers a choice of different rendering engines for producing images. The menu for selecting from these appears in the Info window (the thin one that contains the menu bar at the top of the default layout). In most of these tutorials, you will leave this choice set at Blender Render. But it is worth knowing what other choices are available:
 * Blender Render—the oldest renderer, commonly known as the Blender Internal renderer. Built into Blender right from its early days. Can still produce good results with the right tricks, but considered by the Blender developers to be antiquated and not worthy of continuing development.
 * Blender Game—this is the renderer used by the Blender Game Engine. Designed to be fast enough for interactive use in a game, which means there are limitations in the quality of renders it produces. You also use this renderer to create rigid-body physics simulations.
 * Cycles Render—for this and other choices, see Advanced Rendering.

Render Control
The top panel under the Render tab in the Properties window shows 3 buttons and a menu. The first button renders a single frame, equivalent to. The other two buttons are more relevant to animations.

The “Display:” menu controls what happens when you press : the default “Image Editor” causes the 3D view to be switched to the UV/Image Editor showing the rendered image. “Full Screen” causes the UV/Image Editor display to take over the entire screen, while “New Window” makes it appear in a separate OS/GUI window (similar to how older versions of Blender used to work). Finally, “Keep UI” causes no changes to your window layout at all; you have to explicitly bring up the Image Editor with to see the rendered image.

Render Image Dimensions
You can control the size of the image that Blender creates when rendering. This is specified in the “Dimensions” panel under Render properties. Apart from the menu at the top, the settings in this panel are grouped into two columns:
 * The column on the left controls settings for a single image.
 * The column on the right specifies additional settings for rendering a whole sequence of images as part of an animation. These settings will be discussed later.

At the upper left, under “Resolution:”, we have the dimensions in pixels of the image (the default settings are 1920×1080 as shown in the screenshot), plus an additional scale factor slider below (showing 50% by default). With these settings, the image will actually be rendered at (1920×50%)×(1080×50%) = 960×540. Having the scale factor is a convenience. Rendering smaller, lower-quality images is faster, which speeds up initial work on your model, but you'll want full quality for the final result. Instead of mentally having to work out numbers for render quality, you can simply set the resolution to full quality, and use the scale factor to reduce this to, say, 50% or 25% for interim work, then set it to 100% for the final output.

Image File Formats

You set the format and location for saving rendered images in the “Output” panel under the Render properties.

In current versions of Blender, the default format for saving rendered images is PNG. This is a lossless format which has the option for alpha transparency (which means the sky background is replaced by transparent pixels—enabled by clicking the “RGBA” button). This is a good format if you intend to do further work with the image (e.g. in an image editor like Gimp or Photoshop), but the files can be large.

JPEG is a lossy image format, which means it throws away information that the human eye doesn’t see. This produces much smaller files than PNG, and is adequate if you just want to upload the render directly for use in a Web page or other such document, but is not the best choice if you intend to do further processing of the image. It also doesn’t support alpha transparency.

To change the render file format:
 * 1) Switch to the Render tab in the Properties window.
 * 2) Look for the “Output” panel.
 * 3) Click  on the popout menu with the current file format.
 * 4) Select your preferred format.

Additional Resources

 * Tutorial on Using Multiple Cameras ← Pictures are missing from this tutorial
 * Ira Krakow's Basic Blender Camera Positioning (Rigging)
 * Ira Krakow's Basic Blender Camera Positioning (Rigging)

title: Blender 3D: Noob to Pro/Quickie Render