Intro to Ableton Live

The Intro to Ableton course is a hands-on journey into music production using Ableton Live. Students will explore the fundamental tools and workflows needed to create, edit, and complete a track. This course is ideal for beginners eager to make music using MIDI, audio, and effects inside one of the industry’s most powerful DAWs.
By the end of the course, students will have produced and shared a short original track using MIDI sequencing, audio manipulation, and basic mixing tools.

Topics

• Ableton Live Basics
  Learn the interface, Session and Arrangement Views, browser, control bar, and track setup.
• Warping and Audio Editing
  Align audio to tempo, loop and trim clips, add fades, and apply creative edits.
• MIDI Clip Creation
  Enter notes, quantize timing, edit velocity, and set loop and clip parameters.
• Sampling with Simpler
  Load, chop, tune, and shape samples with ADSR to build playable instruments.
• Drum Rack and Beat Programming
  Build custom kits, map pads, add groove and swing, and save reusable racks.
• Synthesis Fundamentals
  Use oscillators, filters, envelopes, and LFOs to design leads and basses.
• Effects and Routing
  Apply EQ, compression, reverb, delay, modulation FX, returns, and FX chains.
• Automation, Mixing, and Export
  Write automation, balance a mix, and export a master and stems.

Goals

• Produce an original track 2 to 3 minutes long with a clear, dynamic structure.
• Warp and edit at least two audio clips to session tempo with clean crossfades.
• Program a complete drum pattern in Drum Rack with quantization and groove applied.
• Design at least two custom sounds using subtractive synthesis or Simpler.
• Automate at least three parameters to create transitions and movement.
• Mix for clarity using EQ and compression with master peaks below -1 dBFS.
• Export a 44.1 kHz, 24-bit WAV and organized stems with labeled, color-coded tracks.