Ableton Live: Track From Start To Finish by LNA

Attached you can find links to the following extra videos:

• Link 1: Learn Drum Rack In detail. This will help you to understand the following lessons better and will make beat-making more enjoyable.

• Link 2: Here is also a comprehensive tutorial on the Ableton Live Browser and how to use it to do better file management.

• Link 3: In Ableton Live 12, you will have a couple of new features to organise your browser window.

Well done going through the first lesson!

Learn to design your own drum sounds! 

We will be using Simpler instruments in this course. It is a great tool of for designing not only drum sounds but other instruments as well.

Ableton Live Lite/Intro Users: Note that your version does not have drum synths in them. Instead, you can use any of the pre-sets in the "Drums" section in the browser or search for nice-sounding drum sounds from "samples".

Well done! Let's continue building our beat!

Drum Rack allows us to create complex and realistic drum sounds! Inside the Drum Rack, you will find familiar elements from the Session View: I-O settings, tracks (chains), and sends/returns. If the aspects of Session View still confuse you, I would look into the first lesson of this course and check out the tutorial explaining Session View on detail.

NOTE! If you are very much of a beginner, do not use time to learn compression yet!!! It took me years to understand what it is and how it works, so if you feel like it's too much and way too confusing, leave it for another day (to a day when you feel like you are ready for it).  Remember to be kind to yourself when learning. Some of this stuff takes years, so if it's too overwhelming, that is ok. You are not alone with this feeling, so give yourself time. You'll get there!

We will discuss beats and patterns more in the following lessons, so buckle up!

Now, we are getting to the good stuff with drum patterns. Below, you can find 30 MIDI drum patters in 16 different genres. In this course, I am making a House music drum pattern, but have a look at the PDF for a pattern that first your genre.

Practical Shortcut:

• B = Pencil tool

I have a video series on my YouTube channel about making MIDI drums. I would highly recommend watching it as it also consists of a fantastic Interview with a drummer who explains more about what makes a good drum pattern. Here is the first episode where I talk about the topics of this and the next lesson: linear and polyphonic drum patterns.

To better understand the MIDI editing view, here is a comprehensive video you can learn from. I am using Ableton Live 10 in the tutorial, but the same techniques also apply in versions 11 and 12.

Both links can be found from Resources.

Time to learn about adding "human" feel to your beat!

Well done getting this far!! Remember that it is expected sometimes to feel overwhelmed about these topics. So if you feel this, just know, you are not alone. Personally, it took me years to learn everything that is on this course. So be kind to yourself and take your time. You can come back here whenever you wish!

Using MIDI drum patterns is okay if you find them useful!

I also have attached a folder full of MIDI Patterns (In 16 different genres!!!), I created based on the PDF guide (I shared in previous extra materials).

Layering claps great technique to add more groove and impact in to your beat!

Layer your kicks for bigger impact! 

I love adding samples to the top of the beat. Especially percussion and hh-patterns. Sometimes, it can add inspiration to layer your original beat with pre-made royalty-free samples from Lives Packs (or places like Splice or Loopcloud).

What is the difference between Automation and Modulation? This is how Ableton explains the topic:

Clip envelopes can be used to automate or modulate mixer and device controls. Whereas automation envelopes define the value of a control at any given point in time, modulation envelopes can only influence this defined value. This difference allows the two types of envelopes to work together in harmony when controlling the same parameter.

Do not be shy about creating as many variations of one sound, loop, clip, or sequence as possible when creating sounds. The more material you have of one instrument, the better for creativity and arrangement. Who knows, maybe you'll surprise yourself with some unexpected sequences!

Practical Shortcuts:

• cmd/ctrl + A = Select all

• hold down alt + drag mouse = copy

Learn to problem solve CPU issues!

How to make a Funky bass? This question must be in the top 10 of my most asked questions as an educator, so let's learn to make one! 

Below, you can find some bass lines in a MIDI format. Just download the file add the clips to your MIDI track, add an instrument and press play!

Let's add a sub-bass to our song! 

Practical shortcut:

• If you wish to move notes up/down an octave: select all the notes you wish to move first, then hold down shift and use arrows up/down to move the notes.

Keep going! We now have most of our main elements done! And remember, if it doesn't sound great, that's okay! Trust the process and just focus on having fun. Good music comes with time craft, and just keep on doing tracks.

Let's create longer sustain bass using Analog!
Note my dyslexic brain calls it Analogue all the time, even though the correct name is Analog. ?

Ableton Live Lite/Intro Users:  Note that your version of Live does not have the instrument Analog in it. If you wish to create a bass sound, you can use the same Simpler instrument we used to create the funky bass line and just lower the MIDI pattern octave lower.

We have already learned the basics of creating a groove in the first 5 lessons, but now it's time to learn about Groove Pool in Ableton Live.

Yesss! Let's make it all nice and groovy!

There are many ways to create chords! Here is some basic theory and methods on how you can approach finding your favourite progressions.

Let's create a pad synth to add depth and width.

At this point, it is good to look more into what other instruments you can find from Ableton Live, what synthesis they are, and what are the differences between them. (Check the extra resources for this)

What is sidechaining and how we can use this awesome technique in our production?

What is frequency range and how understanding it helps to create cleaner productions.

Let's create solo hooks! 

Note Lite/Intro/Standard Users: You don't have Wavetable instrument in your Live versions. In this lesson, Iesson I speak about synthesis and sound design basics. The same info applies for other synthesisers, as we talk about oscillators, envelopes, filters etc. You can apply the same information to external VST instruments or other Ableton Live instruments. Otherwise, you can find a suitable solo instrument you like from "Sounds" in the browser.

I personally love Session View in Ableton Live. If you still feel uncomfortable with it, I challenge you to create the arrangement of this song in Session view and see how it can help you: 1. find variations 2. help you find unique combinations of the samples you have created 3. make you have element surprise and exploration before the linear structure is done (this helps you to focus on the sounds and not the outcome, which helps with creativity and overcoming creative blocks).

I believe that performing the music you created in Session View and then recording it in Arrangement View will greatly improve your creativity. One issue we might have as modern music producers is feeling like everything is too "looped", and we wish to add some more authentic and organic shapes to the arrangement. One way to do this is with using controllers and performing it using MIDI mapping.

To go between the Session View and the Arrangement View, you can use the "tab" key as a shortcut.

The subtractive arrangement is sooo great way to create music very fast!

In resources you can find a tutorial showing a subtractive arrangement method, where you will build the track straight away to Arrangement view (so never starting from Session view first).

I have also linked other production tutorial where you can explore these different approaches to workflow and arrangement.

• Remember these shortcuts:

  • cmd/ctrl + shift + D = Duplicate time

  • cmd/ctrl + shift + delete = Delete time

Learn to setup your microphone, add all necessary settings in Live and record the next hit song!  Remember to check extra resources as well!

Learn to edit and pre-mix your vocal recordings.

Practical shortcut:

• To convert separate audio or MIDI clips together, you can use the consolidate function: cmd/ctrl + J

Learn about backing vocals, harmonies, editing the recordings and warping.

Vocal chops are easy way to make any track sound amazing! 

Let's talk about how EDM arrangements are created! 

Here are some tips for finding your individual sound:

• Listen to others' music and write down notes on sounds, elements and instruments you really like.

• Research on how these artists created the sounds. Learn the techniques.

• Do not censor your creativity before you have done it. This means, that let everything you have in your head into your DAW or paper, and only afterwards decide what you wish to do with it. After you see it in front of you, you can analyse what aspects you like and which you don't.

• Have patience. Learning music production takes time. Lots of it. Years. This means you might feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff you still have to learn to be able to convert what is in your head into reality. That is why, when creating try not to get angry at yourself for not having that info yet, but embrace the knowledge you already have. You will get the info one day, but in the meanwhile just enjoy the journey and the creativity. And I bet you know more than you think you do!!!

Let's spice things up with audio and MIDI effects!

Here we go! It's time to really dive into automation in Ableton Live.

One of my fave topics!!! Definitely something I recommend putting time to learn and be as creative with as possible!

Transitions are what makes almost any track super engaging and professional sounding. Please use time to craft them and make sure to make each transition little bit different from each other.

Track check is one of the areas that will probably take you the longest amount of time. Be patient and really consider following:

• Is there elements that could be deleted? Simple tracks can usually be more effective and easier to mix.

• Do you need to add some instruments to bring up the energy?

• Can you hear each instrument and element clearly? If not, maybe delete some or manipulate them to make them more effective.

• Are transitions smooth? Or do they need to be more impactful?

• Should you craft some of the sounds further? Add some effects, modulate, automate?

Do you not like or love your track yet? Use these methods to fell in love with your craft.

Be patient with the process, and take your time! There is no hurry with your creativity.

Now it's time to publish your tracks!

How do I make my tracks? Check out the playlist in Resources of showing videos on my workflows and tracks.

More advanced techniques I would use to continue with the production of this track:

• Advanced macro mapping for effects and instruments

• Usage of MPE and instrument matrix

• More detailed stacking and layering of instruments/vocals

• In-depth automation of instruments and effects

• etc.

What's next?