StudioRCC Ableton Live 12: 10-week beginner course

The Music STUDIO/ Redfern Community Centre present: Ableton Live 12.

What you will learn:

Week 1 – Getting comfortable

Learn

• Session vs Arrangement View

• BPM/metronome

• Saving projects

• Browser

• MIDI vs audio

• Create groups, using colours

Practice: 

• Import drum loops into session view

• Play and mute tracks on session view

• Changing BPM

Week 2 – drums

Learn

• MIDI editor

• Quantization

• Velocity

• Kick/snare/hat placement

• Adding drum fills, claps, percussion

• Using MIDI controller

Practice: 

• Create a Drum Rack 

• Program a simple kick/snare/hi-hat pattern.

• Build a 4-bar beat and create two variations.

Week 3 – bass, chords & melody

Learn

• MIDI basics

• MIDI recording and editing

• Basic Music Theory: Major/minor

• Simple basslines

• Chords

• Arps

Practice: Create using MIDI: drums + bass + chords + melody

Week 4 – audio and samples

Learn

• Import audio in session vs arrangement view

• Cut and move clips

• Fades

• Warping and warp modes

• Changing pitch

• Looping

• Optional: Simpler/Sampler Overview

Practice: Take one sample and manipulate it 

Week 5 – arrangement

Using loops to construct a song.

Learn:

• Intro

• Main section

• Breakdown

• Build

• Outro

• Removing/adding instruments

• Basic transitions

Challenge: create your first 60 second arrangement.

Week 6 – effects

Learn the basics of:

• EQ Eight

• Auto Filter

• Compressor

• Reverb

• Delay

• Saturator

Exercise: Put each effect on different sounds and listen carefully to what changes.

Week 7 — adding vocals

Learn the basics of:

• Recording vocals

• Adding vocals to session

• Vocal effects

• Making vocal chops

Exercise: Add vocals to your session

Week 8 — mixing

Learn:

• Ableton Mixer Overview

• Volume balance

• Panning

• EQ

• Compression

• Sends/returns

• Automation

Challenge: Mix your track

Week 9 — finish the track

This week is about finishing rather than learning new features.

Work on:

• Arrangement

• Song structure

• Automation

• Transitions, Builds, Drops

Challenge: Finish a complete 2–3 minute track.

Week 10 — Final mix & export

Learn

• Final level balancing

• Master channel

• Limiter

• WAV vs MP3

• Export settings

Listen on:

• Headphones

• Speakers

• Phone/laptop

Final challenge: Export your first finished Ableton track.