In the past, Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) were programs used only by audio engineers with a highly specific knowledge base, on machines inaccessible to most people. But over the past 10-15 years, DAWs and the act of recording music have evolved from being a luxury of the few to being available to the masses. Ableton Live is one such application. Used by an extremely broad range of music creators, Ableton Live not only facilitates the work of engineers, producers, and writers in professional, home, and mobile studio settings, but it is also a powerful platform for musicians on stage, in the DJ booth, and elsewhere.
This course is part of the Electronic Music Production Specialization
Introduction to Ableton Live
Offered By
Berklee College of Music
Ableton
About this Course
91,753 recent views
Learner Career Outcomes
60%
started a new career after completing these courses
44%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
What you will learn
Navigate Ableton Live
Program MIDI drums and instruments
Record and edit audio, including working with preexisting audio loops
Create a piece of music using MIDI and audio within Ableton Live
Skills you will gain
Audio RecordingMusic MakingFile ManagementAbletonMIDI programming
Learner Career Outcomes
60%
started a new career after completing these courses
44%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Course 2 of 4 in the
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Approx. 15 hours to complete
Suggested: 4-6 hours/week
English
Subtitles: English
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
1 hour to complete
Welcome to Introduction to Ableton Live
Welcome to the course! Here we will cover all the details about the course and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your experience.
1 hour to complete
1 video (Total 1 min), 6 readings, 1 quiz
1 video
6 readings
A Note From Erin10m
Meet Your Teaching Assistant10m
Connect with Your Classmates10m
Splice10m
Course Resources10m
Earn A Course Certificate10m
1 practice exercise
What Are Your Goals?8m
4 hours to complete
Getting Our Hands Dirty
In this lesson I'm going to demonstrate how to get set up in Live, whether you have an audio interface or just your computer. We'll also look at saving and submitting your sessions, devices, MIDI drums, and MIDI synths.
4 hours to complete
11 videos (Total 68 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes
11 videos
Overview of Ableton Interface6m
Setting Up Hardware and Software5m
Overview of Non-Linear Functionality5m
MIDI Sequencing18m
Audio Clips3m
Clip Properties6m
Session View and Arrangement View8m
Quick Tips6m
Creating and Exporting an Arrangement3m
Troubleshooting4m
2 readings
Download Your FREE Ableton Live Trial and Activate Your Splice Account10m
How To Submit Your Assignments10m
1 practice exercise
The Ableton Live Interface30m
3 hours to complete
Polishing the Sound
We'll be moving from MIDI to audio and implementing effects, which will give your sessions even more personality and depth. We'll also be diving into Audio Warping, which is one of Ableton's most powerful functionalities and is the cornerstone of remixing.
3 hours to complete
7 videos (Total 54 min)
7 videos
Recording Audio9m
Warping and Stretching13m
Sampling10m
Audio and MIDI8m
File Management8m
Quick Tips3m
1 practice exercise
Polishing the Sound28m
3 hours to complete
The Endless Possibilities
This week we're going to dive into some more advanced production techniques, the very basics of mixing, and I'll get into some valuable information regarding file management and troubleshooting. Hopefully with this new information you'll be able to tie together a lot of what we've learned in the past two weeks and bring your music to the next level.
3 hours to complete
11 videos (Total 56 min)
11 videos
Audio Effects5m
Serial vs Parallel5m
MIDI Effects4m
Max for Live Devices5m
Mixing11m
Automation10m
MIDI Mapping8m
Quick Tips2m
Project 2 Overview1m
Course Wrap-Up15s
1 practice exercise
The Endless Possibilities26m
Reviews
4.8
TOP REVIEWS FROM INTRODUCTION TO ABLETON LIVE
by PTMay 15, 2017
Overall a pretty good course. I understand the basics of Ableton Live 9 now after I completed the course. Also without prior knowledge of music production, the assignments can be somewhat tough.
by DSSep 11, 2015
I'm now taking this course a second time because it is so absolutely helpful and has really given me a free and friendly place to learn how to use Ableton and get started on music production!
by BOJun 29, 2018
Great first introduction into Ableton. Very clear and structured unlike a lot of the free tutorials out there. I would love to see a part 2 of this course that goes into more advanced topics.
by JEOct 4, 2015
This is already very, very helpful with mastering the use of Ableton, understanding how the I/O functions work, and polishing a track to the mastering level. Great program and very intuitive!
by GDJun 14, 2016
An excellent introduction to an extremely powerful Digital Audio Workstation - one which I had used for a few months but still learned a great deal from the course.\n\nHighly recommended. :)
by IKAug 13, 2015
Fun and interesting course. I learned a lot, despite already being a Live user. Reviewing the assignments of other course-takers widened my horizons and helped me gain valuable insights.
by SHMar 21, 2017
The course gives a good basic overview of the software\n\nAs a newbie to DAW software it helps\n\nActually needed it to determine if I was going to purchase the full version\n\nI will be
by AMMay 29, 2017
Really good course, helps you learn and understand the basics of Ableton Live. I didn't understand the program at all, and now I can use it and want to eventually buy the full version.
About Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music was founded on the revolutionary principle that the best way to prepare students for careers in music is through the study and practice of contemporary music. For more than half a century, the college has evolved to reflect the state of the art of music and the music business. Berklee serves distance learners worldwide through its award-winning online extension school, Berklee Online.
About Ableton
We make Live, Push and Link — unique software and hardware for music creation and performance. With these products, our community of users creates amazing things. Ableton was founded in 1999 and released the first version of Live in 2001. Our products are used by a community of dedicated musicians, sound designers, and artists from across the world. We are more than 350 people from 30 different countries divided between our headquarters in Berlin and our offices in Los Angeles and Tokyo. Most of us are active musicians, producers, and DJs, and many of us use Live and Push every day. We come from a wide range of cultural and professional backgrounds. Some of us have PhDs, some are self-taught, and most of us are somewhere in between. What connects us is the shared belief that each of us has the skills and knowledge to contribute to something big: helping to shape the future of music culture. We believe it takes focus to create truly outstanding instruments. We only work on a few products and we strive to make them great. Rather than having a one-size-fits-all process, we try to give our people what they need to work their magic and grow. We’ve learned that achieving the best results comes from building teams that are richly diverse, and thus able to explore problems from a wider set of perspectives. We don’t always agree with each other, but opinion and debate are valued and openly encouraged.
About the Electronic Music Production Specialization
In the Electronic Music Production specialization, you will learn the tricks of the trade to create high-quality, professional sounding music. You’ll begin by learning about the nature of sound and how a signal flows through a home studio setup. Additionally, you’ll learn how to create your own custom musical sounds through music synthesis. You’ll explore how to record MIDI and real instruments into the flexible and agile Digital Audio Workstation, Ableton Live. You’ll also learn to professionally record, produce, edit, and mix a vocal track with the Grammy-winning producer, Prince Charles Alexander.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
