Introduction to Ableton Live

Berklee College of Music

About this Course

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. In this course, you will explore some of Live’s most powerful and useful functionality: MIDI programming, audio recording, warping and processing, looping editing, mixing, performing, file management, and troubleshooting. Meant to be a springboard for those who are new to Ableton Live and/or DAWs in general, this three-week course will provide you with a strong knowledge base for using Live to take your musical ideas from conception to final recording. The course breaks down the many barriers of entry into music technology and encourages all those who wish, to create fearlessly. Note: If you do not own Ableton Live 9, you can download the free, fully featured Ableton Live Trial. The trial version will allow you to save and export your work for 30 days. If you use the trial version, do not download it until the course is scheduled to begin.

100% online course

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Approx. 14 hours to complete

Suggested: 4-6 hours/week

English

Subtitles: English, Chinese (Simplified)

100% online course

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Approx. 14 hours to complete

Suggested: 4-6 hours/week

English

Subtitles: English, Chinese (Simplified)

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

1

Section

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 video (Total 7 min), 6 readings, 1 quiz

1 videos

Welcome to the Course7m

6 readings

A Note From Erin10m

Meet Your Teaching Assistant10m

Connect with Your Classmates10m

Getting To Know You10m

Course Resources10m

Earn A Course Certificate10m

1 practice exercises

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....

10 videos (Total 62 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes

10 videos

MIDI and Audio3m

The Audio Interface, from Introduction to Music Production5m

Settings6m

Saving and Submitting Your Sessions4m

Devices5m

MIDI Drums6m

MIDI Synths7m

Global Quantization6m

Creating an Arrangement7m

Publishing To Blend/Submitting Assignment8m

2 readings

Download Your FREE Ableton Live Trial and Activate Your Blend Account10m

How To Submit Your Assignments10m

1 practice exercises

The Ableton Live Interface30m

2

Section

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. ...

7 videos (Total 45 min), 2 quizzes

7 videos

Audio Clips4m

Going Deeper with Audio2m

Warping Audio8m

Audio Recording7m

Audio and MIDI Effects7m

MIDI Mapping6m

Automation in Session View and Arrangement View7m

1 practice exercises

Polishing the Sound28m

3

Section

4 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. ...

6 videos (Total 45 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes

6 videos

Audio to MIDI Conversion5m

Slice to New MIDI6m

MAX for Live7m

File Management7m

Troubleshooting8m

Basic Mixing Techniques8m

2 readings

Post-Course Survey10m

Course Evaluation10m

1 practice exercises

The Endless Possibilities26m

Instructor

Erin Barra

Associate Professor

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....

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 pay for this course?
If you pay for this course, you will have access to all of the features and content you need to earn a Course Certificate. If you complete the course successfully, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. Note that the Course Certificate does not represent official academic credit from the partner institution offering the course.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
Yes! Coursera provides financial aid to learners who would like to complete a course but cannot afford the course fee. To apply for aid, select "Learn more and apply" in the Financial Aid section below the "Enroll" button. You'll be prompted to complete a simple application; no other paperwork is required.

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Introduction to Ableton Live