Modulation effects
Lesson time: (5min 26sec)
John Watson shows what chorus, flanger and phaser do and how to apply these modulation effects to add movement to a track in Ableton Live.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Creative Composition & Production in Ableton Live
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
Music Production Lesson Recap
Introduction
Let's take a moment to revisit the beginning of our music project. I'm going to have a little listen through and may load up a flanger for some effects.
Creating Motion
- Rising and Falling Motion: I want to create an effective transition that requires a bit of work.
- Joining Clips: To make it easier, I'll join both clips together using Command + J. This will create one unified clip.
Adjusting Levels
- Clip Identification: I know it's a different part because of the brown color and having heard it before.
- Volume Adjustments:
- I'll turn it up a little to see if that helps.
- Continuing the chords ensures we don't cut them short.
Bass Line Adjustments
-
The bass line is significantly louder than the other elements:
- I'm turning it up by 2 dB for better balance.
- I can visually confirm that the levels will match the second clip more effectively after adjustment.
-
Repeat the adjustments:
- This applies to the other elements, ensuring uniformity across the track.
Final Touches
-
Cutting Elements: I'll fine-tune the elements here and there, specifically adjusting the last section to match the volume from earlier.
-
After making all these adjustments, I'll join it all together with Command + J and do one final volume turn up.
Listening Back
I'll have another listen to see how these elements work together. Overall, I'm pleased with the adjustments made.
Recap of the Process:
- Recorded: A variety of different MIDI clips.
- Audiovisual Elements: Captured audio from those MIDI clips.
- Created Structure: From this structure, I've worked on each track using:
- EQ
- Compression
- Effects
Everything seems to be blending well together across the different sections.
Conclusion
So, to sum it up:
- Get out there and find a second-hand synth on eBay, preferably one with MIDI capabilities.
- Use Ableton Live to record your ideas and unleash your creativity!
Happy producing!
About the instructor

After work experience with Depeche Mode and The Cure producer Dave Allen, John was inspired to study Music Technology in London. His music career took off after a successful signing to CookShop Records, releasing 9 singles and an album in 2007 that received rave reviews from Q, Uncut and Lowdown Magazine, plus radio play from XFM and Radio One. John began training as an audio engineer at Bonafide studio in 2005, where he refined his talents, and later that year set up Jackdaw Recordings. He has collaborated with many successful artists, and in 2007 began playing for pop musician Patrick Wolf, performing at leading venues here in the UK and internationally - including The Astoria and Shepherds Bush Empire. Based in his London studio, John now writes music, with two more releases on CookShop, does sound engineering for prominent artists, and creates sound design for TV ads, film, theatre and corporate video. That rare mix of songwriter, producer and working studio engineer is exactly what John brings to his teaching. In Creative Composition & Production in Ableton Live and Creative Sampling & Production in Ableton Live, he shows you how he turns raw ideas into finished, release-ready tracks - the writing, the sampling, the sound design and the hands-on engineering know-how behind a professional record. read more




