What is Ableton Live - Starting Off
With
Isaac CotecIsaac Cotec introduces Ableton Live and the course ahead - what the program is, how to get around it, and working with clips and warp modes.
What's in the course
20 lessons (2h 16m) · 1 free
Lesson transcript
Introduction to Ableton Live Course
In this video, I'm going to introduce the course on Ableton Live. The scope of this course is to cover the basics of the program.
What We Will Cover
We will look at:
- What Ableton Live is
- How to navigate around the program
- Working with the building blocks of Live called clips
- Controlling timing through warp modes and warping tracks
By the end of this course, you'll have a solid overview of the program, know where to start, and be ready to build out ideas, music, or anything you want within Ableton Live.
Course Structure
This Ableton Live course is broken up into modules. Think of each module as a class session focusing on a specific concept.
Module Topics
- What is Ableton Live?
- Navigating Ableton Live
- Understanding the browser
- Controlling timing
- Controlling clips
If you already know what Ableton Live is, feel free to skip directly to the navigating section. Even if you feel comfortable with a concept like controlling timing, I recommend watching it all the way through as a good review.
Defining Ableton Live
What is Ableton Live?
Ableton Live is a digital audio workstation (DAW). Unlike many other software sequencers, Live is designed to be an instrument for live performance, as well as a tool for composing, recording, arranging, mixing, and mastering.
It is widely used by DJs due to its suite of controls for:
- Beat matching
- Crossfading
- Adding effects
- Turntablism
Ableton Live was one of the first music applications to automatically beat match songs. It features a user-friendly drag-and-drop nature, allowing you to effortlessly integrate:
- Audio effects
- Instrument racks
- VSTs
- MIDI
Advantages of Ableton Live
While every program has its strengths and weaknesses, I prefer Live for several reasons:
- Creativity: Live is a software that you can play. It's designed for easy creation, allowing you to loop parts while writing new ones.
- Nonlinear Songwriting: The Session view promotes nonlinear songwriting and is easy to manipulate.
- Performance Optimization: Live is optimized for performance, making it a preferred choice for my shows across the United States and beyond.
Working with Clips in Ableton Live
Now, let's look at Ableton Live itself. The Ableton Live set has some clips already loaded. These clips represent audio samples that I can trigger by simply clicking the play button.
Managing Clips
- You can start different parts by pressing the play buttons on various tracks.
- Pressing the play button on an entire row allows you to play that part, similar to managing an Excel sheet with samples and concepts.
- Everything happens in time, making it smooth to create new ideas.
Stopping Clips
To stop all clips, you can hit the spacebar or click the little square representing a stop.
Recording in Live
One feature I can utilize is the Arrangement Record located at the top right. When I click that, I can play different parts, adding new drums and beats.
- Pausing: I can hit the spacebar again to pause.
- Switching Views: By hitting tab, I can toggle between the Session View (nonlinear) and the Arrangement View (linear).
Arrangement View
In Arrangement View, everything is laid out in a linear fashion.
- Recording: Hitting record captures everything I played in Session View and places it into Arrangement View.
- Editing: I can drag clips around, delete sections, and use shortcuts like Control + D (Command + D on Mac) to duplicate elements easily.
Arrangement View allows you to construct your song in a linear fashion, contrasting with the continuous session feel of Session View.
Conclusion
In summary, we have:
- Explored the differences between Session View and Arrangement View
- Discussed the creativity and flexibility within Ableton Live
In the next few videos, we will go over navigation and other aspects of Ableton Live to help you get started on your musical journey!
20 lessons
2h 16m of structured video lessons
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Meet your guru
Meet your guru
Isaac Cotec is, arguably, one of the best Ableton trainers in the world! While working on his own music, he began teaching recording techniques, sound design, and Ableton Live to private students, and since earning his certification as an official Ableton Certified Trainer he has helped thousands of producers step up their game and succeed as musicians.
Isaac started producing electronic music in 2005 with Psyche Sonics, an experimental group working with the science and research of binaural beats and altering consciousness through sound. After touring, he continued writing music under the alias Cotec and later emerged as the artist Subaqueous, blending his electronic past with both future and organic production techniques. To date, he has released 3 albums and 4 EPs.
Isaac is also the founder and manager of the record label Invibe Music, which represents some of the Pacific Northwest's best electronic music and specialises in midtempo dance music.
In his Ableton Live courses, Isaac shares the production, sound design and songwriting techniques he has spent years refining - the very skills he uses to turn a spark of an idea into a finished track.
