Learn Ableton Live online with Producertech's extensive library of training courses and tutorials delivered by world-class producers and Ableton-certified tutor, Rob Jones.
Browse a range of online courses from our comprehensive beginner guide to more advanced masterclasses covering specific genres and techniques.
Why use this DAW? Simple navigation and versatility mean Live has become the software of choice for many music producers looking for a creative yet powerful way to make tunes. This versatility makes it great for both beginner bedroom producers and professional producers alike.
Courses are updated regularly to cover updates to the software and additional features. Scroll down or use the menu to see all of Producertech's online Ableton Live courses.
Ableton Live
Producertech
Beginner's Guide to Music Production in Ableton Live
Ableton Live is one of the most popular DAWs around, loved for its flexibility and intuitive workflow. On this brand new course from Senior Tutor and Ableton Certified Trainer Rob Jones, you’ll go from first steps with the software right through to exporting a final arrangement, and everything in between!
The course is suitable for all ages and abilities, taking students through all of the main areas of the software slowly and clearly, to help forge a thorough understanding of the different ways music can be made. Once setting up the software has been covered, Rob embarks on two hour-long lectures focussed purely on working with audio samples in session and arrangement view, respectively, showing how to lay out simple song structures in each. He then moves onto MIDI, explaining the fundamentals of working with instruments and demonstrating the numerous ways of producing melodic accompaniment.
The subsequent lessons then develop skills for editing and track building in the arrangement, as well as teaching how to create beats with Drum Racks, how to record audio and the basics of mixing, covering balancing, panning and applying a number of different effects. Other topics featured include using 3rd-party plugins, sampling with Simpler, assigning MIDI controllers, and even some bonus tutorials on working with Loopmasters Loopcloud.
By the end of the course, you’ll be able to confidently work with audio samples and MIDI instruments in Ableton, whether making simple backing beats for performing with session view or more fleshed out songs in the arrangement.
The 10 hours of streamed tutorials come with the projects from the modules, plus written notes providing a neat summary of the content of each lesson, along with a bonus 500MB pack of samples from Loopmasters to kick start your personal sample library! In addition, there are assignments at certain stages throughout the course, with extra materials provided for practicing all of the different techniques learned in the tutorials.
Check out the sample module for an example of the teaching style and course content, so you can see for yourself how much there is to learn from Rob’s experience and software knowledge, which will have you on the road to becoming a serious music producer in no time!
£
99
.95*
Seppa
Advanced Bass Music Production Techniques 2
With its gigantic basslines and seriously heavy beats, Bass Music is regarded as amongst the most challenging genres to produce, requiring a substantial amount of knowledge and technical precision. Thankfully, one of the top producers in the field, Seppa, has returned to the Producertech community to deliver his second set of tutorials on Advanced Bass Music Techniques, sharing his accumulated experience from the last 12 years of producing professionally, so help is very much at hand!
The course begins with a series of sound design tutorials, showing how Seppa creates his varied palette of melodic and textured sounds from which the bulk of his tracks are constructed. These include 2 serious bass patches, both built from scratch with Serum and then processed with a wide range of 3rd-party and factory DAW plugins, as well as a custom delayed and pitched FX composition, which uses a default synth patch used as the basis. The final sound design session then shows how to transform an old vinyl sample into digital gold!
In the next section, Seppa moves onto beats, beginning by designing the main kick and snare, then combining them with an assortment of percussion samples, which are sequenced into a trio of solid breaks. The beats are mixed and laid out in the arrangement, forming the backbone of the first main drop section.
The last part of the course sees Seppa guiding through a lengthy series of arrangement tutorials, starting by building a fat drop and 2 accompanying variations. Textures are applied from the sound palette, as extra layers for the drums and bass, whilst melodies are added to the last passage, to form the beginnings of the first breakdown. This is then developed into a second drop, which extends the ideas from the first half, and the arrangement is then completed and any mixing issues and improvements addressed.
Signing up to the course gives you immediate access to the streamed tutorials, as well as the Ableton Live project created on the course and a 100MB bonus pack of Bass Music samples from Loopmasters. Check out the sample module before signing up and listen to the arrangement from the course, both embedded on the course page, so you can see and hear for yourself the quality of Seppa’s music and broad depth of knowledge imparted in his tutorials.
Producertech · Seppa Advanced Bass Music Production Techniques 2 - Course Track
£
29
.95*
Producertech
Producing Liquid D&B - Creatures Pro Tips
Creatures returns to Producertech for his second Drum & Bass Course, this time focusing on the ever popular subgenre of Liquid, and he’s gifted us with a plethora of tips and tricks for taking tracks to a professional level. This is an intermediate to advanced course, for those who are already well versed in music production and Drum & Bass; a straightforward course focused on providing the producer with a variety of techniques for embellishing and improving their tracks.
The course consists of four lessons, centred around four key areas: Musicality & Theory, Sampling & Sound Design, Developing the Track and finally the Arrangement. Combining all the knowledge from these modules leaves the producer with a fully formed and professional track.
Creatures kick-starts the course by explaining the importance of melody in Liquid. The eponymous rhythm section of Drum & Bass are not the main focus here! After a quick guide to the drums so far, he then walks through the two main melodic sounds - the sub bass and hook/chords chops - before going on the hunt for supporting melodic material in the same key. Samples are introduced to the groove, which are processed with chorus, delays, reverbs and pitch-shifters, to help the sample fit sonically with the rest of the track.
After discussing the benefits of finding your own samples as opposed to sourcing them from sample packs, module 3 continues with refining and improving the samples from the second module, with further processing and creative FX tips. Creatures then finishes up the course with a lengthy look at the arrangement, implementing the structure of the track, including an intro, outro and breakdown sections, while using filters and other FX to transition between these sections smoothly. He finishes off the track with some EQing, compression and some groove-inducing sidechaining.
Enrolling provides instant access to the 1.5 hours of streamed lessons, along with the stems from the track made on the course, in addition to a bonus pack of Liquid D&B samples for trying out the techniques learned in the lessons; a wealth of information and materials to get you well on the road to producing your first Liquid D&B anthem!
£
12
.95*
Producertech
Ableton Live 12 MIDI Tools Masterclass
Of all the new features in Ableton Live 12, the MIDI Generators are perhaps the most revolutionary, providing the ability to not only transform MIDI notes in unique ways but also generate them, in order to instantly create a multitude of different patterns. This has the potential to radically transform the workflows and compositional processes of everyone from beginners right through to more advanced producers. On this new masterclass from Course Director and Certified Ableton Live Trainer Rob Jones, you’ll learn to fully get to grips with all of the MIDI Generators on offer, as well as acquire a wealth of new techniques and inspiration for how to implement them in your production.
The course starts with a few lessons that tackle the general operational features and quirks of these new devices, all of which reside on the generator tab within the MIDI Editor. These aim to teach the basics when it comes to note generation, to help with understanding what they act on and when and how they can be made to create patterns. This leads to the first tool, Rhythm, which is introduced slowly via a demonstration of how very simple drum patterns are made, helping ferment a good knowledge of the main pattern controls on all tools of step length, pattern length and density. Once the basics are out the way, there’s a detailed look at a number of different practical uses of Rhythm, showing different approaches for making interesting percussion grooves, before looking exclusively at velocity handling.
In the following module, Rob dives into Stacks, a tool that makes chord and chord progression creation simpler than ever. Starting slowly in the first lesson, there’s an explanation of the controls on offer and how they’re used to select and modify chords, whilst the next lesson picks up the pace and shows the creation of a more complex chord sequence.
Rob then moves onto the last 2 main generators - Shape and Seed - both used to create melodies for the most part, although Seed has the ability to produce multiple voices in combination for dense, evolving harmonies. The 2 lessons walk through every part of each tool, showing all the functionality and various directions they can both go in.
The final main module is a lengthy set of lessons that put everything into practice by showing seven separate examples of composition, including a whole host of percussion, bass, lead and atmos creation. Despite mainly focussing on the generation and transformation of MIDI notes using tools, there are also many tips for using instruments and effects within Live to make the most of each process, helping to improve sound design, mixing and effects skills along the way.
A bonus lesson on Euclidean is also included, giving an intro to the tool and showing a number of techniques for making unique basslines.
Enrolling on the course gives students instant access to 4 hours of streamed tutorials plus the Live projects from the lessons, so sign up now to master these incredible new tools and level up your MIDI programming skills today.
£
29
.95*
Producertech
Beginner's Guide to Synthesis
With the huge range of synthesisers available today, comprising both DAW factory instruments and 3rd party synth plugins, a knowledge of how to use them is an essential part of modern production. This course aims to give you all of the fundamental skills and confidence to tackle sound design with any synthesiser with ease, to enable easier patch editing and creation of your own presets from scratch.
The tutorials work through all of the main sections of a synth, including oscillators, filters, envelopes, LFOs, arpeggiators and more, explaining the function and control set of each one. To make the course as universal as possible, a wide range of synths are featured in the tutorials, with many of the most popular synth plugins and DAW built-in instruments shown.
The tutorials are punctuated with white board demonstrations, to help convey the main synthesising principles, combined with numerous examples of patch creation every step of the way. Students will learn how much can be done with relatively little on a synth, whilst also absorbing a wealth of techniques that will provide a solid foundation for designing many different types of sound. Although the course is primarily aimed at beginners, due to the technical nature of sound design, the level is mostly intermediate with an occasional foray into more advanced territory in one or two places!
Signing up to the course provides immediate access to 3 hours of streamed tutorials, as well as an included assessment, to provide some interactive feedback on students’ synthesising knowledge. As with all Producertech courses, free sample module(s) are available to enable viewing of excerpts before signing up, for an example of the course style and content, which will have you mastering synthesis in no time!
£
19
.95*
Producertech
The Art of Sampling
Sampling is perhaps the most popular means of creating musical parts in modern production, inherent in a vast number of applications, from drum construction, to leads, to FX. This course covers all of the core concepts of sampling, using a range of DAW factory and 3rd party plugin instruments, providing students with a fundamental understanding of how to confidently work with whatever samplers they own.
Alongside lessons on many of the standard sampler parameters and behavioural aspects, including root note and transposition, start and end controls and looping, and the main types of envelope, there are numerous examples of how to apply techniques in the creation of unique and natural-sounding parts. Examples include pitch-shifted and modulated percussion, old school and current vocal presets, classic basses and velocity-modulated hats.
Once all areas of single-sampling have been covered, the lessons move on to multi-sampling, initially explaining the main considerations like keyboard mapping and velocity zones. Following this, there is a step-by-step guide to sampling a vintage accordion, teaching students how to convert any instrument in their studio into a multi-sampled patch.
Accompanying the streamed tutorials from the course are both the samples from the lessons and a 100MB bonus pack of varied oneshots and loops, giving students both the physical materials required for sampling and the ability to competently use them!
£
19
.95*
Simon Shackleton
Pro Remixing Techniques #1 - Simon Shackleton
Remixing is a central feature of music production, allowing songs to be reformed into completely different genres from their own. The art form requires a lot of consideration and can be a delicate balancing act between new and existing material, in the attempt to stay faithful to the original track whilst creating something with your own unique sound.
In the first course of the series, Simon Shackleton joins the Producertech community to share his wealth of knowledge on the topic, having remixed the likes of Grandmaster Flash, Groove Armada and many more. On the course, he works through all of the main areas of focus, as he reworks the stems from Ellie Dixon’s Alt Pop Production Techniques course into a slamming House track.
After discussing a bit of history and some of the main objectives, Simon briefly reviews the provided material, before starting to work on the initial core of the remix. One of the bounced stems is used as the cornerstone, which is timestretched, reversed and processed with effects, to help mould it into suitable foundations for the groove. This is then enhanced with kick and bass layers to fill out the rhythm section and create the main drop section of the track.
Subsequent modules then look at how various melodic parts are treated, with vocal backing and piano lines becoming sweeping textural layers that seamlessly weave the original stems into the arrangement whilst adding the necessary stabs and FX. The main vocal also becomes the central idea in one section, with the remix’s intelligently selected tempo allowing for more options when it comes to time stretching and repitching.
The course ends with an explanation of how additional instruments can be incorporated, to deliver new melodic ideas and atmospheric content that improves flow and fills out the mix, before some final words of advice from Simon to wrap things up.
Enrolling on the course provides instant access to the streamed tutorials and the course project, as well as a bonus 100MB pack of House samples from Loopmasters; everything you need to get making quality House remixes today!
Before enrolling, take a listen to the track from the course...
Producertech · Pro Remixing Techniques #1 - Simon Shackleton Course Project Bounce
£
19
.95*
Jafunk
Funk Bass Production Masterclass
Producing basslines with all the soulfulness and funk of a skilled bassist can be tricky without any knowledge of how to put them together. Understanding the theory and composition, as well as how to jam and perform with a keyboard, will transform the process into something that not only produces great results but is also a lot of fun!
On this course from Jafunk, you’ll learn both the methodology behind playing basslines and the subsequent processing required to ensure the bass sounds professional and cuts through the mix.
The first half of the 2-hour course is devoted to the theory and playing styles, broken down into easily digestible chunks to allow for easier absorbing and practicing of every technique. Lessons include tips for learning keys and scales, mastering intervals like octaves and fifths, with chromatic inflections, pitch bends and slides, chords and key modulation, and lots more.
By the end of part 1, you’ll have learned all of the fundamental theory needed to play seriously funky bass on a MIDI keyboard, with numerous examples shown along the way, to help cement your understanding.
Part 2 then delves into the production side, beginning with synth patch editing and then exploring each of the plugins in Jafunk’s bass FX chain, which includes saturation, bass maximisation, series and parallel compression, and EQ. There is also a bonus section looking at processing recorded bass guitar, including some audio editing and gating techniques, followed by the ways FX processing differs to synth bass.
Enrolling on the course gets you instant access to the streamed tutorials, plus Jafunk’s practice Ableton Live project and MIDI clips from the theory section, along with a bonus pack of bass samples for adding to your collection; all you need to get making quality funk basslines today!
£
19
.95*
Producertech
Groove Fundamentals
Groove is a ubiquitous term in music production, appearing on hardware like drum machines, within editors in DAWs and on many software instruments too, but what is it actually referring to? This course answers this very question, with a detailed exploration of groove handling within a range of different applications, to help you become a master of the groove!
Most people tend to think of groove when producing beats, as it’s a parameter most commonly found when creating rhythmic patterns like drums. As such, the lessons begin by explaining the most popular forms of groove, which are 1/8- and 1/16- note swing. This is done through the creation of a classic jazz cymbal pattern at full and half speeds.
After some initial theory is covered, the next module shows how that theory applies when making House beats, as more syncopated percussion is combined with the main drums. This is developed further as rhythmic melodies like basslines and arps are added into the mix, which need a similar treatment when it comes to groove, to ensure all sounds are working together. Another module looks at manual groove handling, showing how loop timing can be adjusted through audio warping and regular editing, so that a consistent groove is achieved.
The last module demonstrates the ways groove is handled in 2 popular DAWs, Logic Pro and Ableton Live, with the latter being investigated further in a subsequent lesson to show more unique features like groove extraction, randomisation and volume modulation.
Enrolling on the course provides instant access to over 90 minutes of tutorials, as well as the software projects and written notes from the lessons, so sign up now to firm up your production knowledge and start making tight grooves today!
£
9
.95*
Kaelin Ellis
Hip Hop Production Techniques with Kaelin Ellis
One of the most exciting Hip Hop producers to grace the industry in recent times is Kaelin Ellis, having received recognition for his music mainly via social media channels initially, where he shared tracks with the likes of Kaytranada, amongst others. More recently, his production talents have been featured in collaboration with another online legend, Marc Rebillet. Now coming to the Producertech community, Kaelin has created a set of tutorials that takes you through his production process, as he creates a Hip Hop arrangement from the ground up in Ableton Live.
After a short introduction, in which Kaelin mentions how he normally finds inspiration for a track and then provides an outline of his Ableton Live template project, he gets started with the beats, beginning with some quick beat boxing to sketch out the initial idea. This is then edited and bolstered with additional samples, which are processed with various individual and drum buss effects.
He then creates a number of different melodic ideas, including arpeggiated and sustained chords sequences with custom made patches designed in realtime, underpinned with a simple bassline to complete the groove. Once all the sounds and ideas are laid down, parts are arranged into a track, with careful selection and development of parts, combined with effects automation and creative layering techniques. Once the arrangement is done, Kaelin provides a quick bonus lesson to talk a little more about his favourite Acid FX rack.
Enrolling on the course gets you immediate access to the streamed tutorials, plus the Ableton Live project from the lessons and a bonus 100MB pack of Hip Hop samples from Loopmasters. Enrol now to join Kaelin in his studio and acquire fresh production knowledge and materials to start making quality Hip Hop today!
£
12
.95*
Paul Maddox
Raw Techno Production Techniques
Techno legend Paul Maddox, one half of Spektre and resident course creator, returns to deliver a new set of tutorials on producing raw Techno in Ableton Live. With a wealth of production and teaching experience combined with an extensive knowledge of the software, these tutorials are a must-have for anyone wanting to learn the essentials for making heavy Techno tracks of their own.
On the course, Paul shows the fundamentals for building up a techno track, through 2 separate groove examples, with increasing intensity. The first groove has a deeper and dubbier vibe, with a hypnotic, tribal bass and filtered piano stab, whilst the second is an even more full-on, super high energy track with a wonky synth lead line driving the groove.
All the parts are made using factory samples from Live’s library, mostly 707s, with an additional foley recording from Paul’s collection, whilst melodic parts are designed from the ground up using Sampler and Wavetable. As well as learning how to design and sequence parts, you’ll acquire a wealth of mixing knowledge and some different approaches to creating an arrangement, with both manual layout and timeline recording included.
Signing up to the course gives you immediate access to over 2 hours of streamed tutorials, along with the projects made and a 100MB bonus pack of Techno samples from Loopmasters. Check out the free sample lesson before signing up, for an example of Paul’s clear teaching style and technique-laden video content, which will enrich your production skillset and have you making Techno bangers in no time!
£
19
.95*
Producertech
Keeping Production Simple - Advanced D&B Masterclass
With many of the more technical genres being known for their complexity, newcomer to Producertech Creatures is aiming to help simplify the methodology involved by sharing his concise and relatively minimal approach to production. Although the techniques covered aren’t suitable for complete beginners, and some software and production knowledge is required to follow along, his clean and straightforward workflow offers an inspirational approach to making electronic music.
The course consists of three half an hour lessons, exploring the construction of beats, bass and FX, in order to create a meaty 48-bar drop. In the first session, he outlines his template project, highlighting several time-saving features with regards to track grouping and send effects, before putting together the drums. Samples are combined and edited, as well as processed with various effects, and a number of grooving, pulsing cymbal layers are applied for additional textures and energy.
The second lesson sees Creatures getting more into sound design, showing how a cool sub patch can be made from scratch and then used to underpin the beats. He then shows how distortion and reverb can be used to create the characteristic bass sound, splitting parts into different frequency bands so that parallel effects processing can be carried out. As an alternative suggestion to purely working in MIDI, he provides another method involving resampling and audio editing, which is an even easier but just as effective way of working, offering maximum control and great results.
Finally, there is a deep dive into FX layers, looking at how additional samples or existing sounds in the track can be used to add the necessary textural layers and tension management required for this kind of arrangement.
Enrolling on the course gives you immediate access to 90 mins of tutorials, along with the project from the lessons and a bonus pack of D&B samples from Loopmasters, so you’ll have a fresh set of inspiration and some extra materials to add to your library.
£
12
.95*
Producertech
Tech House Production with Loopcloud Part 2
Continuing on from Part 1, this set of tutorials aims to take you from a basic knowledge of Loopcloud and song arranging to a much improved level of understanding, empowering you to produce quality House music of your own.
Picking up from where the last course left off, senior tutor Rob Jones starts the ball rolling with an in depth look at the basic arrangement and a discussion about how to take it to the next level, explaining concepts like anticipation and release, and how different effects can be used to embellish the arrangement, improve definition in the overall structure and manage expectations. A set of goals for how to proceed is then laid out.
The subsequent lessons then show how to use Loopcloud to add the necessary components, either by searching and previewing readymade loops, creating custom loops from oneshots with factory presets, or making totally unique patterns from scratch. Techniques increase in complexity as drum fills are added, along with impacts and risers of various kinds.
By the end of the course, you’ll not only have a thorough grasp of what makes an engaging House arrangement, but also how to use Loopcloud to quickly and easily make the necessary FX layers to achieve it.
Signing up gets you immediate access to over 2 hours of tutorials, as well as all the Loopcloud presets from the lessons, plus a bonus pack of House samples from Loopmasters.
£
14
.95*
Seppa
Making Samples Your Own
With sampling techniques forming the basis of so much of today’s music, having a trusted sample collection to hand is a great way of speeding up your workflow and defining your sound. On this course from experienced producer and sound designer Seppa, you’ll learn an abundance of methods for modifying samples in various ways, to polish the sound or create completely unique textures of your own.
The course begins by transforming a vocal sample into an atmospheric FX soundscape using parallel delay chains and spectral resonance, as well as a modified version that maintains more of the character of the original sample. A regular piano is then used as the source for a modulating, filtered lead, perfect for the intro or breakdown of a track.
Seppa then builds an effects chain for processing various drum breaks, to tend to the dynamics, transients and spectral content, so they’re 100% ready for dropping into a track. On a more radical note, simple drum oneshots are run through multiple randomised devices to completely mix things up and produce endless captivating moments, ideal for making interesting fills and adding excitement to an arrangement.
There are also lessons on rhythm-mapping, where the dynamics of one sample are used to shape the frequencies of another, creating a DIY vocoder-style effect. Whether you’re looking to make the most of your samples, acquire some new inspiration for sound design without synthesisers, or improve your knowledge of audio effects processing, this course will deliver a wealth of techniques to up your game!
Sign up today to get instant access to 3 hours of streamed tutorials, plus the Ableton Live project Seppa builds along the way, as well as a bonus 50MB pack of samples for your own manipulating pleasure!
£
29
.95*
Simon Shackleton
Essential Beats Production Techniques Part 1
Drums lay at the core of every good track, providing the rhythmic energy and beating heart of the music. Making sure that those drums are solid and satisfying is therefore an essential part of producing high quality tracks. On this in-depth course, experienced producer Simon Shackleton will take you on a journey as he builds up a number of complete grooves from the ground up, explaining every decision meticulously along the way.
The first part of the course focuses on a Jackin’ House or Tech House beat, starting with the kick, which is designed using a combination of samples and sub bass, before moving on to the accompanying hats and snares. A large selection of loops are hand-picked, chopped-up and artfully combined, using effects within custom-made channel strips to carry out the various processing required.
Claps are then added to the groove, with 2 different workflows demonstrated. The first is a simple but highly effective do-it-yourself approach that includes recording claps, then editing the clips together to form a multi-layered, continually varying clap. The second meanwhile, shows a quicker technique that involves a 3rd-party plugin.
Additional layers of percussion are then incorporated, with a jackin' loop initially to add syncopation and interesting textures, followed by high frequency shakers and tambourine, designed to be used in isolation or combination as desired. The final module then delves into methods for applying ‘layers of intrigue’, meaning extra samples for fills and breakdowns, and various ways of using both insert and send effect processing to create depth, anticipation and much more!
Once you’ve enrolled on the course, you’ll have instant 24/7 access to 4 hours of streamed tutorials, as well as downloads of the projects from each module, and finally a bonus pack of drum samples from Loopmasters. Sample modules are available as examples of the course style and content, so you can see how articulate and engaging a tutor Simon is before signing up. Enrol now to start learning from a master in the field and turbo charge your beats production knowledge today!
£
29
.95*
Producertech
Creating Future House & Pop
Ukrainian duo Cyborgs have returned to Producertech.com to share their techniques for creating Future House & Pop anthems, this time in Ableton Live. In this 5-hour tutorial series, they go from an empty project to a mastered track, ready to be sent to a label or uploaded to SoundCloud.
Cyborgs have been producing professionally since 2014 and had releases on huge labels like Sony and Armada Music, with support from Tiesto and many other international DJs. Their sound encompasses many styles of popular dance music, from heavy Bass House to mainstream Pop.
The course begins by constructing beats using a number of loops from one of their Loopmasters sample packs. They then add the main chords hook and design a bassline from the ground up with Xfer Serum. Once all of the main elements are in place, they embellish the intro, break and drop sections with a plethora of melodic accompaniment, including guitar, strings, piano and various pads. Finally, a multitude of FX and additional percussion are used to add the necessary dressing.
After the initial arranging is complete, the duo embark on a trilogy of detailed mixing modules, working on drums, drop melodies and then sounds from the intro and break. Techniques include shaping frequencies with EQ and filtering, and adding multi-band compression and saturation. The course ends by tweaking the arrangement to add fills and automation that improve the flow and keep things interesting, before providing a comprehensive mastering module working with iZotope Ozone.
Signing up to the course grants immediate access to 5 hours of streamed tutorials, as well as links for downloading the project and track from the course plus a bonus 50MB pack of Future House samples from Loopmasters. Check out the free sample module before signing up for an example of the course content and listen to the completed arrangement on the Producertech SoundCloud page embedded below.
Producertech · Future House & Pop Production by Cyborgs - Course Arrangement
£
29
.95*
Jafunk
Future Funk Production Techniques
Combining the best elements of Funk, Neosoul and Disco, Future Funk is a highly engaging style of music that delivers a deeply human touch, whilst also satisfying the need for an electronic punch! Hailing from Australia but now residing in Berlin, producer Jafunk not only captures the true spirit of the style but also possesses an innate ability to describe his music making process in an accessible and captivating way. In his debut Producertech course, he takes you through a workflow where he builds up beats and melodies using sampling and synthesising techniques, to create a Future Funk arrangement from scratch.
Jafunk has been producing music for over a decade, bringing out numerous releases on Unity Records and working with artists like Mark Knight, Chromeo and Fabich. Many of his tracks have accumulated millions of plays on Spotify, with his uplifting style creating buzzing tracks with mass appeal. Alongside this, he has produced a number of sample packs for Loopmasters and even found time to teach as well. As is obvious from the course, he’s a natural teacher and has no problems communicating his workflow, despite delving into some of the more theoretical sides of production.
The course begins with a look at how Jafunk makes beats, as he builds up all of the main drums and percussion. Particular attention is paid to the sequencing, as he applies subtle randomness and variation, whilst multiple layers are used to create a massive sound. He then moves onto the melodies, describing some of the fundamental aspects of coming up with a Funk or Soul chords progression, and how all of the different accompanying instrumental parts are made from that. Once all of the sounds are in place, he uses a subtractive process complete with various automation to create the arrangement.
Signing up to the course provides immediate access to over 2 hours of streamed tutorials, along with a download of the course project and even a bonus samples pack from Loopmasters. For more info, check out the sample module from the course, as well as a bounce of the arrangement, which can be found on the Producertech SoundCloud page. Furthermore, the Producertech Membership provides access to this course as well as all others on the Producertech site, in addition to weekly livestreams from tutors including Jafunk, and lots more!
Producertech · Producertech Course Demo Track
£
24
.95*
Producertech
Rebuilding 'Unstable Condition' with John Tejada
John Tejada’s ‘Unstable Condition’ is undoubtedly one of the biggest Deep House tracks from the last decade. As such, Producertech are thrilled to release this new course, in which John rebuilds the track from scratch, designing sounds, mixing and constructing the entire arrangement, so viewers can not only witness the process but also download and keep the completed project.
John is no stranger to production with a career in electronic music spanning from 1994 to present. In this time John has released four albums with the revered label Kompakt and had releases on Pokerflat, Cocoon, Plug Research, Seventh City, Playhouse, Defected and his own label Palette Recordings. He’s done over 100 remixes for acts as big as The Postal Service and Télépopmusic and played at clubs and festivals in over 30 countries across the world, as well as gracing the Late, Late show with James Corden and Conan, performing with collaborator Reggie Watts as their duo project Wajatta.
The course starts with a quick analysis of the track and a look at the original project, after which the beats are put together using oneshots from Loopcloud. John then designs each of the synth parts one by one, using entirely Wavetable from the Live Suite. Once all parts are in place, he explains some of the key steps involved in mixing the track, showing the importance of metering in balancing parts and a wealth of techniques for processing individual sounds with effects.
Signing up to the course gives you immediate access to the streamed tutorials, as well as the Live project and a bonus pack of loops from John’s Loopmasters sample pack. For an example of the course style, check out the sample module, where John explains how to implement the Haas effect using factory effects in Live, to improve stereo imaging and the character of secondary leads.
* Cover photo by Holly Parker
Kompakt · Unstable Condition
£
24
.95*
Simon Shackleton
Melodic Deep Tech House and Techno Mixdown (Part 3)
PART 3: MIXDOWN
This tutorial series is an epic journey through the production of a Melodic Deep Tech House/Techno track, covering every aspect of the process along the way, from initial conception to final mixdown (this course is part 3, on mixing down, with creation of sounds and arranging covered in full in parts 1 and 2, respectively). Leaving no stone unturned, the producer Simon Shackleton reveals all of the sound design, audio editing, effects processing, music theory and mixing techniques, so that students receive all the knowledge required to produce professional quality music of their own.
Simon Shackleton has been producing professionally for 25 years, going under aliases such as Lunatic Calm, Zodiac Cartel and Elite Force. His music has received support by DJs across the globe and been featured in films like ‘Charlie’s Angels’ and ‘The Matrix’. Renowned for his meticulous nature, eloquence and ability to produce heavy but musical dancefloor tracks, Simon is the ideal tutor for this course.
In the first part, Simon provides a thorough guide to the creation of every part in the track, from drums, bass and leads, to vocals, pads and FX. An assortment of Loopmasters samples are used for the job, carefully sculpted and layered together, with occasional synths employed for melodic parts. Part 2 then continues the journey, with a detailed look at working the parts into a full-on organic arrangement, which is mixed down in part 3.
THIS COURSE IS PART 3, TAKING A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT MIXING DOWN THE FINAL ARRANGEMENT.
Signing up to the course gives immediate 24/7 access to the streamed tutorials, as well as the Live project from the course, whilst users of all music software can benefit from the 130MB pack of bonus audio samples. Before signing up, check out the free sample module and listen to the track from the course on the Producertech SoundCloud page, for examples of the high standard of tutorial and music quality you can expect from the course. Sign up today to jumpstart your production skills and get on the road to creating Melodic Deep Tech House or Techno anthems of your own!
£
29
.95*
Simon Shackleton
Melodic Deep Tech House and Techno Arrangement (Part 2)
PART 2: ARRANGEMENT
This tutorial series is an epic journey through the production of a Melodic Deep Tech House/Techno track, covering every aspect of the process along the way, from initial conception to final mixdown (this course is part 2, on arranging, with creation of sounds and mixing/mastering covered in full in parts 1 and 3, respectively). Leaving no stone unturned, the producer Simon Shackleton reveals all of the sound design, audio editing, effects processing, music theory and mixing techniques, so that students receive all the knowledge required to produce professional quality music of their own.
Simon Shackleton has been producing professionally for 25 years, going under aliases such as Lunatic Calm, Zodiac Cartel and Elite Force. His music has received support by DJs across the globe and been featured in films like ‘Charlie’s Angels’ and ‘The Matrix’. Renowned for his meticulous nature, eloquence and ability to produce heavy but musical dancefloor tracks, Simon is the ideal tutor for this course.
In the first part, Simon provides a thorough guide to the creation of every part in the track, from drums, bass and leads, to vocals, pads and FX. An assortment of Loopmasters samples are used for the job, carefully sculpted and layered together, with occasional synths employed for melodic parts. Part 2 then continues the journey, with a detailed look at working the parts into a full-on organic arrangement, which is mixed down in part 3.
THIS COURSE IS PART 2, ARRANGING ALL THE SOUNDS FROM PART 1 INTO A COMPLETED TRACK. PART 3 ON MIXING AND MASTERING COMING LATER IN THE YEAR...
Signing up to the course gives immediate 24/7 access to the streamed tutorials, as well as the Live project from the course, whilst users of all music software can benefit from the 130MB pack of bonus audio samples. Before signing up, check out the free sample module and listen to the track from the course on the Producertech SoundCloud page, for examples of the high standard of tutorial and music quality you can expect from the course. Sign up today to jumpstart your production skills and get on the road to creating Melodic Deep Tech House or Techno anthems of your own!
£
29
.95*
Simon Shackleton
Melodic Deep Tech House and Techno Production Part 1
This tutorial series is an epic journey through the production of a Melodic Deep Tech House/Techno track, covering every aspect of the process along the way, from initial conception to final mixdown (this course is part 1, with arranging and mixing covered in full in parts 2 and 3 respectively). Leaving no stone unturned, the producer Simon Shackleton reveals all of the sound design, audio editing, effects processing, music theory and mixing techniques, so that students receive all the knowledge required to produce professional quality music of their own.
Simon Shackleton has been producing professionally for 25 years, going under aliases such as Lunatic Calm, Zodiac Cartel and Elite Force. His music has received support by DJs across the globe and been featured in films like ‘Charlie’s Angels’ and ‘The Matrix’. Renowned for his meticulous nature, eloquence and ability to produce heavy but musical dancefloor tracks, Simon is the ideal tutor for this course.
In the first part, Simon provides a thorough guide to the creation of every part in the track, from drums, bass and leads, to vocals, pads and FX. An assortment of Loopmasters samples are used for the job, carefully sculpted and layered together, with occasional synths employed for melodic parts. Part 2 then continues the journey, with a detailed look at working the parts into a full-on organic arrangement, which is mixed down in part 3.
THIS COURSE IS PART 1, GOING FROM AN EMPTY PROJECT TO A 64-BAR SEQUENCE, CONTAINING ALL THE SOUNDS IN THE TRACK. PARTS 2 AND 3 COMING LATER THIS SUMMER...
Signing up to the course gives immediate 24/7 access to the streamed tutorials, as well as the Live project from the course, whilst users of all music software can benefit from the 130MB pack of bonus audio samples. Before signing up, check out the free sample module and listen to the track from the course on the Producertech SoundCloud page, for examples of the high standard of tutorial and music quality you can expect from the course. Sign up today to jumpstart your production skills and get on the road to creating Melodic Deep Tech House or Techno anthems of your own!
£
29
.95*
Producertech
Creative Sampling Techniques
Following on from his beginner’s guide ‘The Art of Sampling’, which covers all of the fundamentals of how to sample, ‘Creative Sampling Techniques’ sees certified trainer Rob Jones applying different sampling methodology in original ways to produce all of the musical parts in a Glitch Electronica track within Ableton Live. Whilst the 2 courses work together well as a sequence, producers with sampling experience already may prefer to dive straight in with this set of tutorials, offering more advanced inspiration and tips to develop their workflow.
Starting proceedings with a kick and snare groove, powerful drums are constructed using various layering techniques, with unusual foley incorporated to add unique textures to an otherwise simplistic break. To this, Rob adds undulating bass, created from a single sample, shaped and modulated in differing ways to show how many possibilities can arise from a basic oneshot. Similarly, a vocal is taken in several directions, with one featuring tempo-locked stuttering whilst another employs more drastic time-stretching envelopes.
Multiple velocity-modulation assignments are then used to create a melodic groove from a complex orchestral sample, whilst other acoustic and synthesised samples are woven together to make pulsing pads and syncopated, arpeggiated leads. After switching to the arrangement area to start laying out parts, Rob introduces two additional samples, showing how to convert one to MIDI for stacking up other samples on top, and how to transform and resample another, for creating more experimental vocal phrases to sing along to the groove.
Included with the 2 hours of streamed tutorials are the Ableton Live project from the course and a bonus 100MB pack of samples, allowing students to more closely inspect the track and try out techniques with a new collection of sounds. Before signing up, check out the free sample module from the course and listen to the arrangement on Producertech’s SoundCloud page.
£
19
.95*
Producertech
Neuro Tech DnB Production
With his technical mastery of production and highly critical ear, Proxima is one of the leading figures in Drum & Bass today. His music rapidly caught the attention of popular labels, leading to his first release on Renegade back in 2008. Since then, he has been a regular artist on the roster of Tempa, Shogun Audio and more recently Icicle’s label Entropy.
In this online course, Proxima takes students on a journey as he sculpts a twisted Neuro Tech DnB track from scratch. Practically every one of the musical parts, including basses, leads, FX and even drums, are created using Live Suite instruments like Analog, Operator, Collision and Wavetable. Students can therefore expect to be treated to a huge wealth of sound design expertise and insight, as each sound is carefully crafted from an initialised state.
In addition to sound design, Proxima shares his invaluable mixing and arrangement tips, showing how to achieve a perfect balance throughout a track. Using audio processing and automation to great effect, he demonstrates how to juxtapose sounds to create melodic and rhythmic interest, whilst delivering a satisfyingly gnarly and devastating groove, guaranteed to have a dancefloor rocking!
As with all Producertech courses, a free sample lesson is supplied, so students can see an example of Proxima’s lesson style before signing up, to make sure the course is right for them. Signing up then allows access to well over 3 hours of streamed lessons, the completed Live project from the tutorials and a 100MB taster of Proxima’s Looptone Drum & Bass Masterclass sample pack, providing students with a huge package for producing massive DnB anthems of their own!
£
29
.95*
Producertech
Complete Guide to Wavetable
<p>Ableton’s stunning new synth Wavetable, only surfacing recently in Live 10, is already making huge waves with its powerful engine and engaging graphic interface. On this course from certified trainer Rob Jones, you’ll be shown how to create a number of presets in step-by-step fashion, and in doing so will learn how each section of the instrument works and an array of techniques for using them to create quality patches of your own. You’ll also get a series of free bonus tutorials on another new Live 10 device, Echo, which show how to add interesting textures and processing to the Wavetable patches made on the course.</p>
<p>After a brief overview, Rob dives straight in to looking at some simple examples of oscillator modulation and waveshaping, demonstrating how impressive sounds can be made with relative ease. He then develops the sound with other sections of the synth, to improve students’ understanding of the device and as a gentle introduction to designing sounds. The subsequent modules then move into more advanced territory, looking at increasingly complex and layered modulation techniques, used to create a Neuro Bass patch, a Spacey Plucked Lead and a Glitchy Rhythmic Sequence.</p>
<p>Although the bulk of the course is dedicated to Wavetable, there are 40 mins of bonus lessons on Echo, a fantastic new delay in Live 10. Rob uses Echo to add an extra dimension to lead and bass patches, making use of many of the unique features on the effect, such as modulation and mid/side mode. All modules are divided into shorter lessons, making digestion of lesson content and future referencing a great deal easier.</p>
<p>Signing up gets you instant access to the streamed tutorials, plus all the projects and 10 Wavetable presets made on the course. Check out the free sample module on the contents tab, as an example of the lesson style and content, which will ensure a significant improvement to your knowledge of wavetable synthesising and sound design.</p>
£
17
.95*