Ableton Live DJ’s Guide Tutorial Course
Ableton Live is not just a hugely popular and powerful DAW, but also a highly effective and intuitive live performance environment for DJs. Whether you’re an experienced producer, a new Ableton user or an old school DJ looking for a powerful new creative tool, this extremely detailed course from Adam Goodlet, founder and owner of Re:Creation Studio, will fully equip you to step up in front of an audience with Live at your fingertips.
In the first half of the course, Adam demonstrates how to set up Live with all of the functionality of the most popular hardware DJ mixers . You’ll learn how to build a pioneer-style channel strip; add effects including loopers, delays, distortion and reverb; how to customise a cross fader and assign a cue output and how to lay out the mixer for maximum control.
In the second half of the course, you’ll learn the best way to work with samples and how to break down a track into stems for further manipulation, hugely increasing your creative possibilities. Next, you’ll be given an insight into the most popular 3rd party plugins and hardware MIDI controllers in use today, as well as the complete setup that Adam uses to take his DJing to the next level. Finally, you’ll be shown how to record and edit a mix that you can post online.
This comprehensive course is available in the new Producertech Academy, and can be streamed from the web 24/7/365. The tutorials come with the completed DJ template for Live built during the course, a channel FX rack for shaping and glitching tracks and 100MB of bonus FX samples courtesy of Loopmasters.
Module 1: Intro
In the first module, Adam introduces himself and explains what you will learn from the course.
Module 2: Import and Warp Audio
Beginning with the fundamentals, module 2 gives a detailed explanation about importing tracks, different warp modes and markers and organising your Project.
Module 3: Gain, EQ and Filter
Adam continues by demonstrating how to build a Pioneer DJ-mixer style channel strip, with the gain, EQ and filter options optimised to improve upon those you’d find on a hardware unit.
Module 4: Effects and Loop Tools
In module 4, you’ll learn how to add channel effects which let you alter your sounds in real time, with looping, glitching and modulation controls. Adam also shows you how to group effects and use macro controls, so you can control multiple plugins in an intuitive way.
Module 5: Send Effects
In the next section, Adam demonstrates how to add send effects, emulating the buss FX units you’d often find in the booth including: reverb, delays and distortion.
Module 6: Mixer Layout
In module 6, you’ll learn how to set up a DJ mixer in Live. Adam explains how to duplicate channels and customise a cross-fader, including the different modes which you can use. Additionally, Adam discusses proper audio interface settings and assigning the cue output.
Module 7: Master Channel
In the final setup module, Adam discusses global effects processing, as well as how to ensuring you have enough headroom, and how to set up a master buss limiter. Concluding the modules which show you have to implement all of the features of a hardware setup in Live.
Module 8: Session View
In module 8, focus moves to the session view, where you’ll learn about scrubbing and nudging clips, launch quantisation and using different BPMs for different scenes. Next, you’ll be given an explanation about how to use clip specific automation and resampling.
Module 9: Samples and Effects
In this module, you’ll be shown how to create a sample-deck style system in Live, including importing and tuning of samples, applying FX and using groups and the drum rack to enhance your creative possibilities.
Module 10: Working with Stem
In module 10, Adam demonstrates how to break a track down into multiple pieces of audio, such as drums, bass, chords, vocals, so you can manipulate them individually. You’ll be shown how to set warp points, and the best way to process them as groups and launch them from the session view.
Module 11: 3rd Party Effects
In this module, you’ll be given an insight into some of the most popular 3rd-party plugins available today, including some free plugins, from the likes of Xfer Records, Izotope, Sugar Bytes and more. Adam demonstrates how he uses these plugins to make his mixes more powerful, creative and exciting.
Module 12: Hardware Intro
In the next section, Adam discusses the pros and cons of three different hardware MIDI controllers and how to add them to your DJing workflow.
Module 13: Push Tips
In this module, Adam gives an overview of the Push, before walking you through his custom MIDI mappings for the Push which he uses in his DJing setup. He also describes how to use the Push as a drum machine, like some new DJ mixers are including, as well as some things to watch our for in a live situation.
Module 14: APC40 MKII
Next, you’re given an overview of the AKAI APC40MKII, and how to set it up to work with Live. Adam explains his approach to customising the controls and integrating it into the Live project built earlier.
Module 15: Xone K2 Tips
In this module, Adam shows you how to configure the Xone K2 and integrate it into the DJ setup built earlier, including using its built-in audio interface
Module 16: Pulling it all together
In module 16, Adam brings together the different elements you’ve built during the course. You’ll be given handy tips for organising the session, create keyboard shortcuts and remove unnecessary clutter from the view to optimise your DJing workflow.
Module 17: Example Setup
In the penultimate module, Adam walks you through his Live and hardware controller DJ setup, using the Push and Xone K2 together. He demonstrates how to maximise your control over the session, without using an overwhelming number of knobs and sliders, ensuring the most important controls fall naturally under your hands.
Module 18: Recording and Exporting
In the final module, you’ll learn how to record an entire mix in Live. Adam shows you how to correct any mistakes made and then export the final version. A comprehensive explanation of file types, samples rate and bit depth and using dither is included.
Features:
- Nearly 3 hours of detailed tutorials
- Comprehensive insight into DJing with Ableton
- Learn how to emulate hardware setups in Live
- Integration of popular hardware MIDI controllers explained
- Live DJ template and 100MB Bonus FX samples