(Note: this is a TWO-DAY weekend workshop)
Dates: See Workshops page.
Time: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (both days)
Cost: 300 euros — lunch, snacks, and drinks included
Location: big brain audio, Berlin
Instructor: Brian Smith
Language: English (German and French also spoken by instructor)
Maximum Number of Participants: 6
Level: Intermediate-Advanced
Target: For Ableton Live users with some experience who would like to push their sound design and production skillset to the next level with Ableton Live. Also for experienced Live 9 users who wish to take full advantage of the new features and workflows in Live 10.
Description: In this 2-day intensive course, you will learn the ins and outs of advanced features of Ableton Live 10: extended racks for custom-made instruments and effects; getting MIDI-to-Audio conversion right; advanced automation techniques; workflow tips and tricks; multiple MIDI Clip editing; live and production setups for controllers; best effects routing strategies (including side-chaining tips); how to work Live’s compressors to your advantage; secrets for creating powerful templates to accelerate your workflows; using the Simpler and analog filter emulations, the new Wavetable synthesizer and Echo effect, and much more.
In addition, we will learn to integrate the Ableton Push into a creative production workflow. (Each workstation includes an Ableton Push 2.)
Using direct examples that we create in class, we work our way through advanced topics in producing music with Ableton Live during the weekend. Each participant will create their own Live sets, creating working examples of every point we cover in class.
We will also learn the basics of Max for Live, especially from a musician’s and producer’s point of view, while learning the ins and outs of Max for Live Instruments and Audio and MIDI Effects, greatly enhancing your productions.
COURSE OUTLINE:
Building your own sound toolbox
- Track and Set templates
- templating Instrument and Effect Racks
- creating your own production building blocks
- creating a Favorites library (Live 10)
- using the new Max for Live Drum instruments
- the Wavetable and Operator synths
- Impulse, Simple, and Sampler: which, when, and how?
Controlling your work with hardware
- Ableton Push
- setting up MIDI controllers
- multiple MIDI inputs
Creativity with Racks
- kinds of Racks: similarities and differences
- customizing Racks: Macros and grouping Racks in Racks
- Rack routing (also between tracks)
Warping expertise
- warp modes and their settings
- warping short and long clips
- mastering Warp Markers
- creative sound design with warping
Audio-to-MIDI conversion
- differences in Drums-to-MIDI, Harmony-to-MIDI, and Melody-to-MIDI
- creating your custom conversion instruments
- using Audio-to-MIDI conversion as a creative enhancement to audio
Automation
- Session vs. Arrangement automation
- setting up automation sources and targets
- automation tips
- automation editing workflows
Mixing in Live
- routing and grouping Tracks (multiple grouping in Live 10)
- sends/return pre/post
- using mono Bass in Utility (Live 10)
- routing between channels
- how to make an Aux channel in Live
- “glueing” your tracks together: compression and EQ
Exporting
- preparing tracks for export
- export settings
- exporting stems