Ableton Live 11: Making a Song

Studio wiz Thomas Cochran presents creative Ableton Live 11 video tutorials! If you are new to Ableton Live 11 and want to see how to put together a cool track from scratch, stop right here. Thomas shows you how to make a cool new-style R&B track utilizing many of the new features found in Ableton Live 11. You also get the Ableton Live 11 project with all the audio so you can follow along on your system. These videos are for those who have some basic Ableton Live knowledge but want to see ways to produce a song.

Melodic Elements

• Song Play Through (02:30) - In this first video, Thomas introduces the course and plays though the song that you'll be creating together.

• Guitar Sample (12:16) - Thomas now shows how to create and process a guitar sample that will be used as the backing for the song.

• Lo-Fi Synth Chords (12:20) - Learn how to use the new Hybrid Reverb, updated chorus effect, and the new Scale Feature to create a nice lo-fi synth part that will be used throughout the song.

• Ambient Backing Texture (09:20) - This video shows how the new Tree Tone device can be used in a more practical setting to create an ambient arpeggio texture. Thomas also covers how to use this device to create interesting and un-expected sounds for your tracks.

• Bass (09:04) - Watch how to take a simple bass preset and add variation though the use of the new macro controls. This will be used as the main sub for the song.

Rhythm Parts

• Verse Drums (03:53) - This video shows how to make the basic drum pattern for the verse section of the song.

• Chorus Drums (09:39) - Learn how to make a faster switch up section for the main chorus of the song. This video also shows the new velocity randomization feature on the hi-hats.

Additional Melodies & Vocals

• Rhodes (10:20) - Thomas now shows you how to use Pitchloop 89 device to make an interesting delayed Rhodes keyboard. This video also makes use of the Spectral Delay for an interesting ambient sound.

• Synth Pad with MPE (10:18) - Learn how the new MPE support can be used to take a simple synth pad and create a dynamic pitch shifting texture. This can be done even if you don't have a MPE device!

• Granular Ambient Pad (10:35) - This video uses the new device Emit to create a nice granular pad, which is then enhanced but being put through some creative resampling and processing.

Final Adjustments & Vocals

• Arrangement (07:09) - See how to make the basic arrangement and song structure of the track.

• Vocals (06:26) - In the final video of the course, Thomas explains the vocal recording setup and processing used on the vocals, as well as as shows how to use the vocal comping feature that was added in the Live 11 update.