Last year we launched a popular tutorial series called Did You Know? with Ableton Certified Trainer, Dubspot instructor, and recording artist Thavius Beck. In the series, Thavius shared invaluable production tips, tricks, and techniques and examined some of the less explored and slightly hidden features in Ableton Live. We’ve compiled the first eight episodes of the series below…
How to make Live’s Ping Pong delay effect sound more like an authentic tape delay! As Thavius puts it, this will “take less than 5 minutes of your life, and you will leave knowing a little bit more than you did before.” Sounds like a win-win to me!
How you can edit and create your own text and write notes and instruction. This is an extremely useful tip for remixing and collaborations.
Thavius explores Live’s Audio and MIDI Routing options and shows you how you can route audio from one Return channel to another Return channel simply by enabling the Sends on your Returns (which are disabled by default). This opens up more flexible options in terms of routing audio, applying effects, and manipulating sounds.
Thavius explains and demonstrates an often overlooked and even more often misunderstood feature: Hi-Quality mode in Live’s EQ8.
Thavius offers an invaluable tip for launching clips and moving through scenes in Live, explaining how by simply removing the stop buttons inside empty clip slots, you can launch clips and jump through scenes without having to interrupt your groove.
Thavius looks a bit more at what is possible with scenes by editing the Scene Launch Tempo as well as the Scene Launch Time Signature.
An excellent tip for browsing and locating files on your hard drive(s) without leaving Live’s interface: simply by using the three folders in the upper left side of your interface as shortcuts, you will enhance your workflow, efficiency, and focus when creating.
How to use Ableton Live’s built-in step input recording feature. This allows you to input MIDI notes into Live simply by adding a MIDI track, enabling recording, setting Live’s grid value, and recording notes step-by-step using a MIDI keyboard or your computer keyboard.
Our music production program is custom-tailored to fit your musical style. You can choose from several Digital Audio Workstations including Ableton Live, Logic Pro, or Propellerhead’s Reason.
After completing this program, you will leave with 4 completed tracks (EP), a remix entered in an active contest, a scored commercial to widen your scope, and the Dubspot Producer’s Certificate in Ableton Live.
“So far the experience through Dubspot is incredible, and I can’t wait to go through the next levels. It’s just getting better each week, and I cannot wait to start putting an EP together, not just being able to put a successful track together!”
- Dan Carter, United Kingdom