Ready to master synths and samplers? This Ableton Live course gives you real production tools. Enroll today and create with confidence! Read more.
Jason Allen is a PhD in music, and was recently named one of the semi-finalists for the Grammy Foundations "Music Educator" award.
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Who this course is for:
- Aspiring music producers who want a comprehensive understanding of Ableton Live
- Musicians and creatives interested in producing tracks, beats, synths, or other original music independently
- Students aiming to dive deeper into the advanced tools and techniques of Ableton Live
What you’ll learn:
- Produce professional-grade music using Ableton Live
- Use drum samples to edit, arrange, and design unique drum beats
- Master the powerful Racks interface within Ableton Live
- Create original sounds from scratch using all of Ableton Live’s built-in instruments
- Apply synthesis and sampling techniques used by professional producers
Requirements:
- While not required, completing these earlier courses will help you get the most out of this one:
- Ultimate Ableton Live: Part 1 – The Interface & The Basics
- Ultimate Ableton Live: Part 2 – Recording & Warping
- Ultimate Ableton Live: Part 3 – Producing & Editing
- Access to Ableton Live software (the free 30-day trial is a great starting point)
- Note: A new version of this course (Ultimate Ableton Live 10) is also available on SkillSuccess
Part 4: Synths & Samplers
This in-depth Ableton Live course focuses on the creative power of synthesis and sampling. You’ll explore every Ableton instrument in detail, gaining insights into their unique capabilities and how to integrate them into your music production workflow.
Taught by Ableton Certified Trainer Dr. J. Anthony Allen—a university professor, composer, and founder of Slam Academy—this course brings academic-level training to your screen at a fraction of the cost.
Key Topics Covered:
- Synthesis Essentials
- Basics of sound synthesis
- Types of synthesis (including physical modeling)
- Key elements that shape sound design
- Ableton Live Instruments
- Analog, Collision, Electric, Impulse, Tension, Operator
- Simpler and Sampler, with deep dives into multisampling, zones, and orchestral design
- Mastering Samplers & Racks
- Drum Racks, Instrument Racks, Chain Selector, Macros
- Choke settings, advanced MIDI control, external instruments
- Production Techniques
- Tips, tricks, and real-world application to accelerate your workflow
- Downloadable sets and exercises to reinforce your learning
This class includes hands-on sessions and experiments to follow along, helping you understand how to use Ableton Live not just in theory, but in your actual music projects.
About the Instructor
Dr. J. Anthony Allen is an Ableton Certified Trainer, Ph.D. in Music Composition, and expert in electronic sound design. His work spans film, radio, video games, and live performance. He currently teaches at the University of St. Thomas, Macphail Academy of Music, and leads Slam Academy in Minneapolis.
Student Reviews
“This course explains exactly how to get the most out of Live—perfect for anyone struggling with the interface.”
“Clear and to the point. Great session walkthroughs!”
“I never had formal music training, but Dr. J made complex ideas easy to understand.”
Build your music career—start with more tools from my course list.
Our Promise to You
By the end of this Ableton Live course, you’ll have a firm grasp on using synthesizers and samplers in Ableton Live, empowering you to create original, high-quality music from scratch.
Whether you’re advancing from previous parts or jumping straight in, you’ll walk away with real, practical skills you can apply immediately.
10 Day Money Back Guarantee. If you are unsatisfied for any reason, simply contact us and we’ll give you a full refund. No questions asked.
Get started today and learn more about Ableton Live!
Keep Learning and Head to Our Blog Posts For More Actionable Tips and Advanced Strategies!
Course Curriculum
| Section 1 - Welcome And Overview | |||
| Introduction | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 2 - Working With Live's Instruments | |||
| The Live Instruments | 00:00:00 | ||
| A Quick MIDI Refresher | 00:00:00 | ||
| MIDI Clips | 00:00:00 | ||
| Important Key Commands | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 3 - Synthesis Basics | |||
| Synthesis Basics | 00:00:00 | ||
| Synthesis Types | 00:00:00 | ||
| Synthesis Elements | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 4 - Live's Analog Instrument | |||
| Live's Analog Synth | 00:00:00 | ||
| The Basic Outline Of Analog | 00:00:00 | ||
| Programming Analog | 00:00:00 | ||
| LFO And Other Parameters | 00:00:00 | ||
| DOWNLOAD: The Analog Patch I Built In This Section | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 5 - The Ableton Live Instruments | |||
| All The Ableton Live Instruments | 00:00:00 | ||
| Live's Collision Instrument | 00:00:00 | ||
| Programming Collision | 00:00:00 | ||
| DOWNLOAD: Collision Patch From The Previous Lesson | 00:00:00 | ||
| Live's Electric Instrument | 00:00:00 | ||
| Electric Basic Outline | 00:00:00 | ||
| Electric Preset Study | 00:00:00 | ||
| Live's Impulse Instrument | 00:00:00 | ||
| Building Grooves With Impulse | 00:00:00 | ||
| Live's Tension Instrument | 00:00:00 | ||
| Tension Preset Study | 00:00:00 | ||
| Live's Operator Instrument | 00:00:00 | ||
| Programming Live's Operator | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 6 - The Ableton Live Samplers | |||
| The Simpler And The Sampler | 00:00:00 | ||
| Using Simpler | 00:00:00 | ||
| Using Sampler | 00:00:00 | ||
| Multisamples And Zones | 00:00:00 | ||
| An Orchestra Library Example | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 7 - UPDATE: The Live 9.5 Simpler | |||
| What's New? | 00:00:00 | ||
| Live 9.5 Simpler - Classic Mode | 00:00:00 | ||
| Live 9.5 Simpler - 1-shot Mode | 00:00:00 | ||
| Live 9.5 Simpler - Slice Mode | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 8 - Racks | |||
| Instrument Racks | 00:00:00 | ||
| Chains And The Chain Selector | 00:00:00 | ||
| Macros | 00:00:00 | ||
| Some Rack Presets | 00:00:00 | ||
| Drum Racks (A Little Review) | 00:00:00 | ||
| The Choke Setting | 00:00:00 | ||
| Sends And Returns In Drum Racks | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 9 - The External Instrument | |||
| The External Instrument | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 10 - Closing Thoughts | |||
| Parting Thoughts | 00:00:00 | ||
About This Course
Who this course is for:
- Aspiring music producers who want a comprehensive understanding of Ableton Live
- Musicians and creatives interested in producing tracks, beats, synths, or other original music independently
- Students aiming to dive deeper into the advanced tools and techniques of Ableton Live
What you’ll learn:
- Produce professional-grade music using Ableton Live
- Use drum samples to edit, arrange, and design unique drum beats
- Master the powerful Racks interface within Ableton Live
- Create original sounds from scratch using all of Ableton Live’s built-in instruments
- Apply synthesis and sampling techniques used by professional producers
Requirements:
- While not required, completing these earlier courses will help you get the most out of this one:
- Ultimate Ableton Live: Part 1 – The Interface & The Basics
- Ultimate Ableton Live: Part 2 – Recording & Warping
- Ultimate Ableton Live: Part 3 – Producing & Editing
- Access to Ableton Live software (the free 30-day trial is a great starting point)
- Note: A new version of this course (Ultimate Ableton Live 10) is also available on SkillSuccess
Part 4: Synths & Samplers
This in-depth Ableton Live course focuses on the creative power of synthesis and sampling. You’ll explore every Ableton instrument in detail, gaining insights into their unique capabilities and how to integrate them into your music production workflow.
Taught by Ableton Certified Trainer Dr. J. Anthony Allen—a university professor, composer, and founder of Slam Academy—this course brings academic-level training to your screen at a fraction of the cost.
Key Topics Covered:
- Synthesis Essentials
- Basics of sound synthesis
- Types of synthesis (including physical modeling)
- Key elements that shape sound design
- Ableton Live Instruments
- Analog, Collision, Electric, Impulse, Tension, Operator
- Simpler and Sampler, with deep dives into multisampling, zones, and orchestral design
- Mastering Samplers & Racks
- Drum Racks, Instrument Racks, Chain Selector, Macros
- Choke settings, advanced MIDI control, external instruments
- Production Techniques
- Tips, tricks, and real-world application to accelerate your workflow
- Downloadable sets and exercises to reinforce your learning
This class includes hands-on sessions and experiments to follow along, helping you understand how to use Ableton Live not just in theory, but in your actual music projects.
About the Instructor
Dr. J. Anthony Allen is an Ableton Certified Trainer, Ph.D. in Music Composition, and expert in electronic sound design. His work spans film, radio, video games, and live performance. He currently teaches at the University of St. Thomas, Macphail Academy of Music, and leads Slam Academy in Minneapolis.
Student Reviews
“This course explains exactly how to get the most out of Live—perfect for anyone struggling with the interface.”
“Clear and to the point. Great session walkthroughs!”
“I never had formal music training, but Dr. J made complex ideas easy to understand.”
Build your music career—start with more tools from my course list.
Our Promise to You
By the end of this Ableton Live course, you’ll have a firm grasp on using synthesizers and samplers in Ableton Live, empowering you to create original, high-quality music from scratch.
Whether you’re advancing from previous parts or jumping straight in, you’ll walk away with real, practical skills you can apply immediately.
10 Day Money Back Guarantee. If you are unsatisfied for any reason, simply contact us and we’ll give you a full refund. No questions asked.
Get started today and learn more about Ableton Live!
Keep Learning and Head to Our Blog Posts For More Actionable Tips and Advanced Strategies!
Course Curriculum
| Section 1 - Welcome And Overview | |||
| Introduction | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 2 - Working With Live's Instruments | |||
| The Live Instruments | 00:00:00 | ||
| A Quick MIDI Refresher | 00:00:00 | ||
| MIDI Clips | 00:00:00 | ||
| Important Key Commands | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 3 - Synthesis Basics | |||
| Synthesis Basics | 00:00:00 | ||
| Synthesis Types | 00:00:00 | ||
| Synthesis Elements | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 4 - Live's Analog Instrument | |||
| Live's Analog Synth | 00:00:00 | ||
| The Basic Outline Of Analog | 00:00:00 | ||
| Programming Analog | 00:00:00 | ||
| LFO And Other Parameters | 00:00:00 | ||
| DOWNLOAD: The Analog Patch I Built In This Section | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 5 - The Ableton Live Instruments | |||
| All The Ableton Live Instruments | 00:00:00 | ||
| Live's Collision Instrument | 00:00:00 | ||
| Programming Collision | 00:00:00 | ||
| DOWNLOAD: Collision Patch From The Previous Lesson | 00:00:00 | ||
| Live's Electric Instrument | 00:00:00 | ||
| Electric Basic Outline | 00:00:00 | ||
| Electric Preset Study | 00:00:00 | ||
| Live's Impulse Instrument | 00:00:00 | ||
| Building Grooves With Impulse | 00:00:00 | ||
| Live's Tension Instrument | 00:00:00 | ||
| Tension Preset Study | 00:00:00 | ||
| Live's Operator Instrument | 00:00:00 | ||
| Programming Live's Operator | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 6 - The Ableton Live Samplers | |||
| The Simpler And The Sampler | 00:00:00 | ||
| Using Simpler | 00:00:00 | ||
| Using Sampler | 00:00:00 | ||
| Multisamples And Zones | 00:00:00 | ||
| An Orchestra Library Example | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 7 - UPDATE: The Live 9.5 Simpler | |||
| What's New? | 00:00:00 | ||
| Live 9.5 Simpler - Classic Mode | 00:00:00 | ||
| Live 9.5 Simpler - 1-shot Mode | 00:00:00 | ||
| Live 9.5 Simpler - Slice Mode | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 8 - Racks | |||
| Instrument Racks | 00:00:00 | ||
| Chains And The Chain Selector | 00:00:00 | ||
| Macros | 00:00:00 | ||
| Some Rack Presets | 00:00:00 | ||
| Drum Racks (A Little Review) | 00:00:00 | ||
| The Choke Setting | 00:00:00 | ||
| Sends And Returns In Drum Racks | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 9 - The External Instrument | |||
| The External Instrument | 00:00:00 | ||
| Section 10 - Closing Thoughts | |||
| Parting Thoughts | 00:00:00 | ||
Course Review
5.0
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Comprehensive
I’m not gonna lie, I was not very interested in synths going into the course, but I have enjoyed making electronic music in the past. So in the interest of learning more about making synths from scratch and tweaking presets with precision, rather than being stuck with defaults or flipping knobs randomly—and because I bought the full course and compulsively wish to watch every video, I embarked on this very long course.
At first, I was distracted, I fell asleep at times, spaced out at others (this being more a reflection of my attention span, than of the course) & I had to rewind and rewatch more times than I’d like to admit, but towards the end of the session, when my girlfriend came into the studio & I decided to compose a loop for her on the fly, I found myself composing a song and editing LFOs and all sorts of shenanigans I wouldn’t have dreamed of back when I loaded up this program for the first time and was unable to even move the play head to the beginning. Despite chronic fidgeting and the best efforts of my wandering mind, you taught me how to use and comprehend synths and Ableton. Thank you for this.
Learned new thing thank you
Another Great Set of Lessons!
Love the in depth overview of this section as well! So much information in every single class, no stone left unturned!!
Another Great Set of Lessons!
Love the in depth overview of this sextion as well! So much information in every single class, no stone left unturned!!
Great intro to Ableton Live
enjoyed this course. Was easy to follow and the instructor was clear and logical connected all the parts of this course. Even though I have been using Ableton Live 9 for some time I learned a few things and was reminded of lots of things. Recommend 🙂