Ableton Live Small Group Lessons | Learn MUSIC live-online

MUSIC PRODUCTION
WITH ABLETON LIVE

Small groups, personalized coaching,
and a proven workflow to help you
write unique music faster

“No book or tutorial video has been anywhere near as helpful as checking in regularly with a real person who is genuinely delighted to see me succeed with my productions. I highly recommend working with Aaron!”

Garret

“His gentle and kind demeanour are exactly the teacher traits I need to make mistakes, feel frustrated- but to keep learning! After each lesson, I rush to implement what I’ve learned. I would recommend this course to anyone who is wanting to create and put their music into the world.”

Melvin

“Took an Ableton producing class – loved it!! Excellent organization of topics, take home activities, fun sample beats, quirky off-beat jokes to keep you focused. The daunting program now feels a lot more accessible to this lil’ beginner”

Siri

“If you are considering taking a class from Aaron I highly recommend it. I did the trial lesson and quickly realized I had a lot to learn and that Aaron can teach it.”

Jason

“Spacefood is an excellent way to start/continue your Ableton journey. Learning the basics through spacefood will save ton of time down the road and the activities provided are great practice. Highly recommended!”

Landon

“Aaron is an awesome teacher and a great mentor! He is very passionate and enthusiastic about teaching which makes it easier to learn.”

Mike

MUSIC PRODUCTION
WITH ABLETON LIVE

Small group lessons, personalized coaching,
and a proven workflow to help you
write unique music faster

JOIN THE NEXT GROUP

GROUP C (MARCH 2023) REGISTRATION OPEN!
Join a focused group of 4-8 Ableton Live learners starting March, 2023

Garret

Melvin

Siri

“If you are considering taking a class from Aaron I highly recommend it. I did the trial lesson and quickly realized I had a lot to learn and that Aaron can teach it.”

Jason

Landon

“Aaron is an awesome teacher and a great mentor! He is very passionate and enthusiastic about teaching which makes it easier to learn.”

Mike

COURSE OVERVIEW

Small groups, personalized coaching, and a proven workflow to help you write unique music faster.

This course is perfect for those who want to learn the fundamentals of music production with Ableton Live. You’ll receive over 6 hours of coaching, plus 6 hours of on-demand video education. You’ll also have the opportunity to network and collaborate with other students. The course is 6 weeks long, and will give you the chance to learn the speed production workflow that will help you avoid overwhelm and write unique music faster.

REAL-TIME COACHING

Over 6 HOURS of Live-Online Coaching

Each week, you and your small group of between 4-8 will meet with Aaron via Zoom to ask questions, network with your cohort, and learn creative music composition strategies

COURSE LENGTH

6 Weeks + Ongoing Collaborations

Review video tutorials and complete activities before each, 1-hour, live-online coaching session, held weekly. All students are encouraged to participate in live-online collaboration jams to keep the creative juices flowing!

SKILL LEVEL

Beginner

This course is ideal for complete beginners and low-intermediate users eager to start making the music they hear in their minds

RESOURCES

Video Tutorials, Templates, and Guides

Get audio & MIDI samples, PDF reference guides, and unlimited access to the 6+ HOURS of tutorials and lesson recordings

REAL-TIME COACHING

Over 6 HOURS of Live-Online Coaching

Each week, you and your small group of between 4-8 will meet with Aaron via Zoom to ask questions, network with your cohort, and learn creative music composition strategies

COURSE LENGTH

6 Weeks + Ongoing Collaborations

SKILL LEVEL

Beginner

This course is ideal for complete beginners and low-intermediate users eager to start making the music they hear in their minds

RESOURCES

Video Tutorials, Templates, and Guides

Get audio & MIDI samples, PDF reference guides, and unlimited access to the 6+ HOURS of tutorials and lesson recordings

CURRICULUM

MUSIC PRODUCTION WITH ABLETON LIVE

WEEK 1 | The Fundamentals of Ableton Live

Ableton Live browser
Session view/Arrangement view navigation
What is session/arrangement view best for
Clip slots
What is the difference between an audio clip and a Midi clip
How to program MIDI (drums)
Adding tracks
Deleting tracks
Selecting multiple tracks range & nonadjacent
Tracks are connected between session & arrangement view
I/O section
Sends section
Return tracks
Adding an audio clip to the session view from browser
Clip launch button
Loop indicator
Show/hide sends & returns
Add return track
Pad launch/mute/solo buttons
Duplicate and vary technique
Beat time ruler – clip view
Adding MIDI notes to MIDI editor
Pausing clip playback
Beat subdivision
Beat names
Pencil tool for adding midi notes

Mixer section
Resizing views
What is Pan?
Track activator switch
Solo button
Record arm button
Volume meter
Midi velocity meter
Types of midi messages
Velocity Editor
Converting MIdI to audio
Midi editor
Drum instruments
Single device icon vs device group
Audio preview icon
Sorting the browser list
How to add devices to a track
Back to arrangement view button
Add new midi clip to session view
Deleting clips
Detail view midi vs detail view audio
Piano roll
Stopping clips in session view
Toggling detail view with overview tabs
Fold/unfold views
Info area
Drum rack overview
Velocity editor with the pencil tool
Velocity ramping

Changing the beat grid using the context menu
Fixed vs adaptive grid
Focus based shortcuts
Zooming using the beat time ruler
Moving left & right with the beat time ruler
Navigate and zoom with overview area session and arrangement view
Turn on loop in clip view
Activate loop in arrangement view
Adjusting the length of loop
Moving midi notes around in the midi editor
Adjusting the start and end markers
Adjusting position and length of loop brace in clip box
Time signature in clip box
Notes box – half/double selection length
Reversing midi selection
Invert midi selection
Legato button
Duplicate button
Overlapping midi notes
On/off midi messages
Selecting multiple midi notes
Scrub area playback
Elastic band select tool
Duplicating midi notes
Velocity editor adjusting velocities

WEEK 2 | Arrangement View Mastery

Renaming tracks & clips
Recolouring tracks & clips
Adding a new midi clip
Assign track color to all clips
Duplicating clios
Parts of a clip
Selecting time
Splitting clip
Moving clips
Consolidating clips
Select Range
Clip preview
Moving track order
Grouping tracks
Moving a track outside of a group
Consolidate audio clips
Moving multiple clips in selection

Editing audio clips to make a beat
Selecting a range of tracks
Selecting nonadjacent tracks
Fold and unfold a group
Audio routing in a group
Browser categories overview
Audio effects overview
Preferred method of adding
Devices review
Adding a Simpler device
Add a sample to simpler
Quick way of using the simpler
A/B checking
Device activator
Audio routing
Master channel
Two-channel audio output (stereo)

Searching in a specific category
One shot sample & loops
Adding audio clips to the arrangement timeline
Creating a loop
Properly duplicating clips
Adjusting clip volume
Adjusting the clip volume of a
Multi-selection
Manually add value
Use track volume
Pan control
Dry/wet
Reversing audio clip
Temporarily disable grid
Snapping
Clip fades
Crossfade

WEEK 3 | File Management & Workflow

User library location
Installing elements folder
Difference between User library vs Ableton project folder
Adding the Music Stuff folder
How to save
Saving location

Project folder
ALS files
Start a new live set
Saving versions
Avoiding missing audio files
Best practice for adding audio files into an Ableton Live project

Current project folder in Ableton Browser
Analysis file
Library Tab
How to find the user library folder
Important naming convention
Adding ideas to the ELEMENTS folder

WEEK 4 | Recording MIDI & Automation

What is MIDI
What is a MIDI cable
What types of information is transferred using MIDI?
Forms of MIDI cables
The difference between controllers and synthesizers
Types of controls on a small midi controller
How to setup MIDI controllers with Ableton Live
Natively supported controller
MIDI signal flow
Record arm
Output latency & optimizing buffer settings
Recording MIDI into the arrangement view
Add locators
Metronome settings
Quantization settings
Stretching length of MIDI note

Adjusting loop length in arrangement view
Loop recording
Seeing hidden clip content
Adjusting the start marker
Slide clip content
Lane view comping
Capture function
Assigning midi mappings to a controller
Overdub recording mode
Info view
Dry/wet parameter
Recording automation
Overdub recording automation
Automation indicators
Automation mode
Automation nodes
Navigating automation view
Adding new automation lanes
Manually programming automation

Adding/removing nodes
Pre-made automation shapes
Delete multiple nodes
Add automation curves
Copy & Paste automation
Duplicate automation
Cut automation
Manipulate automation shape
Flip automation
Copying device and
automation
Copy moving
Recording into Session View
Clip record button
Clip launch button
Clip stop button
Clip end marker
Clip loop brace
QWERTY midi keyboard
Heads-up display for viewing velocity and octave range on QUERTY keyboard

WEEK 5 | Recording Audio & Loop Recording

What is an audio interface
CPU Monitor
Pre-amp
Interface Drivers
Boot up sequence
Input and output configuration
What is a Sample rate
Latency & buffer size
Highest frequency vs sample rate
Humans spectrum of hearing
Ideal Latency target
Performance impact button
Audio input device
Audio input routing
Recording audio into arrangement view

Record arm button
Sacred recording engineer MO
Starting & stopping recording
Transport controls
Link
Tap tempo
Tempo
Tempo nudge
Time signature
Metronome
Metronome options
Global quantization setting
Follow button
Play head location
Session play/stop/record
Record overdub
Ideal recording level

Automation record
Session record button
Punch in/out
Multitrack recording
Stereo/balanced cable TRS
TS cable
XLR cable
Rename tracks
Recolour track
Monitor section
Audio loop recording
Take lanes & comping
Navigating clip audio
Clip overview area
Session view recording audio
Session record button

WEEK 6 | Warping & Advanced Functionality

Audio warping
Warp Markers
Warp modes
Beats mode
Tones Mode
Texture mode

Re-pitch Mode
Complex mode
Complex Pro Mode
Transients & Pseudo Warp Markers

Syncing Longer Clips
Quantizing Audio
Multi-clip Warping
Chance
Grooves
Groove pool

BONUS | Music Theory for Electronic Producers

Why is Knowing Music Theory Important?
What is Sound and Pitch?
Intervals
Scales
Tools for Staying in Key

Chords
Chord Quality
Chord Formulas
Chord Inversions
Tools For Making Chords

Chord Progressions
Chord Progression Tools
Melodies & Basslines
Melody tools
Song Structure

COLLABORATION JAMS | Network and Jam with Other Spacefood Students

This course provides the techniques and workflow needed to join other Spacefood producers during regularly scheduled, online collaboration jams. These live-online, collaboration sessions take place over a 3-hour time block where participants are tasked to compose and remix various musical ELEMENTS added to the Spacefood Collab Pool.

By the end of the session, participants will be finished, or well on their way to completing a unique new track! If time allows, participants are invited to show their musical creations to the group, describe their processes, and answer questions.

Collaboration Jams are a perfect way to stay motivated, network with other producers, and producers-in-training, and learn how to provide and receive constructive feedback! These sessions are open to all Spacefood alumni and current students.

WEEK 1 | The Fundamentals of Ableton Live

Ableton Live browser
Session view/Arrangement view navigation
What is session/arrangement view best for
Clip slots
What is the difference between an audio clip and a Midi clip
How to program MIDI (drums)
Adding tracks
Deleting tracks
Selecting multiple tracks range & nonadjacent
Tracks are connected between session & arrangement view
I/O section
Sends section
Return tracks
Adding an audio clip to the session view from browser
Clip launch button
Loop indicator
Show/hide sends & returns
Add return track
Pad launch/mute/solo buttons
Duplicate and vary technique
Beat time ruler – clip view
Adding MIDI notes to MIDI editor
Pausing clip playback
Beat subdivision
Beat names
Pencil tool for adding midi notes
Changing the beat grid using the context menu
Fixed vs adaptive grid
Focus based shortcuts
Zooming using the beat time ruler
Moving left & right with the beat time ruler
Navigate and zoom with overview area session and arrangement view
Turn on loop in clip view
Activate loop in arrangement view
Adjusting the length of loop
Moving midi notes around in the midi editor
Adjusting the start and end markers
Adjusting position and length of loop brace in clip box
Time signature in clip box
Notes box – half/double selection length

Mixer section
Resizing views
What is Pan?
Track activator switch
Solo button
Record arm button
Volume meter
Midi velocity meter
Types of midi messages
Velocity Editor
Converting MIdI to audio
Midi editor
Drum instruments
Single device icon vs device group
Audio preview icon
Sorting the browser list
How to add devices to a track
Back to arrangement view button
Add new midi clip to session view
Deleting clips
Detail view midi vs detail view audio
Piano roll
Stopping clips in session view
Toggling detail view with overview tabs
Fold/unfold views
Info area
Drum rack overview
Velocity editor with the pencil tool
Velocity ramping
Reversing midi selection
Invert midi selection
Legato button
Duplicate button
Overlapping midi notes
On/off midi messages
Selecting multiple midi notes
Scrub area playback
Elastic band select tool
Duplicating midi notes
Velocity editor adjusting velocities

WEEK 2 | Arrangement View Mastery

Renaming tracks & clips
Recolouring tracks & clips
Adding a new midi clip
Assign track color to all clips
Duplicating clios
Parts of a clip
Selecting time
Splitting clip
Moving clips
Consolidating clips
Select Range
Clip preview
Moving track order
Grouping tracks
Moving a track outside of a group
Consolidate audio clips
Moving multiple clips in selection
Searching in a specific category
One shot sample & loops
Adding audio clips to the arrangement timeline
Creating a loop
Properly duplicating clips
Adjusting clip volume
Adjusting the clip volume of a
Multi-selection

Editing audio clips to make a beat
Selecting a range of tracks
Selecting nonadjacent tracks
Fold and unfold a group
Audio routing in a group
Browser categories overview
Audio effects overview
Preferred method of adding
Devices review
Adding a Simpler device
Add a sample to simpler
Quick way of using the simpler
A/B checking
Device activator
Audio routing
Master channel
Two-channel audio output (stereo)
Manually add value
Use track volume
Pan control
Dry/wet
Reversing audio clip
Temporarily disable grid
Snapping
Clip fades
Crossfade

WEEK 3 | File Management & Workflow

User library location
Installing elements folder
Difference between User library vs Ableton project folder
Adding the Music Stuff folder
How to save
Saving location
Current project folder in Ableton Browser
Analysis file
Library Tab

Project folder
ALS files
Start a new live set
Saving versions
Avoiding missing audio files
Best practice for adding audio files into an Ableton Live project
How to find the user library folder
Important naming convention
Adding ideas to the ELEMENTS folder

WEEK 4 | Recording MIDI & Automation

What is MIDI
What is a MIDI cable
What types of information is transferred using MIDI?
Forms of MIDI cables
The difference between controllers and synthesizers
Types of controls on a small midi controller
How to setup MIDI controllers with Ableton Live
Natively supported controller
MIDI signal flow
Record arm
Output latency & optimizing buffer settings
Recording MIDI into the arrangement view
Add locators
Metronome settings
Quantization settings
Stretching length of MIDI note
Adding/removing nodes
Pre-made automation shapes
Delete multiple nodes
Add automation curves
Copy & Paste automation
Duplicate automation
Cut automation
Manipulate automation shape
Flip automation
Copying device and

Adjusting loop length in arrangement view
Loop recording
Seeing hidden clip content
Adjusting the start marker
Slide clip content
Lane view comping
Capture function
Assigning midi mappings to a controller
Overdub recording mode
Info view
Dry/wet parameter
Recording automation
Overdub recording automation
Automation indicators
Automation mode
Automation nodes
Navigating automation view
Adding new automation lanes
Manually programming automation
automation
Copy moving
Recording into Session View
Clip record button
Clip launch button
Clip stop button
Clip end marker
Clip loop brace
QWERTY midi keyboard
Heads-up display for viewing velocity and octave range on QUERTY keyboard

WEEK 5 | Recording Audio & Loop Recording

What is an audio interface
CPU Monitor
Pre-amp
Interface Drivers
Boot up sequence
Input and output configuration
What is a Sample rate
Latency & buffer size
Highest frequency vs sample rate
Humans spectrum of hearing
Ideal Latency target
Performance impact button
Audio input device
Audio input routing
Recording audio into arrangement view
Automation record
Session record button
Punch in/out
Multitrack recording
Stereo/balanced cable TRS
TS cable
XLR cable
Rename tracks

Record arm button
Sacred recording engineer MO
Starting & stopping recording
Transport controls
Link
Tap tempo
Tempo
Tempo nudge
Time signature
Metronome
Metronome options
Global quantization setting
Follow button
Play head location
Session play/stop/record
Record overdub
Ideal recording level
Recolour track
Monitor section
Audio loop recording
Take lanes & comping
Navigating clip audio
Clip overview area
Session view recording audio
Session record button

WEEK 6 | Warping & Advanced Functionality

Audio warping
Warp Markers
Warp modes
Beats mode
Tones Mode
Texture mode
Syncing Longer Clips
Quantizing Audio
Multi-clip Warping

Re-pitch Mode
Complex mode
Complex Pro Mode
Transients & Pseudo Warp Markers
Chance
Grooves
Groove pool

BONUS | Music Theory for Electronic Producers

Why is Knowing Music Theory Important?
What is Sound and Pitch?
Intervals
Scales
Tools for Staying in Key
Chord Progressions
Chord Progression Tools
Melodies & Basslines

Chords
Chord Quality
Chord Formulas
Chord Inversions
Tools For Making Chords
Melody tools
Song Structure

COLLABORATION JAMS | Network and Jam with Other Spacefood Students

GROUP C (MARCH 2023) REGISTRATION OPEN!
Join a focused group of 4-8 Ableton Live learners starting March, 2023

GROUP C (MARCH 2022) REGISTRATION OPEN!
Join a focused group of 4-8 Ableton Live learners starting March, 2023

SMALL CLASSES.

90 DAYS OF LEARNING.

WEEKLY MEET-UPS.

READY TO MAKE SOME MUSIC?

Learn the fundamentals of Ableton Live

Become a faster songwriter

Meet other producers

Get real-time feedback!

ONE TIME PAYMENT

$300.00Add to cart

Lifetime access to 6+ hours of on-demand video content, 6 hours of group live-online group training, Discord server invite, online collaboration jams.

Live-Online Classes

Skill Level:
Beginner

QUESTIONS?

CONTACT ME

or VISIT FAQ

SMALL CLASSES.

90 DAYS OF LEARNING.

WEEKLY MEET-UPS.

READY TO MAKE SOME MUSIC?

Learn the fundamentals of Ableton Live

Become a faster songwriter

Meet other producers

Get real-time feedback!

ONE TIME PAYMENT

$300.00Add to cart

Lifetime access to 6+ hours of on-demand video content, 6 hours of group live-online group training, Discord server invite, online collaboration jams.

QUESTIONS?

CONTACT ME

or VISIT FAQ

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR: AARON (SPACEFOOD)

Aaron is a multi-instrumental music producer and music educator from Nelson, Canada. In addition to producing, recording, and mastering music, he offers his advanced knowledge of production, mixing and mastering to his students via 1-on-1 mentoring on Zoom. Aaron has taught, mixed and produced music for projects spanning genres from Electronic Dance, Psytrance, Dubstep/IDM, Jazz and Folk, to Celtic, Ambient, Country and beyond. He is honoured to have produced for award nominated artists.
Aaron’s personal brand of music, as his three entangled monikers; Spacefood, Handsome Hansel and Shapeshifting Masters of Darkness, represents an avid curiosity of audible influence, as his experimental form of recording and sound mangling creates soundscapes traversing genres and energies from Chill-hop to Dubstep.

Watch: Contacting the Sandwich Nebula Listen: Handsome Hansel Listen: SSMOD

FAQ

Are these pre-recorded video tutorials or am I actually speaking with a human?

This small-group course, is contains a hybrid of pre-recorded videos, covering the fundamentals, PLUS over 6 hours of live-online group coaching. This means that Aaron (Spacefood) meets up with you and your smal cohort (maximum 8 people), for an hour each week to answer questions, provide feedback and give you new creative techniques for making sounds!

How much does it cost?

I’m so happy to offer this group course priced at $300 Canadian Dollars. It overjoys me to provide a super-brain-download of information about music production for a lower price that I’ve ever been able to manage before. You’ll be getting nearly as much information and attention as my 1-on-1 sessions, but for much less. AND you get prerecorded video content that can be re-watched any time!

Need to convert your currency?: GO HERE: https://www.xe.com/

I’m not from Canada, can I still take lessons from you?

Heck yeah, you can! Before you sign up though, please reach out to confirm that your time-zone works with the scheduled live-online sessions. I wouldn’t want you to sacrifice any valuable sleep!

If you have any questions about this, please contact me using my chat button on the bottom right side of the screen.

How long is each lesson?

The Live-Online sessions each week are 1 hour(ish). Sometimes we’ll go over if time allows. The pre-recorded lesson videos that accompany each live-online session are usually about 1 hour each as well.

When are lessons?

Live-Online sessions are currently scheduled for every Sunday. This day might change depending on the needs of each group, but Sunday is the Fun-day at the moment!

What do I need?

You’ll need a few basic things to take lessons with me.

A computer with a minimum of 8GB of RAM
A copy of Ableton Live (Intro, Lite, Standard, or Suite) *Download a free trial of Ableton Live here: https://www.ableton.com/en/trial/
Your computer needs a microphone so we can communicate during our video meeting. Laptops will usually have a microphone built-in, but if you have a desktop, you may have to purchase one that’ll work for your system (if you need assistance with this, feel free to hit me up with the chat bubble in the bottom right hand corner of my site)
Headphones or Monitors

There is a lot of other fun equipment that can make using Ableton a lot more fun, but the above list is the minimum you’ll need to start taking lessons.

I have never used Ableton before, can I still take lessons?

Heck yeah, you can! Please let me have the opportunity to introduce you to the best music production software in the world (IMO). This group course is great for all experience levels, including complete beginners.

Are these lessons online or in person?

I teach lessons exclusively online (unless I’m doing a weekend workshop). Online lessons are more convenient for everyone involved, and you have the option to record the entire session so you can review it later on! I will use a variety of software for video conferencing and high-quality audio streaming, but my go-to tool is called Zoom (You can read about it on their website here: https://zoom.us/

Can I take lessons in person from you?

I only offer in-person lessons during group workshops. Otherwise, I teach strictly online only! You can, however, book 1-on-1 sessions with me by heading over to my homepage and clicking on the links there: www.spacefood.ca

What version of Ableton do I need?

Any version of Ableton Live will do! That includes Intro, Lite, Standard, and Suite. If you haven’t purchased it yet and you’d like to try Ableton Suite for free, head over to the Ableton Website to download a copy: https://www.ableton.com/en/trial/

What topics will you teach me?

This course will teach you everything from the Fundamentals of Ableton to Music Theory for Electronic Musicians, to File Management and Speed Production Workflow! Head over to the CURRICULUM area to read pretty much the entire topic list.

I still have questions. How can I contact you?

If you still have questions for me before you register for the next group course, please contact me here: START CHATTING

If I don’t answer right away, I’m probably teaching a lesson and will get back to you as soon as possible via email. Please be sure to include your email address in the chat window when you say hello!