Sampling & Slicing in Ableton Live

Creating music using audio sources such as vinyl and field-recordings requires a unique set of tools and working methods that is often very different from what is involved in producing other genres. Additionally, when you begin using Ableton Live for the first time, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the enormous amount of features and possibilities within the software. Therefore, my goal with this miniseries is to spare you countless hours of learning extraneous features, and instead focus on the tools and techniques you actually need to create sample-based music in Live. Further, this Ableton Live tutorial series will be an excellent guide for producers who are already familiar with hardware workstations (such as the MPC-series or MV8000) to transition their workflow into Ableton Live.

Add this Product To Your Cart:

Below is a low-resolution montage sample video of this series.

By the end of this series, you will have learned everything needed to create sample-based productions in Live. In doing so, I have condensed a HUGE amount of information down to a core workflow, focusing on the essential tools and techniques required in the unique art of sample-based production.

During this 2 hour video series, you will learn:
  • How to sample audio into Ableton Live for further processing.
  • How to interface your turntable and other audio hardware with Ableton Live.
  • Essential techniques for layering samples to create massive, custom-tailored percussive sounds, including the effective use of filter enveloping and compression to thicken your sounds.
  • How to utilize audio clips in preparation for slicing them up.
  • The controls and feature set of Ableton’s included sampling device, Simpler.
  • Powerful methods for creating a rich, evolving chord from simple melodic stabs.
  • The controls and features of the Drum Rack device, including how to create your own Drum Rack custom presets.
  • How to create exciting new arrangements from simple loop-playback adjustments.
  • Efficient methods for rearranging, modifying, and resampling your work for further processing.
  • Start learning immediately! When you purchase this series you’ll be able to download them and start learning right away.
Total Run Time: 2 Hours
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Format: Quicktime (can also be played in the free VLC player)

Add this Product To Your Cart:

Frequently Asked Questions
  • I have your Sound Design and Creative Audio Manipulation series. What information is duplicated between these two series? * There is some basic discussion of Drum Racks and Simpler, as well as a basic description of drum layering in the sound design series. However, that discussion is predictably more oriented toward sound design and thus it emphasizes things very differently.
  • What level of expertise is “Sampling and Slicing” aimed at? * This series is meant for people who are new to sample-based production in Live and also people who are transitioning their sample-based workflow from other software or hardware such as the MPC-series.
  • What is NOT covered in this series? * This series is not a comprehensive discussion of every possible aspect of Ableton Live. Specifically, the Arrange view is not discussed because it merits a series unto itself. The Session view is put to good use, but only in the context of the tools and techniques presented. The actual composition of full tracks is not taught because that process changes drastically depending on which composer you talk to, and therefore is best left to the individual artist. In short, this series focuses on 1) the relevant tools in Ableton Live and 2) essential techniques and workflow for using those tools to process samples.
  • What version of Live do I need for this series? * The techniques in this series apply to Live 7 and beyond!