Ableton Live 9: Programming Beats

The drum track is part of the hidden chemistry of a great song. This is your beat making lab. Yeuda Ben-Atar, educator and producer who performs as DJ Side Brain, shows you how to make beats in a variety of genres, from dubstep to hip-hop. Yeuda works with Ableton Live—but you can use these tutorials to make beats in whatever DAW you have accessible.

First get some basic rhythmic theory, including counting music and note subdivisions, and learn how elements like cymbals, percussive instruments like congas, and even homemade sounds from cans, bottles, and counters contribute to your beats. The following chapters tackle the particulars of house, dubstep, drum and bass, trap, juke, and hip-hop. In each of these chapters, Yeuda discusses how to choose the appropriate tempo and drum sounds for the style and how to sequence the kick, snare, and cymbals. The course closes with some pro mixing techniques that balance punch and presence, so your drums will cut through the mix and sound their best.

Learning objectives
How to count music
Using a piano roll editor
Choosing the right tempo and samples for various genres
Sequencing your drum elements
How to program house, dubstep, drum and bass, trap, juke, and hip-hop beats
Adding extra percussion sounds
Adding breaks
How to mix your beat for presence and punch
Adjusting levels and panning
Adding reverb to your beat