How To Use Ableton & external gear for Playing Live You are here because you have watched Ben Böhmer's tutorial for PML breaking down the live setup he uses in all of his shows. If you are new to using Ableton or the Session View in particular, then Attilas video (link above) will help you understand exactly what Ben does inside Ableton and how you can recreate his setup. If you want to be able to build your own custom live setup, then check back soon for a complete Session View Masterclass!   Ben Böhmer's Setup Ben uses a combination of analog...

  Are you a music producer who wants to make better music? You're not alone. Almost every producer feels this way. We always want to get better, and that includes polishing up our sonic creations to become more fulfilled and make our fans happier. But don't worry. In this article, we will share five tips on how to make better music, giving you great insight into the things you can do to improve your music production starting right now. 1. Don’t “Fix It” With EQ Our first tip on how to make better music is to make sure your sound...

What's the best way to get more streams on Spotify? In this article, we've compiled ten tips on how to grow your number of streams organically. Without the purchasing fake plays or doing costly marketing schemes, we will give insight on what you can do today to secure a much higher stream count on your Spotify account. Let's dive in. 1. Claim Your Artist Profile If you haven't already, a crucial thing to get more streams on Spotify is claiming your Spotify Artist Profile. Doing it ensures that you get full control over your own artist profile, highlight your top...

Are you looking for a straightforward method to install your VST plugins in Ableton Live on Windows or Mac? Then you've come to the right place. In this article, we'll show you how to install external VST plugins to take full advantage of free and paid synths, effects, and instruments in Ableton Live 9 and 10. What is a VST plugin? Virtual Studio Technology (VST) is an audio-plugin that integrates a software synthesizer or effect with, most commonly, a digital audio workstation like Ableton. External plugins can increase the functionality of your DAW by allowing you to use new or...

We all know high-end plugins can be expensive. But luckily, there are many great free VST plugins for trap beats out there. This article outlines the nine best VST plugins for trap music that you can download right now – for free. Our choices include stereo widening imagers, warm and colorful saturators plus samplers and synths – many with impressive high-quality sound libraries. To download the free plugins, follow the download links below each VST. Let’s dive in. 1. iZotope Ozone Imager The Ozone Imager is an essential free VST plugin for trap beats. As the name suggests, this is...

Looking for the best free VST plugin of 2023? Many months have passed since we launched into the new year. But what has changed? New free VST releases and discoveries have been made. In this article, we will outline seven of the ones we’ve found that sound exceptional. So which is the best free VST of 2023 so far? Let’s dive in. 1. Sampleson Push If you're using free VST synths to find new fresh sounds, look no further than Sampleson Push, the subtractive synth that creates unique, quality sounds on random. The scalable 4K interface is simple with a keyboard...

Are you ready to live the music producer life? I must warn you – it's awesome. Prepare for mood swings ranging from frustration to extreme euphoria, late studio nights, and traveling venues across the world, if all goes well. You might even get your dream studio, perhaps a secluded hut in the woods, for an ultimate flow of creative juices? The way to start making music in Ableton is obvious – start making music in Ableton. But to get fully ready, there are things you can do to get a head start. In this article, we’ll explain the key steps...

Want to learn excellent sound design tricks in Ableton that make your listener go “WOW”? Then look no further. In this article, we’ve gathered three sound design tricks that only a few producers know – skills that impress your listener and sounds way more complicated than they are. Let’s explore these sound design tricks right now. 1. Haas Effect For Ultra-Wide Sounds Have you heard of the Haas effect? You've undoubtedly heard and been wowed by it in your favorite music. The best way to describe the Haas effect is ultra-wide. You know, sound so wide that it makes your...

If you're looking to finish more music and stop abandoning projects, you've come to the right place. As fun as producing music in Ableton Live can be, a lot of times, it feels like straight-up work. Producers who lack a 'Finisher's Mindset' slow their momentum in the critical moments of the production phase. Lacking the right mindset to finish tracks leads to tens, hundreds, and even thousands of unfinished project files taking up space on hard drives. And constant frustration. Getting into the habit of finishing music as often as possible can be a defining characteristic that separates the professional producers...

What makes a sample pack great? If you have been producing music for a while, the chances are that you have built up an extensive sample pack library. If you’re new to the scene, chances are you’ll end up there eventually. It could be "royalty-free loops" that you got in exchange for signing up for a newsletter, other free samples, and professional packs that cost you a few dinero. You have gigabytes of sample packs – and yet most of them are terrible. Why? To learn what makes a sample pack great, we need to know what makes them bad....