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Create a Track in Ableton Push in 5 Simple Steps

Hi friends! Something that can help you with staying creative, even without lots of time on your hands, is having what I like to call a planned workflow. As outlined in my book, "Creative Confidence and Music Production," I will be following my own 10-minute workflow to create a track!


The 10-Minute Workflow is as follows:


  1. Kick, Clap and Hi Hat

  2. Sampled Percussion

  3. Arpeggiated Synth

  4. Bass


You can have Ableton open in another tab to follow along with the steps in this post.




Step 1: Set Up Your Ableton Push


  • Connect your Push to your computer and launch Ableton Live.

  • Confirm that your Push is recognized by the software by checking the "Link/MIDI" tab in preferences.


Step 2: Choose Your Instrument


  • To add an instrument, just press the "Add Instrument" button on your Push.

  • Scroll through the options using the encoders.

  • Once you find a sound you like, press the corresponding pad to load it.

Step 3: Create a Beat


  • Press the "Session" button to enter your session view. This is where you will create clips that make up your song's foundation.

  • Pick a drum kit from the instrument list to load. Tip: You could try the "909 Core Kit," which contains a rich variety of sounds.

  • Make sure your tempo is correct, and you can change velocities for variety and interest

  • In my video, (timestamp 3:13) see how you can record your beats and sample them into percussion


Step 4: Add Melodies and Harmonies


  • Press the "Note" button on your Push to switch to note mode, allowing you to play melodies with the pads.

  • You can input notes in real-time or use the step sequencer, which will create loops.

  • For a more in-depth exploration of sound, tune in on how to arpeggiate synth chords at timestamp 7:44. The final step will be to add bass.


Close-up view of Ableton Push with colorful pads illuminated

Wrapping Up


Once you lay down your track, you can add vocals and lyrics over it like I did!


If you are still not sure how to get started with Push, LNA is an Ableton Certified Trainer and has an amazing collection of Push online courses here.


Are you looking for a creative community? Join my Patreon!

 
 
 

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