Los Angeles

Ableton Lessons in Los Angeles

I've been making music in Ableton Live for over 10 years. Private lessons, from your very first beat to sound design and mixing, built around the music you actually want to make.

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Your Ableton Instructor

Why Learn Ableton in Los Angeles with Thaddeus?

I've produced in Ableton for over 10 years. Hip-hop, electronic, film scoring, some strange sound design experiments. I have a music degree from the University of Illinois and years of production work behind me. So I teach Ableton the way I wish someone had taught me: creatively, and aimed at what you want to make.

The studio is in the Fairfax District, right next to West Hollywood, an easy drive from most of central LA. Never opened a DAW? Fine. Stuck in the same 8-bar loop for a year? Also fine. Want your mixing and sound design to grow up? We start wherever you actually are.

What You'll Learn

  • Ableton Live interface, Session & Arrangement views
  • Beat making, sampling, and drum programming
  • Sound design with synths, samplers, and effects
  • Recording, editing, and warping audio
  • Mixing fundamentals - EQ, compression, space, balance
  • Song arrangement and finishing tracks
  • Music theory applied to production
  • Genre-specific techniques (hip-hop, electronic, pop, R&B, film)
Thaddeus Arndt's music production studio in West Hollywood - Ableton Live, studio monitors, professional production environment

What happens if I have never used Ableton?

An empty session can make every button feel equally important. We start with one sound and something you want to hear. A simple first exercise might be programming a drum pattern, adding a bass note, and listening to how they sit together.

Once that plays, the next tool has a reason to be there. You learn how to save the project and get back to it between lessons. Read whether Ableton is a good place to start or try the beginner tutorial guide if you want to explore before the intro.

Can you help me finish a loop I already made?

Bring the session exactly as it is. If the loop sounds good but falls apart when you arrange it, we can listen for what needs to change between sections. Taking a part out may do more for the chorus than adding another plugin.

You make the edits in the session while we work through the decisions. That is the part you need to be able to repeat later. My guide to lessons versus YouTube goes further into when a second set of ears helps.

Should I come to the studio or learn online?

Come to my studio near Fairfax and Melrose if you want to sit down together in Los Angeles. Choose Zoom if you want to learn on your home setup. We share your screen and check that I can hear Ableton as well as your voice before we start on the music.

Both formats have the same prices. The first-time intro is $20 for 30 minutes, credited toward your first month if you continue. Standard lessons are $40 for 30 minutes or $60 for an hour. You choose in person or online on the intro booking form.

The studio I teach from

I make music in this studio in Los Angeles. Ableton is my main DAW, and I have worked in it for over ten years. If you bring a rough session, we can open it together and work out what the song needs next.

Already comfortable in Logic? You can stay there. Read the Ableton versus Logic guide before deciding to switch, or see lessons for your current DAW.

Thaddeus Arndt's Los Angeles production studio
Thaddeus Arndt's production studio near Fairfax and Melrose.
Serving

Ableton Lessons Near You

The studio is in the Fairfax District, and students come from all over LA.

West Hollywood Hollywood Fairfax District Mid-Wilshire Beverly Grove Miracle Mile Koreatown Silver Lake Los Feliz Beverly Hills Culver City Santa Monica Echo Park Downtown LA
FAQ

Common Questions

How much do Ableton lessons cost?

Your first lesson is a $20, 30-minute intro in person or over Zoom, credited toward your first month if you continue. We meet, talk about what you want to make, and start making it. After that it's $40 for 30 minutes or $60 for a full hour.

Do I need my own copy of Ableton?

It helps a lot, because you'll want to practice between lessons. Live Lite is included with eligible hardware and apps and needs a license. If you already have it, we can start there. Ask me about your setup before buying an upgrade.

Do I need any prior music experience?

No. Plenty of my students walk in with zero music background. I teach theory inside the production, so it makes sense the moment you hear it. If you've been at it a while, we skip what you already know.

Do you teach online Ableton lessons?

Yes. Zoom with screen sharing works really well for Ableton. I see your screen, walk you through it live, and you're learning on the setup you'll actually use at home. Using FL Studio, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, or Reaper instead? See DAW lessons.

What will I learn in Ableton lessons?

Everything from finding your way around Ableton to sound design, sampling, mixing, arrangement, and mastering. Beats, electronic tracks, film cues, or finally finishing a song. We work on the one you came in for.

Questions?

Get in Touch

Still on the fence? Send me a message. I'll get back to you within 24 hours.

Get Started

Ready to Learn Ableton?

Start with the $20 intro. We meet, talk through what you want to make, and see if it's a fit. It can be in person at the studio, just tell me when you book. After that, lessons are $40 for 30 minutes or $60 for a full hour.

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