SOUND DESIGN
Design and animate distinctive sounds that set your music apart.
Sound Design is the defining element of modern electronic music, and an essential skill for creating your unique and defining sound as an artist. Average or preset sounds can reduce your song to a ringtone, good sounds will inspire your ideas, and truly great sounds can evolve a simple melody into a masterpiece.
In Liveschool’s Sound Design course, you’ll learn to harness the power of all the instrument and effect devices built into Ableton Live Suite: how each one works, the special capabilities of each, which ones to use and when. Using these Ableton Live instruments and audio effects you will learn the fundamentals of sound design, synthesis and audio manipulation. We then branch out and apply these skills to hardware, plug-ins and real-world sounds.
Attendance options: in-studio or online.
Sound Design can be taken as a stand-alone module or as part of the full Produce Music course.
For more info book a chat with a Liveschool course advisor
For timetables, pricing and enrolment visit the Sound Design registrations page.
Features
Crafting Your Unique Sonic Signature
Our Sound Design module takes you beyond the limitations of presets, samples, and splice packs, offering a bespoke learning experience for each participant:
- Holistic Development in Sound Design: As you progress through the classes, your journey will not be just about mastering Sound Design. You will develop a sound and style that’s distinctly yours. Delve deep into the capabilities of Ableton Live’s devices, crafting custom drums, bass, melodic elements and a unified aesthetic. These skills are crucial for animating and elevating your music, allowing your creative vision to come to life.
- Personal Mentorship: Once you’ve grasped the core skills, the focus shifts from class-based learning to 1-to-1 mentorship weeks. This stage is where your music projects receive individual attention and guidance. Your mentor, an experienced professional in the field, will work closely with you to refine your projects and enhance your distinctive sound.
This dual approach, combining focused skill acquisition with personalized mentorship, ensures that you not only gain the necessary technical prowess but also achieve your unique sonic vision.
Experience the Results: Hear the difference for yourself. Listen to the incredible tracks released recently by our alumni and imagine the sounds you could create: https://blog.liveschool.net/listen
Delivery
Optimised for maximum learning results, your training is a blend of the following formats:
- Class weeks: hands-on learning with expert producers in groups of 10 students.
- Mentorship weeks: 1-to-1 personal guidance when developing your music.
- Study sessions: at-home exercises and reference materials for self-paced exploration.
- Industry Masterclasses: guest producers, collaborations and networking sessions.
- Artist Support: our team is on-call full time for creative or technical assistance.
Location:
The course can be taken either in-person at our world-class studio facilities in Sydney, or in live online sessions from anywhere in the world. Students can switch between in-studio and online any time.
Course structure and duration:
- The course can be taken part time or full time
- For a detailed course syllabus and timetables visit Sound Design registrations
To enrol in Sound Design, you should meet one of the following criteria:
- Completion of the Foundations module (which is included in the Produce Music course).
- Equivalent skills in music production using Ableton Live, as covered in the Foundations module.
This course is suitable for those who are already generating compelling musical ideas, even if you haven’t completed full songs yet. Key prerequisites include fluency in Ableton Live, proficiency in MIDI programming, audio editing, and a basic understanding of sound design, music theory, and mixing.
If you’re unsure about your readiness, please reach out to our team. We are more than willing to help assess your skills and guide you on the right path.
Just two things are required:
- A copy of Ableton Live Suite. If you’ve been sharing a license you can access a free 30-day license, to get started and when you’re ready to purchase, you’ll receive a 40% discount.
- A standard pair of wire-connected headphones (not Bluetooth-only).
A laptop is useful, but if you only have a desktop, we can provide a laptop on-site. While you’ll explore various equipment and plugins, you won’t need to purchase anything; you can create professional tracks with just Ableton Live and headphones.
We offer flexible options:
- Switch to an online session if you can’t attend in-person.
- Access detailed study resources at home if you miss a session. Discounted one-to-one sessions are available for in-person catch-ups.
- If you miss an entire module, join a waitlist to retake it at a later date.
Yes, instalment plans are available. Start with a simple deposit followed by affordable monthly payments. For more detail visit the Sound Design registrations page.