Design distinctive sounds that set your music apart.
Sound Design is for producers who want to move beyond presets and sample packs to build a recognisable sound of their own.
You’ll learn synthesis, sampling, resampling, and audio manipulation in Ableton Live Suite — then apply those techniques to your own drums, basses, leads, textures, and sonic palette.
Classes focus on practical sound creation, while mentor weeks help you develop your own sounds and workflow with personal guidance from an experienced producer.
Trainers and Mentors on this course:
What You’ll Learn
Synthesis fundamentals
Build sounds from scratch using subtractive, FM, wavetable, and granular synthesis in Ableton Live Suite.
Sampling and resampling
Record, chop, layer, and transform audio with Simpler and Sampler, then turn your own productions into new sound sources.
Drum, bass, and melodic design
Create custom kicks, snares, hi-hats, basses, leads, pads, and textures that give your tracks a signature feel.
Effects, modulation, and movement
Use filters, distortion, delay, reverb, LFOs, envelopes, macros, and automation to bring static sounds to life.
Hardware and plugin integration
Expand beyond stock devices into hardware synths and third-party plugins while keeping a clear, practical workflow.
Building a sonic identity
Develop a cohesive sound across your productions — the difference between generic tracks and recognisable artistic identity.
How It Works
Attendance
Choose from either in-studio (Sydney) or online. Switch between in-studio and online any time.
Duration
Part-time: 4 weeks of classes + 3 weeks mentoring.
Full-time: 1 week of fast-tracked classes followed by 3 weeks of remote mentoring.
Format
Take Sound Design as a stand-alone module, or as part of Produce Music or Focus Series.
Classes + Mentoring
Learn core concepts in small classes, then apply them to your own sounds during dedicated 1:1 mentor weeks.
Pricing
$1,756 AUD
Instalment plans available from $620/month over 3 monthly payments.
Choose a Start Date
Who This Module Is For
This module is for producers who are already making music and want to move beyond presets and sample packs to develop their own sound. You should be comfortable working in Ableton Live and have a basic understanding of MIDI programming and audio editing.
If you’ve completed Liveschool’s Foundations module (included in Produce Music), you’re well prepared. If you’re coming from outside Liveschool or aren’t sure whether you’re ready, get in touch and we’ll help you work out the right starting point.
FAQs
To enrol in Sound Design, you should meet one of the following criteria:
- Completion of the Foundations module (included in Produce Music).
- Equivalent Ableton Live and music production skills, as covered in Foundations.
You should already be comfortable with the basics of MIDI programming, audio editing, and building simple tracks. If you’re unsure, get in touch and we’ll help you assess whether this is the right starting point.
Just two things are required:
- A copy of Ableton Live Suite. If you’ve been sharing a licence, you can access a free 30-day trial to get started, and when you’re ready to purchase, you’ll receive a 40% discount.
- A standard pair of wired headphones (not Bluetooth-only).
A laptop is useful, but if you only have a desktop, we can provide a laptop on-site.
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 catch-up sessions are also available.
- If you miss the full module, you can join a waitlist to retake it later.
You can take Sound Design either as a stand-alone module or as part of Produce Music or the Focus Series. The core teaching and mentorship are the same either way.
Yes. All sessions are available live online — same trainer, same content, same mentorship. You can switch between in-studio and online at any time.
You’ll be able to design your own drums, basses, leads, pads, and textures from scratch, instead of relying on presets and sample packs. Most students leave with a personal sound palette they use across all their productions.