Course Description

This practical, hands-on course is designed for musicians, songwriters and creators who want to record and develop their compositions with Ableton Live, one of the fastest, most fluid and most flexible DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) available. Whether you're layering acoustic recordings, arranging virtual instruments, or experimenting with sound design, this course will help you to enhance your creative process and take your songs and compositions to the next level. You'll learn how to use the DAW to arrange and process your music, highlighting techniques such as audio editing, VST integration and sound manipulation, as well as introducing you to the basics of recording solo acoustic instruments.

The course emphasises the creative side of music production, guiding you through the process of developing ideas and shaping your pieces or songs into fully realized compositions. You will learn to arrange your work with new instruments and sounds, edit your acoustic recordings for maximum impact and apply creative effects to develop a unique sound. You will also have the opportunity for individual experimentation, group feedback and collaborative discussions, helping you both to refine your skills and to discover your signature style.

We'll also explore a variety of approaches to composition and songwriting using music technology, from arranging existing material to creating new layers of sound and texture, ensuring that you feel confident in producing music in any genre or style. By the end of the course, you'll have a self-produced track, ready to showcase in your portfolio, that demonstrates your ability to transform simple ideas into polished, professional compositions.

Learning Outcomes:

• Gain hands-on experience using Ableton Live for creative music production.
• Learn core production skills including audio editing, arrangement, mixing, EQing and programming.
• Receive feedback and guidance from an experienced teacher throughout the course.
• Experiment with composing, songwriting and producing in different genres and styles.
• Complete a finished track that reflects your own musical ideas.

Participants in this course will need to have their own laptops, with either Ableton Live or Ableton Live Lite installed. If you don't have either of these, you can rent a copy of the full Ableton Live for the duration of the course. (See Course Requirements tab.) Knowledge of music technology and the ability to read music are not necessary.

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Questions about the course?

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or call us on (01) 478 1884.

This course covers Stage 1 of the New School's ten-stage system of student progress and assessment, which culminates in a teaching or performing qualification (Stage 10) should the student progress that far. Participants who successfully complete the course can be issued with a certificate of completion of Stage 1. If you are taking the course, please let the school office know if you would like this certificate. See About Our Stage System for more information.

Summer Music Technology Essentials is one of the New School's group courses. We also offer private lessons in a wide range of music technology subjects. See Music Technology Tuition for more information.

Robyn Avery

Robyn is a musician and teacher with a deep love of self-expression through sound. Self-taught from a young age, she developed her ear and technique by learning guitar through careful listening and imitation, later extending her skills to bass, ukulele and digital music production. Robyn's music background is rich and diverse, having performed in bands since her teens across a wide range of genres, including pop, metal, punk, folk, country and electronic music. She later ventured into more experimental territory, composing soundtracks for short films and theatre, performing improvisational noise sets and working in electroacoustic music and soundscaping. While in college, she set up her own music school out of her home, teaching guitar and ukulele to students of all ages. She later received a Masters degree in Music and Media Technologies from Trinity College Dublin, with her thesis focusing on Visual Music. Today, Robyn is a member of the Irish alternative rock group girlfriend, which has toured extensively around Ireland and the UK, playing sold-out headline shows in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick, as well as lauded sets for Other Voices in both Dingle and Cardigan in Wales, Manchester Punk Festival and Fishstock in Bristol. She is also involved in a number of solo and group projects that regularly produce music for independent release. Robyn champions a DIY approach to music in her teaching, in which the ability of a musician to be fully self-sufficient is prioritised. She also teaches guitar, bass and ukulele with the New School.

'Music, for me, is so endless in its possibilities that it really bothers me when I see people constantly finding reasons why they can't do certain things. One of the most beautiful aspects of music today is its accessibility. Nothing should be off limits. Everyone has the capacity to make something special. Something I've always been passionate about is showing students, friends and collaborators that they can do it all themselves. In other words, if you really want to do it, you can! Write, record, mix and release a song in a day – why not? This is perhaps the most important lesson I try to teach.'

Course Requirements

Participants in this course will need to have a laptop with these minimum system requirements and software:

• Operating System: Windows 10 or above
• RAM: 8GB or above
• Disk Space: at least 6GB
• Ableton Live or Ableton Live Lite *

*   If you don't have either Ableton Live or Ableton Live Lite installed, you can rent a copy of the full Ableton Live for the duration of the course for an additional fee of €25.

Reviews • Testimonials

'Very enjoyable course, with all details well explained by a knowledgeable and friendly teacher.'
– B. Clancy

'Very well explained by an interested and enthusiastic teacher.'
– J. Eaton

'Essential for anyone interested in recording music at home.'
– D. Fox

'Thank you Waltons New School of Music for providing a course I had been looking around for and for delivering on its promises. Superb tutor!'
– K. Hartnett

'Excellent course, great teacher, highly recommended.'
– G. McCaffrey

'A great course. Would definitely recommend it. I learned so much...'
– J. McDonald

'Great course. Software well explained [and] no other school teaches music technology at this price.'
– J. O'Neill

'I learned so much.... The teacher was excellent with a wide knowledge of the field.'
– P. Scully

Have you taken – or are you taking – this course? We would appreciate it if you could take a few moments to give us your feedback in a brief online questionnaire about it.

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2025 Summer Term
Course Schedules

JULY COURSE
5 weeks, 2 – 30 July 2025
Wednesdays 6.30 – 8 pm

AUGUST COURSE
4 weeks, 6 – 27 August 2025
Wednesdays 6.30 – 8 pm

Tuition Fees

JULY COURSE
Standard Fee: €160
With Ableton Live: €185
Discounted Fee: €144 *
With Ableton Live: €169

AUGUST COURSE
Standard Fee: €130
With Ableton Live: €155
Discounted Fee: €117 *
With Ableton Live: €142

* Students taking more than one Summer Term group course, either concurrently or in another part of the Term, receive a 10% discount off the second group course. The discount applies both to courses taken concurrently (in the same part of the term) or in two different parts of the term. It can only be applied to Summer Term courses and to a second course with the same or lower tuition fee than the first course.

Enrolment

Enrolment for this course requires a completed Enrolment Form and full payment of the course fee. Places are limited to eight and are available on a first-come, first-served basis, based on the date of enrolment. A number of our group courses fill in advance of their start dates, and early enrolment is recommended.

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Purchasing this course as a gift?
Please complete a Gift Certificate Booking Form.

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Questions about the course?

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