Stillwater
Build a spacious world of flowing water, birdsong, singing bowls, and a soft D–A drone.
FROM FIRST SOUND TO A FOUR-MINUTE SOUNDSCAPE
MUSIC MAKING, WITH INTENTION
Make space.
Make sound.
Make it yours.
Turn a blank Ableton set into something you can feel. Two guided courses, from your first ambient soundscape to a complete electronic track.
By Eric Levin / Pay what you can. $0 is welcome.
01 STILLWATER02 FIRST LIGHTFROM AN EMPTY SET TO A FINISHED PIECE
TWO PATHS. ONE CREATIVE PRACTICE.
A place to begin.
A reason to finish.
Learn by making real music. Every chapter gives you a clear action, something to listen for, and a way to know you’re ready to move on.
First Light
Find the groove. Write the chords, bass, and hook. Shape an eight-bar idea into a complete song.
FROM AN EIGHT-BAR LOOP TO A 96-BAR TRACK
THIRTY SECONDS. TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS.
Hear the destination.
The finished course pieces, alongside the Ableton arrangements that made them.
Read the film transcript
Make space. Make sound. Stillwater: layer water, birds and bowls; build a soft D–A drone; learn seamless fades, shared reverb and a four-minute arrangement. First Light: write drums, chords, bass and a hook; shape sound with stock devices; turn eight bars into a full journey; mix and export. Both courses are pay what you can, including $0. The soundtrack moves from Stillwater’s nature soundscape to First Light’s electronic groove.
PUT ON YOUR HEADPHONES
Two pieces. From beginning to end.
These are the complete musical reference pieces. Listen before you begin, then return as your own version takes shape.
Stillwater
04:24Stream, birds, resonant bowls, and a soft tonal horizon.
First Light
03:15A warm chord progression, a steady pulse, and a returning hook.
A CLEAR NEXT STEP, EVERY TIME
Learn the decisions.
Keep the music.
36 practical chapters across two courses. Written walkthroughs, visual references, listening exercises, and a coach that remembers your place.
01
Make something real
Every action builds toward a finished piece, with clear listening goals and troubleshooting.
02
Have what you need
Included nature recordings, MIDI examples, rhythm experiments, and visual control references.
03
Learn at your pace
Resume your chapter, save notes, and back up your progress. Take the course offline when you want.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
A small setup.
A lot of possibility.
Ableton Live 12 on a Mac. The instructions use Mac shortcuts. Live 12 Suite covers all devices used across both courses; Ableton is a separate purchase.
Headphones and a little time. Stillwater starts at the beginning. First Light assumes basic familiarity with tracks and MIDI. Chapter estimates add up to about 5½ and 4 hours of hands-on work; take longer whenever you need.
No extra instruments for the main courses. Stillwater includes its nature and bowl recordings. Four bonus chapters explore live singing with a microphone and wired headphones.
MUSIC SHOULD HAVE AN OPEN DOOR
Both courses.
Your contribution.
Pay what you can, including $0.
Everyone gets the same complete course bundle.
THE COMPLETE SONGPATH BUNDLE$0+
- Stillwater + First Light: all 36 chapters
- Interactive exercises, samples, and MIDI examples
- Complete listening references and offline course download
- No account required to begin
$
$0 is welcome. Full access, no explanation needed.
Get both courses freeDownload the offline course bundleOptional contributions are not open yet. You can access the complete bundle for $0 today.
A FEW GOOD QUESTIONS
Before your first sound.
Is the $0 bundle the full course?
Yes. Both courses, all chapters, learning exercises, samples, and listening references are available at $0. Contributions are optional and do not change your access.
Are these video courses?
The lessons are guided, interactive written courses with screenshots, diagrams, audio examples, and practical steps inside Ableton. The 30-second film introduces the courses; the individual videos play the finished musical reference pieces. They are not recordings of every lesson.
Do I need to know music theory?
Stillwater begins with no Ableton experience or theory requirement. It introduces one control at a time and includes a ready-to-import drone MIDI file. First Light is the intermediate route, with explicit notes for its chords, bass, and hook.
Can I use the supplied recordings in my own music?
Yes. The included nature and bowl recordings have public-domain permissions. Their authors, source links, and preparation notes are supplied in the sample credits. Ableton’s own software and factory sounds remain subject to Ableton’s terms.
How is my progress saved?
Checkmarks and notes save in your current browser on this device. Use Course menu → Back up progress to download a copy and Restore progress to move it to another browser. Clearing browser storage removes the local copy.