#162 - Dennis DeSantis

Ben Casey currently works at Ableton as part of the Communities Team supporting music makers across the U.S. and Canada. He's also a music producer, educator, and Ableton Certified Trainer based in New York. With over 20 years of experience in the world of electronic music and a power user of Ableton Live since Version 1, Ben has been called “the swiss army knife” of Ableton.  While attending Goldsmiths College, he co-founded the label Werkdiscs and spent several years organizing music production events across New York and London. Ben has coached numerous artists across genres, helping them refine their skills and craft dynamic live performances.  Follow Ben Below:  https://noisegarage.com https://www.ableton.com/en/certified-training/ben-casey SPONSORED BY MAGIC MIND: Magic Mind is a productivity drink. It gives you all the mental clarity and focus you need without the anxiety of chugging coffee or any other energy products out there that are bad for you. One shot gives you the perfect combo of nootropics, adaptogens, functional mushrooms, and matcha. Use discount code for 20% off: ABLETON20 ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.magicmind.com⁠/ableton⁠ Join the newsletter to get free Ableton content + early episode access: ⁠https://www.liveproducersonline.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠

Dennis DeSantis is the Head of Music Learning at Ableton in addition to being a composer, percussionist, author, educator, and former sound designer at Native Instruments. He received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Eastman School of Music. His electronic music appears on labels such as Ghostly, Global Underground, Cocoon and Kanzleramt, and he has performed throughout North America, Europe, and Japan. Follow Dennis Below:  https://www.dennisdesantis.com https://www.youtube.com/@dennisdesantis https://www.instagram.com/dennisdesantis https://twitter.com/dennisdesantis https://linktr.ee/dennisdesantis SPONSORED BY BABY AUDIO Baby Audio creates incredible instruments and effects plugins. They released a big update to the cult classic BA-1 synth that includes an all-new, separate effects strip plugin based on its 80s-inspired effects section. Current owners get a free upgrade, or grab a limited-time 51% off their website right now. Go to:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://link.babyaud.io/AMP⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get an additional 15% off with code: AMP15 Join the newsletter to get free Ableton content + early episode access: https://www.liveproducersonline.com/newsletter⁠⁠ Episode music: Coconut Crab by 7apes

In this episode Adam Deitch and Borahm Lee (together as Break Science) talk about their live setup, favorite gear and software, experiences on the road and performing with Pretty Lights, tips for artists and musicians pursuing a music career, and more.  Adam Deitch is a 4-time Grammy-Nominated drummer, songwriter, and producer. His long tenures with historic acts like Average White Band, John Scofield, Wyclef Jean, and Pretty Lights have taken him around the world as a touring drummer. Adam continues to play with his Grammy-nominated band Lettuce and EDM/live hybrid group Break Science. Deitch is also known as a featured clinician at esteemed drum events like PASIC and Modern Drummer Festival, and has a subscription-based drum education website, www.DeitchAcademy.com, with in-depth lessons from beginner to advanced lessons. Borahm Lee is a versatile producer and keyboardist known for Break Science and the Pretty Lights Live Band, having toured with big names like Kanye West, Lauryn Hill, and Matisyahu. He's a pivotal figure in electro soul, pushing boundaries in jazz through various live outfits. Lee's debut solo album, "Echoic Memory," showcases a raw and introspective side of his artistry, blending hip-hop, jazz, soul, and electronica.  FOLLOW ADAM: www.deitchbeatsdontquit.com www.instagram.com/deitchadam www.deitchacademy.com FOLLOW BORAHM: www.instagram.com/borahm.leewww.breaksciencemusic.com SPONSORED BY BABY AUDIO Baby Audio creates incredible instruments and effects plugins. They released a big update to the cult classic BA-1 synth that includes an all-new, separate effects strip plugin based on its 80s-inspired effects section. Current owners get a free upgrade, or grab a limited-time 51% off their website right now. Go to:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://link.babyaud.io/AMP⁠⁠⁠ Get an additional 15% off with code: AMP15

In this episode Jesse Terry shares his experiences leading Ableton's team in designing Push and the APC40. Dan and Jesse also discuss the process of designing Push, new and potential features to come, Jesse's favorite gear and Live devices, his music projects, and more.  Jesse Terry joined Ableton in 2005 working in artist and partner relations, which led him to help design the first dedicated Ableton controller, the APC40 (made in collaboration with Akai Professional). Since that time he built up a hardware team at Ableton focused on making Ableton Push and looking towards the future of hardware at Ableton. His work at Ableton includes looking into sustainability, manufacturing and user experience – but his main focus is making the product he uses every day better for the variety of users who have adopted it. He is a multi-instrumentalist and student of many kinds of music; in his free time he plays guitar, bass and keys and produces electronic and hip-hop under the alias Jethroe and with his band Countach. Jesse currently lives in Philadelphia. Sponsored By Baby Audio: Baby Audio creates incredible instruments and effects plugins. They released a big update to the cult classic BA-1 synth that includes an all-new, separate effects strip plugin based on its 80s-inspired effects section. Current owners get a free upgrade, or grab a limited-time 51% off their website right now. Go to:  ⁠⁠https://link.babyaud.io/AMP⁠⁠ Get an additional 15% off with code: AMP15 Follow Jesse Terry: www.instagram.com/jessewterry⁠⁠ www.jethroe.bandcamp.com⁠  ⁠ www.twitter.com/jethroemusic⁠⁠ YouTube Join the newsletter to get free downloads + early episode access: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.liveproducersonline.com/newsletter⁠

In this episode, kLL sMTH (Kris) shares his music journey, live production setup, approach to sound design, new Live 12 features, and more. kLL sMTH is an artist who has taken his love of hip-hop and expanded it into a vast array of genres, from glitch-hop and drum and bass to dubstep and bass music. His DJing roots in turntablism have influenced his production style, with scratching and mixing vinyl being some of the first things he learned. He takes inspiration from experimentation, immersing himself in music, nature, and anything life throws his way. Kris is a member of collaborative projects, including glitch-hop and half-time trio Ultrasloth (BioLumigen x Duffrey x kLL sMTH), ‘kLL Bill’ (kLL sMTH x Mr. Bill), a hype electronic project, and gRLL sMTH which aims to spotlight up-and-coming artists, have a good time and bring people together with food. With a constantly evolving sound and a commitment to breaking away from the predictable, kLL sMTH promises to keep his fans on their toes with every new set. Follow Kris - kLL sMTH https://linktr.ee/kllsmth EPISODE SPONSORED BY BABY AUDIO This episode is sponsored by Baby Audio, maker of creative instruments and effects plugins. Their latest release, Atoms, is out now. Atoms is a new kind of synth plugin that uses cutting-edge physical modeling to generate an endless variety of organic and otherworldly sounds. Go to: ⁠⁠https://link.babyaud.io/AMP Take 15% off with the code: AMP15 Join the newsletter to get free Ableton content + early episode access: https://www.liveproducersonline.com/newsletter⁠⁠ Special thanks to ⁠⁠⁠KMG Studios⁠⁠⁠ in Denver, CO for hosting this episode:⁠⁠ https://www.kmglife.com⁠

In this episode Gardner Beson shares about room acoustics, mixing his new album, comparing Bitwig to Ableton Live features, AI apps, favorite plugins, and more.  GARDNSOUND (aka. No Effort, and Whitey McWhiterson) is a jack-of-all-trades from Atlanta, GA. He’s held positions as a Studio Builder, Musician, Video Editor, Chef, Accountant, Prop Builder, and SQL Admin in addition to his life-long passion for writing electronic music. His studio construction projects include working with notable artists like Chris Lake, Mr. Bill, Hacienda Mastering (Dolby Surround) and other professional rooms. In addition to popular music venues, Gardner has performed as an orchestral musician in various concert halls across the United States and Europe. He has been credited as a studio musician, recording engineer, performer, remix artist, or composer on over 27 albums and releases to date outside of his own work. Follow Gardner Below: www.linktr.ee/gardnsound www.instagram.com/gardnsound www.gardnsound.com SPONSORED BY MAGIC MIND: Magic Mind is a productivity drink. It gives you all the mental clarity and focus you need without the anxiety of chugging coffee or any other energy products out there that are bad for you. One shot gives you the perfect combo of nootropics, adaptogens, functional mushrooms, and matcha! Use discount code ABLETON20 for 20% off at: ⁠⁠⁠www.magicmind.com⁠/ableton⁠ Join the newsletter to get free Ableton content + early episode access: ⁠www.liveproducersonline.com/newsletter

In this episode, Dan and Parris discuss writing and arranging horns, how to get out of your own way while performing, Parris' experiences on the road and music journey, favorite mastering devices, sidechaining tools and methods, dissecting Parris' upcoming tracks in Ableton, and more. Parris Fleming, a distinguished horn arranger, producer, instrumentalist, and performer in Denver, CO, has made significant strides in the music industry, especially noted for his contributions to live performances. His achievements include performing in sold-out residencies with Harry Styles, such as a 15-night stint at Madison Square Garden, another 15 nights at The KIA Forum, 6 nights each at The United Center and The Moody Center, and a 4-night residency at Wembley Stadium, alongside a memorable sold-out concert at Slane Castle. Notably, Fleming was a part of breaking the single-concert attendance record in Scotland with an audience of over 65,000. His talents have also been recognized by Lotus Trumpets, leading to his endorsement by the brand. Additionally, his role as a member of the Motet highlights his versatility and commitment to his craft in the music world. Parris will be releasing his first album soon under his artist name The Parrisian.  Follow Parris Below:  ⁠www.theparrisian.com⁠ ⁠www.instagram.com/theparrisian⁠  SPONSORED BY BABY AUDIO: Baby Audio develops some of today's most creative instruments and effects plugins. Their latest release, Atoms, is out now. Atoms is a new kind of synth plugin that uses cutting edge physical modeling to generate an endless variety of organic and otherworldly sounds.  Go to ⁠⁠www.babyaud.io⁠⁠ Take 15% off with the code: AMP15 Join the newsletter to get free Ableton content + early episode access: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.liveproducersonline.com/newsletter⁠⁠ Special thanks to ⁠⁠⁠KMG Studios⁠⁠⁠ in Denver, CO for hosting this episode: ⁠⁠www.kmglife.com

In this episode, Drew and Dan talk about Diastrata's live setup, new Live 12 MIDI features, how to fatten sounds with Drum Buss, latency, versatile tools for performing in Arrangement View, and more.  Drew Birch is the co-founder of Diastrata (formerly RECESS) with Ian Gilley originating from Arkansas before relocating to Colorado. They've performed in various venues, either with RECESS, solo, or collaborating with esteemed producers. Noteworthy achievements include playing at Red Rocks in 2021 with Sunsquabi, releasing a vinyl EP titled "RECESS" on Philos Records, and contributing to the first Flamingosis "live band" show. Their solo career gained traction with a debut performance at Meow Wolf and they're currently focused on refining their solo sound, releasing new material with Philos Records, and planning national tours with different projects for the upcoming summer and fall. www.instagram.com/d_beetz  www.facebook.com/drewbirchmusic  www.instagram.com/diastrata www.facebook.com/diastrata Sponsored By Baby Audio: This episode is sponsored by Baby Audio, maker of creative instruments and effects plugins. Their latest release, Atoms, is out now. Atoms is a new kind of synth plugin that uses cutting edge physical modeling to generate an endless variety of organic and otherworldly sounds.  Go to www.babyaud.io Take 15% off with the code: AMP15 Join the newsletter to get free Ableton content + early episode access: ⁠⁠www.liveproducersonline.com/newsletter Special thanks to ⁠KMG Studios⁠ in Denver, CO for hosting this episode: www.kmglife.com

In this episode, Lettuce co-founder and guitarist Adam Smirnoff (Shmeeans) talks about the band's long history and songwriting process, tips for creating great demos, his favorite Ableton Live tools and plugins, and more. Lettuce is a GRAMMY Award-nominated six-piece group comprised of Adam Deitch [drums, percussion, arrangement], Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff [guitar], Erick “Jesus” Coomes [bass], Ryan Zoidis [alto, baritone, tenor sax, synth], Eric “Benny” Bloom [trumpet, horns], and Nigel Hall [vocals, keys, clavinet].  With a large and diverse discography, the group has collaborated with notable artists including Wu-Tang Clan, Chaka Khan, John Scofield, Fred Wesley, JB Horns, and many others. The group has sold out hundreds of shows across the USA and internationally, as they continue to be innovators that push the boundaries of hip-hop, rock, psychedelia, funk, jazz, soul music. Lettuce recently released VIBE on digital platforms– a single 48 minute continuous session of pure, free-flowing improvisation, available digitally for the first time off vinyl.  SPONSORED BY MAGIC MIND Magic Mind is a productivity drink. It gives you all the mental clarity and focus you need without the anxiety of chugging coffee or any other energy products out there that are bad for you. One shot gives you the perfect combo of nootropics, adaptogens, functional mushrooms, and matcha! Use discount code ABLETON20 for 20% off at: ⁠⁠⁠www.magicmind.com⁠/ableton⁠ Special thanks to KMG Studios in Denver, CO for hosting this episode. Follow Lettuce / Shmeeans Below: www.ffm.bio/lettuce www.lettucefunk.com www.instagram.com/lettucefunk www.facebook.com/LettuceFunk www.twitter.cqom/lettucefunk www.youtube.com/lettucefunk Join the newsletter to get free Ableton content + early episode access: ⁠www.liveproducersonline.com/newsletter

In this special episode, Brian Funk and Dan review many of Ableton Live 12's new features. Watch the video with screen sharing on YouTube or Spotify.  Brian Funk is a songwriter, producer, and Ableton Certified Trainer from New York. Brian hosts The Music Production Podcast and teaches music production for Berklee Online. His Ableton Live Packs are used by producers all over the world, and Brian's new book, 5-Minute Music Producer: 365 Music-Making Activities gives songwriters and producers short activities to overcome writer's block and develop professional workflows. Episode Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 9:00 - Roar  13:35 - Meld  17:40 Granulator 2 19:35 New modulation behavior 21:20 Performance Pack 32:00 Browser history  34:14 Enhanced workflows 35:00 Keep Latency On 39:15 Stacked Detailed View 43:50 - Advanced Browser features - Tagging & organization 46:22 Similar Sounds 54:00 New MIDI clip features 1:01:40 - Scale Awareness and Scale Aware devices  1:02:30 - Arpeggiator  1:03:00 - Chord and Scale MIDI Effect 1:09:00 - Scala Files  1:11:00 - Round Robin feature in Sampler 1:15:00 - Preferences SPONSORED BY MAGIC MIND Magic Mind is a productivity drink. It gives you all the mental clarity and focus you need without the anxiety of chugging coffee or any other energy products out there that are bad for you. One shot gives you the perfect combo of nootropics, adaptogens, functional mushrooms, and matcha! Use discount code ABLETON20 for 20% off at: ⁠⁠www.magicmind.com⁠/ableton⁠ Follow Brian Funk: www.brianfunk.com www.YouTube.com/brianfunkmusic www.instagram.com/brianfunkmusic www.Soundcloud.com/brianfunk Join the newsletter to get free Ableton content + early episode access: www.liveproducersonline.com/newsletter