StretchLearn Course

Make Your First Beat — From Empty Project to Released Track

A beginner-friendly guide to beat making in Ableton, FL Studio, and Logic Pro

Beginner9 hrSelf PacedRegistered

Course Overview

What this course is designed to develop

This course walks you through the complete beat-making workflow using industry-standard DAWs like Ableton Live, FL Studio, and Logic Pro. You will learn to program drums, chop samples, build chord progressions, arrange full tracks, apply mixing fundamentals, and prepare your music for release on Spotify and SoundCloud. Every lesson is built around real techniques used by working producers today.

Learning Outcomes

What the learner should be able to understand, build, or execute.

Set up a DAW session and navigate the production workflow confidently

Program drum patterns using step sequencers and MIDI editors

Chop and pitch samples to build melodies and textures

Build chord progressions and bass lines using a piano roll

Arrange a full beat from intro to outro using section-based thinking

Apply EQ, compression, and effects to achieve a clean, balanced mix

Curriculum Preview

Inside the curriculum: a structured path from fundamentals to execution.

Preview the course structure, see how the modules build on one another, and understand the path this program is designed to take you through.

Module 1

Module 1: DAW Setup and Drum Programming

Get your DAW running and learn to build drum patterns that groove. Covers session setup, step sequencers, MIDI drum editing, and humanization.

3 lessons

Choosing and Setting Up Your DAWContent · 45 min

Preview Enabled

Programming Your First Drum PatternContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Layering Kicks, Snares, and PercussionContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 2

Module 2: Sampling and Melody Building

Learn to find, chop, and pitch samples, then build original melodies and bass lines using the piano roll.

3 lessons

Finding and Clearing SamplesContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Chopping and Pitching SamplesContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Building Melodies and Chord Progressions in the Piano RollContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 3

Module 3: Arrangement and Song Structure

Move from an 8-bar loop to a complete beat with intro, verse, hook, and outro sections that keep listeners engaged.

3 lessons

Thinking in Sections: Intro, Verse, Hook, Bridge, OutroContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Building the Arrangement in Your DAWContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Automation, Transitions, and Energy ManagementContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 4

Module 4: Mixing Basics and Releasing Your Beat

Apply EQ, compression, reverb, and stereo width to achieve a balanced mix, then export and release your beat on streaming platforms.

3 lessons

EQ and Compression FundamentalsContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Reverb, Delay, and Stereo WidthContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Exporting and Releasing Your BeatContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Built for Application

A complete learning path, not a one-off inspiration hit.

This program is designed around progression: focused lessons, structured modules, applied resources, assessments, and a course rhythm that turns information into usable capability.

beat makingDAWdrum programmingsamplingmixingAbleton LiveFL Studiomusic production