Craft Your Signature Sound

Ready to up your game in Ableton Live 11?  This 30-day masterclass will walk you through the process of writing, producing, mixing, and mastering a new song from start to finish. Created by producer and educator Kate Ellwanger (aka Dot), this course is designed to guide artists through the ins and outs of the program, covering everything from basic navigation to advanced tricks used by today's hottest producers.



Ellwanger's unique teaching method breaks the curriculum down into twelve concise videos with practical application strategies instead of presenting larger chunks of information that are difficult to retain. Less time spent binge-watching tutorials means more time spent creating music as you learn! 

With program enrollment, you'll gain access to:

  • Twelve lesson modules
  • Weekly assignments to apply your learning to your music
  • Downloadable demo sessions
  • PDF cheat sheets
  • Online office hours with the instructor to ask questions and receive feedback
  • Personalized written feedback from Dot on your final song submission
  • Peer to peer music reviews and discussions
  • Lifetime access to all materials

Time Until Launch

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  • About the Instructor

    Shaping the future of independent music has always been the guiding force for producer, engineer, and multi-instrumentalist Kate Ellwanger, who writes and performs under the name Dot. After nearly a decade-long career as an artist, DJ, and founder of the production company Unspeakable Records, Dot entered the Web3 space at the start of 2022 with her ‘Life Support’ series, minting 6 songs from the album in honor of the 1-year anniversary of its release, and is among the top-selling music NFT artists this year. The album also gained significant momentum on streaming platforms, earning her playlist covers on Spotify Fresh Finds and Creamy, as well as Amazon Breakthrough Electronic. Ellwanger holds a B.A. in Music from Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music at Chapman University, and a Master’s Degree in Music Production, Technology, and Innovation from Berklee College of Music. In addition to her background in classical and contemporary music, she has over 15 years of study in mindfulness practices from multiple traditions, including yoga, meditation, and psychospiritual development. Dot's return to the stage in 2021 brought her to some of the most highly-acclaimed venues and music festivals in the world, including Red Rocks, EDC Las Vegas, HARD Summer, Firefly Music Festival, The Fonda, Elsewhere Space, Echostage, and more. Dot is also one of the first artists to host a 3-day event exclusively for her NFT collectors: Sonic Summit launched this past labor day weekend in partnership with NFT SV in Sun Valley, Idaho, and included multiple panel discussions, visual art exhibitions, and two nights of live performances from artists in Web3. Her music has been praised by the best in tastemaker media, including features in Nylon, Pitchfork, Red Bull, LA Weekly, Okayfuture, MTV Brazil, C-Heads Magazine, Nest HQ, Ableton, and BBC Radio 1xtra. As an active supporter of her local and global music communities, Dot is also a voting member of The Recording Academy, and contributor to MusiCares. She has taught music production and composition at critically-acclaimed institutions including The Los Angeles Recording School, Dubspot, Point Blank, and Garnish.

    Kate Ellwanger

    Producer, CEO of Unspeakable Records

    Kate Ellwanger

Dot for Ableton's 'One Thing' Series


What Artists Are Saying

"Dot is a master of her craft and is truly passionate about helping people express themselves through music. Her step-by-step processes are comprehensive and easy to understand while providing insightful postitive feedback. Learning from Dot has been a fun and challenging experience and I highly recommend any of her programs to anyone looking to tap into their creative self."

-- Alan M, Producer, Los Angeles


"[Dot's Tutorials] are changing the horizon for me as a musician. I'm amazed at how much I'm learning, and that so much more is possible for me than I had previously thought. 

Dot has a unique talent as a teacher -- not only is she massively skilled in Ableton, but she's not afraid to break down the concepts for you into super simple and clear language. I was impressed by how clear the teaching was, and how fun she made it.  This program is the opposite of those production courses where the videos are mind-numbingly dry, and the teacher speaks an elitist language that you can't follow.

Dot's approach is unique in that she brings an inclusive, human element to music production -- you will feel like you are sitting with a friend while you get top-level information.

[Dot's Tutorials] are de-mystifying music production for me, and giving me a seat at the table. I think this is going to be a game-changer for a lot of other women, and I'm grateful to Dot for having the boldness to create such an awesome course!" 

-- Composer, San Francisco

Course curriculum

  • 01
    Welcome to Class!
    Show Content
  • 02
    The Fundamentals: Get to Know Your New Best Friend
    Show Content
  • 03
    Anatomy of a Track: Songwriting and Music Theory for Producers
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    • Lesson Two Video
    • Lesson Two Assignments
  • 04
    Capturing Sound: Basic Recording Techniques and How To Bend The Rules
    Show Content
    • Lesson Three Video
    • Lesson Three Assignments
    • Week One Sharing
  • 05
    Warping and Comping: On and Off The Grid
    Show Content
    • Lesson Four Video
  • 06
    Signal Processing: Audio Effect Basics
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    • Lesson Five Video
    • Lesson Five Assignments
  • 07
    Racks on Racks: Drum, Instrument, and Effect Racks
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    • Lesson Six Video
  • 08
    Ear Training: Understanding Your Influences and Creating What You Hear
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    • Lesson Seven Video
    • Influences and Inspiration
  • 09
    Sound Design: Intro to Synthesis with Analog
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    • Lesson Eight Video
  • 10
    Workflow: Developing Your Own Methods
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    • Lesson Nine Video
    • Lesson Nine Discussion
  • 11
    Advanced Sound Design: Operator, Sampler, and Wavetable
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    • Share Space - Works In Progress
    • Wavetable
    • Operator Bass
    • Operator Sub Bass
    • Operator Lead
    • Operator Pads
    • Operator Risers
    • Sampler Vocal Synths
    • Sampler FM & AM
  • 12
    Max for Live: Create Your Own Tools
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    • Lesson Eleven Video
  • 13
    Finishing Touches: Mixing & Mastering
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    • Mixing Down a Song - Part One
    • Mixing Down a Song - Part Two
    • Mastering
    • Share Space - Final Tracks

'Through My Lens' Interview with Dot


Enrollment