20 minutes from class

 

EDM Harmony Overview

In this workshop, we break down one of the most powerful elements behind modern electronic music: harmony. Not just which chords to use, but how to shape them, move them, and bring them to life inside Ableton Live.

Uplifting, emotional EDM often sounds complex and larger-than-life, but at its core, it’s built on surprisingly simple harmonic ideas. Artists like Zedd, Porter Robinson, deadmau5, Tiësto, and Odesza know how to take basic diatonic progressions and transform them into something cinematic and unforgettable.

This session is about understanding how that transformation actually works.

We’ll explore how to build strong chord foundations, then expand them using voicing, movement, and texture. You’ll learn how small harmonic decisions create big emotional impact, and how to turn static chords into evolving, expressive musical moments.

This workshop is about seeing harmony not as theory on paper, but as a creative tool you can shape, perform, and design inside Ableton Live.

Chord Structure
Building Strong Foundations: Learn how to construct chords that feel solid and intentional, starting from simple triads and expanding outward.

Diatonic Progression
Simple Doesn’t Mean Boring: Understand how to create emotional progressions using only notes within a key, and why this is the backbone of most EDM.

Shell Voicing
Less Notes, More Impact: Strip chords down to their most important tones and learn how minimal voicings can sound bigger and cleaner in a mix.

EDM Extensions
Adding Color Without Chaos: Use 7ths, 9ths, and beyond to create richness while keeping the clarity needed for modern production.

Inversions
Smooth Movement and Weight: Learn how changing the bass note reshapes the entire emotional feel and creates natural motion between chords.

Borrowed Chords
Breaking the Rules Tastefully: Step outside the key to introduce contrast, tension, and unexpected emotional shifts.

MPE Articulation
Bringing Harmony to Life: Using per-note pitch bend, MPE LFO and glissando,  to turn chords into dynamic, evolving performances instead of static blocks.

This session is beginner-friendly, but the concepts go deep. Whether you’re just starting out or already producing at a high level, you’ll leave with a clearer understanding of how harmony works in real music, and how to use it to create tracks that feel bigger, more emotional, and more alive.

 

EDM Harmony Practice Ableton Project

Included with this session is an Ableton Project setup with EDM progression examples, synth and bass instruments with audio effects for practicing wiring your own progressions.

 

4 Synth Presets (Melodic Lead, Pluck, Saw Pad, Square Bass)

To explore different sounds and EDM styles, there are 4 synth presets for you to explore and save to your User Library (EDM Melodic Lead, EDM Pluck, EDM Saw Pad, EDM Square Bass)

 

EDM Verb

Custom preset for a bright noise based reverb that works great with EDM lead, pluck and pad sounds.

 

EDM Echo

Another custom presets to add space and rhythm to your EDM progressions.

 

Auto-Pan Tremolo Pump

A dedicated 4/4 pumping effect, simply load it on any sound to get that classic EDM pump.

 

EDM Chord Voicing MIDI Effect Rack

A MIDI effect rack you can load before the synth instruments, it allows to hit only one note at a time to create big EDM chords with an added Melody Generator.

This is an update version that following Live's global key/scale.

See a demo HERE.

 

What's Included with this session

• 2+ hours of Ableton Certified Training Video
• EDM Harmony Practice Ableton Project
• 4 Instrument Presets (Melodic Lead, Pluck, Saw Pad, Square Bass)
• Auto-Pan Tremolo EDM Pump
• EDM Hybrid Reverb Preset
• EDM Echo Preset
• EDM Chord Voicing 2 MIDI Effect Rack
• PDF with a list of EDM Progressions & Keyboard Shortcuts

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ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Yeuda Ben-Atar, a world renowned Ableton Certified Trainer, hails from Los Angeles, California. Originally from Israel, Yeuda’s passion for music led him to the United States, where he discovered his true calling with Ableton Live in 2007, embarking on a journey of mastery.

He approaches Ableton in a unique way; producing and performing with video game controllers under the moniker Side Brain.

One of Yeuda’s most remarkable qualities is his exceptional knowledge and speed, combined with his unparalleled ability to explain complex concepts in a simple and engaging manner.

With years of experience as a music production instructor and educator, Yeuda has contributed his expertise to prestigious institutions throughout the United States, including USC, UCLA, UCSD, Colburn Music School, Berkley School of Music, Cal Arts, NAMM, Skywalker Sounds, Bedrock LA, Sonos Studios, Sweetwater Headquarters, 1500 or Nothing studios, Grammy U, Pensado’s Place, Vintage King, Museum of Making Music, Lynda.com (now known as Linkedin Learning), and Perfect Circuit Audio, among many others.

His projects have included working with and teaching artists such as Timbaland, Ludacris, Lavel Kali(Beyonce, Drake) DJ Numark and Jurassic 5, Beck, Skrillex, Flying Lotus, Ed Sheeran, Rick Rubin, Giorgio Moroder, Simi, Bootie Brown (Pharcyde), Dave Pensado, Madison Mcferrin and countless others.