The Certification Program was launched by Ableton in 2008, and since then, we have certified more than 360 educators across 50 countries, offering instruction in more than 40 languages.
The Certification Program emphasizes depth of knowledge, and an embeddedness in community, and has always valued quality over quantity. This means that each Certification event has limited capacity, and prioritizes open feedback among participants, keeping these events quite small.
It’s also important to note that the Certification Program is not a “train-the-trainer” program or a curriculum to complete. While educators and artists of all kinds are encouraged to apply, we require a minimum 2 years of teaching experience, and an examination of skills across Ableton instruments in order to progress through the application process.
Certified Trainer candidates can come from many educational backgrounds, musical styles, teaching approaches, and mentorship types. The diversity of pedagogies is a strength for both the Ableton community, and their respective student communities. Not every Certified Trainer is a content creator, nor is every Certified Trainer tenured faculty at a traditional university.
Ableton Certification testing events take place at various locations around the world in both in-person and online formats, and are hosted by Ableton Certification staff. Due to the hands-on nature of Certification events, there are limited numbers of events per year, and across locations. Ableton
Certified Trainers can take advantage of a number of benefits, including:
Trainer Listing on Ableton.com
Special marketing support for training events
Access to Ableton Certified Trainer online community
Access to Ableton Certified Trainer online community
Exclusive industry accommodations
Authorization to use the Ableton Certified Trainer Logo
Each Certified Trainer has been thoroughly tested in all of the following:
A Certified Trainer knows Ableton instruments with both technical and creative specificity, and is able to explain functions and features in a detailed and musically relevant manner.
A Certified Trainer has exemplary teaching skills to speak with clarity and focus to learners of multiple skill/experience levels and musical styles. Candidates should be able to reflect on their pedagogical approaches to learning Ableton instruments, inclusion strategies, and hybrid/online learning approaches.
Certified Trainers know their way around audio/music technology and music theory, and are also comfortable adapting to a quickly-changing music industry & educational landscape.
If you’re interested in becoming an Ableton Certified Trainer you will first need to apply to participate in an Ableton Certification event. Currently scheduled events are listed below.
Certification Events are in-person or online events involving staff from Ableton; we do not provide certification via “test centers,” or via third-parties. Each Certification Event happens in a location sourced especially for this purpose.
We encourage you to join the Ableton Discord, where you can meet other musicians and educators, and join a few of our many livestreamed events, often hosted by current Certified Trainers & artists.
Complete the online application form
This form requires:
Confirming the event you are applying for
Teaching Background
Self-assessment on Ableton instrument familiarity & skills
Links to teaching examples & musical examples
We only accept applications for events once they are actually scheduled (see the list of events below).
In-person
In partnership with We Make Noise and Arizona State University
Apply for the Certification Event
More event locations and dates will be updated here as they are confirmed.
What kinds of requirements are there to apply?
Minimum 2 years teaching experience
Demonstrate lesson building & product knowledge via examples and video
Must be 21 years of age or older at time of event
Must own Live 12 Suite
Is there a public application form?
Yes, but only applications for upcoming events are read through at any given time
Applications received “in general” cannot be reviewed
Where can I see a list of current CTs?
Are CTs only teachers at universities?
No - Certified Trainers can teach in many different contexts, and many CTs do private lessons or work within the music industry in various roles
Are CTs only content creators?
No - many CTs do not use online content platforms for the majority of their work, though most engage with their communities in some way through social media or other learning platforms.
The video portion of one’s application is not evaluated based on video production skills, but rather the teaching styles and approaches
Are there any communities I can join to interact with CTs now?
The Ableton Discord has many current CTs on it, and you can interact with them there in multiple formats, including during special Deep Dive and Beginner Session events
Many CTs are engaged with Ableton User Groups, or organize the groups themselves
Some CTs host online communities on Discord, Twitch, and other online platforms independently as well
Does it cost money to become a CT?
Yes, each event, whether online or in-person, has a Certification Fee
This is a one-time fee, and no ongoing payments or subscriptions are required
Are Certification events only in-person?
There are two kinds of Certification events:
In-person: this is a 3-day event hosted by Ableton in a specific place, private to CT candidates & Ableton staff; travel and lodging is the responsibility of the Certified Trainer candidate for in-person events, and should be considered in the cost preparations by each candidate in addition to the Certification Fee
Online: These events are not location-specific, but are subject to time zone considerations. Candidates are not required to travel for online events, but they are expect
We examine each complete application that we receive. From there we conduct Zoom interviews with the applicants and eventually invite the 7 (online maximum) or 10 (in-person maximum) most promising candidates to the next event.
A strong Certified Trainer candidate is able to demonstrate teaching experience, in-depth knowledge of Ableton’s instruments, and an ability to guide a wide range of learners into enthusiastic music making with Live, Push, Move, and Note.
A Certification Event lasts for three days. Each participant is expected to demonstrate their teaching and Live skills in several different presentations, with feedback from the other candidates and Ableton in each session. One month before the actual event, each invited participant will receive preparation material that will thoroughly explain exactly what is expected.