How to get started making electronic music with EML

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How to get started making electronic music with EML

Updated August 2026 for Academic Year 2026-2027 

Free Packs for the Performance Track - Click here to download 12 free packs that Performance Track members can use to start playing in Ableton Live (Production Track members can also download if you want). When you click on an ALP file, Ableton Live will ask you to choose which folder to install it into. Try out all 12 packs and see which genre you want to start with. This link will expire on Sunday 30 August 2026.
Click to download 12 free packs

Equipment to bring for ALL sessions 

  • Laptop (either Mac or Windows) with charger
  • Earphones / Headphones (preferably wired, not wireless) because you cannot hear over your laptop speakers
  • Mouse (it's much easier to use with the software than trackpad)
  • USB-C to USB-A adaptor (if you want to try connecting a MIDI controller, because we have a few demo sets available)

Software to download (should be completed on Orientation Day)

1. ASIO4All 

    • All Windows users will need to install and use this


    • We will help you configure it to your earphones / headphones (see below)  


2. Ableton Live 12 Suite 30-day free trial 


    • DON'T INSTALL UNTIL ORIENTATION otherwise you will have less time. Just download first and we'll show you how to install the software at Orientation
    • All EML Sessions are carried out in Ableton Live
    • We will arrange for group purchase if you want to continue after the trial. 
    • If you are already experienced in Logic or FL Studio, you can probably translate the concepts over. But if you are only a beginner in Logic or FL Studio, we highly recommend you switch to Ableton Live because it is most suited to live performance.
    • Play the Demo Song to test if your audio works

3. Ableton Live free packs - 

    • Install them from inside Ableton Live, watch this video to see how


    • Chop and Swing (hip hop)
    • Build and Drop (EDM, dance music)
    • Drive and Glow (synthpop, synthwave)
    • Listen to the clips and samples and sounds in these packs and note down which ones you want to use in the upcoming Sessions 

4. For Performance Track students: Free LaunchPad Projects

Here are 12 free Launchpad projects in Ableton Live Pack format. Double click on a Pack in File Manager (Windows) or Finder (Apple) and return to Ableton Live to choose which folder to install it. This link will expire on 23 Aug 2026.

Try the different Packs and note down which one(s) you want to use for your own Session.




Upcoming EML Events & Welcome Activities

Mark your calendars for our upcoming fairs, open sessions, and orientation.

🎪

Student Life Fair (SLF)

Date: Wed 12 – Thu 13 Aug

Time: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (EML Performances: 2:45 – 3:00 PM)

Venue: UTSRC Lvl 1

🎧

Open Session

Date: Sat, 15 Aug

Time: 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Venue: UTSRC SR8

🍵

Welcome Tea

Date: Thurs, 20 Aug

Time: 6:30 PM onwards

Venue: YIH Multi-Purpose Room 5 (Lumina), Lvl 5

🚀

Session 1 (Orientation)

Date: Sat, 22 Aug

Time: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Venue: UTSRC SR8

After: Dinner + Karaoke at Star Vista, Teo Heng KTV

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