8-Day Ableton & DJ Production Week in Playa Marsella, Nicaragua

The teaching happens over five intensive days, with the other days left for arrival, rest, and the coastline. The Ableton material is sequenced to build on itself: you start with the progressive series (over ten hours of it), then co-create an original track from the ground up, work through remixing techniques, and finish with mixing and mastering basics. Because everyone comes in with existing Ableton experience, the sessions skip the beginner groundwork and get into the parts that actually move your tracks forward.

What sets this apart from a straight production course is how much of the week goes to the career side. There are workshops on artist branding and visual identity, how to curate and read a set, stage presence, marketing strategy, analytics, and budgeting — the unglamorous things that decide whether someone keeps working as an artist. One-on-one mentorship is built in, and a panel discussion tackles the question of staying relevant as a working DJ or producer over time.

The setting is ViYarte Boutique Hotel and Retreat Center, about fifteen minutes north of San Juan del Sur and roughly an hour from the Costa Rica border. That makes it reachable for people coming from within Nicaragua or crossing over. The property has an outdoor pool, a yoga deck, garden spaces, and an on-site restaurant, and Playa Maderas is close by, so the surf and the beach are part of the daily rhythm rather than a day trip.

Movement and downtime are woven through: morning yoga, surf sessions at the nearby break, and the beach itself five minutes away. The evenings turn the venue into a small creative community — jams by the fire, open mics, the blindfold sensory dinner with its sound journey, and pool parties that double as practice for getting up and playing. By the end you've written a track, built out your branding, had photos taken, and spent a week living and working next to other people doing the same thing.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation at ViYarte Boutique Hotel and Retreat Center - 5 intensive days of DJ and Ableton production instruction (in English) - Progressive Ableton series (over 10 hours) - Co-creating an original track from scratch - Remixing techniques workshop - Mixing and mastering fundamentals - Artist branding, visual identity, set curation and stage presence workshops - Marketing, analytics and budgeting sessions - Private mentorship time - Artist panel discussion - Yoga and surf sessions - Evening jams, open mic nights and pool parties - Blindfold sensory dinner with headphone sound journey - Professional photoshoot for artist profiles - Meals (tailored to the group, including dietary needs)

What's not included

- International flights - Travel insurance - Airport transfers (confirm with the leader) - Personal expenses - Optional upgrades and extras