This summer, students can take the Ableton Summer Music Challenge for the chance to win audio software, gear, and samples for themselves and their schools.

Since creating music and working with music technology often go hand in hand, Ableton wants to encourage students to do both and find more ways to express themselves musically while learning how to use music technology tools at the same time. If you are a currently enrolled student, why not take some time over your summer break to learn music, make music, and possibly help your school get some nice music-production tools in the process?

To participate in the Summer Music Challenge, create an original track in any musical style, using any audio software or DAW (it doesn't have to be with Ableton Live). If you don't have the software or tools to get started, you can download a free trial version of Live, plus free Loopmasters beats and samples, from Ableton's Web site. Once your track is complete, you can then upload it to SoundCloud (in the appropriate age group) to enter the competition. The Ableton Summer Music Challenge will have two competition age groups: Under 15, and Age 15 to 18.

Via social networking sites, you can then share your track with others and encourage your friends to listen to your work. The 25 tracks with the most plays by August 31, 2010 will be presented to the official Ableton Summer Music Challenge Jury, which will then select one grand prize winner from each age group.

Grand prize winners will receive the Ableton Suite, the Novation Launchpad MIDI controller, the Novation NIO 2/4 audio interface, SoundCloud premium accounts (1 year), and a Loopmasters gift certificate for 250 EUR (about $310).

Winners will also win prizes for their schools: 1 Ableton Live Intro Site License (multi-installation license), 15 Novation Launchpads, 15 Novation Nio 2/4 audio interfaces, 25 SoundCloud Lite Accounts (1 year), and 1 Loopmaster Origins Collection.

Twenty four runners up in each age group will win the Ableton Live Intro Site License (multi-installation license) for their school and Ableton Live Intro for themselves.

For the chance to win, make some music and enter the Ableton Summer Music Challenge by August 31st. Learn more about the Ableton Summer Music Challenge at AbletonSummerMusicChallenge.com.