Frequently Asked Questions
Type a keyword in the search below, or click the categories to expand.
Website & Member Questions
Beginner Questions
You can enable this track for Arrangement playback by pressing the grey arrow to the left of the track.
To enable ALL tracks for Arrangement playback, press the orange, “Back To Arrangement” button in the upper right corner of the arrangement panel.
Tab to Toggle to Arrangement View. Arrangement view is the timeline view that all DAW’s have. The musical ideas from session view can be copied or recorded into Arrangement View to linearly write a song from left to right. You can record new ideas into Arrangement View as well.
To load stock instruments:
Simply click on the Instruments tab in the Live browser (the left vertical panel of categories). Once the Instruments category is selected, you will see all of the available types of instruments. Click on the arrow to the left of an instrument type, for instance “Analog.” Inside “Analog” you will see different presets organized by sound such as “Bass” or “Piano and Keys” Click any .adv preset to load that instrument into a new track.
To load third party plugins:
(assuming you’ve already installed them on your computer), the next thing you need to do is make sure you’ve pointed Live to the folder where you installed your plugins. YOU ONLY HAVE TO DO THIS ONCE.
On Windows, for example you might install your plugins to C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins, but it completely depends on where the specified the location is when you installed the third party plugins. Then go to Options, Preferences, File Folder. Turn On “Use VST Plug-In Custom Folder,” then click the “Browse” button underneath and point to the folder where your plugins are stored.
On a Mac, the process is similar. Go to Live, Preferences, File Folder. On Mac OS, Ableton Live understands 2 different formats of third party plugins; Audio Units (AUs) and VSTs. These formats are very similar and you won’t notice much difference between them. Most plugin developers will have installers that offer both formats. However, Audio Units do not exist on Windows. If you are a Mac user and want to collaborate with Windows users, use VSTs so that your projects are compatible. On a Mac, third party plugins will be installed in a premade system folder “Library\Audio\Plug-Ins.” Audio Units are stored under the subfolder, “Components.” You can turn on both Audio Units and VSTs from the File Folder Preferences. In Live on a Mac, you can also specify a Custom Folder for VSTs in addition to the system folder.
Once your plugins are enabled and pointed, on both Mac and PC you can easily access and load them from the Plug-Ins tab in Live’s Browser. You can click and drag them to a desired track. Remember, there are midi only Plugins that are virtual synthesizers (these go only on midi tracks), and there are audio effect plugins that can either go on an audio track or on a midi track after the synthesizer instrument.
This monitoring behavior is also the same for midi track input for played notes.
To stop all clips with a Push 2, hold the Shift button on the Push2 then press the Stop Clip button.
You can also press space bar.
Once the track is armed and your midi device input is enabled, you should be ready to record played notes. In session view click any of the circle record buttons on the available clip slots on the track, then play notes. Click the square stop clip button on that track to stop recording. In arrangement view, click the global record button at the top center of the screen (providing that the desired track is armed. Click the global square stop button at the top center of the screen to stop recording.
To record the midi output of one track to the midi input of a new midi track, simply set the midi input of the new track to the name of the existing midi track, then arm the new midi track. Again, if you’re in session keyboard by clicking the piano keyboard button which is in the upper right corner of the screen, to the right of the Key button.
Once the track is armed and your midi device input is enabled, you should be ready to record played notes. In session view click any of the circle record buttons on the available clip slots on the track after the existing track is playing. In arrangement view, click the global record button at the top center of the screen.
Common uses include layering multiple drum sounds, manipulating audio loops, chopping up vocals, and much more.
You can create multiple chains in any of the drum rack’s 128 slots, and go really deep inside what you create with a drum rack. This allows users to take full creative control of playback individual musical ideas, while manipulating how they are performed, whether being a one-shot or audio loop.
Note, return tracks act in parallel, meaning that even when a track’s set to send 100% to the return track, the original audio is still going to the master, meaning 100% wet is really 50% wet, 50% dry.
There are also Pre/Post buttons for sends. These buttons are located on the master track, above the master fader in session view. Post is the default. When set to Pre, the input of the return track will ignore where the fader is set on the source track that is being sent to the return track. This means that if the source track’s fader is pulled all the way down, but it still is set to send some amount of its audio to the return track, you will still hear the return track fx. When set to Post, if the source track’s fader is pulled all the way down, you won’t hear anything on the return track fx.
Consolidate will combine 2 or more clips of either audio or midi. To consolidate a clip, highlight 2 or more clips, right click, then click Consolidate Consolidate is NOT a way to reduce CPU. It is designed to simplify and clean up your project file. When you consolidate 2 or more audio clips, a new audio clip will be created that replaces the old. Likewise a new midi clip is created to combine 2 or more midi clips. Consolidate is ALWAYS PreFX. Meaning the devices on a track will still remain after consolidating.
Digital Duct Tape.
Max for Live is a visual programming environment that allows users to build instruments and effects for use within Ableton Live.
Often times advanced users will create brilliant solutions to common problems such as, BeatSeeker, which allows Ableton’s global tempo to be synced to the average rhythmic audio timing.
https://www.ableton.com/en/packs/beatseeker/
The growing community centred around sites such as max4live.com and maxforlive.info are helpful and creative with a wealth of devices available in addition to the ones included within the Ableton Live Packs. Often times, a device or effect will nearly do what you want but not quite…That’s where Max For Live Comes into help.
Max for Live is only available in Ableton Live Suite.
To add a Max For Live device to an Ableton project simply take the downloaded .amxd file from Finder or Windows File Explorer and drag it onto the desired track in Ableton Live.
If you have a folder of Max For Live Devices (such as Users/Username/Desktop/MaxDevices), it might make sense to add that folder to Live’s browser by clicking “Add Folder…” at the bottom of Live’s Browser. That way you can add Max For Live devices to tracks directly from Ableton Live.
Ableton Push 2
Novation Launchpad Pro
Akai APC40 MKII
Akai Professional Advance 49
Arturia Keylab 49
Akai MPK Mini MKII 25
Native Instruments Machine MK3
DJTechTools Midi Fighter 3D
DJTechTools Midi Fighter Twister
Novation LaunchControl XL
You can take your live performance to a whole new level. Instead of just playing your Deck A and transitioning back to your Deck B all night…Ableton Live can do that and more. What if you wanted to play instruments along with your backing tracks, and have a platform that can support third party plugins on your backing tracks as well as your live inputs? Ableton can do it all.
Everyone is a DJ nowadays, Ableton will help you stand out for the right reasons.
Load More
Ableton Questions
Questions about Authorizing & Installing Ableton?
Beginner Questions
You can enable this track for Arrangement playback by pressing the grey arrow to the left of the track.
To enable ALL tracks for Arrangement playback, press the orange, “Back To Arrangement” button in the upper right corner of the arrangement panel.
Tab to Toggle to Arrangement View. Arrangement view is the timeline view that all DAW’s have. The musical ideas from session view can be copied or recorded into Arrangement View to linearly write a song from left to right. You can record new ideas into Arrangement View as well.
To load stock instruments:
Simply click on the Instruments tab in the Live browser (the left vertical panel of categories). Once the Instruments category is selected, you will see all of the available types of instruments. Click on the arrow to the left of an instrument type, for instance “Analog.” Inside “Analog” you will see different presets organized by sound such as “Bass” or “Piano and Keys” Click any .adv preset to load that instrument into a new track.
To load third party plugins:
(assuming you’ve already installed them on your computer), the next thing you need to do is make sure you’ve pointed Live to the folder where you installed your plugins. YOU ONLY HAVE TO DO THIS ONCE.
On Windows, for example you might install your plugins to C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins, but it completely depends on where the specified the location is when you installed the third party plugins. Then go to Options, Preferences, File Folder. Turn On “Use VST Plug-In Custom Folder,” then click the “Browse” button underneath and point to the folder where your plugins are stored.
On a Mac, the process is similar. Go to Live, Preferences, File Folder. On Mac OS, Ableton Live understands 2 different formats of third party plugins; Audio Units (AUs) and VSTs. These formats are very similar and you won’t notice much difference between them. Most plugin developers will have installers that offer both formats. However, Audio Units do not exist on Windows. If you are a Mac user and want to collaborate with Windows users, use VSTs so that your projects are compatible. On a Mac, third party plugins will be installed in a premade system folder “Library\Audio\Plug-Ins.” Audio Units are stored under the subfolder, “Components.” You can turn on both Audio Units and VSTs from the File Folder Preferences. In Live on a Mac, you can also specify a Custom Folder for VSTs in addition to the system folder.
Once your plugins are enabled and pointed, on both Mac and PC you can easily access and load them from the Plug-Ins tab in Live’s Browser. You can click and drag them to a desired track. Remember, there are midi only Plugins that are virtual synthesizers (these go only on midi tracks), and there are audio effect plugins that can either go on an audio track or on a midi track after the synthesizer instrument.
This monitoring behavior is also the same for midi track input for played notes.
To stop all clips with a Push 2, hold the Shift button on the Push2 then press the Stop Clip button.
You can also press space bar.
Once the track is armed and your midi device input is enabled, you should be ready to record played notes. In session view click any of the circle record buttons on the available clip slots on the track, then play notes. Click the square stop clip button on that track to stop recording. In arrangement view, click the global record button at the top center of the screen (providing that the desired track is armed. Click the global square stop button at the top center of the screen to stop recording.
To record the midi output of one track to the midi input of a new midi track, simply set the midi input of the new track to the name of the existing midi track, then arm the new midi track. Again, if you’re in session keyboard by clicking the piano keyboard button which is in the upper right corner of the screen, to the right of the Key button.
Once the track is armed and your midi device input is enabled, you should be ready to record played notes. In session view click any of the circle record buttons on the available clip slots on the track after the existing track is playing. In arrangement view, click the global record button at the top center of the screen.
Common uses include layering multiple drum sounds, manipulating audio loops, chopping up vocals, and much more.
You can create multiple chains in any of the drum rack’s 128 slots, and go really deep inside what you create with a drum rack. This allows users to take full creative control of playback individual musical ideas, while manipulating how they are performed, whether being a one-shot or audio loop.
Note, return tracks act in parallel, meaning that even when a track’s set to send 100% to the return track, the original audio is still going to the master, meaning 100% wet is really 50% wet, 50% dry.
There are also Pre/Post buttons for sends. These buttons are located on the master track, above the master fader in session view. Post is the default. When set to Pre, the input of the return track will ignore where the fader is set on the source track that is being sent to the return track. This means that if the source track’s fader is pulled all the way down, but it still is set to send some amount of its audio to the return track, you will still hear the return track fx. When set to Post, if the source track’s fader is pulled all the way down, you won’t hear anything on the return track fx.
Consolidate will combine 2 or more clips of either audio or midi. To consolidate a clip, highlight 2 or more clips, right click, then click Consolidate Consolidate is NOT a way to reduce CPU. It is designed to simplify and clean up your project file. When you consolidate 2 or more audio clips, a new audio clip will be created that replaces the old. Likewise a new midi clip is created to combine 2 or more midi clips. Consolidate is ALWAYS PreFX. Meaning the devices on a track will still remain after consolidating.
Digital Duct Tape.
Max for Live is a visual programming environment that allows users to build instruments and effects for use within Ableton Live.
Often times advanced users will create brilliant solutions to common problems such as, BeatSeeker, which allows Ableton’s global tempo to be synced to the average rhythmic audio timing.
https://www.ableton.com/en/packs/beatseeker/
The growing community centred around sites such as max4live.com and maxforlive.info are helpful and creative with a wealth of devices available in addition to the ones included within the Ableton Live Packs. Often times, a device or effect will nearly do what you want but not quite…That’s where Max For Live Comes into help.
Max for Live is only available in Ableton Live Suite.
To add a Max For Live device to an Ableton project simply take the downloaded .amxd file from Finder or Windows File Explorer and drag it onto the desired track in Ableton Live.
If you have a folder of Max For Live Devices (such as Users/Username/Desktop/MaxDevices), it might make sense to add that folder to Live’s browser by clicking “Add Folder…” at the bottom of Live’s Browser. That way you can add Max For Live devices to tracks directly from Ableton Live.
Ableton Push 2
Novation Launchpad Pro
Akai APC40 MKII
Akai Professional Advance 49
Arturia Keylab 49
Akai MPK Mini MKII 25
Native Instruments Machine MK3
DJTechTools Midi Fighter 3D
DJTechTools Midi Fighter Twister
Novation LaunchControl XL
You can take your live performance to a whole new level. Instead of just playing your Deck A and transitioning back to your Deck B all night…Ableton Live can do that and more. What if you wanted to play instruments along with your backing tracks, and have a platform that can support third party plugins on your backing tracks as well as your live inputs? Ableton can do it all.
Everyone is a DJ nowadays, Ableton will help you stand out for the right reasons.
Load More
Beginner Ableton Questions? We all start somewhere
Beginner Questions
You can enable this track for Arrangement playback by pressing the grey arrow to the left of the track.
To enable ALL tracks for Arrangement playback, press the orange, “Back To Arrangement” button in the upper right corner of the arrangement panel.
Tab to Toggle to Arrangement View. Arrangement view is the timeline view that all DAW’s have. The musical ideas from session view can be copied or recorded into Arrangement View to linearly write a song from left to right. You can record new ideas into Arrangement View as well.
To load stock instruments:
Simply click on the Instruments tab in the Live browser (the left vertical panel of categories). Once the Instruments category is selected, you will see all of the available types of instruments. Click on the arrow to the left of an instrument type, for instance “Analog.” Inside “Analog” you will see different presets organized by sound such as “Bass” or “Piano and Keys” Click any .adv preset to load that instrument into a new track.
To load third party plugins:
(assuming you’ve already installed them on your computer), the next thing you need to do is make sure you’ve pointed Live to the folder where you installed your plugins. YOU ONLY HAVE TO DO THIS ONCE.
On Windows, for example you might install your plugins to C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins, but it completely depends on where the specified the location is when you installed the third party plugins. Then go to Options, Preferences, File Folder. Turn On “Use VST Plug-In Custom Folder,” then click the “Browse” button underneath and point to the folder where your plugins are stored.
On a Mac, the process is similar. Go to Live, Preferences, File Folder. On Mac OS, Ableton Live understands 2 different formats of third party plugins; Audio Units (AUs) and VSTs. These formats are very similar and you won’t notice much difference between them. Most plugin developers will have installers that offer both formats. However, Audio Units do not exist on Windows. If you are a Mac user and want to collaborate with Windows users, use VSTs so that your projects are compatible. On a Mac, third party plugins will be installed in a premade system folder “Library\Audio\Plug-Ins.” Audio Units are stored under the subfolder, “Components.” You can turn on both Audio Units and VSTs from the File Folder Preferences. In Live on a Mac, you can also specify a Custom Folder for VSTs in addition to the system folder.
Once your plugins are enabled and pointed, on both Mac and PC you can easily access and load them from the Plug-Ins tab in Live’s Browser. You can click and drag them to a desired track. Remember, there are midi only Plugins that are virtual synthesizers (these go only on midi tracks), and there are audio effect plugins that can either go on an audio track or on a midi track after the synthesizer instrument.
This monitoring behavior is also the same for midi track input for played notes.
To stop all clips with a Push 2, hold the Shift button on the Push2 then press the Stop Clip button.
You can also press space bar.
Once the track is armed and your midi device input is enabled, you should be ready to record played notes. In session view click any of the circle record buttons on the available clip slots on the track, then play notes. Click the square stop clip button on that track to stop recording. In arrangement view, click the global record button at the top center of the screen (providing that the desired track is armed. Click the global square stop button at the top center of the screen to stop recording.
To record the midi output of one track to the midi input of a new midi track, simply set the midi input of the new track to the name of the existing midi track, then arm the new midi track. Again, if you’re in session keyboard by clicking the piano keyboard button which is in the upper right corner of the screen, to the right of the Key button.
Once the track is armed and your midi device input is enabled, you should be ready to record played notes. In session view click any of the circle record buttons on the available clip slots on the track after the existing track is playing. In arrangement view, click the global record button at the top center of the screen.
Common uses include layering multiple drum sounds, manipulating audio loops, chopping up vocals, and much more.
You can create multiple chains in any of the drum rack’s 128 slots, and go really deep inside what you create with a drum rack. This allows users to take full creative control of playback individual musical ideas, while manipulating how they are performed, whether being a one-shot or audio loop.
Note, return tracks act in parallel, meaning that even when a track’s set to send 100% to the return track, the original audio is still going to the master, meaning 100% wet is really 50% wet, 50% dry.
There are also Pre/Post buttons for sends. These buttons are located on the master track, above the master fader in session view. Post is the default. When set to Pre, the input of the return track will ignore where the fader is set on the source track that is being sent to the return track. This means that if the source track’s fader is pulled all the way down, but it still is set to send some amount of its audio to the return track, you will still hear the return track fx. When set to Post, if the source track’s fader is pulled all the way down, you won’t hear anything on the return track fx.
Consolidate will combine 2 or more clips of either audio or midi. To consolidate a clip, highlight 2 or more clips, right click, then click Consolidate Consolidate is NOT a way to reduce CPU. It is designed to simplify and clean up your project file. When you consolidate 2 or more audio clips, a new audio clip will be created that replaces the old. Likewise a new midi clip is created to combine 2 or more midi clips. Consolidate is ALWAYS PreFX. Meaning the devices on a track will still remain after consolidating.
Digital Duct Tape.
Max for Live is a visual programming environment that allows users to build instruments and effects for use within Ableton Live.
Often times advanced users will create brilliant solutions to common problems such as, BeatSeeker, which allows Ableton’s global tempo to be synced to the average rhythmic audio timing.
https://www.ableton.com/en/packs/beatseeker/
The growing community centred around sites such as max4live.com and maxforlive.info are helpful and creative with a wealth of devices available in addition to the ones included within the Ableton Live Packs. Often times, a device or effect will nearly do what you want but not quite…That’s where Max For Live Comes into help.
Max for Live is only available in Ableton Live Suite.
To add a Max For Live device to an Ableton project simply take the downloaded .amxd file from Finder or Windows File Explorer and drag it onto the desired track in Ableton Live.
If you have a folder of Max For Live Devices (such as Users/Username/Desktop/MaxDevices), it might make sense to add that folder to Live’s browser by clicking “Add Folder…” at the bottom of Live’s Browser. That way you can add Max For Live devices to tracks directly from Ableton Live.
Ableton Push 2
Novation Launchpad Pro
Akai APC40 MKII
Akai Professional Advance 49
Arturia Keylab 49
Akai MPK Mini MKII 25
Native Instruments Machine MK3
DJTechTools Midi Fighter 3D
DJTechTools Midi Fighter Twister
Novation LaunchControl XL
You can take your live performance to a whole new level. Instead of just playing your Deck A and transitioning back to your Deck B all night…Ableton Live can do that and more. What if you wanted to play instruments along with your backing tracks, and have a platform that can support third party plugins on your backing tracks as well as your live inputs? Ableton can do it all.
Everyone is a DJ nowadays, Ableton will help you stand out for the right reasons.
Load More
Ableton and your computer?
Beginner Questions
You can enable this track for Arrangement playback by pressing the grey arrow to the left of the track.
To enable ALL tracks for Arrangement playback, press the orange, “Back To Arrangement” button in the upper right corner of the arrangement panel.
Tab to Toggle to Arrangement View. Arrangement view is the timeline view that all DAW’s have. The musical ideas from session view can be copied or recorded into Arrangement View to linearly write a song from left to right. You can record new ideas into Arrangement View as well.
To load stock instruments:
Simply click on the Instruments tab in the Live browser (the left vertical panel of categories). Once the Instruments category is selected, you will see all of the available types of instruments. Click on the arrow to the left of an instrument type, for instance “Analog.” Inside “Analog” you will see different presets organized by sound such as “Bass” or “Piano and Keys” Click any .adv preset to load that instrument into a new track.
To load third party plugins:
(assuming you’ve already installed them on your computer), the next thing you need to do is make sure you’ve pointed Live to the folder where you installed your plugins. YOU ONLY HAVE TO DO THIS ONCE.
On Windows, for example you might install your plugins to C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins, but it completely depends on where the specified the location is when you installed the third party plugins. Then go to Options, Preferences, File Folder. Turn On “Use VST Plug-In Custom Folder,” then click the “Browse” button underneath and point to the folder where your plugins are stored.
On a Mac, the process is similar. Go to Live, Preferences, File Folder. On Mac OS, Ableton Live understands 2 different formats of third party plugins; Audio Units (AUs) and VSTs. These formats are very similar and you won’t notice much difference between them. Most plugin developers will have installers that offer both formats. However, Audio Units do not exist on Windows. If you are a Mac user and want to collaborate with Windows users, use VSTs so that your projects are compatible. On a Mac, third party plugins will be installed in a premade system folder “Library\Audio\Plug-Ins.” Audio Units are stored under the subfolder, “Components.” You can turn on both Audio Units and VSTs from the File Folder Preferences. In Live on a Mac, you can also specify a Custom Folder for VSTs in addition to the system folder.
Once your plugins are enabled and pointed, on both Mac and PC you can easily access and load them from the Plug-Ins tab in Live’s Browser. You can click and drag them to a desired track. Remember, there are midi only Plugins that are virtual synthesizers (these go only on midi tracks), and there are audio effect plugins that can either go on an audio track or on a midi track after the synthesizer instrument.
This monitoring behavior is also the same for midi track input for played notes.
To stop all clips with a Push 2, hold the Shift button on the Push2 then press the Stop Clip button.
You can also press space bar.
Once the track is armed and your midi device input is enabled, you should be ready to record played notes. In session view click any of the circle record buttons on the available clip slots on the track, then play notes. Click the square stop clip button on that track to stop recording. In arrangement view, click the global record button at the top center of the screen (providing that the desired track is armed. Click the global square stop button at the top center of the screen to stop recording.
To record the midi output of one track to the midi input of a new midi track, simply set the midi input of the new track to the name of the existing midi track, then arm the new midi track. Again, if you’re in session keyboard by clicking the piano keyboard button which is in the upper right corner of the screen, to the right of the Key button.
Once the track is armed and your midi device input is enabled, you should be ready to record played notes. In session view click any of the circle record buttons on the available clip slots on the track after the existing track is playing. In arrangement view, click the global record button at the top center of the screen.
Common uses include layering multiple drum sounds, manipulating audio loops, chopping up vocals, and much more.
You can create multiple chains in any of the drum rack’s 128 slots, and go really deep inside what you create with a drum rack. This allows users to take full creative control of playback individual musical ideas, while manipulating how they are performed, whether being a one-shot or audio loop.
Note, return tracks act in parallel, meaning that even when a track’s set to send 100% to the return track, the original audio is still going to the master, meaning 100% wet is really 50% wet, 50% dry.
There are also Pre/Post buttons for sends. These buttons are located on the master track, above the master fader in session view. Post is the default. When set to Pre, the input of the return track will ignore where the fader is set on the source track that is being sent to the return track. This means that if the source track’s fader is pulled all the way down, but it still is set to send some amount of its audio to the return track, you will still hear the return track fx. When set to Post, if the source track’s fader is pulled all the way down, you won’t hear anything on the return track fx.
Consolidate will combine 2 or more clips of either audio or midi. To consolidate a clip, highlight 2 or more clips, right click, then click Consolidate Consolidate is NOT a way to reduce CPU. It is designed to simplify and clean up your project file. When you consolidate 2 or more audio clips, a new audio clip will be created that replaces the old. Likewise a new midi clip is created to combine 2 or more midi clips. Consolidate is ALWAYS PreFX. Meaning the devices on a track will still remain after consolidating.
Digital Duct Tape.
Max for Live is a visual programming environment that allows users to build instruments and effects for use within Ableton Live.
Often times advanced users will create brilliant solutions to common problems such as, BeatSeeker, which allows Ableton’s global tempo to be synced to the average rhythmic audio timing.
https://www.ableton.com/en/packs/beatseeker/
The growing community centred around sites such as max4live.com and maxforlive.info are helpful and creative with a wealth of devices available in addition to the ones included within the Ableton Live Packs. Often times, a device or effect will nearly do what you want but not quite…That’s where Max For Live Comes into help.
Max for Live is only available in Ableton Live Suite.
To add a Max For Live device to an Ableton project simply take the downloaded .amxd file from Finder or Windows File Explorer and drag it onto the desired track in Ableton Live.
If you have a folder of Max For Live Devices (such as Users/Username/Desktop/MaxDevices), it might make sense to add that folder to Live’s browser by clicking “Add Folder…” at the bottom of Live’s Browser. That way you can add Max For Live devices to tracks directly from Ableton Live.
Ableton Push 2
Novation Launchpad Pro
Akai APC40 MKII
Akai Professional Advance 49
Arturia Keylab 49
Akai MPK Mini MKII 25
Native Instruments Machine MK3
DJTechTools Midi Fighter 3D
DJTechTools Midi Fighter Twister
Novation LaunchControl XL
You can take your live performance to a whole new level. Instead of just playing your Deck A and transitioning back to your Deck B all night…Ableton Live can do that and more. What if you wanted to play instruments along with your backing tracks, and have a platform that can support third party plugins on your backing tracks as well as your live inputs? Ableton can do it all.
Everyone is a DJ nowadays, Ableton will help you stand out for the right reasons.
Load More
Organizing your Ableton Projects?
Beginner Questions
You can enable this track for Arrangement playback by pressing the grey arrow to the left of the track.
To enable ALL tracks for Arrangement playback, press the orange, “Back To Arrangement” button in the upper right corner of the arrangement panel.
Tab to Toggle to Arrangement View. Arrangement view is the timeline view that all DAW’s have. The musical ideas from session view can be copied or recorded into Arrangement View to linearly write a song from left to right. You can record new ideas into Arrangement View as well.
To load stock instruments:
Simply click on the Instruments tab in the Live browser (the left vertical panel of categories). Once the Instruments category is selected, you will see all of the available types of instruments. Click on the arrow to the left of an instrument type, for instance “Analog.” Inside “Analog” you will see different presets organized by sound such as “Bass” or “Piano and Keys” Click any .adv preset to load that instrument into a new track.
To load third party plugins:
(assuming you’ve already installed them on your computer), the next thing you need to do is make sure you’ve pointed Live to the folder where you installed your plugins. YOU ONLY HAVE TO DO THIS ONCE.
On Windows, for example you might install your plugins to C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins, but it completely depends on where the specified the location is when you installed the third party plugins. Then go to Options, Preferences, File Folder. Turn On “Use VST Plug-In Custom Folder,” then click the “Browse” button underneath and point to the folder where your plugins are stored.
On a Mac, the process is similar. Go to Live, Preferences, File Folder. On Mac OS, Ableton Live understands 2 different formats of third party plugins; Audio Units (AUs) and VSTs. These formats are very similar and you won’t notice much difference between them. Most plugin developers will have installers that offer both formats. However, Audio Units do not exist on Windows. If you are a Mac user and want to collaborate with Windows users, use VSTs so that your projects are compatible. On a Mac, third party plugins will be installed in a premade system folder “Library\Audio\Plug-Ins.” Audio Units are stored under the subfolder, “Components.” You can turn on both Audio Units and VSTs from the File Folder Preferences. In Live on a Mac, you can also specify a Custom Folder for VSTs in addition to the system folder.
Once your plugins are enabled and pointed, on both Mac and PC you can easily access and load them from the Plug-Ins tab in Live’s Browser. You can click and drag them to a desired track. Remember, there are midi only Plugins that are virtual synthesizers (these go only on midi tracks), and there are audio effect plugins that can either go on an audio track or on a midi track after the synthesizer instrument.
This monitoring behavior is also the same for midi track input for played notes.
To stop all clips with a Push 2, hold the Shift button on the Push2 then press the Stop Clip button.
You can also press space bar.
Once the track is armed and your midi device input is enabled, you should be ready to record played notes. In session view click any of the circle record buttons on the available clip slots on the track, then play notes. Click the square stop clip button on that track to stop recording. In arrangement view, click the global record button at the top center of the screen (providing that the desired track is armed. Click the global square stop button at the top center of the screen to stop recording.
To record the midi output of one track to the midi input of a new midi track, simply set the midi input of the new track to the name of the existing midi track, then arm the new midi track. Again, if you’re in session keyboard by clicking the piano keyboard button which is in the upper right corner of the screen, to the right of the Key button.
Once the track is armed and your midi device input is enabled, you should be ready to record played notes. In session view click any of the circle record buttons on the available clip slots on the track after the existing track is playing. In arrangement view, click the global record button at the top center of the screen.
Common uses include layering multiple drum sounds, manipulating audio loops, chopping up vocals, and much more.
You can create multiple chains in any of the drum rack’s 128 slots, and go really deep inside what you create with a drum rack. This allows users to take full creative control of playback individual musical ideas, while manipulating how they are performed, whether being a one-shot or audio loop.
Note, return tracks act in parallel, meaning that even when a track’s set to send 100% to the return track, the original audio is still going to the master, meaning 100% wet is really 50% wet, 50% dry.
There are also Pre/Post buttons for sends. These buttons are located on the master track, above the master fader in session view. Post is the default. When set to Pre, the input of the return track will ignore where the fader is set on the source track that is being sent to the return track. This means that if the source track’s fader is pulled all the way down, but it still is set to send some amount of its audio to the return track, you will still hear the return track fx. When set to Post, if the source track’s fader is pulled all the way down, you won’t hear anything on the return track fx.
Consolidate will combine 2 or more clips of either audio or midi. To consolidate a clip, highlight 2 or more clips, right click, then click Consolidate Consolidate is NOT a way to reduce CPU. It is designed to simplify and clean up your project file. When you consolidate 2 or more audio clips, a new audio clip will be created that replaces the old. Likewise a new midi clip is created to combine 2 or more midi clips. Consolidate is ALWAYS PreFX. Meaning the devices on a track will still remain after consolidating.
Digital Duct Tape.
Max for Live is a visual programming environment that allows users to build instruments and effects for use within Ableton Live.
Often times advanced users will create brilliant solutions to common problems such as, BeatSeeker, which allows Ableton’s global tempo to be synced to the average rhythmic audio timing.
https://www.ableton.com/en/packs/beatseeker/
The growing community centred around sites such as max4live.com and maxforlive.info are helpful and creative with a wealth of devices available in addition to the ones included within the Ableton Live Packs. Often times, a device or effect will nearly do what you want but not quite…That’s where Max For Live Comes into help.
Max for Live is only available in Ableton Live Suite.
To add a Max For Live device to an Ableton project simply take the downloaded .amxd file from Finder or Windows File Explorer and drag it onto the desired track in Ableton Live.
If you have a folder of Max For Live Devices (such as Users/Username/Desktop/MaxDevices), it might make sense to add that folder to Live’s browser by clicking “Add Folder…” at the bottom of Live’s Browser. That way you can add Max For Live devices to tracks directly from Ableton Live.
Ableton Push 2
Novation Launchpad Pro
Akai APC40 MKII
Akai Professional Advance 49
Arturia Keylab 49
Akai MPK Mini MKII 25
Native Instruments Machine MK3
DJTechTools Midi Fighter 3D
DJTechTools Midi Fighter Twister
Novation LaunchControl XL
You can take your live performance to a whole new level. Instead of just playing your Deck A and transitioning back to your Deck B all night…Ableton Live can do that and more. What if you wanted to play instruments along with your backing tracks, and have a platform that can support third party plugins on your backing tracks as well as your live inputs? Ableton can do it all.
Everyone is a DJ nowadays, Ableton will help you stand out for the right reasons.
Load More
Ableton and Midi Controllers?
Beginner Questions
You can enable this track for Arrangement playback by pressing the grey arrow to the left of the track.
To enable ALL tracks for Arrangement playback, press the orange, “Back To Arrangement” button in the upper right corner of the arrangement panel.
Tab to Toggle to Arrangement View. Arrangement view is the timeline view that all DAW’s have. The musical ideas from session view can be copied or recorded into Arrangement View to linearly write a song from left to right. You can record new ideas into Arrangement View as well.
To load stock instruments:
Simply click on the Instruments tab in the Live browser (the left vertical panel of categories). Once the Instruments category is selected, you will see all of the available types of instruments. Click on the arrow to the left of an instrument type, for instance “Analog.” Inside “Analog” you will see different presets organized by sound such as “Bass” or “Piano and Keys” Click any .adv preset to load that instrument into a new track.
To load third party plugins:
(assuming you’ve already installed them on your computer), the next thing you need to do is make sure you’ve pointed Live to the folder where you installed your plugins. YOU ONLY HAVE TO DO THIS ONCE.
On Windows, for example you might install your plugins to C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins, but it completely depends on where the specified the location is when you installed the third party plugins. Then go to Options, Preferences, File Folder. Turn On “Use VST Plug-In Custom Folder,” then click the “Browse” button underneath and point to the folder where your plugins are stored.
On a Mac, the process is similar. Go to Live, Preferences, File Folder. On Mac OS, Ableton Live understands 2 different formats of third party plugins; Audio Units (AUs) and VSTs. These formats are very similar and you won’t notice much difference between them. Most plugin developers will have installers that offer both formats. However, Audio Units do not exist on Windows. If you are a Mac user and want to collaborate with Windows users, use VSTs so that your projects are compatible. On a Mac, third party plugins will be installed in a premade system folder “Library\Audio\Plug-Ins.” Audio Units are stored under the subfolder, “Components.” You can turn on both Audio Units and VSTs from the File Folder Preferences. In Live on a Mac, you can also specify a Custom Folder for VSTs in addition to the system folder.
Once your plugins are enabled and pointed, on both Mac and PC you can easily access and load them from the Plug-Ins tab in Live’s Browser. You can click and drag them to a desired track. Remember, there are midi only Plugins that are virtual synthesizers (these go only on midi tracks), and there are audio effect plugins that can either go on an audio track or on a midi track after the synthesizer instrument.
This monitoring behavior is also the same for midi track input for played notes.
To stop all clips with a Push 2, hold the Shift button on the Push2 then press the Stop Clip button.
You can also press space bar.
Once the track is armed and your midi device input is enabled, you should be ready to record played notes. In session view click any of the circle record buttons on the available clip slots on the track, then play notes. Click the square stop clip button on that track to stop recording. In arrangement view, click the global record button at the top center of the screen (providing that the desired track is armed. Click the global square stop button at the top center of the screen to stop recording.
To record the midi output of one track to the midi input of a new midi track, simply set the midi input of the new track to the name of the existing midi track, then arm the new midi track. Again, if you’re in session keyboard by clicking the piano keyboard button which is in the upper right corner of the screen, to the right of the Key button.
Once the track is armed and your midi device input is enabled, you should be ready to record played notes. In session view click any of the circle record buttons on the available clip slots on the track after the existing track is playing. In arrangement view, click the global record button at the top center of the screen.
Common uses include layering multiple drum sounds, manipulating audio loops, chopping up vocals, and much more.
You can create multiple chains in any of the drum rack’s 128 slots, and go really deep inside what you create with a drum rack. This allows users to take full creative control of playback individual musical ideas, while manipulating how they are performed, whether being a one-shot or audio loop.
Note, return tracks act in parallel, meaning that even when a track’s set to send 100% to the return track, the original audio is still going to the master, meaning 100% wet is really 50% wet, 50% dry.
There are also Pre/Post buttons for sends. These buttons are located on the master track, above the master fader in session view. Post is the default. When set to Pre, the input of the return track will ignore where the fader is set on the source track that is being sent to the return track. This means that if the source track’s fader is pulled all the way down, but it still is set to send some amount of its audio to the return track, you will still hear the return track fx. When set to Post, if the source track’s fader is pulled all the way down, you won’t hear anything on the return track fx.
Consolidate will combine 2 or more clips of either audio or midi. To consolidate a clip, highlight 2 or more clips, right click, then click Consolidate Consolidate is NOT a way to reduce CPU. It is designed to simplify and clean up your project file. When you consolidate 2 or more audio clips, a new audio clip will be created that replaces the old. Likewise a new midi clip is created to combine 2 or more midi clips. Consolidate is ALWAYS PreFX. Meaning the devices on a track will still remain after consolidating.
Digital Duct Tape.
Max for Live is a visual programming environment that allows users to build instruments and effects for use within Ableton Live.
Often times advanced users will create brilliant solutions to common problems such as, BeatSeeker, which allows Ableton’s global tempo to be synced to the average rhythmic audio timing.
https://www.ableton.com/en/packs/beatseeker/
The growing community centred around sites such as max4live.com and maxforlive.info are helpful and creative with a wealth of devices available in addition to the ones included within the Ableton Live Packs. Often times, a device or effect will nearly do what you want but not quite…That’s where Max For Live Comes into help.
Max for Live is only available in Ableton Live Suite.
To add a Max For Live device to an Ableton project simply take the downloaded .amxd file from Finder or Windows File Explorer and drag it onto the desired track in Ableton Live.
If you have a folder of Max For Live Devices (such as Users/Username/Desktop/MaxDevices), it might make sense to add that folder to Live’s browser by clicking “Add Folder…” at the bottom of Live’s Browser. That way you can add Max For Live devices to tracks directly from Ableton Live.
Ableton Push 2
Novation Launchpad Pro
Akai APC40 MKII
Akai Professional Advance 49
Arturia Keylab 49
Akai MPK Mini MKII 25
Native Instruments Machine MK3
DJTechTools Midi Fighter 3D
DJTechTools Midi Fighter Twister
Novation LaunchControl XL
You can take your live performance to a whole new level. Instead of just playing your Deck A and transitioning back to your Deck B all night…Ableton Live can do that and more. What if you wanted to play instruments along with your backing tracks, and have a platform that can support third party plugins on your backing tracks as well as your live inputs? Ableton can do it all.
Everyone is a DJ nowadays, Ableton will help you stand out for the right reasons.
Load More
Ableton Instruments?
Beginner Questions
You can enable this track for Arrangement playback by pressing the grey arrow to the left of the track.
To enable ALL tracks for Arrangement playback, press the orange, “Back To Arrangement” button in the upper right corner of the arrangement panel.
Tab to Toggle to Arrangement View. Arrangement view is the timeline view that all DAW’s have. The musical ideas from session view can be copied or recorded into Arrangement View to linearly write a song from left to right. You can record new ideas into Arrangement View as well.
To load stock instruments:
Simply click on the Instruments tab in the Live browser (the left vertical panel of categories). Once the Instruments category is selected, you will see all of the available types of instruments. Click on the arrow to the left of an instrument type, for instance “Analog.” Inside “Analog” you will see different presets organized by sound such as “Bass” or “Piano and Keys” Click any .adv preset to load that instrument into a new track.
To load third party plugins:
(assuming you’ve already installed them on your computer), the next thing you need to do is make sure you’ve pointed Live to the folder where you installed your plugins. YOU ONLY HAVE TO DO THIS ONCE.
On Windows, for example you might install your plugins to C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins, but it completely depends on where the specified the location is when you installed the third party plugins. Then go to Options, Preferences, File Folder. Turn On “Use VST Plug-In Custom Folder,” then click the “Browse” button underneath and point to the folder where your plugins are stored.
On a Mac, the process is similar. Go to Live, Preferences, File Folder. On Mac OS, Ableton Live understands 2 different formats of third party plugins; Audio Units (AUs) and VSTs. These formats are very similar and you won’t notice much difference between them. Most plugin developers will have installers that offer both formats. However, Audio Units do not exist on Windows. If you are a Mac user and want to collaborate with Windows users, use VSTs so that your projects are compatible. On a Mac, third party plugins will be installed in a premade system folder “Library\Audio\Plug-Ins.” Audio Units are stored under the subfolder, “Components.” You can turn on both Audio Units and VSTs from the File Folder Preferences. In Live on a Mac, you can also specify a Custom Folder for VSTs in addition to the system folder.
Once your plugins are enabled and pointed, on both Mac and PC you can easily access and load them from the Plug-Ins tab in Live’s Browser. You can click and drag them to a desired track. Remember, there are midi only Plugins that are virtual synthesizers (these go only on midi tracks), and there are audio effect plugins that can either go on an audio track or on a midi track after the synthesizer instrument.
This monitoring behavior is also the same for midi track input for played notes.
To stop all clips with a Push 2, hold the Shift button on the Push2 then press the Stop Clip button.
You can also press space bar.
Once the track is armed and your midi device input is enabled, you should be ready to record played notes. In session view click any of the circle record buttons on the available clip slots on the track, then play notes. Click the square stop clip button on that track to stop recording. In arrangement view, click the global record button at the top center of the screen (providing that the desired track is armed. Click the global square stop button at the top center of the screen to stop recording.
To record the midi output of one track to the midi input of a new midi track, simply set the midi input of the new track to the name of the existing midi track, then arm the new midi track. Again, if you’re in session keyboard by clicking the piano keyboard button which is in the upper right corner of the screen, to the right of the Key button.
Once the track is armed and your midi device input is enabled, you should be ready to record played notes. In session view click any of the circle record buttons on the available clip slots on the track after the existing track is playing. In arrangement view, click the global record button at the top center of the screen.
Common uses include layering multiple drum sounds, manipulating audio loops, chopping up vocals, and much more.
You can create multiple chains in any of the drum rack’s 128 slots, and go really deep inside what you create with a drum rack. This allows users to take full creative control of playback individual musical ideas, while manipulating how they are performed, whether being a one-shot or audio loop.
Note, return tracks act in parallel, meaning that even when a track’s set to send 100% to the return track, the original audio is still going to the master, meaning 100% wet is really 50% wet, 50% dry.
There are also Pre/Post buttons for sends. These buttons are located on the master track, above the master fader in session view. Post is the default. When set to Pre, the input of the return track will ignore where the fader is set on the source track that is being sent to the return track. This means that if the source track’s fader is pulled all the way down, but it still is set to send some amount of its audio to the return track, you will still hear the return track fx. When set to Post, if the source track’s fader is pulled all the way down, you won’t hear anything on the return track fx.
Consolidate will combine 2 or more clips of either audio or midi. To consolidate a clip, highlight 2 or more clips, right click, then click Consolidate Consolidate is NOT a way to reduce CPU. It is designed to simplify and clean up your project file. When you consolidate 2 or more audio clips, a new audio clip will be created that replaces the old. Likewise a new midi clip is created to combine 2 or more midi clips. Consolidate is ALWAYS PreFX. Meaning the devices on a track will still remain after consolidating.
Digital Duct Tape.
Max for Live is a visual programming environment that allows users to build instruments and effects for use within Ableton Live.
Often times advanced users will create brilliant solutions to common problems such as, BeatSeeker, which allows Ableton’s global tempo to be synced to the average rhythmic audio timing.
https://www.ableton.com/en/packs/beatseeker/
The growing community centred around sites such as max4live.com and maxforlive.info are helpful and creative with a wealth of devices available in addition to the ones included within the Ableton Live Packs. Often times, a device or effect will nearly do what you want but not quite…That’s where Max For Live Comes into help.
Max for Live is only available in Ableton Live Suite.
To add a Max For Live device to an Ableton project simply take the downloaded .amxd file from Finder or Windows File Explorer and drag it onto the desired track in Ableton Live.
If you have a folder of Max For Live Devices (such as Users/Username/Desktop/MaxDevices), it might make sense to add that folder to Live’s browser by clicking “Add Folder…” at the bottom of Live’s Browser. That way you can add Max For Live devices to tracks directly from Ableton Live.
Ableton Push 2
Novation Launchpad Pro
Akai APC40 MKII
Akai Professional Advance 49
Arturia Keylab 49
Akai MPK Mini MKII 25
Native Instruments Machine MK3
DJTechTools Midi Fighter 3D
DJTechTools Midi Fighter Twister
Novation LaunchControl XL
You can take your live performance to a whole new level. Instead of just playing your Deck A and transitioning back to your Deck B all night…Ableton Live can do that and more. What if you wanted to play instruments along with your backing tracks, and have a platform that can support third party plugins on your backing tracks as well as your live inputs? Ableton can do it all.
Everyone is a DJ nowadays, Ableton will help you stand out for the right reasons.