The Ableton Q&A Thread

[krispy]

have you tried automating the tempo?

No actually I never thought of that before. Would I do that through the master channel?

So I could modify the project tempo for the part where it speeds up to 170bpm or whatever and then when I want it to return back then just adjust it back to 140bpm?
This sounds like it might work

did this work for you?

if you are still wondering how to do it, you need to go to arrangement view, then go to the master channel on the bottom of the screen, open it up, as if you were going to automate some thing as if you would on an audio or instrument channel, then find the 'tempo' under the master tab, and automate as you wish.
PROTIP: change the 2 values that will be automated to 140 and 172 (or whatever tempos youre working at)

try and make the tempo change sustained over like 4 - 8 bars, with no percussion, or some if u want to give a cool effect

hey thanks for the reply
yes it did work for me i figured it out

[wayoftheworld]

quick question for you ableton users: when working with drums/samples in a drum rack, what percentage do you like to have the volume < velocity set at?

ive wondered for a while now why my exports have sounded so weak, and i realized it's because i've had this velocity setting to zero the whole time

[dav.id]

quick question for you ableton users: when working with drums/samples in a drum rack, what percentage do you like to have the volume < velocity set at?

ive wondered for a while now why my exports have sounded so weak, and i realized it's because i've had this velocity setting to zero the whole time

that should't be a problem if you have it on zero but that way you can't change the velocity in the pianoroll, I have them most of them time on 50 or 100 procent, 100 precent just gives more dynamic range controll

[contakt321]

quick question for you ableton users: when working with drums/samples in a drum rack, what percentage do you like to have the volume < velocity set at?

ive wondered for a while now why my exports have sounded so weak, and i realized it's because i've had this velocity setting to zero the whole time

Velocity affects the amount of change btw 0 velocity and 127 velocity - I generally use 70-80

The reason Drum Rack is quiet, is b/c at default all the samples are set to -12 db

Another trick, if you want to change 1 setting on all the samples (such as the velocity for example) right click the setting, and select "copy to siblings"

[wayoftheworld]

quick question for you ableton users: when working with drums/samples in a drum rack, what percentage do you like to have the volume < velocity set at?

ive wondered for a while now why my exports have sounded so weak, and i realized it's because i've had this velocity setting to zero the whole time

Velocity affects the amount of change btw 0 velocity and 127 velocity - I generally use 70-80

The reason Drum Rack is quiet, is b/c at default all the samples are set to -12 db

Another trick, if you want to change 1 setting on all the samples (such as the velocity for example) right click the setting, and select "copy to siblings"

yup, copy to siblings is a blessing. i've been keeping my velocity set to around 70 and things have sounded much, much better.

[Grime Syndicate]

Anybody know how to set things so that when you drag a sample into drum rack, it doesn't automatically set it at -12 db and put the release at 50ms? I'd like to have it start things at a more reasonable beginning. Becomes a headache when importing a bunch of samples. Also, anyone know how to copy automation? So, say I've drawn some automation for an lfo cutoff. I then want to transfer that same pattern down to my sub bass. Can it be done? or do I just have to draw it again?

[goodeh]

Anybody know how to set things so that when you drag a sample into drum rack, it doesn't automatically set it at -12 db and put the release at 50ms? I'd like to have it start things at a more reasonable beginning. Becomes a headache when importing a bunch of samples. Also, anyone know how to copy automation? So, say I've drawn some automation for an lfo cutoff. I then want to transfer that same pattern down to my sub bass. Can it be done? or do I just have to draw it again?

cant help with the drum thing (but i'd like an answer to), but you could copy the channel with the automation, and replace the instrument with the one you want to use for the sub or something

[Grime Syndicate]

Well that's sort of a solution. But, not really, cuz usually on sub bass, you'll end up tying an lfo to volume instead of to frequency cutoff. So I sorta just need to be able to lasso the automation, and paste it somewhere else. This possible?

[mks]

Anybody know how to set things so that when you drag a sample into drum rack, it doesn't automatically set it at -12 db and put the release at 50ms? I'd like to have it start things at a more reasonable beginning. Becomes a headache when importing a bunch of samples. Also, anyone know how to copy automation? So, say I've drawn some automation for an lfo cutoff. I then want to transfer that same pattern down to my sub bass. Can it be done? or do I just have to draw it again?

I believe you can just make a drum rack template to start from everytime.

[goodeh]

Well that's sort of a solution. But, not really, cuz usually on sub bass, you'll end up tying an lfo to volume instead of to frequency cutoff. So I sorta just need to be able to lasso the automation, and paste it somewhere else. This possible?

i've been messin around with automation envelopes and had no luck :/ i have no idea

[hurlingdervish]

Well that's sort of a solution. But, not really, cuz usually on sub bass, you'll end up tying an lfo to volume instead of to frequency cutoff. So I sorta just need to be able to lasso the automation, and paste it somewhere else. This possible?

i've been messin around with automation envelopes and had no luck :/ i have no idea

right click "copy envelope"

you may have to click the + button to add it to its own lane so you can copy just the automation.

works even between different plugins as well, so you could use the same timing on a cutoff lfo with a panning/gate effect as well

[stompzi]

Sorry if this has been asked before, I had a Google poke but nothing I got seemed to work.

What's the least messy way to route to multiple outs with the Drum Rack? There's a Battery-looking output option on each channel in the I/O section... but I can't seem to change it. At the moment I have to use multiple drum racks when really one would do, just to get the right mixer setup.

[hurlingdervish]

Sorry if this has been asked before, I had a Google poke but nothing I got seemed to work.

What's the least messy way to route to multiple outs with the Drum Rack? There's a Battery-looking output option on each channel in the I/O section... but I can't seem to change it. At the moment I have to use multiple drum racks when really one would do, just to get the right mixer setup.

theres a couple of ways to do it, they are easily achievable but do feel kind of hack-esque

1. add an audio track next to your drum rack for each drum you want bussed. Select them on the I/O set monitor to IN.
...this is very cumbersome
so then I tried
2. Make as many return channels as you want busses of audio inside drum rack itself. Then turn up the sends on each drum to the buss you want to send them to. Turn off the monitor switch of the return channel so you dont double up the sounds. Then in new audio tracks route audio from "Return Channel X" and set monitor to in.

2.A Another way of doing just about the same thing, which may be simpler for you to do: Unfold the Drum Rack in session view so you get the mixer channels per drum stretching out across the screen. Now select the ones you want bussed together and right click or CTRL+G to group them. Now they are a rack within a rack BUT retain the same midi input notes as before. You can drop effects on the group OR you can add audio channels and route from the groups you made

[symmetricalsounds]

Anybody know how to set things so that when you drag a sample into drum rack, it doesn't automatically set it at -12 db and put the release at 50ms? I'd like to have it start things at a more reasonable beginning. Becomes a headache when importing a bunch of samples. Also, anyone know how to copy automation? So, say I've drawn some automation for an lfo cutoff. I then want to transfer that same pattern down to my sub bass. Can it be done? or do I just have to draw it again?

first question, yes it is possible to change the default settings for simpler/sampler but it's on some other forum and will take a while to find it, so i'll post it up here when i manage to find it. alternatively looking round the ableton forum might end up being quicker.

as for copying automation i found normal copy+paste ctrl+c and ctrl+v work but you have to have the automation in it's own lane.

[yummy]

question about ableton's spectrum plugin:

why is it that no matter how loud i have the volume in ableton, spectrum never reads over -12db? how are you supposed to use this thing mix down?

[static_cast]

question about ableton's spectrum plugin:

why is it that no matter how loud i have the volume in ableton, spectrum never reads over -12db? how are you supposed to use this thing mix down?

Do you mean the scale doesn't go above -12, or that the maximum peak never reaches -12? If it's the former then you can change scale at the bottom left or set to auto. If the latter -- it's because the reading on your channel meters is a peak level, whereas the reading on a spectogram represents the energy at a certain frequency. You don't use a spectogram to work out absolute levels, only to see what frequency content a signal has.

FWIW, if you have a square wave peaking at 0dB, the reason none of the harmonics on the spectogram will peak at 0dB is that the energy content is spread over them all.

[manuel]

didnt want to start a new thread but I was wondering if anyone can help me out here.

Say I have 2 midi tracks. 1 with drums and another with melody



How do I get the 'Melody' part to play when the 'Drum hat's 2' part starts? Because at the moment as soon as I press play on the first clip (Drum 1) the 'Melody' clip starts playing.

How do I get it to drop when I want?

Hopefully that makes sense to someone

Thanks

[contakt321]

Click: "Stop All Clips" on the middle right
Trigger your clips from the scenes on the right side

[manuel]

Thanks mate.

I just tried launching from the scenes instead and the drums play through but it doesn't seem to trigger the melody track?

Thanks if anyone can help.

[contakt321]

Is it launching when you launch the scene that has your melody clip (looks like scene 4 from your picture)?