The Ableton Q&A Thread

[RmoniK]

Yeah not being able to freeze a track with a sidechain compressor is a huge pain. I don't get why they don't just implement it with only the stuff in the arrange view as a sidechain input. Can't be that hard.

I've been grouping tracks even if it's just one track, just so i can put the compressor on the group and freeze the actual track lately. Works alright. If i need further bussing i just use audio channels.

[Ghost of Muttley]

ctrl-x on the compressor, freeze, flatten, cntrl-v. annoying but saves grouping single tracks

[RmoniK]

ctrl-x on the compressor, freeze, flatten, cntrl-v. annoying but saves grouping single tracks

That's not really what we want, we want to leave it frozen so we can unfreeze it. Just for CPU saving.

[mtl6]

yeah i haven't really found a good solution to the cpu problem, i think i'm just going to have to bounce tracks a lot more often.

another random question... if i'm using ableton 8 on a mac and i want to collaborate online with someone using 9, what is the easiest way to do this? i would like to use dropbox to share our files, but i don't know how to handle the compatibility issues. for example, only i can start projects because they won't be backwards compatible right? also, what if I'm using 32 bit synths like sylenth? will he be forced to use something like jbridge to open the tracks? ableton really dropped the ball on making collabs easy

[Ghost of Muttley]

we want to leave it frozen so we can unfreeze it. Just for CPU saving.

Commitment-phobes!

[OfficialDAPT]

another random question... if i'm using ableton 8 on a mac and i want to collaborate online with someone using 9, what is the easiest way to do this? i would like to use dropbox to share our files, but i don't know how to handle the compatibility issues. for example, only i can start projects because they won't be backwards compatible right? also, what if I'm using 32 bit synths like sylenth? will he be forced to use something like jbridge to open the tracks? ableton really dropped the ball on making collabs easy

not really sure why you expect ableton to make collaborations possible between 8 and 9, thats a little too much to expect IMO. Even though you installed live 9, you should still have 8 on your computer so just use that to collab.

[titchbit]

I figured out an easy workaround for splitting clips in arrangement view without actually clicking "split clip". It works 100% of the time and is very easy. I only know how to do it on mac, but I'm sure someone will know how to translate it to PC. Just drag your mouse over the area you want to split, and then hold down the "fn" key while dragging the selected portion of the clip away from it's original spot. Then just drop it back where it was, and ta-da!

[dublerium]

I figured out an easy workaround for splitting clips in arrangement view without actually clicking "split clip". It works 100% of the time and is very easy. I only know how to do it on mac, but I'm sure someone will know how to translate it to PC. Just drag your mouse over the area you want to split, and then hold down the "fn" key while dragging the selected portion of the clip away from it's original spot. Then just drop it back where it was, and ta-da!

It's Ctrl + E on PC so i'm assuming cmd + E will split clips on Mac.

[titchbit]

Yep that works! Thanks.

[_TraX_]

Anyone know why the velocity sliders don't work? Ill shift them up and down but it does nothing.

[sidi]

Anyone know why the velocity sliders don't work? Ill shift them up and down but it does nothing.

if you use them in drum racks, you have to go into the settings for your sample and then adjust the percentage of the velocity you want to have(right under the volume)
its like a dry/wet-knob, same thing with simpler (and sampler too i guess)

[_TraX_]

Anyone know why the velocity sliders don't work? Ill shift them up and down but it does nothing.

if you use them in drum racks, you have to go into the settings for your sample and then adjust the percentage of the velocity you want to have(right under the volume)
its like a dry/wet-knob, same thing with simpler (and sampler too i guess)

That's shitty, why is it like that ?

[RmoniK]

Anyone know why the velocity sliders don't work? Ill shift them up and down but it does nothing.

if you use them in drum racks, you have to go into the settings for your sample and then adjust the percentage of the velocity you want to have(right under the volume)
its like a dry/wet-knob, same thing with simpler (and sampler too i guess)

That's shitty, why is it like that ?

Just save it as the default preset if it annoys you?

[krispy]

Probably a rather simple question for a lot of you but after much messing around can't seem to figure this out for some reason....
I want to create a ghost channel that combines the kick and the snare to use for sidechain compression. If I duplicate the channels but have them muted how do I still send to the ghost channel? I can't seem to figure it out for some reason because whenever I have them muted there is just no volume. It's probably so simple but I am being an idiot

[RmoniK]

Just send the original channels (kick and snare) to a send? Or if you can't use a send as a sidechain input but i think you can, you can set the send's output to be another audio channel.

[mitchAUS]

RmoniK's solution will work. The other option is to set up two compressors on the channel you want side chained. This has the advantage of being able to have different release time/threshold/attack/ratio on the kick and snare. Gives a lot more flexibility to the groove your triggering with the kick and snare.

Ive been using this to death lately, definitely my favourite production technique.

[tpc_uk]

Just send the original channels (kick and snare) to a send? Or if you can't use a send as a sidechain input but i think you can, you can set the send's output to be another audio channel.

Thats what I do aswell, just mute the send & use it as a sidechain input, works fine, and other elements can be added / or automated in a certain times

[societyloser1]

The other option is to set up two compressors on the channel you want side chained.

Probably the most effective and fastest method! (cmd/ctrl d + change input settings)
You can also group the kick and snare together and take the group output as sidechain input! (cmd/ctrl+g)
Send group will work too and is pretty awesome to experiment with!

[zosomagik]

I figured out an easy workaround for splitting clips in arrangement view without actually clicking "split clip". It works 100% of the time and is very easy. I only know how to do it on mac, but I'm sure someone will know how to translate it to PC. Just drag your mouse over the area you want to split, and then hold down the "fn" key while dragging the selected portion of the clip away from it's original spot. Then just drop it back where it was, and ta-da!

I know this was posted a few months ago. But to split clips, I usually just highlight the portion of the clip I want to split, then click the colored bar at the top of the clip, drag my mouse over a little bit and then drop it back down. It should be split now. Seems a lot easier than using commands.

Also, does anyone know how to adjust the volume of tracks with automation on them, without voiding the automation? I know I could just highlight all the automation and bring it down but I like mixing in session view. Thanks in advance.

[titchbit]

Also, does anyone know how to adjust the volume of tracks with automation on them, without voiding the automation? I know I could just highlight all the automation and bring it down but I like mixing in session view. Thanks in advance.

Really the best way to accomplish what you're trying to do is to drop the Utility audio effect into your track and then use the "gain" knob in Utility for volume automation. This way the volume of the track itself can be adjusted without having to worry about the automation.