Comments on: My Ableton Live template setup

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 22:24:23 +0000

Aw thanks! And I fully understand

By: Mick

Mick — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 21:54:17 +0000

Hi, Jeremy

Thanks for the template. I’d throw you a few bucks but I’m broke at the moment. I really like it though. Keep up the good work!

Mick

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Thu, 06 May 2010 10:27:58 +0000

Hey Mike! In the studio this set up can be a great tool but more for composition than mixing. Like you could use it to have fun throwing around various loops, building drum patterns or percussion loops, etc.. Once you’ve built up some loops you can then tweak with any compression/limiting/whatever you like after the fact.

Now the best way to apply a plugin to multiple tracks (and save CPU) is to use the Return tracks. On the bottom right of your Ableton screen there are these tiny little circle buttons. Click the one that says ‘R’. It will bring up 2 Return tracks by default. Drag and drop an effect, like compression, onto one of them (A or B). Now if you back to your audio tracks you’ll see there are 2 rotary knobs that say ‘Sends’ and are labeled A and B. If you drug your effect into ‘A’ then if you turn up the ‘A’ knob there on your track sends it will apply it to that track and you can use the same effect on ANY track using that same ‘A’ knob. If you want more Return tracks just select one and under ‘Create’ in the menu select ‘Insert Return Track’.

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 06 May 2010 00:56:20 +0000

Great setup for live recording but I do more direct digital recording. Would this setup still work for me. What I’m really trying to do is get clean compressed vocals that sit well in the mix and without applying a separate effect to each track (crazy cpu usage) so what I want is overall compression and limiting for say the chorus vocals and maybe separate for the lead vocals. Would I just set up another bus or something then apply the effect there then loop that bus to the 8 looping tracks you have? Guess this sounds more of like an engineering technique or mixing question but any suggestions would help; especially if there is somewhere I can download a template geared more for hip hop or digital music. Thanks in advance.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:41:14 +0000

Thanks Ted! I’m glad I was able to help. Excellent question on the “all record”. Honestly, I don’t even use it anymore but if I remember correctly it was to catch the audio from the MIDI channels so that I could get WAV audio recorded and not just MIDI data. Also I think it was to capture multiple solo instruments like our cello too but I don’t remember. I probably should have just left that portion off my example because it’s unnecessarily confusing.

So to answer, for solo stuff no you don’t need to worry about that at all.

By: Ted

Ted — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:24:24 +0000

Thank you, this helps tons. The monitor off on loops is the answer I was looking for.
Im a little unclear on the purpose of the “record All” track. Im pretty sure Ive been able to record everything with the record button on top(including live instruments). Your example of why mentions a band mate playing cello simultaneously. Question is ,if Im solo recording only, is there any advantage to setting up the bus track or “all record track”? Or is all this routing necessary to achieve multiple loop tracks that are pre-armed for recording. And (I may have answered my own question)
Ted

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:33:33 +0000

Yeah I have NO idea why those are showing yellow on the screenshot! I pulled up my actual template after your last comment to be sure and it is orange. Strange! Either way yes it should be orange. I’m glad you pointed that out! Very strange.

And I would Monitor IN your incoming signal from your mixer. I set all the tracks that need to have a continual live signal to IN and just turn the monitoring off for the looping tracks. I don’t need to “monitor” those. They’re just there to record and play the loops back.

So basically… incoming mixer signal set Monitor IN. If you have anything else incoming from the other channel of your 2 input interface I would also set to IN.

By: Jah B

Jah B — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:24:24 +0000

I followed your written advice and now the incoming audio track’s monitors are set to IN and their track activator button is orange. But, if you look at the screen shot those track activator buttons are still yellow, evn though the monitor says IN. Is this possible? Another quick question: My interface only has two inputs, I’m routing the rest in from an external mixer. When I play or sign etc, I get a signal in all of my incoming audo tracks. Should I monitor IN only the track I’m using? Thanks for your help and patience.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:39:44 +0000

Thanks for the comment Jah B! For which channels are you referring to? The recording loops tracks or the incoming audio/MIDI tracks? Also you mention the mute button being green, I’m not really sure what you mean on that. The square track activator button can either be orange (monitor in) or yellow (monitor auto or off) or gray (muted). The yellow looks a little greenish I suppose.

Now the 8 looping tracks should be set to Monitor OFF which would make the track activator square yellow. The Audio/MIDI incoming tracks should be set to Monitor IN which would make the square orange. If it was not set that way in the downloadable template I apologize. Hope that helps!

By: Jah B

Jah B — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:28:07 +0000

I have a quick question. ON the screen shot, you have your audio in monitering set to “in,” however the mute button is still green. How is this done. Should the button be green or orange. On the downloadable template, the audio in monitering is set to auto, and the lights are green. Could you help me to understand, which way it should be. Peace