http://www.cosm.co.nz/index.php/Blog/10-simple-but-useful-ableton-live-tips-1.html
1. To reset a parameter (knob or fader) to it’s default value, select it and hit delete. I am always mucking around with random parameters in a trial and error fashion, but sometimes it just sounds like balls so a quick hit of the delete key lets you reset, forget and move on.
2. Want to move everything in the piano roll up or down an octave? Command+A (Select all) then Shift+up or down. This is great to take that bassline down an octave, or that synth line up.
3. Holding down the ALT key while having the pencil tool selected will allow you to draw lines freehand instead of snapping to the grid.
4. Learn to change the grid size intro triplets, or off completely using key commands. The most important one is Command+4, this turns the grid off and on.
5. To move just a few notes in the piano roll, select them by holding down Shift and clicking. This is great if just a few bass notes are two low. Shift+click them and then use tip #2 (Shift+up) to move them up an octave.
6. Hold down Shift while pushing spacebar to play back the audio exactly where you last stopped it.
7. Use Command+D to duplicate a loop AND it’s automation, then drag the end of the first loop instance across to cover the rest. This allows you to make changes to the loop contents that remain consistent throughout your tune.
8. If you cut/delete/chop up a loop to the point where it’s messy and has gaps, select the area where you’ve chopped and push Command+J to consolidate it all into a neatly timed loop. This works for Audio and MIDI loops.
9. Whether it be the clip navigation bar or the master overview, double click to zoom everything out to 100%
10. Use the virtual keyboard to not only play notes on a synth, but to trigger samples in the drum rack. It’s a great make shift way to bust out a rhythm rather than placing notes on a piano roll.
10 simple but useful Ableton Live tips #2
http://www.cosm.co.nz/index.php/Blog/10-simple-but-useful-ableton-live-tips-2.html
1. As well as using Time Commands in the main Arrangement view, you can use them in the MIDI Editor too! This is really handy for cutting out/adding in chunks of MIDI notes while preserving everything surrounding them.
2. Need to free up lots of CPU? Select multiple Tracks, right click and choose “Freeze Track”, then go make a cup of tea. Live will Freeze each individual Track down into audio, removing the need to process any effects or instruments (don’t worry, you can always right click and unfreeze the track to go back to the original when you need to edit again).
3. To give each one of your Chains an equal amount in the Chain Selector, drag each chains Zone out so it ranges 0-127, then right click and choose “Distribute Ranges Equally”.
4. Turning on the MIDI Editor Preview also turns on a very easy to use step sequencer. Just push whatever note(s) you want on your MIDI keyboard (or virtual MIDI keyboard) and use the left and right arrow keys. If a note is held, when the key is pushed, it will insert a note.
5. Holding down the command key lets you drag slopes that change the velocity of each note selected in the MIDI Editor.
6. You can Freeze a track, duplicate it to a new audio Track by option + dragging, then unfreeze the original. This is really hand for doing a quick resample, just remember you can’t freeze a track if any of its effects have an active sidechain input!
7. In Arrangement view, holding option + command and will let you scroll/pan left and right when you click anywhere in the Arrangement.
8. If you are multi-track recording in Session view, make sure “Start Recording on Scene Launch” is selected in the Preferences (under Record / Warp / Launch). That way you just have to arm the right tracks and trigger a scene to start recording clips in all tracks.
9. You’re not restricted to grouping tracks that are next to each other. Instead of shift, hold down the command key and click on the tracks you want, then push command + g. All the tracks will be put into a neat group for you.
10. A few little extra assignable goodies pop up when you enter key/midi map mode(command + k and command + r). Turn the map modes on and look around, you can assign external events to move up and down Scenes, trigger the selected Scene, or even trigger the selected Clip in that Track.
Ableton Live Quick Tips Part 3 (public)
http://www.cosm.co.nz/index.php/News/ableton-live-quick-tips-part-3-public.html
1. Use the Utility for fragmented gain control, then when you want to adjust the overall volume later in the mix down, you can change the volume of the whole track, even if it has volume automation.
2. A good tip for getting more volume without clipping in a live situation, is to use the Limiter instead of the volume (or a Utility). By bringing the gain on the Limiter up above 0db, the limiter kicks in and you get a louder sound while still keeping everything in the green.
3. Got heaps of tracks that are all being sidechained at the same by the same source?Instead of loading up multiple Compressors, set yourself up a dedicated sidechain track and feed all your single tracks into it.
4. Instead of tuning percussion to the key of your track, load up an EQ8, add in a pole with a lot of Q and move it around until that particular pole is playing a note which is in tune with your track. Lower the Q and gain until it doesn't sound intrusive, but still gives a subtle tuning to the hits.
5. To add more human feeling to a percussion loop, attach the frequency of a low pass filter to the velocity so that when the note hits quieter, it sounds slightly muffled.
6. You can use the LFO of the Auto Filter to get a rhythm gating effect, just set it to a square wave shape, bring the amount up to its maximum and bring the phasing down to its minimum, it will rhythmically gate the sound.
7. If you want a simple multiband compressor with sidechaining, use an Audio Rack with seperate chains for each band. Use an EQ8 at the start of each chain to specify the band, then put a Compressor after the band you want to be sidechained.
8. If you need some quick strange percussive sounds, turn your mic on and record yourself being an idiot. Once you have recorded your sample, right click it and choose "Slice To New Midi Track", making sure to leave the place where it slices set on "Transients". Once done, you now have a drum rack with a whole lot of little fun hits you can place over a new Midi Clip.
9. To give your sub bass more of a punch, use the pitch envelope. Set the start of the envelope quite high (20st to 32st), but make it quickly shoot down to the original pitch fast by having a short Decay Time.
10. For a quick melodic build up sound, put a Reverb over your lead/chords and give it lots of Size and Decay time... then when you are ready, automate the wet/dry amount to creep up from 0% to 100% (Just make sure you bring it back to 0% at the start of the next phrase)
