The Ableton Q&A Thread

[symmetricalsounds]

try doing similar method but use the simpler that is in the normal list of instruments, my desktop with my ableton setup is down atm so can't check.

[topmo3]

crackling in operator, i somehow never seem to eliminate it! especially in pure sines the crackling at the start (or end?) of a note can really get on your nerves, it's even echoed when you slam a reverb on to the synth... changing attack or release doesn't really do anything.. it's still there!

[symmetricalsounds]

must be some setting that's wrong, is it only in operator?

[outdropt]

crackling in operator, i somehow never seem to eliminate it! especially in pure sines the crackling at the start (or end?) of a note can really get on your nerves, it's even echoed when you slam a reverb on to the synth... changing attack or release doesn't really do anything.. it's still there!

Some trouble shooting...

Is it happening outside of ableton?
Is it happening on a different set up speakers/headphones.
Does it happen if its another synth?
If you take your speakers/headphones and use another laptop, do you notice this?
Is your room sound treated if you have monitors?

Try ruling if its software/hardware... Then narrow down the issue.

[Perej]

Weird thing happening recently - if I put an 808 in Sampler it wont play, despite trying all velocities and pitches. As soon as I put it into Simpler it plays perfectly.
This is only happening on certain drums.
W t f?

[Perej]

Weird thing happening recently - if I put an 808 in Sampler it wont play, despite trying all velocities and pitches. As soon as I put it into Simpler it plays perfectly.
This is only happening on certain drums.
W t f?

[bkwsk]

crackling in operator, i somehow never seem to eliminate it! especially in pure sines the crackling at the start (or end?) of a note can really get on your nerves, it's even echoed when you slam a reverb on to the synth... changing attack or release doesn't really do anything.. it's still there!

Tried adding some glide? Are the two notes just one after the other on the sequence? Try separating them a little, like 1/64T and see if that helps. If not, you shouldn't worry too much. That crackling should be in the mid-high frequency range, so it won't probably be noticed in a semi-busy mix. In fact, it can help your bass to cut through the mix...

[topmo3]

Cheers for the answers! no it's only the more lower frequencies and doesn't depend on whether the glide is on or not. i've experienced same kind of problems in for example massive, dunno how to correct it though!

new question: in drum rack, if i want let's say reverb to affect every other chain except for lets say kick and hi hats, is there a economic way of doing this? slabbing 10 different instances of reverb on every other chain other than kick and hi hats is a bit tedious and certainly doesn't save CPU..

[RmoniK]

use a send? THere's inbuilt send/returns in ableton's drum rack.



click the "r" to go to the return section, drop an effect in there. Then also click the s and you'll see the send levels of each samples, or just in the main mixer aswell when you open the mixer channel for each sample.

[Stafford]

I've searched all over the web for this, but it turns out that google wasn't my friend this time. I'm currently warping loops from my tracks for a live set. I included the reverb und delay tails of the imported loops, because I was sure there was a way to seamlessly loop a clip and have the tail play out once the clip is deactivated/stopped. If there is way, please enlighten me. : )

[Disco Nutter]

I've searched all over the web for this, but it turns out that google wasn't my friend this time. I'm currently warping loops from my tracks for a live set. I included the reverb und delay tails of the imported loops, because I was sure there was a way to seamlessly loop a clip and have the tail play out once the clip is deactivated/stopped. If there is way, please enlighten me. : )

Live can do this when exporting clips. The tail will go at the front of the clip. ("render as loop" setting)

[RmoniK]

I've searched all over the web for this, but it turns out that google wasn't my friend this time. I'm currently warping loops from my tracks for a live set. I included the reverb und delay tails of the imported loops, because I was sure there was a way to seamlessly loop a clip and have the tail play out once the clip is deactivated/stopped. If there is way, please enlighten me. : )

Just make a different clip for the last time you play the loop and add the tail to that one without setting it to loop. THat's how i do it.

If you can't do that, just make a clip with just the tail then. That's even easier but for some reason i like the last play thingy, keeps me alert. Also it prevents you from fucking up the right place of the tail.

[shakas]

I've got a couple simple Ableton questions that I should know, but I don't...if someone can help me:

-How do I do a drum 'flam' ? Reason's drum machine has a flam button that let's your hit do a tight fast little roll. Is there a certain way to do this in Ableton, or do I just make the grid small (like 1/64) and write in the flam/roll manually ?

-I was reading that you should mix your song/tracks to about -6db or so. I seriously don't know how to view exactly what db im at on each track (...or should i only be looking at the master.) I understand I can look at the volume meter, but that's not accurate. Should I have a spectrum analyser on everything ? Should I have a compressor or limiter at the end of everything to keep in down to the right level ?

[Stafford]

@Rmonik thanks, I'll give that a try.

[bkwsk]

I've got a couple simple Ableton questions that I should know, but I don't...if someone can help me:

-How do I do a drum 'flam' ? Reason's drum machine has a flam button that let's your hit do a tight fast little roll. Is there a certain way to do this in Ableton, or do I just make the grid small (like 1/64) and write in the flam/roll manually ?

-I was reading that you should mix your song/tracks to about -6db or so. I seriously don't know how to view exactly what db im at on each track (...or should i only be looking at the master.) I understand I can look at the volume meter, but that's not accurate. Should I have a spectrum analyser on everything ? Should I have a compressor or limiter at the end of everything to keep in down to the right level ?

Just drag up the little bar above the volume fader until you see the numbers.

[RandoRando]

am i experiencing plugin delay compensation?

so my track is starting to get a little hefty and i had to put my buffer on my soundcard almost at max now.

i added a new sound and put some automation on it, and the sound isnt being automated, the knobs are turning and everything. but no automation. then i put the automation envelope 2 beats ahead of where the clip was and it was automated now . this is so dumb, im not going to put my automation 2 beats ahead of every thing. whats going on here?

[fv2k]

holy crap, am I the only one who didn't know about Ableton Sampler's filter morph? If you go to the Filter/Global tab in Sampler and activate the filter on the far left, you can set your usual "Type" of filter then see what happens when you drag up the Morph value below it :O... the filter will smoothly morph from LP to BP to HP to Notch to LP again.

[Tordal]

holy crap, am I the only one who didn't know about Ableton Sampler's filter morph? If you go to the Filter/Global tab in Sampler and activate the filter on the far left, you can set your usual "Type" of filter then see what happens when you drag up the Morph value below it :O... the filter will smoothly morph from LP to BP to HP to Notch to LP again.

youre not the only one nice tip, mate. thx

[RmoniK]

am i experiencing plugin delay compensation?

so my track is starting to get a little hefty and i had to put my buffer on my soundcard almost at max now.

i added a new sound and put some automation on it, and the sound isnt being automated, the knobs are turning and everything. but no automation. then i put the automation envelope 2 beats ahead of where the clip was and it was automated now . this is so dumb, im not going to put my automation 2 beats ahead of every thing. whats going on here?

What the hell. I have no idea man, that's really weird.

[Tordal]

I've got a couple simple Ableton questions that I should know, but I don't...if someone can help me:

-How do I do a drum 'flam' ? Reason's drum machine has a flam button that let's your hit do a tight fast little roll. Is there a certain way to do this in Ableton, or do I just make the grid small (like 1/64) and write in the flam/roll manually ?

afaik u have to do it manually in ableton. but dont worry, alöthough its a little bit more work, u have much more control over the flam itself, if ur make the grid as small as u can (maybe even triplets)m u can get very natural sounding results