Ableton Live

Introduction to Ableton

[[1] Ableton Live] is a loop-based software music sequencer for Macintosh and Windows by Ableton. The latest major release of Live, Version 6, was released in September 2006. Unlike other software sequencers, Live is designed around the notion of being as much an instrument for live performances as a tool for composing and arranging.

Though if you're here, you already know that!

The idea of this wiki entry is to be a one-stop shop for everything ableton, references, links, how-to's etc. (though being the TMB, we'll see) both from a DJ'ing side, and a production side.

DJ'ing With Live

The Basics

1. READ THE MANUAL, ok, so they're long winded and pretty boring, but I guarentee, you'll find something in it that you didn't know before, and it'll probably be useful at somepoint.

2. Fine, don't read it. but you'll need to know how to warp your tracks. Warping, like beatmatching on normal decks is a skill, which you WILL need to learn, it's fairly easy with a 4/4 house beat, but not so easy with an orchestral piece, so don't worry if you don't get it spot on straight away... here's some helpful video's that show you how to do it.
A good basic introduction, should get you started

Cueing

If you have a nice multiple output soundcard, (this doesn't include Soundblaster Audigy Series, and similar surround sound cards.. it can be done but it's complicated.. maybe later!) it is possible to set it up so you can listen to stuff through your headphones before you play it through the master out.

EQ

The EQ3 is designed to replicate the standard 3-band EQ as found on nearly every DJ mixer in existance (Allen & Heath and budget models excluded) and is generally speaking the first effect/plug-in to put on the audio channel track.

For more advanced work, such as multiple layering of tracks, the EQ8 is a better option, the choice of lo/hi-shelf, bandpass, lo and hi-pass filter, variable resonance, gain, and frequency give improved flexibility and sound-sculpting options.