Create new MIDI clips

[DJ Tequila]

Since I first owned Live all those years ago, I've always had a niggle - creating new, empty MIDI clips of a particular length.

What would make sense in my head would be to select an area and consolidate, instantly creating a new MIDI clip of the length I desire, ready for me to insert notes.

What happens is that Ableton helpfully informs me that I need a clip to exist in the area before I consolidate. Philosophically, I can see the point. 'Consolidation' requires something there to consolidate if you're to truthfully call the process 'consolidation'.

In practical reality, however, why? What good does that programmed limitation do? I feel like I'm being protected from the benign stupidity of others while Ableton stops me from performing the task I desire - and which I frustratingly know it's capable of.

I end up recording a small chunk of empty MIDI, then consolidating that up to the size I want. Which is just annoying faff and interrupts the workflow.

Is there a short-cut I'm missing here? Is there a key combination or menu item I've missed to create a new MIDI clip from a selection? I can't find anything in the manual.

Thanks!

[frep45]

...creating new, empty MIDI clips of a particular length.

How about double-clicking an empty space on a MIDI track in session view?

[luddy]

highlight a timespan in the MIDI track in the arrangement, then SHIFT-CMD-M to create an empty MIDI region of that length.
hth,
-Luddy

[DJ Tequila]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......

Relief!

Thank you Luddy! I will try that tonight.

[luddy]

you're welcome!
-Luddy

[longjohns]

i never knew the keyboard shortcut

i just highlight a timespan and then select "create midi clip" from a right click context menu