Hello!
Please forgive my noob question. I am starting a looping band with a drummer and we want to lay down 3-4 synth and guitar loops which I will then improv over. We were going to use looping pedals but ableton looked perfect, so I bought a launchpad mini to get live lite.
After selecting a clip with the launchpad, I want to start a midi recording as soon as I hit a midi switch, and then either keep it or re-record if it's not good enough. I can record midi ok but I just can't find any information on google or ableton about how to START the recording, or RE-START and overdub the recording, using only the launchpad. I know I can keep the recording by pressing the clip button on the pad again.
I am very sorry if this is a silly question. I did search but I don't know the terminology to describe what I want.
I will also be getting a novation launchkey 25 and a generic midi foot switch. Basically I want to a) start recording, and then b) scrub and restart or c) keep, all with midi and no touching the computer.
Basic question about recording live loops and overdubbing
Re: Basic question about recording live loops and overdubbing
I think the reason why you don't have any answers yet is because it's not very clear what the issue is.
so you managed to record a midi clip but it is not playing? or are the problems you are having related to audio clips? what exactly do you mean by "STARTING" a clip? Playing a clip that does already contain midi or audio information is usually refered to as "firing" a clip. is that what you mean?
in general, you can't overdub audio clips in ableton. you either have to use a different track or the looper device (dunno of the latter is included in live lite).
so you managed to record a midi clip but it is not playing? or are the problems you are having related to audio clips? what exactly do you mean by "STARTING" a clip? Playing a clip that does already contain midi or audio information is usually refered to as "firing" a clip. is that what you mean?
in general, you can't overdub audio clips in ableton. you either have to use a different track or the looper device (dunno of the latter is included in live lite).
Re: Basic question about recording live loops and overdubbing
Hello! Thank you very much for replying!
I guess I am coming from a guitar looping perspective. I want to use a launchpad and a 4-button midi pedal to control live looping without touching the computer. In a scene, I want to record one 4-8 bar clip, either keep it or re-record it, and then move to the next clip in the scene.
I think I am just confused about the workflow of how to create/add a new clip without using the mouse. I am starting with a blank set, but do I have to pre-create a few tracks with a bunch of clips ready to go? I can't figure out, just using the launchpad, how to create a new recording in an empty clip.
I guess I am coming from a guitar looping perspective. I want to use a launchpad and a 4-button midi pedal to control live looping without touching the computer. In a scene, I want to record one 4-8 bar clip, either keep it or re-record it, and then move to the next clip in the scene.
I think I am just confused about the workflow of how to create/add a new clip without using the mouse. I am starting with a blank set, but do I have to pre-create a few tracks with a bunch of clips ready to go? I can't figure out, just using the launchpad, how to create a new recording in an empty clip.
Re: Basic question about recording live loops and overdubbing
Perhaps I need something like this:
http://isotonikstudios.com/ned-rush/ned ... oop-boxer/
...but free
http://isotonikstudios.com/ned-rush/ned ... oop-boxer/
...but free
Re: Basic question about recording live loops and overdubbing
If you're doing midi clips, you can do quite a bit with the launchpad. Or even without. You just need some time to try things out.
Session view works very easily with the LP. You trigger, then trigger again. It bout a launchpad, you can still trigger the 'highlighted' clip slot using the 'session record' button on an armed track.
Session view works very easily with the LP. You trigger, then trigger again. It bout a launchpad, you can still trigger the 'highlighted' clip slot using the 'session record' button on an armed track.
Re: Basic question about recording live loops and overdubbing
OK thanks for the reply.
Is there way to change which track is armed using the LP? So that I can record one clip, start it looping, then record the next instrument in the scene?
Is there way to change which track is armed using the LP? So that I can record one clip, start it looping, then record the next instrument in the scene?
Re: Basic question about recording live loops and overdubbing
Either by switching to the mixer page, or by midi mapping.
Another option is by using the free 'lp95'.
Lp95 is a script (your LP is already using a python script in order to function) that retains the original LP functionality but adds a notes mode similar to the Push.
The nice thing about the LP95, is that in notes mode I can move to different channels with arrow buttons while having access to musical notes. Whichever channel is highlighted is automatically armed. And on the side, some of the buttons are used to Start, Stop, Delete clips that I record.
http://motscousus.com/stuff/2011-07_Nov ... e_Scripts/
Another option is by using the free 'lp95'.
Lp95 is a script (your LP is already using a python script in order to function) that retains the original LP functionality but adds a notes mode similar to the Push.
The nice thing about the LP95, is that in notes mode I can move to different channels with arrow buttons while having access to musical notes. Whichever channel is highlighted is automatically armed. And on the side, some of the buttons are used to Start, Stop, Delete clips that I record.
http://motscousus.com/stuff/2011-07_Nov ... e_Scripts/
Re: Basic question about recording live loops and overdubbing
I'm coming from guitar too.
In the beginning i was pretty disappointed by what you can do with a foot pedal in live for looping, especially when you aren't interested in overdubbing but want to create song structures with chorus, phrase and such. but the good thing about live is, almost everything is solvable, even if its a long way sometimes. here are some threads to consider:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=176264
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=173392
in a nutshell:
- you can map a foot switch to the play button of a track which appears when you hit the midi map button. the foot switch will now launch the selected clip on the track. problem is, how can you select the next clip hands free? there are up/down buttons appearing under the master track (when in midi map mode) that you could map to another 2 switches. makes them 3 switches but you haven't addressed moving from track to track hands free.
- mapping the play button of the master track can make sense if you don't mind that every track of the selected scene will be launched. enable "select next scene on launch" in preferences to move from scene to scene.
- get a foot controller with a lot of switches and map each switch to a dedicated clip (i got myself 2 icon g-boards which are ok). disable exclusive for arm in the preferences so you can have all tracks you want to record into armed. consider having your instrument input on one track that feeds into the recording tracks (makes monitoring easier). problem is, i found this method confusing and unflexible. i gave it up ( anybody wants those g-boards?)
- experiment with follow actions for clips. some combinations can make sense for certain situations
- i am using clyphX now for this purpose, its a free remote script written by the genius metastatik here on the board ("stray" on his own board). it is easy to deal with and augments lives possibilities greatly. i use so called x-triggers (basically clips with automation functionality) to arm tracks and select clips. works for me because my songs have fixed structures. maybe not feasible for impro.
just my 2 cents, good luck to you!
In the beginning i was pretty disappointed by what you can do with a foot pedal in live for looping, especially when you aren't interested in overdubbing but want to create song structures with chorus, phrase and such. but the good thing about live is, almost everything is solvable, even if its a long way sometimes. here are some threads to consider:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=176264
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=173392
in a nutshell:
- you can map a foot switch to the play button of a track which appears when you hit the midi map button. the foot switch will now launch the selected clip on the track. problem is, how can you select the next clip hands free? there are up/down buttons appearing under the master track (when in midi map mode) that you could map to another 2 switches. makes them 3 switches but you haven't addressed moving from track to track hands free.
- mapping the play button of the master track can make sense if you don't mind that every track of the selected scene will be launched. enable "select next scene on launch" in preferences to move from scene to scene.
- get a foot controller with a lot of switches and map each switch to a dedicated clip (i got myself 2 icon g-boards which are ok). disable exclusive for arm in the preferences so you can have all tracks you want to record into armed. consider having your instrument input on one track that feeds into the recording tracks (makes monitoring easier). problem is, i found this method confusing and unflexible. i gave it up ( anybody wants those g-boards?)
- experiment with follow actions for clips. some combinations can make sense for certain situations
- i am using clyphX now for this purpose, its a free remote script written by the genius metastatik here on the board ("stray" on his own board). it is easy to deal with and augments lives possibilities greatly. i use so called x-triggers (basically clips with automation functionality) to arm tracks and select clips. works for me because my songs have fixed structures. maybe not feasible for impro.
just my 2 cents, good luck to you!