I'm new to Ableton

[pgiovanni]

Hey everyone. I could use some help with the basics of ableton. I just bought a focusrite interface and it came with the software. I'm used to garageband. As of now, garageband seems a lot more user friendly and simplistic. Only problem is I don't have a mac anymore I have a pc, and this is the software my interface came with.

I've already set up the interface and recorded using my microphone, but how do I edit tracks? How do a segment, and then record another segment, so that they seem like they are one segment when it's really two segments next to each other. Right now all I'm able to do is record multiple segments and they all play at the same time.

How do I find midi instruments? I want to find a live drum set so I can create a rock band feel.

I'd appreciate the knowledge. I'd really like to get to recording and create full pieces! Not just segments that all play at the same time.


Thank you!

[miyaru]

Hello,

Go to the arrangement view. |||| is the session view and underneath this button is the arrangement view.

Also in the manual that came with Live as PDF are the basics and principles of Live. Read them first before you do anything LOL. No seriously; if you read these first, things will fall in place. While Garageband lends itself to work with it without reading in advance, Live is completly differend.

You have to understand the basics of the sessionview and the arrangementview. Learning can be steep, but it can be done though; I worked with all flavors of Cubase for 20 years before going to Live, and it took a few weeks to get it done easily......

[Tarekith]

These should get you started:

https://www.ableton.com/en/live/learn-live/

[pgiovanni]

Thanks, I guess it's just going to take more work then I was hoping. I will definitely dedicate the time though.

[marlonzuri]

Yeah unfortunately fully fledged daws are not as out of the box as something like Garage band simply because they have so much packed into them, it will take some time for you to figure everything out, but keep at it.

Keep at it!

[Stromkraft]

With regards to getting drums, there is no ''pre made kits ''

There aren't? So what are all of those Drum Kits that comes with Live and its packs?

[marlonzuri]

With regards to getting drums, there is no ''pre made kits ''

There aren't? So what are all of those Drum Kits that comes with Live and its packs?

Wow I'm an idiot, sorry, taken back.

[Richie Witch]

How do I find midi instruments? I want to find a live drum set so I can create a rock band feel.

Since you have the Intro version, you won't have as many instruments and drum kits as the upgraded versions do, however, you should have access to Designer Drums and Digicussion 1. These generally don't download with the main program, so you'll need to go back to the Ableton website and download the four "Packs" that come with your version.

As far as instruments, in the Intro version you have Simpler, Impulse, Drum Rack, and Instrument Rack. When you first get started with Live, they don't look like much, but each is quite powerful once you learn how they work. For additional instruments, you'll have to find third-party MIDI instruments (vst's), but there are tons of great free ones out there. Plugin Alliance is a great place to start.

There are great mag-ware collections that are super cheap too. ComputerMusic magazine sells for less than $5 on Google Play and iTunes, and each issue comes with a huge downloadable vault of instruments and effects that will work with Live.

Yes, the learning curve for Live is steep, but the rewards in power and flexibility make it well worth putting in the time to learn.

[pgiovanni]

anyone know how to raise input/recording volume? I want to plug my guitar straight into the interface but I wish it was louder! I also want to know how to raise the volume on those drums. I found them, I found out how to make some beats and what not (by clicking each note painstakingly) but, again, it's way too soft

[jestermgee]

I want to plug my guitar straight into the interface

What interface?

How are you connecting your geetar? Do you have an amp which you run a line out from? Or are you taking your geetar jack and punching it straight into an input on your interface? If the latter is the case, do you know what a "Hi-Z" input is and if you are connected into one of those because without a hi-z input on your interface you will have a low volume input when recording direct from your instrument high impedance output. You may need to amp your geetar and then feed that into your interface.

Optionally, once you have a signal recorded you can just turn up the volume in many ways:

- Turn the track slider UP
- Add a Utility device and crank up the gain
- Adjust the "Sample" volume if you recorded direct to a clip

This may lead to a noisy recording though since your volume level will be too close to your noise floor so turning up the volume too much will just turn up the noise too.

My suggestion would be to spend some more time learning the basics of recording because without getting a basic handle on that, you will probably just give up since there are literally years (tens of years) ahead of learning things like this if you want to get a good handle on it all.

[Xenflex]

This might help you -

New Ableton Live 9 course is up on YouTube.

Includes some free giveaways -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KZmVsSQd1c