Newbie Question- Piano roll

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
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Zelda123
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2019 11:14 am

Newbie Question- Piano roll

Post by Zelda123 » Fri Oct 18, 2019 7:46 am

Hey,

Only had Ableton for a few days, so this is a very basic question. Enjoying trying to figure things out but i'm stuck right now. :oops:

In arrangement view I'm trying to make a bass line out of some kind of percussion. So for example im dragging a sample into the linear view, add effects trying to get the sound I want. But then unfortunately I'm unable to open up piano roll to make a bass line!!! It's driving me crazy. Help please! What am I doing wrong and how can I solve this?

Thanks

borg
Posts: 871
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2002 3:44 pm
Location: antwerp, be

Re: Newbie Question- Piano roll

Post by borg » Fri Oct 18, 2019 11:39 am

you have to create a clip first. you can find the piano roll inside that clip. I'd also suggest doing this in Session view.
andy
2015 MBP, OSX 10.12, Live 10.1 64bit, RME Fireface 800

Zelda123
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2019 11:14 am

Re: Newbie Question- Piano roll

Post by Zelda123 » Fri Oct 18, 2019 12:57 pm

Ok thanks both for the replies!! It all seems a little confusing at the moment hehehe

I think maybe I'm trying to run before I can walk. I've just stumbled across the introduction Ableton tutorials, they seem really helpful.

There's tonnes of instruments and samples, not entirely sure when I need to be using a midi track or audio track? Think I need to get my head stuck in the manual lol

borg
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Location: antwerp, be

Re: Newbie Question- Piano roll

Post by borg » Fri Oct 18, 2019 1:32 pm

just realized my reply was missing a few steps in between.

if you create sounds the way you are trying to at the moment (which is completely valid!), then there are several ways to make this into an instrument. what you are trying to achieve might indeed best be done like antic604 said.
so, instead of dropping the sample on an audio track, drop it in a midi track, but be sure you have the device view selected at the bottom, and drop it there (or your midi track will turn itself in an audio track if you drop it on the grid, or just won't do anything when in clip view).
your audio sample will be placed in a simpler device and can be played as an instrument, add the fx you were using in this chain.

that is just the beginning, and not the only way to do it... a manual is a good way to start :)
andy
2015 MBP, OSX 10.12, Live 10.1 64bit, RME Fireface 800

Zelda123
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2019 11:14 am

Re: Newbie Question- Piano roll

Post by Zelda123 » Fri Oct 18, 2019 2:14 pm

Cheers Borg,

Hopefully when I do eventually get my head round navigating Ableton I'll actually be able to start trying to make some music lol

It's going to take a while I think :D

jonljacobi
Posts: 887
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2017 3:36 am

Re: Newbie Question- Piano roll

Post by jonljacobi » Fri Oct 18, 2019 2:37 pm

You won’t see the piano roll unless it’s a MIDI track. You created an audio track by dragging the sample. As noted, drag a sampler onto the arranger to create a MIDI track, the drag the sample to the sampler..

Zelda123
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2019 11:14 am

Re: Newbie Question- Piano roll

Post by Zelda123 » Fri Oct 18, 2019 2:43 pm

Ok ive dragged Simpler/Sampler into the empty instrument rack and then dragged a sample into it, for example a kick. However I can't get the kick to play so I can tailor it to the sound I want using effects etc. How do I do this? I'm sorry this is a very basic question.

Zelda123
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2019 11:14 am

Re: Newbie Question- Piano roll

Post by Zelda123 » Fri Oct 18, 2019 4:01 pm

I've worked out how to do it so all good.

For some reason I haven't worked out yet how to play the instrument on it's own when it's in the sampler to add effects, adjust pitch etc.

So i've worked around it. I drag sampler into the empty instrument rack and dragged a kick into it. But then I highlight the first bar in arrangement view and press ctrl and L to loop. I then press ctrl shift and m to bring up piano roll. Press play and enter my melody/bass that way and from here add effects, compress etc

Surely there is an easier way. For some reason I can't isolate the sound and play the kick on it's own unless I do this,

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