CAN YOU ACTUALLY CREATE MUSIC ON ABLETON WITHOUT EXTERNALS?

THE FREEEK · Post by **THE FREEEK** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 8:57 am

hELP!!! I am totally new to ableton and just loaded it onto my dell insperon 9400 Lappy. So far I have got no external sound sources at all, but I thought I could create music just with what Ableton provides on Live 6. So far I havent managed to get a single sound out of it except in demo mode. Do I need plug ins? or what about Ableton Operator? Please help as if I need to get external synths etc, ill have to put em on my christmas list!!

Thanks dudes!(and dudettes if any out there)

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 9:05 am

yes and no, you can manipulate almost any sound into music with the included Simpler/Impulse and audio clips. So the first thing is to get a bucket-full of samples off the interweb and throw them into Simpler.

If you find you still want more sounds (and who doesn't) I can wholeheartedly recommend going here:
http://www.kvraudio.com/get.php
- quite honestly there are so many *free* synths out there that you can go right ahead and ask your gran to get you tubesocks for christmas.

- having said that, Operator kicks ass.

Johnisfaster · Post by **Johnisfaster** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 9:24 am

definetly get a bunch of freeware like he says.

but to answer the question of CAN YOU ACTUALLY CREATE MUSIC ON ABLETON WITHOUT EXTERNALS? you absolutely possitively can and lots of people do. I make music using ableton + plugins these days. some of them are freeware some of them I've paid for. operator is great but it only fits some people, I use it but I understand that it's certainly not for everyone.

to get a look at more freeware go check out dontcrack.com you'll find free plugins there and also maybe some cheap payware.

brightonalex · Post by **brightonalex** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 9:49 am

You're a Surrey boy, ask for the Access Virus TI for a stocking filler!

But until then, buy a copy of Future Music, and copy their samples from the DVD into your hard drive. By looping them, and playing with the included effects and stuff, you will get the hang of it quite quickly and make music straight away.

itook4lefts · Post by **itook4lefts** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 10:26 am

+1. Or get computer music (sometimes that mag's a bag of shite, other times theres good stuff in it - wait for a good month). I have a folder on my HD called CM classics that I got from them. It's got folders in it called things like 1000 drums. I use those all the time for bread and butter. And all the other synth loops can be completely transformed in Simpler or wherever. Take a tiny fragment of it, filter it, re-pitch it, whack some chorus etc on there. Then sling it all through grain delay and redux and it'll be a new sound. And automate all that.

Your post kind of sound like you can't get any sound at all, though? Not even the impulse/simpler presets? Surely you can make mentalism with any number of impulse presets and anythig from the "performance and dj" FX racks folder?

andydes · Post by **andydes** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 10:32 am

There should be enough samples included to get you started (even in the download version).

Try loading one of the default instrument racks into a midi track (expand the instrument rack folder in the browser and drag to the track). If you can't get any sound out of it, then you might be having trouble with your setup or for some reason, Live can't find the samples.

That said, you'll probably want some VST instruments anyway for a bit more variety. Some popular free ones are Crystal, Triangle II and poly ibit. Personnally, I also love Karma FX, but it's a little complicated if you're just starting out.

Also worth downloading the live packs from this site for extra samples and clips and maybe finding some more drum samples for impulse, there's plenty of free ones on the net, but I can't remember where.

That lot should keep you going for months.

SubFunk · Post by **SubFunk** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 11:23 am

check http://www.dontcrack.com there you can find so much stuff, plugs, instruments, links to free samples, etc which defenitely will get you going for a while.

and you don't need any hardware except a comp and a soundcard to start of making music with live.

andydes · Post by **andydes** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 4:59 pm

Dispite all this. If you can't get any sound out of live on it's own, there's either something wrong in the setup or installation, or you're doing something wrong. I'd concentrate on getting this sorted before downloading a load of new instruments and samples.

You can get some pretty nice sounds out of impulse and simpler, so you should make sure it's all working right. I ignored the included instruments for ages, going strraight for the VSTs. Now I use impulse on almost everything I do.

DeadlyKungFu · Post by **DeadlyKungFu** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 6:36 pm

hit record on a track and fart into your computer's microphone.
drop a fart into each slot of an impulse and tweak them to make drum sounds
drop farts into other tracks with simplers and tweak them out to make other sounds, basses, pads, leads.
enable the computer keyboard as a control device (icon that looks like a piano in the upper right corner of the screen, use the a-h keys and the row above for black keys)
render to disc, sell to a label, sellout, retire.

there are more QUALITY free plug-ins than you could ever use or learn to use. keep it simple, don't get more toys until you get a really good grip on the ones you already have. there's links in the tips n tricks sticky to a few sites with free samples and plug-ins.

Angstrom · Post by **Angstrom** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 6:45 pm

I made a 'drum player' rack just using Simplers, it's similar to Microtonic or Attack.
I only used the waves that come with Live (mainly just one sine wave actually!) and some built-in effects. Mapping macros to the decay / distortion / pitch envelopes (etc) got me a really usable electronic kit that I have used a few times.

Easily as fun as any VSTi and much more customizable.

For synthesizer pads and stuff a few Simplers Racked up, use the chain commands to do cross fading use the bundled waves as your synth waveforms. Obviously you arent going to be doing any FM synthesis in Simpler - but it's not always necesary. It's perfectly fine for moog-like bass sounds and pads. It takes a bit of learning though.
learning is good - once you know how to make good sounds with that setup you will be on the way to being a true Jedi, rather than a preset muppet.

nerveagent · Post by **nerveagent** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 10:07 pm

yeah i have found recently that i'm using live quite a lot with only the simpler, impulse, and operator.

Michael-SW · Post by **Michael-SW** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 11:33 pm

I would suggest getting a good "Virtual Analog" software synth too, like the Albino. But after that, you really are set. You have everything you need.

If you are into weird pads and evolving soundscapes, Absynth is a good choice too.

But Live really has eveything you need. The two suggestions above will make your life easier, but aren't really necessary.

nerveagent · Post by **nerveagent** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 6:33 pm

Michael-SW wrote:I would suggest getting a good "Virtual Analog" software synth too, like the Albino. But after that, you really are set. You have everything you need.

If you are into weird pads and evolving soundscapes, Absynth is a good choice too.

But Live really has eveything you need. The two suggestions above will make your life easier, but aren't really necessary.

well, for a virtual analogue, I can (and do ) sample my Nord Modular ;-)

But yes you don't really have to have anything other than Live if you don't want to.

Cryptic UK · Post by **Cryptic UK** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 7:31 pm

THE FREEEK wrote:hELP!!! I am totally new to ableton and just loaded it onto my dell insperon 9400 Lappy. So far I have got no external sound sources at all, but I thought I could create music just with what Ableton provides on Live 6. So far I havent managed to get a single sound out of it except in demo mode. Do I need plug ins? or what about Ableton Operator? Please help as if I need to get external synths etc, ill have to put em on my christmas list!!

Thanks dudes!(and dudettes if any out there)

FTLOG

Cryptic UK · Post by **Cryptic UK** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 7:31 pm

THE FREEEK wrote:hELP!!! I am totally new to ableton and just loaded it onto my dell insperon 9400 Lappy. So far I have got no external sound sources at all, but I thought I could create music just with what Ableton provides on Live 6. So far I havent managed to get a single sound out of it except in demo mode. Do I need plug ins? or what about Ableton Operator? Please help as if I need to get external synths etc, ill have to put em on my christmas list!!

Thanks dudes!(and dudettes if any out there)

FTLOG!

CAN YOU ACTUALLY CREATE MUSIC ON ABLETON WITHOUT EXTERNALS?

CAN YOU ACTUALLY CREATE MUSIC ON ABLETON WITHOUT EXTERNALS?

Re: CAN YOU ACTUALLY CREATE MUSIC ON ABLETON WITHOUT EXTERNALS?

Re: CAN YOU ACTUALLY CREATE MUSIC ON ABLETON WITHOUT EXTERNALS?