Importing Return tracks and master track from a project

[nicogrubert]

Hi there

I love the possibility to import audio and midi tracks from another project into the current project via the browser where each ableton project can be expanded to see it's audio and midi tracks.
Is it possible to import return tracks and the master track inlcuding their audio plugins?
Return tracks and the master track do not show up when expanding a project in a browser, so I guess it's not possible (yet). But maybe I am wrong...?

Regards
Nico

[spacecat]

+1

[nidefawl]

+1

[simpli.cissimus]

Take all effects of the aux channel and group it...
...then save and use it wherever you need it again...

[TonKazanKezan]

+100

[Sly One]

+1000

Live not supporting this is a pain. I often need to merge two projects and at the moment it's just a nightmare if both of them use sends, or automation on the master track.

I could avoid this by doing all master automation on a bus track instead, and using some Max silliness instead of proper sends, but *really*?

[puzl]

Yeah, same here. Just lost a ton of send automation on a track merger. Really wasn't too happy when I found out that info can't be imported

[Bigbee]

Hi. Has this been answered, other than group the effects in the return track and save to your library? I've been needing to do this for years. Today I want a definitive answer. Any chance that a person from the Ableton company is reading this? Thanks!

[Montgomery]

Bump.

[birthday boy]

SOLUTION:

1) route your returns to an audio track (this is done in the track in/out view). let's call them A bus, B bus, etc. Mmake sure to do this routing on the return track (Audio To > A Bus), NOT the bus track (as in From Return A etc - because we don't our sends going to the master AND our bus in this case).
2) make sure your Bus tracks monitor is set to IN
3) most importantly, place your effects ON THE BUS - NOT the returns! Your returns should be EMPTY - basically dummies.
4) Now you can import your bus tracks from project to project, BUT - you will have to configure the returns again - the simple Audio To part - which only takes a few seconds anyway, and is much easier / faster than having to save groups of effects and all that other stuff you're tired of.

PLUS - you now have the added bonus of being able to use dummy clips on your Bus tracks (it doesn't matter if your audio clip is silent or not because since the monitor will be set to IN - clips won't be audible anyway.

PLUS-PLUS - you can now use clip modulation and clip automation on your bus dummies - I know right!?!?

PLUS-PLUS-PLUS - in arrangement you can now use dummies to better organize your "return" automation (and copy all automations on top of a clip instead of copying automation lane by lane, which you have to do with return track because they don't have clips and ... you get the idea).

Sly One hinted at this earlier in the thread - just for those who don't know.

One more tip, do this once, and save a track with your returns bussed as the default and you'll never have to do this again (depending on how many returns you need).

[infernal.machine]

WHO YOU CALLING DUMMY?

[infernal.machine]

I've never used returns, but i find the fact that you can automate a dummy bus intriguing...

[vanKloot]

SOLUTION:

1) route your returns to an audio track (this is done in the track in/out view). let's call them A bus, B bus, etc. Mmake sure to do this routing on the return track (Audio To > A Bus), NOT the bus track (as in From Return A etc - because we don't our sends going to the master AND our bus in this case).
2) make sure your Bus tracks monitor is set to IN
3) most importantly, place your effects ON THE BUS - NOT the returns! Your returns should be EMPTY - basically dummies.
4) Now you can import your bus tracks from project to project, BUT - you will have to configure the returns again - the simple Audio To part - which only takes a few seconds anyway, and is much easier / faster than having to save groups of effects and all that other stuff you're tired of.

PLUS - you now have the added bonus of being able to use dummy clips on your Bus tracks (it doesn't matter if your audio clip is silent or not because since the monitor will be set to IN - clips won't be audible anyway.

PLUS-PLUS - you can now use clip modulation and clip automation on your bus dummies - I know right!?!?

PLUS-PLUS-PLUS - in arrangement you can now use dummies to better organize your "return" automation (and copy all automations on top of a clip instead of copying automation lane by lane, which you have to do with return track because they don't have clips and ... you get the idea).

Sly One hinted at this earlier in the thread - just for those who don't know.

One more tip, do this once, and save a track with your returns bussed as the default and you'll never have to do this again (depending on how many returns you need).

So this is a WICKED killer trick for a whole host of reasons. BUT there is one gigantic "gotcha" anyone using it needs to be aware of - delay compensation! See this page of the FAQ:

https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/artic ... ation-FAQs

Specifically this passage:

Are Return tracks not fully compensated if I route them back to Audio tracks?
Indeed, Return tracks are not compensated when routed back to an audio track, if the respective Send on the destination track is active. To restore the correct delay compensation for Return tracks routed to Audio tracks, disable the respective sends. You can disable a send by right clicking on the Send knob and choosing "Disable Send".

For example, if you route Return Track A to Audio Track 1, right click on Send A on Track 1 and choose "Disable Send" to restore the correct latency compensation.

So just make sure you disable the sends on your new bus tracks, and things won't get horribly out of sync when you send to your FX.

Rock on!

[Stromkraft]

BUT there is one gigantic "gotcha" anyone using it needs to be aware of - delay compensation! See this page of the FAQ:

https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/artic ... ation-FAQs

Specifically this passage:

Are Return tracks not fully compensated if I route them back to Audio tracks?
Indeed, Return tracks are not compensated when routed back to an audio track, if the respective Send on the destination track is active. To restore the correct delay compensation for Return tracks routed to Audio tracks, disable the respective sends. You can disable a send by right clicking on the Send knob and choosing "Disable Send".

For example,if you route Return Track A to Audio Track 1, right click on Send A. on Track 1 and choose "Disable Send" to restore the correct latency compensation

Great. I'm just emphasising with bold that not all sends need to be deactivated. You want to prevent an audio feedback loop as that adds at least 1 sample of latency, but allow for creative routings when you want that.

I deactivate all sends on buss tracks and activate them only when I need them