I own Live since a while now, though I can seldom find free time to use it
I still can't get productive with it... and can't find a workflow that is good for me.
Few years back I had used FL studio, and while that had a very intuitive user interface, in Live everything seems complicated, hidden, too much context dependent: even doing simple things seems to require deep knowledge of the software, and navigating through requires good memory on how things are organized (since I don't use it on a daily basis).
I also own an APC40, but that does not help much, as still lots of mouse clicking is required, even for simple things.
I'll try here to describe why I find complicated acquiring a workflow (well... the workflow I have in mind):
I want my clips to be 4/4, but I want their length predefined before I record them: I know you can stop the recording but I do not want to rely on my clicking on time (or pushing on time on the APC clip launch) to stop recording. Because my timing is bad, and because I anyway want them to be that length.
I noticed you can do that but you need to pre-create the clips.
So in the APC40 you don't know if that's an empty pre-created clip, or one already filled with notes.
How can you browse drum sounds while music is playing? I want to be able to trigger a sample from, say, a pad on a midi controller to preview it, and if I like it, load it (easily, with the push of a button, no drag-and-drop, no double-click) and use it in a sequence.
Do I really need to assemble a drum kit before start making music? I prefer choosing each individual sound according to how the composition evolves. The drum rack approach seems a bit rigid, even with hot-swapping (I want to hear a sound before I hot-swap it).
It seems I need to have templates prepared with empty clips, drumracks, arm-track settings, just to start making some music. Is this the way people normally work with Live? if so, are there example templates available to get started?
I want to be able to loop a clip and hear both notes I play on a midi controller, and those already already recorded.
Using Monitor=In you will only hear recorded notes, only while recording, while with Monitor=Auto, you can't hear notes you are playing but do not want to record. At least with is what happens with some drumracks? Why? How can you achieve that?
If you have a track armed, you can't just play over it, unless recording, so how can I just play in a loop and just record the last take? Shouldn't the midi overdub be meant just for this? sometimes it seems not work like this (e.g. with a drumracks), why this behavior is not consistent?
You still need to resort to computer keyboard and mouse to undo (e.g. in case I did not like last take of a midi overdub), change record quantization grid, delete a clip, or delete all notes in it... or is there a way around it?
Another thing which is very confusing for me is the relation between session view and arrangement view?
I am always working on the session view, but some events appear on the arrangement view as well...
I realize I am confused and confusing in this description of the issues I am facing. I have read several parts of the manual, but still haven't found a comfortable workflow... and that's quite frustrating, as I do this for hobby just to have some fun in the free time. I so want to learn this, but the whole thing is counter intuitive for me: I should be able to concentrate on music, not on the software interface!
I started thinking I should get a windows computer (I only have a Mac right now) and switch back to FL studio...
Thanks ahead for any reply, comment, suggestions about workflows, examples,...
Best regards,
Marco
