What is your workflow with Live?

[SheepFactory]

Hi guys ,

I just jumped on the live bandwagon last week , its my first music software and I am having a blast with learning it. I was wondering how you guys go about putting together songs? I am curious about the workflow. So Far I have been putting together some clips and playing them as loops and thats about it. Would love to learn how the more seasoned pros approach it.

thanks in advance!

[traumamatik]

hmm, i'm curious too...

i'm not a seasoned pro or anything, but from screwing around, i've found a method that works for me...

i created a "sketchpad" set. blank tracks for impulse, battery, absynth, fearkiller x2, and a midi & audio track for korg ms2000. plus a couple of blank tracks for samples and loops.

i use a korg padKontrol (1 scene for battery, 1 scene for impulse) and evolution uc33 as controllers, and m-audio firewire 410 interface, with a behringer 1202 mixer for a little added output control.

i usually start with the beat, as thats the first thing i hear in my head, then tweak the samples in impulse or battery til it sounds right, then add a bassline with either the ms2k or fearkiller, then arps and leads and pads. i'll usually set up one or two variations per part.

on another scene on the padkontrol, i have the setup for the clips grid. along with the uc33 in native ableton mode, i have full basic control. i'll trigger and stop parts with the kpk, and control levels with the uc33, all while just playing in realtime and doing what feels right. of course, these songs usually clock in at around 10 minutes long (a little long for industrial powernoise). so then i'll start tweaking the arrangement, then tweak the sounds, add or subtract bits, and finally add the various fx and sends...

but basically i take ableton at face value...it's called live, and i like to record that way...

[Michael-SW]

I use Session as a sketchpad. It is in session I experiment, create sounds, beats, whatever that I like and sound nice together. Then I start draggin the clips over to Arrange and start (eh) arranging, work on automation etc. Sometimes I develop the ideas further in Arrangement, sometimes I go back to session to do more experimentation.

[fatrabbit]

You could set up various scenes that designate different sections of the track.

But yeah the above is wise - use a midi controller and map it to lots of things that will enable to create parts on-the-fly and/or tweak the track/arrangement as you see fit, as these often sound the best.