hints for device browsing

[nylarch]

OK sorry if this has been covered before or if there's something really obvious I'm missing...but if there's one thing I really don't dig about Ableton workflow its browsing. Particularly the many levels within the first browsing shortcut for Ableton devices and how they collapse and expand. I feel like when you want to pull in a reverb or something you click on the shortcut at the top and then depending on where you were last it takes a second for the eyes to adjust to get your bearings and then many slightly annoying triangle clicks to expand / collapse and navigate to my device. Am I just slow? Is there a expand / collapse all choice somewhere that makes it easier to reset everything (sorry Ableton isn't in front of me at the moment). Or does anyone have a good strategy to make this work better? I could see using some of the other shortcuts to drill down deeper into sets of devices but I use those already for doing the same in my sample library....

I feel like when I jump into Logic and try to find devices / plugs that's about the only way I like Logic's workflow better....

thanks!

[xherv]

You can save presets (including vst/au plugs mapped to racks) in a folder somewhere and set that as a default spot for one of your numbered browsing areas (below the abelton devices tab, vst/au tab on the upper left of the UI).

The particular way I did it was to create a folder in the Library/Presets folder (should have Audio, Instrument, MIDI devices folders already); right-click on this folder and 'set as root' for tab #3. More or less (I think on new sets, or when opening Live) #3 then spots this folder as it's default location. I then have sub-folders in here for stuff like the most used synths (e.g. only Operator, Drum Rack, Zebra), another for percussion synths/samplers, one for best audio plugs (eq8, gate, a couple delays and reverbs etc.), and MIDI racks (like stuff I'll insert per drum rack chain etc.)

Essentially this is the stuff I use most often from the Ableton devices and 3rd party stuff, without some of the UI overcrowding that's I guess a necessary evil of Ableton acquiring more and more devices. It's easy enough to page back to the full lists when I have something specific in mind but I find things go really quickly when the lists are only 5-10 objects long, with the most used stuff on them.

One can click+drag a device or a rack into the browser to save it, also you can do it with different presets this way - I have a couple basic kick templates in Operator like this, for example.

[djgroovy]

Is there a expand / collapse all choice somewhere that makes it easier to reset everything (sorry Ableton isn't in front of me at the moment).

Double clicking the devices icon will collapse all, same for the other icons.