Any suggestions for properly backing up a Live set?

[livegirl]

Hi,

Did a bit of a search on the forum. I've been working on a Live set that I'll be using at a dance performance, and it's gotten quite chunky by now. Then I realized with horror that I have not backed it up anywhere.

What is the proper way of backing up a Live session. ie. how do I make sure that all the associated files are saved along with the set?

Is this the "Collect and Save" method? I get a warning though when I try to do that that tells me about a "self-contained" set. I'm a bit weary to try this.

Any suggestions out there? Also, would LOVE to hear from anyone who uses Live in dance performances.

Thanks!

[Walkingmachine]

i usually save as to the desktop........this will get your set into its own project.....then collect all and save.....don't worry about the self contain warning that just means it is moving all the sounds associated w this live set into the project folder, thats what you want in order to back it up

then just copy the project folder from the desktop to your external hard drive....ur good to go

if anyone knows a better method, lets hear it!

[livegirl]

Thanks! I just got a new hard drive in the mail. 1.5 terrabyte. So I think I will backup to that.


I'd also be interested to know if anybody has other methods?

Thanks again!

[TroyP]

I save the first one as something like SongOne-A.als

The next time, I Save As to something like SongOne-B.als

Keep going until you run out of letters. Or start over each day. Whatever works for the space you have and how far back you want to go.

This way, you have the backup .als files, without all the folders of duplicated samples.

You should still Collect and Save every so often, but I don't back that up, as it is itself a backup of samples you have in your library.

Another benefit of this method: If you get into a song and wish you could go back to what you had on Thursday, it's easier.

[The Rebel Dekadance]

I would not do a save as....a save as does not properly back up your session....it pretty much just creates another name for the session and points back to the original audio files you used in that session....Ableton like any other DAW is pointer-based...it's gonna point back to the original audio clips or tracks that you used...to properly back up a session is to include all your session files and audio files within that session folder....try out the Collect All And Save function...it will put you audio files and the associated asd. files within that session folder and keep it seperate from all of your other stuff....hope this helps

[longjohns]

Whatever method you use, rename the old folders and run the set from the backup location. That way you can be sure that the backup runs properly.

I say that more from the standpoint of potentially deleting the original file locations.

[Walkingmachine]

rebel.......saving as **to the desktop** gets your .als file in its own project (sometimes your .als, will originally be in a project folder for a different song if say you started a new beat as an extension of something else you were working on)

Then after a save as (to the desktop) you collect all and save into the project name that matches your .als file and drag that project to your external...make sense??

Both will work, but saving as to the desktop and then proceeding to collect all and save ensures that the project folder will match the name of the .als, which for me makes it easier to keep track of

[Walkingmachine]

TROYP......that seems like a cool method for backing up your edits, but it seems like if your hard drive crashes.....you are still screwed if you haven't backed up the project files

[sandslash]

Great advice! Very helpful.

[TroyP]

TROYP......that seems like a cool method for backing up your edits, but it seems like if your hard drive crashes.....you are still screwed if you haven't backed up the project files

True. That's just for edits, during development. After, I save a copy of the project off to an external hard drive.