Ableton Forum

Could someone help?

In the arranger i have recorded a song with about twenty tracks or so. When i go to tweak the levels i change the volume, i click save, but the volume reverts back to what it was before. How do i make the changes in the arranger permanent, or stick?

Hi, this requires a little explanation:

In the course of session recording, you have tweaked mixer and fx controls. These movements are recorded into the Arrangement as well as the clips being launched. After recording, you can see little red corners around every control that has a movement recorded (we call it 'automation'). You can edit the automation as an envelope in the Arranger, by selecting the control.

Now what happens if you change the value of an automated (red-cornered) control, by dragging or typing:

- if you are in record, your action is recorded, obviously;

- if you are not, Live assumes you want to try out something, but not (yet) get rid of the control's original automation. It therefore temporarily de-activates the automation in favor of your new setting. The 'Back-to-Arrangement' button in the Control Bar lights up to warn you: what you hear is not what's on 'tape'! Clicking on the Back-to-Arrangement button will re-activate all automation.

Here is what you can do to avoid losing data:

- Watch the Back-to-Arrangement button. Make sure it's off before saving.

- Get rid of automation where it is in the way, by selecting an automated control and calling Delete Automation from the Edit menu.

It seems this is the most common source of confusion in the program. Something we need to improve soon!

Gerhard
ableton

This perhaps brings up a feature-wish ... How about a simple, one-click action like the 'back-to-arrange' button (or maybe a menu command) that updates a selected area or loop in the arrange with the current fader/effect/etc (maybe even clip play/stop) values?

Does this mean that the only way to record changes, even small changes is to record those changes to therefore have the light turn off before saving. This seems very time consuming for small changes like adjusting volume levels of tracks already recorded.

Kind of along the lines of just mentioned above, could a feature be introduced then that can force the changes like "apply changes"?

For editing a control's automation curve w/o recording again, unfold the track in the Arranger; select the control; its breakpoint envelope appears for editing. You have all options!

Gerhard
ableton

Thanks for your quick responses,

I will try when you get home, however, i believe I do unfold the track, then selct the volume control and then adjust the breakpoints line. Problem is when i save changes revert back to before i made changes. Will try again...