Ableton Forum

OK first I want to say things to everyone who sent me private messages and posted to my threads - im a total newbie here but discovering that this could be the application for me.

but there is two things that i just cant get my head around how to do - so I hope someone out there can help

I want to create a templates that has the following

Template 1

3 audio tracks that are a fixed length - so when i start recording, it stops recording at the end of say 8 bars (for this example)
I want the other 2 audio tracks to be limited to that in the same way - they start recording and end after the 8 bars have completed
i also want 3 midi tracks to do the same.

this way im dealing with a 8 bar loop that i can lay 6 parts on (3 audio and 3 midi)

Template 2

similar to template 1 but add additional tracks that are NOT bound to the time constraints - so if i record 22 bars - it loops at a 22 bar length - and gets out of synch with the previous loops

does this make sense?

essentially im trying to make the software perform like an RC-50 looper on crack -

C

hey man, this is easy.
open a new session, and create two new audio tracks for a total of three.
drag a looper into each track (i hope you're using live 8!).
on each track, in looper set the drop down dialogue on record length to record 8 bars.
that takes care of the 3 audio tracks.
for the midi tracks, if you want to loop to a set number of bars, you have to set up blank clips, and then keep the overdub button on. so...
create 3 new midi tracks.
double click one of the clip slots.
set length to 8 bars. this is on the bottom of your screen.
option drag (on mac, i don't do windows) this clip to the other two tracks.
now, to loop audio, trigger your looper on a record-enabled track.
to loop midi, record enable a track and make sure midi overdub is on.

to make your template 2, you would just make more tracks that don't quantize. for the audio, set the looper setting to "record x bars," and it will do the synching for you (synched to the beat but not to the song.) for midi stuff, just trigger the punch in/outs where you want them, and it will match the bpm of the song, even with an odd number of bars.

i just got rid of my rc-50, and am doing all my looping in live. the rc-50 synchs to a midi clock unreliably, and has a frustrating interface. live can do anything i want it to do, and is easy to use. i can't wait for max for live to come out so we can really start building some cool shite.

anyways, as a live looper, i'd recommend you get a midi foot controller and leave all your options open, ie. don't set your loopers to a fixed bar length. you never know what's gonna happen when inspiration strikes.

yours.
jonnyH

THANK YOU SIR!

It is official - this meets and exceeds (And blows away my current rig) my needs for looping -

now if anyone has any input on an audio interface (with 8 inputs) and a preferred midi interface - im all ears - i jup put in the order for my mac book pro this am and am amking the plunge!!!

thanks again for everyones input and feedback - this is a great community forum and you have all be so helpful!!

C3