Ableton Forum

Hi guys, im new here. I just purchsed Ableton Live 8 and installed it on my new Mac Book Pro. Sweet Program, LOVE the tightness of the midi... I am used to Pro Tools and looking to get out of that hell for midi sloppiness . I do still enjoy the old HD rig for mixing. I plan on rendering out of AL into P Tools for mixing.

Now, i have been learning AL lately and although i can get around in a bit, for midi programming, i am mainly using it for production and making beats, tracks.. My main objective with it was to be able to get out of my studio and take my rig mobile for songwriting session and midi programming etc.. ok, now i have paged through the manaul quite a bit and yes most of it i am absorbing HOWEVER i need serious help with some things. SImple things like navigation. Midi editing. etc.. I am so used to being able to skip around in P Tools so fast by having all the buttons right there. In AL, i have to page over to the session view or clip view by hitting the right hand side icons. Is there and easier way for paging back and forth between windows and ZOOMING IN??. my god, that is an STRANGE function with that slider bar and scrolling up and down while trying to center your location i have NO IDEA how they figured that was a good idea.... Its driving me crazy and slowing me WAAAAY down on production. Also, when editing MIDI, THERE IS NO FREAKING 64th NOTE QUANTIZATION! RECORD QUANTIZATION ONLY GOES TO 32nd note.. i have never heard of this?. ALSO, is there a simple quick key to turn midi quantize on and off in case you need to shorten a note?. right now i am having to control click and switch Qtize to "off" to customiz a midi note length? AHHHHHHH heeelp..Although AL is great for DJing i dont see this doing much for production as is.. i need to learn more i think?

Tab flips between session and arrange view, on pc, alt (is it option on a mac?) + drag left or right will move (if you click on the note) or change the length of a note (if you click on the edges) without locking to the grid, alt + up or down changes the velocity.
Keep working through the manual, all the shortcuts and stuff are in there, but you're right, Live is a liitle strange to get around in 'till you get used to it. Stick with it though and it becomes second nature.

Do you relly want to quantise to 64th notes?

P.S.
Welcome to the forum.

You don't need help, you need time to use Live and familiarise yourself with its layout.

For e.g, Live's zooming function is peerless once you know how to do it...you'll soon be wondering why you can't do it in EVERY DAW

Hi all,

Thank you guys, doing much better, learning how to get around and yes the zooming function is great!