Ableton Forum

OK,another newb post from a newb and YES I've read the manual. Well, some of it.

But this is a conceptual question.

So I have a few tracks down, and frankly I've been horsing with this thing for so long I just want to git 'r dun.

I didn't use a lot of effects on the tracks, mainly because I don't understand them. I suppose I should/could add various amounts of "room" to each; and then someone else mentioned adding "room" to the whole mix, via "sends," which I really don't get.

Would anyone care to chime in on how they go from tracks to .wav (or whatever -- you know, to the point where you start making your friends put it on their iPods?).

Thanx in advance.
Oh, and rock on.

You might need to specify what you mean a bit more...

Don't worry about investigating sends for now. I use them occasionally, but honestly, you don't have to there's other ways.

Room could be taking about the stereo spectrum, or headroom. Stereo spectrum is basically, when you're listening on your iPod, how much does the sound fill your head.... so, does it sound like its completely full, or can you just tell its right in front of you. A good track will be able to fill that space so it sounds open, whilst also being able to be played through mono speakers and not sound entirely retarded. This is achieved through a little reverb, panning left / right, offsetting ocellators in synths etc. I can give you more tips if that's what you're meaning.

If you're talking headroom... you're entering the dangerous area of compression. A sensitive area for these forums. Headroom is the amount of space between the peak of a track and absolute maximum volume (1.0). Ideally you want there to be a little breathing space for the track, so it doesn't distort (peak) immediately when boosted in volume, but using compression is standard noawadays, its what makes songs sound loud and incorrectly termed... professional. I didn't use entirely correct terms there, in an attempt to try and explain it a bit better, but I can describe it more if you'd like.

Let me know!