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Add SMPTE Timecode Lock for Film Scoring

Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2025 5:33 pm
by Nithish
Hi Ableton Team,

Please consider adding SMPTE timecode lock to Live in the next version. As a composer working to picture, it’s incredibly limiting that tempo changes cause cues to drift out of sync with video. Other DAWs like Logic Pro X and Cubase handle this easily, and it's become a major reason many users are switching away from Ableton.

Even though Live is geared toward electronic music, SMPTE lock is a basic feature for scoring and post-production. Adding it would make Ableton far more competitive for film and media composers, and open up the platform to a wider creative community.

Re: Add SMPTE Timecode Lock for Film Scoring

Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2026 4:11 pm
by crunch
I feel this — tempo changes breaking cue positions is a real pain when
scoring in Live. I built a standalone video player called FrameSync that
connects to Ableton via AbletonOSC and follows the transport
frame-accurately. Play, stop, scrub — the video stays locked. It runs
outside Live so it doesn't touch your session.
macOS and Windows. https://all-the-machines.com/products/framesync