Ableton Forum

This wasn't so important before 6, but now that we can properly merge tracks from arragements, this seems like an unnecessary inconvenience (consider the case when you want to merge two sets with automated sends, and the order of effects on return tracks is different in the sets). Sorry if this sounds like a last minute feature request, but it feels like an important omission to me.

For sure it makes sense to have this but like many other things it could not make it into Live 6, sorry.

I moved this thread into the wishlist forum.

Regards,
/Alex

Live 9.5 bump...

Live 10.1 bump...

Double Bump!!

Alex wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:30 am

For sure it makes sense to have this but like many other things it could not make it into Live 6, sorry.

I moved this thread into the wishlist forum.

Regards,
/Alex

Live 11 triple cheese with fries bump.

Couldn't make it into Live 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11! I find it very hard to believe that you guys have any intention whatsoever to implement this frankly very legitimate request. Name one DAW other than Ableton that re-ordering of return tracks and I'll buy you a beer.

When I see ignored requests like this from 15 years ago I am losing my faith in bounce in place implementation or other basic features that are missing

The fact that it takes 15+ years for such a basic feature is insane.

The worst part of it all is that every DAW is missing a few basic features that are never implemented. Ableton gives one of the most consistent UX with some limitations that can be overcome with extra clicking, and as far as user UX goes it's probably the "least bad" of the pack.

For example, in Bitwig you can change the order of return tracks, but you can't send a return track to another return track.

What I really wish is that Ableton would engage and explain their thought processes.

jonljacobi wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 30, 2021 9:27 pm

What I really wish is that Ableton would engage and explain their thought processes.

It's the most popular DAW in the world, I think most companies do that when they are starting out but once they have a certain number of users the burden of engaging might be too great. That said, Image-Line staff seem to have no trouble replying to threads personally. Maybe Ableton could employ someone to sieve through the myriad of threads and pick out some good ones and at least bring them to the attention of the devs, perhaps exchange a few words with them and then report back. Just so we know they are still alive.

Image Line's staff are really good at listening to what the users want and creating a dialogue. Hopefully, we will see that type of transparency here someday.

Alex wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:30 am

For sure it makes sense to have this but like many other things it could not make it into Live 6, sorry.

I moved this thread into the wishlist forum.

Regards,
/Alex

Alex, if it's not too much to ask, would you kindly give us a quick update on this one?

I don't know if there's some hidden issue that common users cannot figure, so as it wouldn't be possible to change the order of return tracks. In that case, please staff let us know and we will forget these claims

Anyway, swapping return tracks may be very convenient as they can be used not only for fx purposes.
Often, in a project, things turn that e.g. return E becomes the most important, and one would like to have it as one of the first two (A or B) in order to easily control inside common controllers - that generally handle only A and B send returns.
If, currently, I wanted to achieve that, I should:
- conveniently, group fx in track E
- copy the group and paste it in track A (after those laying there at the moment)
- group the old A fx
- Copy/paste in E
- the most hard part: re-dial all the send knobs accordingly

You may argue that it is cumbersome at the moment

Other small things that I humbly suggest.
a) Sends "circles" on each track of the mixer might take the same colour of the relative return track on the right (e.g. if A is set to purple, all the circles of the A send in every track become purple). This function could be enabled/disabled from the Look/feel preferences. It would visually help a lot!
b) This is a little thing.
I understand disabling "sends of sends" in order to avoid accidental feedbacks (from beginners). But the default setting could be enabling all except the "self one" i.e. when you open track C all are enabled BUT the C (if enabled, a reminder warns about the risk of feedbacks). The same for A (all enabled by default except A) and so on and so forth....

compy wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 11, 2021 8:02 pm

I don't know if there's some hidden issue that common users cannot figure, so as it wouldn't be possible to change the order of return tracks. In that case, please staff let us know and we will forget these claims

Anyway, swapping return tracks may be very convenient as they can be used not only for fx purposes.
Often, in a project, things turn that i.e. return E becomes the most important, and one would like to have it as one of the first two (A or B) in order to easily control inside common controllers - that generally handle only A and B send returns.
If I wanted to achieve that currently I should
- conveniently, group fx in track E
- copy the group and paste it in track A (after those laying there at the moment)
- group the old A fx
- Copy/paste in E
- the most hard part: re-dial all the send knobs accordingly

You may argue that it is cumbersome at the moment

Other small things that I humbly suggest.
a) Sends "circles" on each track of the mixer might take the same colour of the relative return track on the right (i.e. if A is set to purple, all the circles of the A send in every track become purple). This function could be enabled/disabled from the Look/feel preferences. It would visually help a lot!
b) This is a little thing.
I understand disabling "sends of sends" in order to avoid accidental feedbacks (from beginners). But the default setting could be enabling all except the "self one" i.e. when you open track C all are enabled BUT the C (if enabled, a reminder warns about the risk of feedbacks). The same for A (all enabled by default except A) and so on and so forth....

All very valid points and honestly I refuse to believe Ableton are not aware of these problems. You'd have to be really dumb not to notice, and yet you'll still see plenty of Live fanboys who claim "they don't need this"...