Ableton Forum

I recorded a clip that is 10 bars long but I want it to loop every 16 bars. How do I add 6 bars to it?
I know I could record silence and consolidate in the arrangement window but is there a faster way?

You got it.

You could also use follow actions to make a 16-bar-long loop, but this requires two scenes, not one.

Isn't there a way to do it without leaving the clip editor?

No. the way the manual describes is the way you posted up top.

you could use Warp Markers if you have any silence at the end of your audio file.

Soma wrote:I could record silence and consolidate in the arrangement window

As was said this is the way, but u don't need to record silence.
Just highlight the clip's 10 bars of timline plus another 6 after that and hit consolidate.

laird wrote:You could also use follow actions to make a 16-bar-long loop, but this requires two scenes, not one.

doesn't make sense. there's a handy follow action called 'play again'

something like this could be done with an unlinked clip volume envelope, but I'm having a hard time seeing how with this 10 bar/16 bar scenario.

that's because if the clip is looped, it needs to have the start at the beginning and the sample presumably lasts through bar 10...

it would be very easy to make longer clips in powers of 2..

i.e. this 10 bar sample can be easily made to play at 20 bar intervals, by looping it, unlinking the clip envelopes, and silencing bars 11-20 of the clip volume envelope. (envelope looped)

good thinkin longkohns.
yea if u really don't want to leave the clip editor u could make cook something up with that suggestion and maybe a clip start position envelope.
Seems like unnecessary hassle tho.

longjohns wrote:

laird wrote:You could also use follow actions to make a 16-bar-long loop, but this requires two scenes, not one.

doesn't make sense. there's a handy follow action called 'play again'

10 bar loop, follow action = play next clip
next clip = silent, set to 6 bars in length, follow action = play first

viola, a 16 bar clip with 10 bars of audio, without having to leave the session view, correct?

I can't see why it would make sense to do it this way, though.

with Warp markers:

younormally start with 1 and end on 11.
If you start dragging markers to the left, you could start on 1 and end on bar 17.

If you had a little bit of silence recorded at the end of your 10 measures already, you might be able to time-stretch that out to 6 bars in length... so that you get a 16 bar loop but the first 10 bars play at normal speed

Or, you could try to time-stretch the last quarter-note out to be 6 bars long.
Here, Longjohn's mention of the volume envelope comes in handy, you might not like the sound of it.


There is a limit to how close Live can cram Warp Markers, though. I sue this quick-n-dirty method from time to time, but not to double the length of my loop time.

laird wrote:

longjohns wrote:

laird wrote:You could also use follow actions to make a 16-bar-long loop, but this requires two scenes, not one.

doesn't make sense. there's a handy follow action called 'play again'

10 bar loop, follow action = play next clip
next clip = silent, set to 6 bars in length, follow action = play first

viola, a 16 bar clip with 10 bars of audio, without having to leave the session view, correct?

I can't see why it would make sense to do it this way, though.

woah buddy

how about just a 16 bar follow action, "play again"

no loop

simplicity....

longjohns wrote:how about just a 16 bar follow action, "play again"

no loop

simplicity....

d'oh!
that's so simple !

that works?!?

sweet!

longjohns wrote: woah buddy

how about just a 16 bar follow action, "play again"

no loop

simplicity....

Very nice, works fine.

Before I learned this, I've been resampling the clip to another clip with correct length (which required another track), but this approach is much easier.