Ableton Only Uploads 30 Seconds to Soundcloud

5. Managing Files and Sets

Various types of files are used in making music with Live, from those containing MIDI (come across 5.three) and audio (see v.2), to more program-specific files such equally Live Clips (encounter v.iv) and Live Sets (run across 5.5). This chapter volition explain everything you need to know most working with each of these file types in Live. Nonetheless, we should get-go take a look at Alive's browser, through which about files arrive in the program.

5.1 Working with the Browser

Live'south browser is the place where yous collaborate with your library of musical assets: the core library of sounds that are installed with the program, whatever boosted sounds you've installed via Ableton Packs, presets and samples you've saved, your Ableton and third-party devices, and whatsoever folder on your hard drive that contains samples, tracks, etc.

The browser display is divided into left and correct sections, called the sidebar and the content pane respectively. To resize the sections, drag the divider line horizontally.

5.i.one Understanding the Browser's Bureaucracy

Working in the browser involves choosing one of the labels from the Collections, Categories or Places sections in the sidebar, and and then selecting from the items that appear in the content pane.

The Collections labels each take their own assignable color, which you tin use to tag items (including folders) that appear in the browser's content pane. These labels (or "tags") enable yous to quickly organize and access detail browser items (for example, your favorite or about-used items).

You can assign Collections labels via a selected item's right-click(Win) / CTRL-click(Mac) context carte du jour, or by using the number cardinal shortcuts ane through to vii. Utilise 0 to reset colour assignments.

Note that Collections labels tin also be assigned to multiple browser items within a choice. Additionally, it is possible to assign a color label to unlike detail "types". For example, y'all tin assign the same color label to a drum sound, a MIDI effect, and a plug-in.

Clicking on a Collections label in the sidebar shows all items tagged with that color. Folders that appear in the Collections labels can be unfolded to show their contents.

Each label can be renamed via their right-click(Win) / CTRL-click(Mac) context carte du jour, or by pressing CTRL-R(Win) / CMD-R(Mac). You can cull which labels are visible in the browser, by clicking the Edit button adjacent to the Collections header, and checking the Show/Hibernate Label option next to each label.

Editing Shown and Subconscious Collections in the Browser.

To exit Edit Mode, printing the "Washed" push.

Note that when a hidden unassigned colour becomes assigned to a browser particular, the Collections label for that color will exist shown in the sidebar automatically. However, visible color labels are not automatically subconscious if all their assignments are removed.

Browser Items and Their Assigned Colors in the Content Pane.

In the content pane, square icons indicate the respective colour(s) assigned to each item. Note that although multiple colors can exist assigned to an item, no more than three of those colors will be shown in the content pane.

The Categories labels testify all items of a given type, regardless of where they are in your library. Utilise this section to explore and discover all of the instruments and sounds yous have installed. The Categories department is organized as follows:

Sounds — all of your Instrument Racks (see Chapter 20) and instrument presets, organized by the type of sound they make (rather than by their devices.)
Drums — all of your drum presets. This includes full drum kits, which are available as Drum Racks, likewise equally single drum hits, which are delivered as Instrument Racks.
Instruments — all of your Musical instrument Racks, as well equally "raw" Live instruments and their presets, organized past device (rather than by the blazon of sound.)
Audio Effects — all of your Audio Effect Racks, too as "raw" Live audio effects devices and presets.
MIDI Effects — all of your MIDI Upshot Racks, as well as "raw" Live MIDI furnishings devices and presets.
Max for Alive — all of your Max for Live (see Affiliate 27) devices and presets, too as any Racks that are built with those devices, organized into Audio Outcome, Instrument and MIDI Issue folders.
Plug-Ins — your third-party VST and/or Sound Units plug-ins (see 19.two).
Clips — all of your Live Clips.
Samples — all of your raw sound samples.
Grooves — all of your Grooves (run across Chapter xiii).
Templates — all of your template Live Sets (see 5.5.4).
All results — this section appears after you've typed something into the search field. It shows search results for every section of the browser in a single listing.

The Places labels show the contents of folders on your hard drives. Use this section when y'all want to access a particular place, such equally a folder y'all've added or an add-on Pack. The bodily contents of the Places section will vary depending on how y'all've configured your library, but will contain at least the following:

Packs — all Packs that come pre-installed with Live, as well as any that you've installed yourself. Each Pack appears every bit a binder in the content pane, which can be unfolded to reveal that Pack's contents. Presets, samples, and Live Clips installed by Packs will also appear in the advisable Categories labels. The Packs label also shows updates for installed Packs, as well as additional Packs that yous can install. Please refer to Downloading and Installing Packs in the Browser (see 5.i.2) for more than information.
User Library — the User Library is the default location for items you salve yourself, including default presets, grooves, your personalized Racks and device presets, your own samples, Live Clips, etc. Files that you save to your User Library will also be bachelor in the appropriate Categories labels.
Current Projection — all of the files that are contained in the currently active Project (see 5.half dozen). If you're working on a Live Set that y'all oasis't yet saved, the current Project refers to a temporary location.
any folders from any of your hard drives that you've added to Alive's Browser.

Moving through the files in Alive'south browser can be done with either the mouse or the calculator keyboard:

Roll upward and down in the Browser with the up and down pointer keys, the mousewheel, or past clicking and dragging while holding the CTRL-ALT(Win) / CMD-ALT(Mac) modifier.
Close and open folders, or move between the sidebar and content pane with the left and right arrow keys.

Past default, any previously open folders will close when you lot open up a new one, just you can override this behavior by holding CTRL(Win) / CMD(Mac) while opening new folders.

five.1.2 Downloading and Installing Packs in the Browser

The Packs label in the browser shows you all Packs that come pre-installed with Live, every bit well every bit any that yous've installed yourself.

To check for existing updates for your installed Packs, navigate to the Packs label and expand the Updates section.

Available Updates for Installed Packs Appear in the Browser.

You can also view Packs that you own, but have non installed. These uninstalled Packs appear in the Available Packs department within the Packs label.

Downloadable Packs Appear in the Browser.

You can download any of these Updates or Available Packs past pressing the download icon next to it.

Press the Download Icon to Download a Pack.

While the Pack is downloading, the download icon changes to a pause icon that indicates the progress of the Pack'southward download.

Press the Suspension Icon to Pause a Pack Download. The Download Progress Is Indicated in Yellow.

Should you need to, you can pause downloads and resume them at a afterwards point. To pause a download, press the pause icon. When a download is paused, the paused icon changes back to a download icon.

To resume a paused download, printing the download icon once more.

(Note: yous tin download multiple selected Packs at the same time. You can also intermission and resume downloading multiple selected Packs.)

When the download is complete, you lot can install the Pack by pressing the Install push button.

Press the Install Button to Install a Pack.

Upon pressing the Install button, Live will brandish a progress bar that indicates the condition of the procedure.

Annotation that you can download a Pack, suspension, resume or cancel a download, or install a Pack past choosing the advisable command in that Pack's correct-click(Win) / CTRL-click(Mac) context menu.

Sometimes you might demand to know the size of a Pack before you lot download and install it. For instance, you may have express space on your hard drive. You lot can configure the browser to testify the size of all Packs that appear in the Updates and Available Packs sections. To do this, right-click(Win) / CTRL-click(Mac) on the Name header in the browser's content pane and choose the Size choice in the context menu.

Show or Hibernate the Size of Packs in the Browser.

You tin can delete an installed Pack via its right-click(Win) / CTRL-click(Mac) context bill of fare. Note that deleted Packs will appear in your list of Available Packs.

It is possible to configure Live'due south Preferences to bear witness or hide Updates and Available Packs in the browser. To do this, press the Show Downloadable Packs toggle in the Library Preferences.

Testify or Hide Downloadable Packs in the Browser.

5.one.3 User Folders

Live's browser allows y'all to work with your creative tools regardless of where they are installed on your figurer. This allows yous to, for example, store big sample collections on one or more external drives, and still use the browser to access their contents - there is no demand to keep them in a single centralized location.

In society to work with your ain folders in Alive, you lot must first add together them to the browser, either by dropping them straight into Live from the Explorer (Windows)/Finder (Mac) or past pressing the Add Folder button in the browser'due south sidebar.

Afterward calculation a user binder, Alive will scan information technology, which "teaches" the browser nigh its contents. Following this, it will appear in the Places section of the sidebar.

Note: adding a user folder does not actually motility the folder to a new location, just simply makes it bachelor in Live's browser. If you reorganize your drives using Explorer (Windows)/Finder (Mac), Live may not be able to find user folders if they've been moved. For example, if a user folder is contained on an external difficult bulldoze, and Alive is opened without the drive attached, the user folder will still announced in the browser just volition be grayed out. Yous tin can endeavor to find information technology past using the right-click(Win) / CTRL-click(Mac) context carte'south Locate Folder command, or tell Live to "forget" this folder via the Remove from Sidebar command. You can also apply this command to remove folders that aren't missing, merely which y'all only don't want to work with anymore.

5.1.four Searching for Files

Alive'southward browser is equipped with a search field that filters the contents of the selected sidebar characterization as you type. To search across all locations, printing CTRL-F(Win) / CMD-F(Mac).

The results will include files that friction match all search terms, as opposed to any. For example, if you lot search for "acoustic bass," the search volition yield all acoustic bass sounds — not all acoustic sounds and all bass sounds.

For mouse-complimentary searching, nosotros propose the following sequence of shortcuts:

CTRL-F(Win) / CMD-F(Mac) to place a cursor in the search field;
Type your search terms;
Downward pointer key to jump to the search results;
Upwardly and downwards arrow keys to scroll the search results;
ESC to clear the search field, showing all of the contents of the selected sidebar label.

Live allows you to preview samples, clips, and instrument presets in the browser before they are imported into the program. To enable previewing, activate the Preview switch adjacent to the Preview Tab at the lesser of the browser.

Hint: You can preview files even when the Preview switch is not activated past pressing Shift-Enter or the right pointer key.

Click on a file (or use the upward and down arrow keys) to select it. Click in the Tab'south scrub surface area to make playback jump to that point. (Note that information technology is not possible to scrub clips that take been saved with Warp turned off.)

You lot can select Live Clips in the browser to load them into the Preview Tab.

Y'all can also preview Alive'southward instrument presets in the Preview Tab. When selected, you'll hear a short audio example of the preset, so you tin can get an idea of how it sounds before loading information technology.

With the Raw push enabled, files volition preview at their original tempo and will non loop. With Raw disabled, Live will try to preview files in sync with the current Set, and so that you lot can better judge which samples will work for you. Please note that scrubbing is not possible when Raw is enabled.

The previewing volume can be adapted using the mixer'south Preview Volume knob.

If your audio hardware offers multiple audio outs, you lot tin privately audition, or cue, files via headphones continued to a carve up pair of outs — while the music continues to play. To acquire how to gear up Live for cueing, please refer to the relevant section (run across sixteen.6) of the Mixing chapter.

There are several ways to add clips to a Live Ready:

Files can be dragged and dropped from the browser into tracks in the Session or Organization View. Dragging and dropping fabric from the browser into the space to the right of Session View tracks or below Organization View tracks will create a new track and place the new prune(s) there.

In the Session View, double-clicking or pressing Enter on a file in the browser will automatically create a new runway to the right of the other tracks and load information technology with the clip.
Files can be dropped directly into Alive from the Explorer (Windows)/Finder (Mac).

In addition to the drag-and-drop method of loading files from the browser, Live offers a Hot-Swap Mode to reduce your mouse travel. Hot-Swap Mode tin can be toggled on and off with the Q key, and establishes a temporary link betwixt the browser and, for example, a virtual musical instrument. While in Hot-Swap Style, y'all can step through samples or presets to audition them "in place," that is, within the instrument. Hot-swapping for presets is covered in the Live Device Presets department (encounter 19.1.1). Let's become through an case of hot-swapping samples:

Live's built-in Impulse instrument features eight sample-player slots that can be filled past dropping samples into them. Alternatively, we tin click the Hot-Swap push that appears equally we move the mouse over a slot.

Clicking the Hot-Swap button or pressing the Q key engages Hot-Swap Fashion:

While in Hot-Swap Way, pressing the up or down arrow key moves to the side by side file in the content pane, and pressing Enter or double-clicking the file loads it into the Impulse slot (presumably while Impulse is playing incoming MIDI notes). The link between the browser and the instrument will be broken if a different view is selected, or if the Q key or the Hot-Swap button is pressed again. Hot-swapping can also be cancelled with a press of the ESC key or past pressing the close push button in the Hot-Swap bar at the pinnacle of the browser.

When Hot-Swap Mode is re-entered, the browser will show the location of the currently loaded sound and pre-select it.

5.ii Sample Files

A sample is a file that contains audio data. Live can play both uncompressed file formats (WAV, AIF and Sound Designer Two for Mac) and compressed file formats (MP3, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, Ogg FLAC and FLAC). (Delight note that not all of these file formats can be played in the Lite Edition.)

A notation on using Variable Bit Rate (VBR) files: Please install QuickTime for decoding purposes if you lot do not already have information technology on your organization. It can exist downloaded from the Apple tree website*http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download.

As Live plays the samples straight from disk, you tin work with a large number of (large) samples without running into RAM memory limitations. Please notation, withal, that you may run into disk throughput problems if your disk is nearly full, and/or (on Windows systems) highly fragmented. Hard drive rotation speed can also affect disk functioning. Refer to the department on managing the deejay load (run into 33.two) for more information.

Live can combine uncompressed mono or stereo samples of any length, sample charge per unit or scrap depth without prior conversion. To play a compressed sample, Live decodes the sample and writes the result to a temporary, uncompressed sample file. This usually happens quickly enough that you lot will be able to play the sample right away, without waiting for the decoding process to end.

Note: When adding a long sample to a project, Live might tell you that information technology cannot play the sample before information technology has been analyzed. Please meet the section on assay (see 5.2.2) for an explanation.

five.2.1 The Decoding Cache

To salvage computational resources, Live keeps the decoded sample files of compressed samples in the cache. Maintenance of the cache is unremarkably not required, as Live automatically deletes older files to make room for those that are new. You can, however, impose limits on the cache size using the File/Binder Preferences' Decoding Cache department. The cache volition not abound larger than the Maximum Cache Size setting, and it will always leave the Minimum Complimentary Infinite on the hard disk drive. Pressing the nearby Cleanup button will delete all files not existence used by the current Live Set.

v.2.2 Analysis Files (.asd)

An assay file is a piddling file that Alive creates when a sample file is brought into the program for the first time. The analysis file contains data gathered by Live to help optimize the stretching quality, speed up the waveform brandish and automatically detect the tempo of long samples (see 9.2.3).

When adding a long sample to a projection, Alive might tell yous that it cannot play the sample before information technology has been analyzed. This will not happen if the sample has already been analyzed (i.e., Live finds an analysis file for this sample), or if the Tape/Warp/Launch Preferences' Auto-Warp Long Samples preference (see 9.2) has been deactivated.

An analysis file can as well store default prune settings for the sample:

Clicking the Clip View's Save push button (see 8.1.8) will store the current clip's settings with the sample's analysis file. The next time the sample is dragged into Alive, it will appear with all its prune settings intact. This is particularly useful for retaining Warp Marker settings with the sample. Storing default clip settings with the analysis file is different from saving the clip as a Live Prune.

While analysis files are a handy way to store default information most a detail sample'due south settings, go on in mind that you can use dissimilar settings for each clip within a Live Fix — even if those clips refer to the same sample on disk. But if you elevate a new version of the sample into a Live Gear up, Live volition utilise the settings stored in the assay file for the newly created clip.

The analysis file's proper noun is the aforementioned as that of the associated sample, with an added ".asd" extension. Live puts this assay file in the same folder equally the sample.

Samples that have an .asd file are displayed like this in the browser.

Samples without an .asd file look like this.

The analysis files themselves do not appear in Live's browser.

Note that you can suppress the creation of .asd files past turning off the Create Analysis Files option in the File/Folder Preferences. All information (except for the default clip settings) tin can be recreated past Alive if the .asd file is missing, however this will take some fourth dimension for longer samples.

5.2.3 Exporting Audio and Video

The File menu'southward Export Sound/Video command allows you lot to export Live's audio output equally new samples. The resulting files can be used to burn an audio CD for listening purposes or a data CD, which could serve as a backup of your work or be used with other digital audio applications. If your ready includes video, you tin likewise use the Export Sound/Video command to export this to a new video file, which volition be created in the same directory equally the rendered audio files. (Notation: video consign is not available in the Lite and Intro Editions.) You lot can also upload your exported audio files directly to your SoundCloud account.

The Export dialog's Rendered Runway chooser offers several options for which sound signal to render:

Master — the post-fader signal at Alive'south Master output. If you are monitoring the Chief output, you tin can be certain that the rendered file will incorporate exactly what you hear.
All Individual Tracks — the post-fader point at the output of each individual runway, including return tracks and MIDI tracks with instruments. Live will create a divide sample for each runway. All samples will have the same length, making it easy to align them in other multitrack programs.
Selected Tracks Only — this is identical to the All Individual Tracks option, just just renders tracks that were selected prior to opening the Consign dialog.
(unmarried tracks) — the postal service-fader signal at the output of the selected track.

The other Selection fields determine the kickoff time and length of the exported material:

Render Offset — sets the position at which rendering will begin.
Return Length — determines the length of the rendered sample.

Tip — a fast way to set both the Render Start and Length values is to select a range of time in the System View prior to invoking the Export Sound/Video command. Simply remember — a rendered sound file contains only what you heard prior to rendering. So, for example, if you're playing back some combination of Session View clips and Arrangement textile, then that is what will be captured in your rendered file — regardless of which view is active when you return.

The Consign dialog offers several audio rendering options:

Include Return and Main Furnishings – If this is activated, Live will individually render each selected rail with whatever return tracks used by that rail, as well every bit effects used in the Master track. This is especially useful when rendering material for a live operation, or when providing stems to a mixing engineer or remix artist.
Render as Loop — If this is activated, Live will create a sample that tin can be used every bit a loop. For example, suppose your Alive Ready uses a delay effect. If Render equally Loop is on, Live will go through the rendering procedure twice: The first pass will non really write samples to deejay, but add the specified delay effect. Equally the 2d pass starts writing sound to disk, information technology volition include the delay "tail" resulting from the showtime pass.
Convert to Mono — If this is activated, Alive will create a mono file instead of a stereo file.
Normalize — If this is activated, the sample resulting from the render procedure volition be normalized (i.due east., the file will be amplified and so that the highest superlative attains the maximum available headroom).
Create Analysis File — If this is activated, Live will create an .asd file that contains analysis information about the rendered sample. If y'all intend to use the new sample in Live, cheque this choice.
Sample Charge per unit — Note that your choice of sample charge per unit works as follows: if you select a sample rate equal to or college than the charge per unit you lot're using in your projection (equally prepare in the Audio tab of Live'south Preferences), Live will export in a single step, at the sample rate you lot've called in the Consign dialog. If yous export at a sample rate that is lower than your electric current project sample rate, Live will beginning export at the electric current projection sample rate and and then downsample the file in a second step using a high-quality process. Annotation that this may take a few moments.
Upload Sound to SoundCloud — If activated, a helper application will launch that will allow y'all to upload your exported audio file to SoundCloud.

Encode PCM — If activated, a lossless sound file is created.
File Blazon — WAV, AIFF, and FLAC formats are available for PCM export.
Bit Depth, Dither Options — If you are rendering at a bit depth lower than 32-chip, choose one of the dither modes. Dithering adds a small amount of noise to rendered audio, only minimizes artifacts when reducing the fleck depth. By default, Triangular is selected, which is the "safest" mode to utilize if at that place is any possibility of doing boosted processing on your file. Rectangular mode introduces an even smaller corporeality of dither racket, merely at the expense of additional quantization mistake. The 3 Pow-r modes offer successively higher amounts of dithering, but with the noise pushed above the aural range. Notation that dithering is a process that should only be applied once to any given sound file. If you programme to practise further processing on your rendered file, it's best to return to 32-scrap to avoid the demand for dithering at this stage. In particular, the Pow-r modes should never be used for any fabric that will be sent on to a further mastering stage — these are for terminal output only. (Please notation that the Pow-r modes are not bachelor in the Intro and Light Editions.)
Encode MP3 — If activated, a CBR 320 kbps MP3 file is created. It is possible to export PCM and MP3 simultaneously. If neither toggle is enabled, the Consign button volition be disabled.

(Note: video rendering is not bachelor in the Intro and Lite Editions.)

In improver to settings for audio rendering, the Export dialog provides additional options for rendering video:

Create Video — If this is activated, a video file will be created in the aforementioned directory every bit your rendered audio. Note that this option is simply enabled if y'all have video clips in the Arrangement View. Also, it is not possible to just return a video file — enabling video rendering will always produce a video in addition to rendered audio.
Video Encoder — This chooser allows you lot to select the encoder to use for the video rendering. The choices you accept here depend on the encoders you lot have installed.
Video Encoder Settings — This button opens the settings window for the selected encoder. Notation that the settings options will vary depending on the encoder you have chosen. Certain encoders have no user-configurable options. In this instance, the Edit button volition exist disabled.

In one case you've fabricated your selections and clicked Export to begin the rendering process, sound rendering will begin. After the audio rendering is complete, the video will be rendered. Note that, depending on the encoder used, video rendering may occur in more than one laissez passer. Live will display a progress bar that volition signal the status of the process.

Unless you've specified a special window size or attribute ratio in the encoder settings, the rendered video file volition play back exactly equally it appeared during real time playback in Alive. The video file will too contain the rendered sound.

For more data nigh working with video in Live, see the chapter on video (run across Chapter 23).

Unremarkably, rendering happens every bit an offline process. Simply if your set up contains an External Audio Event (run across 24.eighteen) or External Musical instrument (see 26.4) that routes to a hardware furnishings device or synthesizer, the rendering process is a flake unlike. In this case, rendering the master output happens in real time. If y'all render unmarried tracks, all tracks that don't route to an external device anywhere in their signal paths will be rendered offline. Then, any tracks that practise access these devices will be rendered in real time. Live will automatically trace each track'south point flow and observe if existent-time rendering is necessary. Yous'll then be presented with several options when you kickoff to render:

Waiting for External Devices to Go Silent.

Skip — By default, Live will look for ten seconds before starting a real-time return. This should permit any sound from external devices to fade out, but if you need more time (for example, if you're waiting for a long reverb tail), you lot tin can increase the await time by typing a new number in the number box. On the other hand, if you're certain that your external devices aren't making any sound, you can speed the process along past pressing "Skip," which will start the render immediately.

After the render has begun, the dialog changes to show a recording progress bar:

Auto-Restart on drop-outs — Rendering in real-fourth dimension requires somewhat more CPU power than non-real-time rendering, and in some cases driblet-outs (small gaps or glitches in the audio) can occur. Live detects when drop-outs happen, and rendering will start again from the beginning if the Car-Restart selection is enabled.
Restart — manually restarts the rendering procedure.
Abolish — stops the rendering procedure and deletes the partially rendered file.

The number of rendering attempts (if there has been more than one) will likewise be listed in the dialog box. If you discover that dropouts and restarts keep happening, you should close other running applications to allow more than processing ability for rendering. Please see the chapter on figurer audio resources (run across Chapter 33) for more than tips on improving performance.

five.3 MIDI Files

A MIDI file contains commands that prompt MIDI compatible synthesizers or instruments, such as Alive's Simpler, to create specific musical output. MIDI files are exported past hardware and software MIDI sequencers. Importing MIDI files into Live works differently than with samples: MIDI file data is incorporated into the Live Gear up, and the resulting MIDI clips lose all reference to the original file. MIDI files appear with a special icon in the browser.

You can import MIDI files by using the browser or the Create menu's Import MIDI File... control. Note that when using the Import MIDI File... command in the Arrangement View, the file will be inserted at the Insert Marking position. When using the command in the Session View, the file will be inserted in the currently selected clip slot.

5.3.1 Exporting MIDI Files

Live MIDI clips can be exported as Standard MIDI files. To export a MIDI clip, utilize the File menu'southward Consign MIDI Clip control. This command will open a file-save dialog, allowing you to choose the location for your new MIDI file.

Exporting a MIDI file is unlike from saving the prune as a Live Clip.

five.4 Alive Clips

Private audio or MIDI clips can exist exported to disk in the Live Clip format for like shooting fish in a barrel retrieval and reuse in any projection. Sound clips only contain references to samples on disk (rather than the audio data itself), so they are very modest, which makes it easy to develop and maintain your own collection.

To salvage a prune from the open Live Gear up to disk, simply drag information technology to the Places section of the browser and drop it into the Electric current Project or any user folder. For audio clips, Live volition manage the copying of the prune's sample into this new location based on the selection in the Collect Files on Consign chooser (see v.8.1). You can and then type in a new name for the prune or confirm the one suggested past Alive with Enter.

Live Clips are a great way of storing your ideas for afterward use or development, as they save not just the original clip, including all its clip and envelope settings, simply likewise the original runway'southward devices. In gild to recreate a Live Prune'due south device concatenation, either elevate it into a track containing no clips or devices, or elevate it into the space in the Session or Arrangement View containing no tracks. Note that Live Clips that are imported into tracks already containing devices or clips will appear with their clip settings only non their devices. You could, for instance, driblet a bassline Live Clip on an existing runway that drives a bass instrument, rather than creating a new track.

Clips belonging to any Alive Sets already on disk are also Live Clips. Please see the section on merging Sets (come across 5.v.2) for more than on this topic.

Note that storing default clip settings with a sample'south analysis file is different from saving a Live Prune. The default clip in the .asd file annotates the sample with sensible default values (warp, gain and pitch settings) and so that it will play in a defined way when it is added to a ready. Live Clips, on the other manus, are stored on disk every bit carve up musical ideas. For example, you could create a number of variations from the same audio clip by using different warp, pitch, envelope and outcome settings, and store them all as separate Live Clips. In the browser, y'all could then independently sort and preview these clips, fifty-fifty though they are all referring to the aforementioned source sample.

v.5 Live Sets

The type of document that you create and piece of work on in Live is called a Alive Set. Think of this every bit a unmarried "vocal." Sets must be saved within projects, so that Live tin proceed rail of and manage all of the diverse components of the Alive Set: Alive Clips, device presets, whatsoever samples used, etc.

v.5.1 Creating, Opening and Saving Sets

Apply the File card's New Live Ready command to create new Live Sets, and the Open Live Prepare or Open up Recent Gear up control to open existing ones. In the browser, yous can double-click or press Enter on a Alive Set to open it.

The File menu's Save Alive Set control saves the electric current Live Set exactly every bit it is, including all clips and settings.

You lot can utilize the Save Live Set Every bit command to save the current Live Set under a different proper noun and/or in a different directory location, or the Save a Copy control to create a re-create of the electric current Alive Set with a new proper noun and/or new directory location.

five.5.2 Merging Sets

Live makes it like shooting fish in a barrel to merge sets, which can come up in handy when combining piece of work from different versions or pieces. To add all tracks (except the return tracks) from one Live Set into another, elevate the set from the browser into the current prepare, and driblet it onto whatsoever track title bar or into the drop area adjacent to or below the tracks. The tracks from the dropped set volition be completely reconstructed, including their clips in the Session and Arrangement View, their devices, and their automation.

Session View Drop Area for Importing Live Sets.

Organisation View Drop Area for Importing Alive Sets.

If you prefer to import individual tracks from a gear up, yous tin unfold the Live Set in the browser merely as if it were a folder.

You can at present drag the individual tracks and drop them as described at the get-go of this section. Whatever grooves (see Chapter xiii) that were saved with your set are also available as a binder within the unfolded Set.

If you only want the device chain (east.k., a device and its audio or MIDI effects) from another set, you can drag in the Devices icon from the set in the browser.

The Devices Icon in an Expanded Live Set.

You can also elevate Group Tracks (meet sixteen.3) and nested Group Tracks from Live'southward browser. Group Tracks tin can be expanded in the browser, allowing y'all to load an individual rails from within.

In addition to unfolding sets, yous can further unfold the tracks within the sets to admission the individual Session View clips that were used on the track:

Revealing the Session View Clips Contained in a Set.

You tin can scan, preview and import Session View clips from the fix as if they had been stored every bit individual Live Clips. This means that whatsoever Live Set tin serve as a pool of sounds for any other, suggesting creative reuse and crossover.

5.v.three Exporting Session Clips as New Sets

Yous tin can export a selection of Session View clips as a new Alive Prepare by dragging them to the browser. To export a set, get-go click and drag, or utilize the Shift or CTRL(Win) / ALT(Mac) modifiers, to select more than one Session View clip. And so, simply drag and drop the clips into the Current Project or any user folder, where y'all can either confirm Live's suggested name or blazon in one of your ain.

5.5.iv Template Sets

Utilize the File menu'due south Salvage Live Ready As Default Set up... command to save the current Alive Set every bit the default template. Alive will use these settings every bit the initialized, default country for new Live Sets. Y'all can utilize this to pre-configure:

Your multichannel input/output setup.
Preset devices, like EQs and Compressors, in every track.
Estimator key mappings (see 29.2.five).
MIDI mappings (run across 29.i).

Note that any Live Set in Alive's browser can be set as the default Live Ready via the Set Default Live Set context card entry.

In addition to this "principal" default template, you can create additional template sets for different types of projects, each with their own unique configuration of tracks, devices, etc. To do this, save the current Live Set using the File menu'southward Salvage Live Gear up As Template... command. Whatever sets saved every bit a template will appear in the browser'southward Templates category and the Templates folder in the User Library. (Note that the User Library'south Templates folder is automatically created the first time a template Set is saved.) These sets will so function every bit templates: they will load with the configuration you saved, just with the proper noun Untitled.als, ready to exist used equally a new set.

Multiple Template Sets in the User Library.

five.v.v Viewing and Changing a Live Set's File References

To view a list of the files referenced past the electric current Live Prepare, choose the Manage Files command from the File card, click the Manage Set push, and then click the View Files button. Live will display 1 line for each file used by the Live Set up. To list all clips or instruments in the Alive Fix where the file is really used, click the triangle to expand the line. Here is what you can do:

Supplant a file — Dragging a file from the browser and dropping it on an entry in the list makes the Live Set reference the new file instead of the old one. For samples used in audio clips, Live retains the clip backdrop; the Warp Markers are kept if the new sample has the aforementioned or a greater length equally the old sample and discarded otherwise. Please notation that replacing a sample will modify all clips in your fix that reference this sample.

Every Entry in the File Reference List is a Drop Target for Files.

Hot-swap files — Using the Hot-Swap push button at the left-hand side of each entry, you can speedily browse through alternatives for the file that is currently being referenced. This is like dragging files here, only quicker.

The File Reference List's Hot-Swap Button.

Edit a referenced sample — using an external awarding (which can be chosen in the Preferences' File/Folder tab). Clicking the Edit push volition open the referenced sample in the external application. The sample will remain offline equally long as the Edit switch is engaged. For samples used in sound clips, the current prepare of Warp Markers is retained simply if the sample length remains the aforementioned as before. Note that the Edit button is just available for samples, not for other types of files such as Max for Live devices (see Chapter 27).

The File Reference Listing'southward Edit Switch.

View a file'southward location — The Location column states if a file is missing (run across 5.vii), or if information technology resides in your User Library, a Project or somewhere else ("external"). When unfolded, the entry shows the specific places in the Set where the file is used.

The File Reference List's Location Column.

5.6 Alive Projects

A Live Project is a folder containing Live-related files that belong together. Consider, for example, work on a piece of music: You start out with an empty Live Prepare; you record audio and thereby create new sample files; you lot drag in samples from collections; you save dissimilar versions of the Live Prepare forth the way then that yous tin can go back and compare. Mayhap you also salvage Live Clips or device presets that "belong" to this particular musical slice. The projection folder for this Live Project will maintain all the files related to this piece of music — and Live'due south File Manager will provide the tools you need to manage them (run across 5.half-dozen.three).

5.6.i Projects and Live Sets

When you lot salve a Live Set up under a new name or in a new folder location, Alive will create a new projection folder and store the Live Ready there — unless you are saving the Live Set into an existing Live Project. Allow'southward look at an example to illustrate this process:

We have recorded some sound into a new Live Set. We now relieve the Alive Ready under the name "Tango" on the Desktop. The Desktop is bachelor in the browser considering nosotros accept previously added it as a user folder. Here is the result as displayed past the Live browser:

A Alive Set and its Recordings in a Live Project Folder.

The projection folder ("Tango Project") contains the Live Prepare ("Tango.als") and a Samples folder, which in turn contains a Recorded binder with two samples in information technology. Note that the current Project is likewise indicated in the title bar of Live'south application window.

Next, we record another track into our Project. We salve the modified version of the Live Set up nether a new proper noun so that nosotros do not lose the previous version. Accepting the Relieve As command's default proposition, nosotros shop the new version of the song in the Tango Projection folder.

A 2nd Version of the Alive Set Has Been Added to the Project.

The Tango Projection now contains two Live Sets, and its Samples/Recorded folder contains the samples used by both of them.

And now for something completely different: We choose the File carte's New Live Set control and tape a samba tune. As this has zilch to practise with our tango dabblings, we decide to save it exterior the Tango Project folder, say on the Desktop. Alive creates a new project folder named Samba Project adjacent to Tango Project.

A New Project Was Added Adjacent to Tango Projection.

So far we accept seen how to create Alive Projects and save versions of Alive Sets into them. How do we open a Project? Just past opening any of its contained Alive Sets. Double-clicking "Tango with Piano.als" opens that Ready and the associated Project — as displayed in Live's title bar.

Let'due south suppose that, in the form of our work on "Tango with Pianoforte.als," we get sidetracked: The slice evolves towards something entirely dissimilar, and we experience that information technology should live in a Project of its own. So, nosotros "Save As..." under a new name and in some location outside the current Project, say the Desktop:

A New Project Was Added by Saving a Live Fix Exterior its Original Project.

Note that the new projection binder has no Samples folder (yet). "Electro with Piano.als" is still referencing the pianoforte sample from the original Tango Project. There is null wrong with this except for when the Tango Projection is moved away or deleted; then "Electro with Pianoforte.als" volition exist missing samples. You can prevent this past collecting external files (see v.eight). Fifty-fifty later the fact, Live'southward tools for searching missing files (see five.7) can assist solve this problem.

There is actually no demand to keep a Project's Alive Set exactly i level below the Project itself. Within a project folder, you can create any number of sub-folders and movement files around to organize them as desired, although you many need to use the File Director to "teach" the Projection near the changes you lot've fabricated (run into v.12.two).

In general, Live volition do what information technology can to prevent situations such as orphaned (Project-less) Live Sets, which have the potential of confusing both the user and Live'due south file direction tools. Information technology cannot, yet, control situations in which Sets or files are moved out of gild and go disorganized via the Explorer (Windows)/Finder (Mac).

A annotation for users of older Live versions: Live does not allow overwriting Live Sets that were created past older major versions to forbid compatibility problems. Instead, you volition be requested to "Save Every bit...". Doing this will insure that the newly saved Live Sets reside in project folders.

5.6.2 Projects and Presets

By default, new musical instrument and effect presets are stored in your current Project. At times notwithstanding, it may make more sense to salve a preset to another binder or to your User Library, so that you can admission them from other Projects. You tin drag a preset between folders afterwards saving it (see 19.1.1), or only elevate the title bar of the device over a folder in the sidebar, wait for the content pane to open up, and then driblet it into the content pane, adding information technology to the folder.

When saving presets that contain samples to a new location, Live may copy the samples depending on the settings in the Collect Files on Export chooser in the Library Preferences. You can then type in a new proper name for the device or confirm the 1 suggested past Live with Enter.

five.six.3 Managing Files in a Project

Alive's File Director offers several convenient tools for managing Projects. Once you've opened a Alive Set up that is office of the Project you wish to manage, cull the Manage Files command from the File carte du jour, and then click the Manage Project push button. The File Manager will present you with an overview of the Project'south contents and tools for:

locating files that the Project is missing;
collecting external files into the Project (see 5.8) ;
listing unused files in the Project (see 5.10) ;
packing a Project in Pack format (come across five.xi) ;

five.7 Locating Missing Files

If you load a Live Prepare, Alive Clip or preset that references files which are missing from their referenced locations, Live'southward Status Bar (located at the bottom of the main screen) will display a warning message. Clips and instrument sample slots that reference missing samples will announced marked "Offline," and Alive will play silence instead of the missing samples.

Live's File Director offers tools for repairing these missing links. Click on the Status Bar message to access these. (This is actually a shortcut for choosing the Manage Files command from the File menu, clicking the Manage Set push button, and and then clicking the Locate button found in the Missing Files section.) The File Director will present you with a list of the missing files and associated controls.

The File Manager'south List of Missing Files.

5.seven.1 Transmission Repair

To manually fix a broken file reference, locate the missing file in the browser, drag it over to the File Director and drop it on the respective line in the list of missing files. Note that Live will not care if the file y'all offering is really the file that was missing.

5.vii.2 Automatic Repair

Live offers a user-friendly automatic search role for repairing file references. To ship Live on a search, click the Automatic Search section'south Go button. To reveal detailed options for guiding the automated search role, click the neighboring triangular-shaped button.

Automatic Repair Options in the File Director.

Search Folder — includes a user-defined binder, as well as whatever sub-folders, in the search. To select the binder, click the associated Gear up Folder button.
Search Project — includes this Set's project folder in the search.
Search Library — includes the Live Library in the search.

For each missing file, the automatic search function may find whatsoever number of candidates. Allow's consider the following cases:

No candidate found — you tin can choose another folder and attempt again, or locate the sample manually.
One candidate institute — Live accepts the candidate and considers the trouble solved.
Several candidates found — Live requires your assistance: Click the Hot-Bandy push (i.e., the leftmost item in every line of the list of missing files) to have the browser present the candidates in Hot-Bandy Mode. You lot can now double-click the candidates in the browser to load them, as the music plays if y'all like.

v.viii Collecting External Files

To prevent a Live Set from containing cleaved file references, Live provides the pick of collecting (i.e., copying) them into the Fix'south projection folder. This is accomplished via the File Manager:

Choose the Manage Files command from the File menu
Click the Manage Set button
Unfold the triangular-shaped fold push in the External Files section.

Separated by location (other Projects, the User Library, installed by factory Packs, and elsewhere — sample collections from external drives, for instance), the File Manager provides:

A file count and the associated disk space used;
A Show push that will list the files in the browser;
A Aye/No toggle for engaging or disengaging collection.

Note: Make sure to confirm your choices by clicking the File Director's Collect and Save push button!

The File Manager'southward Collect and Save Button.

The File menu'southward Collect All and Save control is a shortcut that collects and saves all external files referenced past the electric current Gear up, including those from Alive'due south Core Library or other installed Packs. Note that this can cause a lot of copying, particularly if your Live Set uses large multisample collections!

5.8.1 Collect Files on Export

When yous salve Live Clips, device presets or tracks by dragging them into the Browser, Live manages the copying of associated files based on the pick made in the Collect Files on Export chooser in the Library Preferences. This chooser provides the following options:

Always, the default setting, volition copy files into the same folder as the prune, preset, or track without notification.
When Ask is selected, Live provides a dialog box with options for copying files.
Never means that files will not be copied when saving.

five.9 Aggregated Locating and Collecting

Instead of having to deal with problems while you are in a creative mode, you might prefer putting aside some dedicated housekeeping time to solve all the bug in one go. Using Live'due south File Manager, you can find missing files and collect external files not merely for the current Live Fix but also for:

The User Library — cull the Manage Files command from the File menu; then click the Manage User Library button.
The current Alive Projection — cull the Manage Files command from the File card; then click the Manage Project button.
Any Live Project — right-click(Win) / CTRL-click(Mac) on a Project in the browser'due south content pane, and choose the Manage Project selection.
Any selection of Live Sets, Live Clips, Live Presets — right-click(Win) / CTRL-click(Mac) on the respective items in the browser, and choose the Manage Files command.

Remember to click the Collect and Salve push at the bottom of the File Manager when you are finished. Otherwise your changes volition be discarded.

5.10 Finding Unused Files

Live's File Director tin find the unused files in a Project for you lot. Y'all can then review them and determine to delete them individually or collectively. When searching for "unused" files, Alive volition inspect each file in a Project folder, checking if it is referenced past whatsoever of the Live Sets, Live Clips or device presets in the Project. If not, the file is regarded every bit unused — even if other Projects or programs notwithstanding utilize it.

To observe the unused files for the currently open Projection, cull the Manage Files command from the File menu, click the Manage Projection push button, then click on the triangular-shaped fold button next to "Unused Files" to access a summary and the Bear witness button. Clicking the Prove push button makes the browser list the unused files; in that location, you lot tin can preview samples (come across 5.1.4) and delete them if you lot like.

Note you can as well find the unused files from the Library: choose the Manage Files command from the File bill of fare, then click the Manage Library push button, and then see the Unused Files section.

Concluding but not least, you can find the unused files for all Projects found in a specific folder (and its sub-folders): right-click(Win) / CTRL-click(Mac) on a folder in the browser and choose the Manage Projects command, and so see the Unused Files section. Live inspects each Project individually and labels a file unused even if another Projects in the same folder does employ that file. To prevent losses, you lot may want to first collect the files into their respective Projects and and then purge the Projects of unused files.

5.11 Packing Projects into Packs

Live'southward File Director provides the option of packing a Live Project in Pack format for convenient archiving and transfer. To do this, choose the Manage Files control from the File menu, click the Manage Project button, and and so click on the triangular-shaped fold button next to "Packing." Click the Create Pack button to bring upwards a file-select dialog where you can specify the name and location of a new Pack file. Creating a new Pack from a Project does not affect the Project. If you want the Project deleted, you tin can delete information technology using the browser.

Alive employs lossless compression techniques to minimize the file size of Packs. Depending on the audio materials in a Projection, this saves up to l pct in file size.

To unpack a Pack (i.e., to restore the original Live Project), double-click the Pack file (.alp), drag it into the Live master window, or locate it via the File carte's Install Pack command.

v.12 File Direction FAQs

v.12.one How Do I Create a Project?

A Projection is automatically created whenever you save a Live Fix, except when y'all salve it into a preexisting Project.

five.12.ii How Can I Save Presets Into My Electric current Project?

You can save presets directly to the current project by dragging from the device's championship bar and dropping into the Current Project label in the browser. You can so use the File Management tools, collect any referenced samples, etc.

5.12.3 Can I Work On Multiple Versions of a Prepare?

If y'all'd like to work on different versions of the same Live Set, save them into the same Project. This will usually exist the Project that was created when you saved the commencement version of the Alive Fix. If a Project contains multiple Live Sets it volition but collect one copy of whatever samples used by the various versions, which tin salve disk infinite and aid with system.

v.12.4 Where Should I Save My Alive Sets?

Y'all can salvage Live Sets anywhere you desire, but saving to pre-existing Projection folders can cause problems, and should exist reserved for special cases. You lot should simply save a Live Ready to an existing Project if it is somehow related to the Project — for instance, an alternate version of a song that's already in the Project.

5.12.five Can I Employ My Own Folder Structure Within a Project Binder?

You can organize your files whatever way you want within a Project, but you'll need to use the File Director to relink the files that you've moved around:

In Live's Browser or via your operating system, reorganize the files and folders inside your Project binder.
Navigate to the Project folder in the Browser and choose Manage Project via the right-click(Win) / CTRL-click(Mac) context carte.
If you've changed the original location of any samples used in the Projection, the Missing Samples section of the File Director will bespeak this. Click the Locate button to search for the samples.
Since y'all know that your samples are all in the Project folder, unfold Automatic Search. Then enable the Search Project and Fully Rescan Folders options. Finally, click Go to initiate the search.
When searching is consummate, click Collect and Save at the bottom of the File Managing director to update the Project.

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Source: https://www.ableton.com/en/manual/managing-files-and-sets/