One of Ableton’s most pioneering features is its Session View, an intuitive layout that allows for non-linear workflow and a unique way to explore ideas.
If you use Ableton Live, you’re probably using Session View for a bunch of different utilities, such as live performance and improvisation, or to trigger and manipulate clips on the fly.
But what happens when using Session view isn’t going to plan?
In this article, we’ll run through some common problems when using Ableton in Session View, and, hopefully, help you find your solution. Here are 4 known issues when using Ableton Live’s Session view:
Your Session View May Be Overcrowded
Besides being a powerful tool for producers and musicians, Ableton Live’s Session View is also heaps of fun! For this very reason, it’s much too easy to continue stacking ideas on top of each other until problems start to occur.
When you’re working with Session View and end up with too many clips, scenes, and tracks, your project will be significantly more difficult to navigate, and you’ll find it harder to work efficiently.
More importantly, if you’re overcrowding your Session View, you can also put a strain on your computer’s processing power.
DAWs are power-hungry when it comes to processing, and Ableton Live is no different, which means your project can easily start acting up by glitching, having audio dropouts, or even unexpected crashes when a project gets too busy.
So, how do we deal with an overcrowded Ableton Session View? The answer is simple – organization!
Here’s how to organize Session View:
Use color-coding:
Assigning different colors to clips is important in visually organizing your Session View.
A good place to start is using different colors for groups, such as drums, bass, vocals, and synths, or using colors to indicate different sections of a song.
Label Clips:
Labeling your clips can also help keep track of what’s in each clip. You could label clips with the name of the instrument or sample used, the key or tempo, or any other relevant information.
This is a great way to avoid doubles and ensure a methodical layout for your project.
Group your tracks:
Grouping tracks in Session View is incredibly helpful for organizing your clips into different sections or groups. For example, you could group all your drum tracks or your vocal tracks.
Groups are also a powerful tool for avoiding high CPU usage, as you can use audio effects and plug-ins on the group, instead of each track.
Use Ableton’s “Follow Actions”:
Ableton Live’s follow actions are very useful, allowing you to automatically trigger clips after a certain amount of time, or after repeating for a specific time.
Use scenes:
Scenes in Ableton Live’s Session View allow you to trigger lots of different clips at once, which is useful for triggering complex arrangements.
You can use scenes to create different sections of a song, such as a verse, chorus, or bridge.
A well-organized Session View will lead to better creative output, and a lighter load for your computer to carry, which is always what we’re looking for.
Your Session View May Have MIDI Mapping Issues
One of Ableton’s Sessions View’s greatest uses is a live performance, especially in conjunction with MIDI controllers, where you can trigger clips (pieces of bite-size audio) and scenes (rows of clips that can be launched together), and even manipulate effects like reverb and delay.
Although Session View and MIDI mapping work well together, you can sometimes encounter issues such as controllers not being recognized or not working as expected.
Let’s dive into some reasons why your MIDI mapping isn’t working in your Session View.
The simplest reason for MIDI mapping not working is that Ableton is not receiving any MIDI data from your MIDI device.
To avoid this kind of issue, we need to make sure your MIDI controller is set up correctly in Live’s preferences, as well as that your MIDI is correctly mapped to the clips and scenes that you’re trying to control.
Here’s how to check if Ableton is picking up your MIDI data:
- First, navigate to Ableton Live’s ‘Preferences’
- Next, locate the ‘Link Tempo MIDI’ tab
- Next, in the “Input” section, you’ll be able to find and select the device you’re sending MIDI data from.
If your MIDI device isn’t showing up, make sure that’s turned on and plugged in; also make sure to check that all cables being used are not damaged and are working fine.
It’s also important to ensure that all drivers for your MIDI device are installed and up to date. These drivers are usually found in the downloads or support section of the manufacturer’s website.
Now that we’ve figured out whether your MIDI keyboard is connected properly or not, let’s figure out how to properly set up your MIDI mapping.
Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Your MIDI Mapping Correctly in Ableton:
Firstly, make sure your MIDI is being received:
We need to make sure you’re receiving MIDI signals correctly. Check for an orange light next to the CPU usage indicator in the top right-hand corner of Ableton.
If the light blinks every time you move a control on your MIDI controller or play a MIDI key, you are receiving MIDI correctly.
Now, activate the MIDI Map Mode:
Click the “MIDI” button located directly to the left of the CPU usage indicator to activate MIDI map mode.
Next, Identify your MIDI Mappable Controls:
Once Ableton is in MIDI map mode, on-screen controls that can be MIDI mapped turn purple. This helps you identify what is and isn’t MIDI mappable. Anything purple can be mapped.
You need to map your Controls:
To map a control, click on the on-screen control you want to map, then move the physical control on your MIDI controller that you’re looking to use to control that parameter.
Lastly, repeat for All Desired Controls:
Now that you understand the mechanism, you can repeat the process for each MIDI maOnce you take Ableton out of MIDI map mode, you can control the parameters with your MIDI controller.
Your Session View Clips Aren’t Being Warped Properly
Another one of Ableton Live’s distinct and profound features is its Warping, the ability to stretch and contract audio without affecting the tonality or quality of the sound.
Live’s Session View uses the Ableton Warp to align any imported clips to the global tempo, usually without any trouble.
But what if your Session Clips aren’t sounding how you want them to? The good news is that Ableton has a host of different warping options to ensure that your clips sound just the way you want.
Here’s a guide to all of Ableton Live’s different Warp modes:
Beats Mode: This warping mode is ideal for rhythmic elements such as drums, bass, and percussion. Beats mode warps audio by slicing it into equal beats and stretching or compressing them to fit the chosen tempo.
The transient markers (which are the peaks) on the waveform help Live identify the beats, which can also be adjusted manually with Live’s warp markers.
Tones Mode: This mode is best for monophonic (meaning a single melodic line) material, such as vocals or solo instruments.
Tones mode divides the audio into separate partials (collections of frequencies), which can be shifted in pitch while preserving their relative positions. This mode is useful for pitch correction, as well as for creating harmonies and melodies.
Texture Mode: This mode is perfect for dense, complex materials such as pads and soundscapes.
Texture mode stretches or compresses the audio without affecting transients, resulting in a smoother sound. Texture mode is also useful for creating ambient soundscapes and time-stretching effects.
Re-Pitch Mode: This mode is the most straightforward. Re-pitch mode changes the pitch of the audio without time-stretching, resulting in a change in both pitch and tempo.
This mode is useful for creating natural-sounding pitch changes and is often used for DJ sets.
Complex Mode: Complex mode is designed to preserve all the information when warping audio. This mode is good for warping long songs and complex rhythms but requires a lot more CPU resources.
Complex Pro Mode: This mode is the same as Complex mode, but includes formant and envelope controls as well.
Navigating Live’s different warp modes can be tricky, but by understanding their unique characteristics and functions, you can make the right decisions on which mode to use for your specific material.
Experimentation is key, so don’t be afraid to try out different modes and adjust their parameters to achieve the sound you’re looking for.
Here’s how to adjust the Warp Mode for a specific clip in your Ableton Live Session View:
- Select the clip you want to adjust the Warp Mode for by double-clicking on it.
- This will open the ‘Clip View’ which is located in the lower left-hand corner of your screen.
- Locate the ‘Warp’ button at the bottom of the Clip View area and click it to enable Warp Mode for the selected clip.
- Open the ‘Warp Mode’ drop-down menu, then select the warp mode that matches the material you are working with.
- From here, you can adjust the parameters of each warp mode like the ‘Transient Loop,’ ‘Transient Envelope’ or ‘Grain Size’
Your Session View Clips Aren’t Looping
Another common problem you may have is your clips not being looped properly when in Ableton’s Session View. Ableton’s Session View is great for live performances and live looping, so it can be frustrating when this is the case.
Here are some potential solutions you can try:
Double-check your loop settings:
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- Firstly, make sure your clip’s Warp setting is turned on, as well as its Loop setting.
- Then, it’s important to double-check check your clip is set to the right loop length. You can do this by adjusting the ‘Loop Brace,’ which is located above the waveform in your Clip View.
- Just drag the loop bar to your desired length, and your clip should Loop perfectly.
Check for automation:
If your clip has any automated loop points, it may not loop as you’re expecting.
In the Clip View, look for any orange or yellow lines in the clip envelope area that may be controlling the loop points, and delete any automation that may be interfering with the looping behavior.
Try the Looper audio effect:
A third-party plugin called Looper allows for playing and overdubbing directly after recording, which is great for creating and immediately playing along to your loops.
If you’re serious about Looping in Ableton Live, Ableton’s Push 2 is a must for recording, overdubbing, and looping. Push 2 has a “Fixed Length” feature, which allows for fantastic looping capabilities and features.