I use Ableton’s Autopan often. Mostly I use it when recording old analog synths that don’t have MIDI. I use it as a 1/8th or 1/16th note chopper to keep things in line. You can hear it at work on the bassline in my song Sex Machine (above). Of course there’s more the little Autopan can do as the Liveschool video points out. Here’s another tip… Audiodamage’s Panstation plug-in which is based on the Drawmer M500 gives you a different, more classic, wider effect than Autopan.

“Ableton Autopan device – multiple ways you can use it in your music.” – Ableton Liveschool

For more info: vimeo.com/abletonliveschool

photo credit: Seven Morris

via synthtopia

I am constantly using Midi effects and tricks in my own workflow. I look for plug-ins that output midi data (Audio Damage Axon for example). The video above from The Ableton Cookbook shows you how to record the Arpeggiator’s notes while manipulating the device.

“The traditional signal chain in Ableton goes from the MIDI clip to a MIDI effect and then into an Instrument or Instrument Rack, where the MIDI information is interpreted and output as audio. This means that, if you press record on a MIDI Clip that has an effect on it, you’ll get a recording not of the effected MIDI signal, but of the unaffected MIDI signal. If you want to capture these affected MIDI events, you are going to have to do some MIDI routing. In this video, I show you how this is done!” – theabletoncookbook.com

For more info: theabletoncookbook.com

IRCAMAX SuperVP is a set of 5 plug-ins for Ableton Max4Live. You really have to head to the Ircam website and watch the demo videos. Each of the plug-ins SimpleTransp, Transp, Scrub, Mover and SuperVPSynth allow for some serious audio rearranging, part transposing, formant manipluations, etc… My favorite is Mover. 139 Euro.

“Mover offers a different way to control time position and transposition performed by the SuperVP engine. It displays the sound on a big waveform on witch the user can move using the mouse, its MIDI controllers or a joystick. It can be easily use to improvise on the sound material thanks to its synchronized random motions capabilities.” – ircamax.ircam.fr

For more info: ircamax.ircam.fr

Nalepa clearly describes a quick way to create inspiring patterns using Ableton Live. I’ve use this technique and if you take a shot at is try it with some drum kits! I like how you can see the student in the orange hat start to get it.

“Dubspot Instructor and Curriculum Developer, Professor Nalepa offers a glimpse into our Ableton program; explains and demonstrates how to create custom arpeggio patterns using Live’s powerful interface.” – youtube.com/user/DubSpot

For more info: dubspot.com, ableton.com

AfroDJMac is a songwriter and guitarist/electronic musician from New York. Besides his interesting name he creates free and very inexpensive Ableton Live Racks. Some Racks include “Brostep” inspired by the Jersey Shore, RapMan (Casio VL-1, Teenage Engineering OP-1), Gameboy Glitches and Synth, Ensoniq SQ-80, Glitched Piano, Glitch Machine, Nu Wave Synth (sounds from his oven!) and about 20 more so far. Any Live user should give his website a good look over!

“Futuristic, yet nostalgic. New York’s AfroDJMac is a live electronic musician, drawing influence from the genres of indie garage rock, classic rock, video game music, and modern electronica.” – afrodjmac.com

For more info: afrodjmac.com

If you are in the New York City area next weekend, September 24 come to SAE on 1293 Broadway and hang out with Ableton, Propellerheads, Steinberg, Keyboard Magazine, Celemony (Melodyne), SSL, IK Multimedia and many more pro-audio companies. They set up exhibits in the classrooms and practice rooms. It’s a great chance to see and demo new (sometimes yet released/announced) products. There is also an extensive panel series. You can sit and watch a group of people chat about a number of music related topics. I will be speaking on the “The Future Tech Tools Guide: How to us new music platforms & APPs to build your business & create a better workflow.” panel. The event is free but you have to register in advance. Come say hello: imsta.org/imsta_festa.php

“IMSTA FESTA, a celebration of music technology, features exhibits from the major music technology companies on the market today as well as the highly educating Shocklee Innertainment Panel series about music, creativity and business. Come hang out with NYC’s community of musicians, producers, engineers, DJ’s, artists, managers, studio owners, coders, music students and audio tech enthusiasts. You never know who you may run into.” – imsta.org

Register today: imsta.org/imsta_festa

Now I can upgrade to Lion.

“We’re pleased to announce the release of Live 8.2.5, the latest Ableton Live 8 version. Live 8.2.5 now officially supports Mac OS X 10.7 Lion – please make sure to check that all of your third-party plug-ins and audio/MIDI hardware are Lion-compatible before upgrading your OS.” – ableton.com

For more info: ableton.com/osx-10-7-lion…

You can sync a Korg Monotribe with another Monotribe. With the SyncKontrol iPhone app you can sync a Monotribe with an iPad and/or wirelessly with Ableton Live (or any DAW). I still can’t get over the fact you can get a fully analog groovebox for about $230. I hope these sell like crazy so Korg keeps on making analog synths and drum machines.

“SyncKontrol offers owners of Korg’s monotribe Analogue Ribbon Station precise tempo control, plus the ability to sync their monotribe to WIST (Wireless sync) enabled apps! SyncKontrol allows you to control the tempo and start/pause of the monotribe Analogue Ribbon Station via the audio output of your iPhone. The app also offers Tap Tempo, a Swing function, and WIST (Wireless Sync-Start Technology) to sync monotribe to WIST-enabled apps such as Korg’s iMS20, iElectribe and iElectribe Gorillaz(tm) Edition. In addition, this application receives sync from Mac based DAW software by receiving MIDI clock and play/stop commands via Wireless Network MIDI.”

For more info: korg.com/monotribe

Awesome list. Even I didn’t know some of these. I love Ableton Live. I tell all my friends using other DAWs to get into Live. It’s magic power in your music making hands!

1. Cut copy paste
2. Duplicate
3. Command A
4. Tab selects session or arrange window
5. command shift i
6. Highlight & effect multiple
7. Cmd f – scroll display to follow playback
8. Sidechain w/ compressor
9. Sidechain w/o compressor
10. Freeze
11. Audio to midi
12. Command 4 (no grid)
13. Command 1,2 &3(grid)
14. Cmd b – pencil
15. Hear samples w/ speaker icon
16. Tune drums with EQ
17. Tune drums w/ freq shifter
18. Send returns
19. Step record
20. Assign midi knob/fader
21. Assign midi button
23. Assign midi key
24. Midi key select (no wrong notes)
25. Warp: alt drag
26. Warp: shift drag
27. Warp: Select multiple, alt Drag
28. Warp multiple
29. DJ cue
30. Split DJ track
31. Record multiple tracks
32. Consolidate
33. Add time
34. cut time
35. dup time
36. Group tracks
37. Group instruments
38. Group effects
39. Chain selector
40. Add random w/ groove
41. Bass/low layer/high layer
42. Reverse reverb
43. Impulse- separate samples
44. Macros
45. Record session to arrange
46. Sustain midi loops
47. Send output to:
48. Receive input from:
49. Envelope automate (draw)
50. Envelope automate (record)
51. Dummy clips
52. Make kick
53. Cut non bass at 120hz
54. Shift & up/down arrow key moves selected midi notes by the octave
55. Shift tab: clip properties to instruments/fx
56. Click arrow to return to zero or center
57. Double click when zoom tool appears to show full arrangement or select area
59. Space bar stop, hit again restarts from cursor point
60. Shift space bar to stop and continue
61. Linked unlinked clip automation
62. Shift click to grab multiple tracks. Effect 1 and they all are effected (like volume)
63. Change cue to a different output to be able to cue each track (headphones icon)
64. Ctrl + shift + m – add midi clip
65. Alt + click – expand/collapse all tracks
66. Click + shift + arrow key – shorten or lengthen selected midi notes.
67. add return track ctrl + alt. + T
68. Cmd + Del – deletes automation but not the clip.
69. Drag section of a clip to a midi track, automatically creates a simpler with the sample
70. Assign knob to 1 clip for looping & pitch correct
71. Highlight all clips change warp settings, save, launch info etc
72. Simpler to sampler
73. Shift + – zoom in. – zoom out
74. Shift ? – shows info
75. Cmd alt B – show/hide browser
76. Cmd alt O – show/hide overview
77.cmd alt I – show/hide I/O
78. Cmd alt S – show/hide sends
79. Cmd alt m – show hide mixer
80. Cmd , – preferences
81. Cmd drag – fine adjustments
82. Cmd R – rename tab, rename next
83. Cmd up/down double or half loop length
84. Cmd up/down on midi part – goes to next midi note
85. Shift left right on midi note – lengthen shorten note
86. Enter – launch selected clip/clips
87. Cmd L – loop selected
88. Shift drag over envelope breakpoints.
89. Cmd t – create audio track
90. Cmd shift t – create midi track
91. Cmd alt t – create return track
92. Cmd M Midi map on off
93. Cmd K key map on off
94. Cmd U quantize
95. Cmd drag (alt drag PC) adjust velocity on selected midi notes
96 Cmd shift U quantize Settings
97. Route multiple tracks to sidechain
98. Utility for automated volume & volume for fine tuning later

via Synthtopia

SoundPrism Pro – Demo by thingstocome

Last night I had some time to hook up SoundPrism Pro (iTunes link) to Ableton Live via the Camera Connection Kit and a small M-Audio MIDI interface I had lying around. I am very pleased that it worked easily and the results are wonderful. I was able to record all the pretty chord and bass selections SoundPrism spit out. It took less than a few minutes to create verse and chorus melodies that work together. In this quick demo I used some free Roland TR-808 samples and a software Korg Wavestation through D16′s Devastor distortion. Truly inspirational.

“It’s like getting a futuristic keyboard in the present.” – Lee Kaczor (iTunes review)

For more info: audanika.com