Reverse Reverb from Rupert Brown on Vimeo.

I like these type of online music tech shows so I hope The DSP Project gains many episodes. I use this reverse reverb effect quite often. Sometimes I add a distortion unit after the reverb to really make the effect scream. Definitely check out my post: The Kick Boom, Thunderverb song writing element.

“In this episode I will show you how to create the reverse reverb effect in Ableton live (but technique can be used in any DAW) and put it into context by using it in a real project.” – Rupert Brown

Ever use this technique in your own productions?

Tweet This Post

Take Ableton’s Session View and mirror it inside Serato’s digital turntable interface and you have what the two companies call “The Bridge”. Every month or so I power up Traktor and make a mix for the car/gym. Considering my Ableton Live addiction I think I’m going to have to give this a shot.

“Huston from Ableton and Nick from Serato go through The Bridge – a new technology allowing communication between Ableton Live 8 and Serato Scratch Live” – SeratoHQ

For more info: http://serato.com/thebridge

Tweet This Post

My all time top tip for getting a nice sound from Ableton Live (or any DAW) is to keep your channel faders low and the Master at 0db. I explain my reasoning in an older post from January 2008. You can read it and the great comments by: clicking here. A safety net or let’s say helper in keeping your Master at 0db is a Limiter. Luckily (finally!) they added a native Limiter to Ableton Live 8. I recommend saving your startup Template with the Limiter in place. How much headroom below 0db you should leave is questionable but mostly I just leave it at it’s default setting of -0.30 dB. I’m guessing Ableton set it there for a reason. Of course you can use Limiters to shape and pump your sound and for something like that I turn to other plug-ins like Wavearts FinalPlug ($199) or a hardware unit such as a Universal Audio 1176.

“The Limiter effect is a mastering-quality dynamic range processor that ensures that the output does not exceed a specied level. Limiter is ideal for use in the Master track, to prevent clipping. A limiter is essentially a compressor with an innite ratio. To ensure that your nal output will never clip, place Limiter as the last device in the Master track’s device chain and keep your Master fader below 0 dB.” – Ableton Live 8 User Manual

For more Ableton tips and info: wiretotheear.com/category/ableton-live/

Tweet This Post

I think it’s pretty interesting to see where the samples came from. This song also has one of the best music videos ever made attached to it.

“How to make Prodigy’s legendary track “Smack My Bitch Up” in Ableton. Video describes, which samples were used by Liam in this wonderful track.” – jimpavloff

Download the original song: click here (iTunes)

Tweet This Post

I’ve been watching Max for Live waiting for the patch that will make me buy and Schwarzonator made me do just that. Grid pattern making patches and hardware hacks don’t get me going as much as software that helps me create melodies. Schwarzonator was created by Berliner Henrik Schwarz and I am finding it very useful. I really love the random function! Check out the video above for what it can do.

“The Schwarzonator is a note twister. It’s all about helping musicians (or non-musicians) find the right notes and chords in real time. It turns one finger playing into chords that fit together well. Choose from a list of Chord Sets in a drop down menu. Then all notes you play on your keyboard will fit into the selected Chord Set.” – Henrik Schwarz (from Ableton’s website)

Get the Schwarzonator here: www.ableton.com/schwarzonator

Tweet This Post

Dubspot is school in New York City that trains DJ’s and electronic musicians. I’ve been to the facility for a few Ableton meetings and it was always interesting. Mike Hatsis gives us a run through on using Ableton reverbs and such in a Minimal track. I like how he says, “I like to think of it as the sound’s shadow.”.

“Dubspot Instructor, Michael Hatsis, shows how to add Space and Dimension to Minimal Techno style drums. Topics covered include using Drum Rack’s Send and Return tracks, as well as Creating and using a Plate and a Room style reverb in Ableton Live.” – dubspot.com

For more info: dubspot.com

Tweet This Post

I spend most of my music making time in front of Ableton Live. It’s stable and Session View lets me flesh out ideas before I head to arrange. Most importantly, once you spend time to learn the program it’s fun to use. Ableton has kicked off it’s 10 year birthday celebration. We are lucky because the Berliner’s seem to not know that on Birthday’s they get gifts not give them! But hey I’m not going to tell them. They are giving away 10 free Artist Live packs to any Live 8 owner. Go get them here: ableton.com/able10-artist-packs

“To celebrate our Able10 anniversary, we’re giving away 10 free, exclusive Live Packs from Ableton artists. Take a look inside these songs and sounds and see how these exceptional artists work their Live mojo.” – Ableton

But what if your late to the party and your still not sure if your the Ableton type of guy? Lucky for you there is now an inexpensive way into the club. The all new “Live Intro” is a not so shabby version of Live for $99. This is now my recommendation for anyone who asks me, “I’m starting to make music what should I use?”.

So what else is on tap for the party? Discounts on upgrades for current Live users and the geeks will be happy to know Max For Live will be out November 23. Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!

For more info: www.ableton.com

Tweet This Post

m4l.lab.videomusicbox from liubo on Vimeo.

Liubo Borissov is a professor at Pratt in Brooklyn. He has created an interesting music box/piano roll interface for Ableton Live using a webcam and Max 4 Live. You can download the source code here: 2rem.net/projects/m4l/lab.videomusicbox.zip

“video music box with max 4 live” – liubo

There are other webcam audio controllers out there… check out my post from April 2008: click here. For more info on Max 4 Live: www.ableton.com/extend

Tweet This Post

I’ve been working on an original song to be on a compilation being put together by Andy DeDecker. Andy is one of the members of the Belgian EBM group Ionic Vision. The compilation is original unreleased material and each song has to be sex related. In my normal workflow or “workslow” as I call it I create hundreds of different fills with different effects on each fill. This keeps what can be a monotonous electronic track amazingly dynamic and interesting. However, sometimes I want to work quickly and have a consistent sounding fill throughout the entire song. I create a chain of effects on a Return Channel and then increase/decrease it’s volume along the timeline of the song in Arrangement View. As you can see in the case above where ever the Red Arrows peak Ableton shoots Reverb, Delay and Distortion over the Drums Channel. The fill/effect won’t sound the exactly the same each time it fires because you are drawing little peaks in slightly different places.

Blow the Kiss (demo) -The Horrorist by thingstocome

If you use a delay plug-in the difference where your peak is placed makes a dramatic difference in the timing delays you will hear. If at anytime you want to add a new peak of effects (our “fill”) and the Breakpoint Envelope for your Return Channel is not showing simply click the small Send Box (top right Blue Arrow) to make it pop up. Easy, instant, changing Ableton Live Send FX Fills.

For more Ableton Live tips and tricks: click here

Tweet This Post

Here is an interesting video from the UK containing a bunch of great Ableton Live tips. I never thought of setting up follow actions and after wards recording into cycling clips. Spending a little time setting triggers and MIDI mapping before you head into “Right Brain” mode will surely make your song a bit better.

Chord Triggering in Ableton Live from flujo on Vimeo.

“This video shows you how to use Ableton Live’s clips as chord banks and trigger them with one key. It also touches on the following features: Follow Action, Launch Modes, Midi Mapping & Routing, Pitch (midi plugin)” – flujo

For more Ableton Tips: click here

photo credit: tripp-e

Tweet This Post