Looping 101: Looping in Ableton Live

Ableton Live software brings a new paradigm to the concept of looping and is the perfect tool for manipulating and combining loops from our ProSessions Sound and Loop Libraries. Live allows you to import multiple loops in AIFF or WAV format. Amazingly, it can automatically stretch audio files to conform to the session’s master tempo and the other loops in the session—all in real time. You can experience the power of Live yourself by downloading a trial version.

Live is extremely intuitive and the info window at the bottom left of the screen provides constant information about the controls under your cursor. To get started with Live, locate your samples using the Browser along the left edge of the screen. Click the Pre-Listening icon (the one that looks like a set of headphones) at the top of the Browser so that you instantly hear any AIFF or WAV file you click on. Once you find a loop you like, simply drag it into a Clip Slot in the grid and it will automatically match the session tempo. (Note that while you can audition loops from a CD, you’ll need to drag them to your hard disk in order to actually load them into Live.) Change the session tempo at any time—all the loops in the session will change tempo as well! (Changing the tempo of an audio file in most other environments causes a pitch change as well. Live’s ability to stretch audio in real time without changing pitch is basically techno-voodoo.)

The waveform display for the currently selected loop appears in the Sample Display at the lower right of the screen. The markers in the top row of this view allow you to change the beginning, end and start point of the loop. Moving the Grid Markers that are associated with the different waveform transients actually stretches the associated portions of the loop to change the groove itself (more hi-tech magic)! The parameters in the Clip, Sample Settings, Loop and Warp boxes along the bottom left of the screen provide addition control over how the selected loop plays back.

The following screen shows multiple audio clips looping in the same Live session. The loops in a given vertical column are all affected by the same mixing controls and effects applied to that channel. The loops in a selected horizontal row (called a Scene) all loop simultaneously—even if they are of differing lengths. Scenes are often used to organize loops into song sections.

Clicking the Clip Launch arrow on any loop plays that loop in sync with any other loops that are playing. To stop playback of a clip, click on the Clip Stop button at the top of the mixing controls for the associated channel.

Clicking the arrow next to a Scene name in the Master channel plays all clips in that Scene. To stop playback of all clips, click the Stop Clips button at the top of the mixer controls for the Master channel.

There are tons of other things that you can do with Live, especially given our vast ProSessions Sound and Loop Libraries. Download a demo of both today for a shot of instant inspiration.

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