Ableton

ABLETON PRO TOOLS FINALE

C R E AT E
CUBASE

MUSIC
REASON

M U S I C

VOLUME 1

PRODUCTION

HANDBOOK

W W W. B E R K L E E M U S I C .C O M

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M U S I C
PRODUCTION

HANDBOOK

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ABLETON LIVE

BY LOUDON STEARNS

AUDIO MASTERING

BY MARC-DIETER EINSTMANN

PRO TOOLS

BY ANDY EDELSTEIN

REASON

TIPS

BY ERIC HAWKINS

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CUBASE

BY ROSSRAMSAY

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FINALE

BY JONATHAN FEIST

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TOP TIPS
BACK AWAY FROM THE MOUSE
Mapping, both Key and MIDI, is the capability. Key mappin g, foundation of Live’s performance once configured, gives you single-key access to Live’s most important functions like looping, draw mode toggle, click configure your set of key mappings, go track, punch recording, etc. Once you to the preferences,there is an option to save the current project as your default project, so those mappings will be waiting there for you in every new project.

5 ABLETON LIVE

BY LOUDON STEARNS

off turns on and vice versa, so you can hear which version you like better. This process becomes so fast and easy you might find yourself doing it all the time.

GO PARALLEL WITH RACKS
There are 4 types of Racksin Live: Effect, Instrument, MIDI, and Drum. Each is a way to split the incoming data into multiple “chains” which have unique processing, then the data is combined at the end. Racks are a way to process data (MIDI or audio) in parallel within a single track. Also, racks allow you to save a group of effects as a single preset to be used in other projects. Group effects together using a keycommand: Command G on Mac or Ctrl G on PC. With instrument racks you can layer multiple soft synths to create huge thick pads. With effect racks you can split the audio into separate frequency bands, allowing you to put a delay on just the highs and keep the low end mono perhaps. With Drum Racks each incoming MIDI note has its own instrument and chain of effects, your snare could be sampled and runthrough a compressor, and the kick be created with a third party synth. With MIDI effect racks you can create complex arpeggiated patterns by stacking multiple arpeggiators in parallel along with other MIDI effects.

QUICK A/B

When mixing you need to make sure and EQ are really helping the track.

that changes to effects like Compression Some quick work with key mapping makes it easy tocompare presets. Say you have an EQ in a track and you want

to try out some new settings. First duplicate the effect (command D on mac ctrl D on PC) Turn the first one off

using the effect’s power button (now the first is off and the second one is on). Enter key mapping mode (command

K on Mac Ctrl K on PC) and map both power buttons to a single key (the A key), then exit key map mode. Now ifyou hit the A key the effect that was

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TOP TIPS
BE MODULAR AND DOCUMENTED
Clips, Racks, Tracks, and Presets can be click on the title bar of any of these shared from project to project. Right objects and you can assign it a color, name, and even custom info text that shows up in the help view in the lower left corner of the Live window (“?” opens up

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Rack features.the help view). In the Live Browser you can look inside other projects, grabbing individual tracks or clips and dropping them in your current project. The more you name, color, and add custom text, future. Also, look for custom info text in the live library presets, many of the patches give you hints at the best way to use them. the more efficient you will be in the

BY LOUDON STEARNS

TRYOUT SOME SOUND DESIGN
One of the coolest live effects, Corpus, creates a “talking” synth. It is a pretty long process, but the end results are worth the time spent. Check out this YouTube video where we go over many important Analog, Corpus, and Effect

LOUDON STEARNS

NSSSS

teaches

Advanced

Music

Production

with Ableton Live, and Composing and

Producing Electronic Music at...