Formatting Stems and Mulititracks for Live Performance

Рет қаралды 46,201

2 жыл бұрын

One of the biggest mistakes I see Playback Techs make, is they manage stems, not sets. If you want maximum freedom and flexibility when using tracks, and you want to build sets efficiently, you've got to manage Sets not Stems.
In this week's tutorial, Ableton Live Certified Trainer, Will Doggett walks you through part 2 of the 3-Part Framework for Using Tracks and shows you how to use the free tracks template to format all your stems and Multitracks for live performance.
With about 5 minutes of work, you'll save hours of effort and have maximum freedom and flexibility.
Download the free tracks template:
fs2s.link/tracks-template
Purchase the Advanced Tracks Template:
fs2s.link/advanced-template
Foundations for Live Preview:
• Foundations 3.0-The Ul...
Purchase Foundations:
Managing Track Volumes for Live Performance:
• Managing Track Volumes...
Saving your Tempo in Ableton Live's Arrangement View:
• How to save your tempo...
How to Save Song Sections in Ableton Live:
• How to save your song ...
Warping in Ableton Live:
• Warping Audio in Ablet...
Using Sends and Returns in Ableton Live:
• Routing audio using se...
Creating an Ableton Live Template for Live Performance:
• Creating an Ableton Li...
Formatting MultiTracks.com Songs: • Formatting MultiTracks...
Formatting Loop Community Songs: • Formatting Loop Commun...
Formatting Praise Charts Songs (Tutorial Coming Soon!)
Become a From Studio to Stage student:
fs2s.link/subscribe
Download all my templates/patches/presets:
fs2s.link/shop
Set-up a quick 15 minute call with me:
fs2s.link/15minute
Set-up an hour long remote Zoom call with me:
fs2s.link/oneonone
Purchase Ableton Live
fs2s.link/ableton
Purchase Ableton Push
fs2s.link/push
----
Download my free Gear Guide:
fs2s.link/gear
Download free Click Tracks for Ableton Live:
fs2s.link/clicks
Download free Guide Cue files for Ableton Live:
fs2s.link/cues
Download free ProPresenter 7 MIDI cues template:
fs2s.link/pp7
Download my free Getting Started with Live 11 Guide:
fs2s.link/live-11
Download free LTC/Timecode files for Ableton Live:
fs2s.link/timecode
Disclaimer: This video and description may contain affiliate links. By you clicking on these links, you’re supporting this channel and buying gear at the same time.

Пікірлер: 80

@markus.ivi22 Жыл бұрын

That's the best tutorial I have ever seen, thanks from Poland!:)

@bobalobalee 2 жыл бұрын

Such amazing, free and much-needed content for live electronic performers. Thank you!

@fromstudiotostage 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@bobalobalee 2 жыл бұрын

@@fromstudiotostage Since you asked in the video, yes I would love to know about your current setup for the sends and returns! You mentioned you use 12 output channels, does that mean you typically use 6 return tracks in a live situation?

@aldobmusic 7 ай бұрын

From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU

@drewlaplante Жыл бұрын

Great stuff. Thank you! Gotta get the midi click for tracking as well. That’s super useful 👍

@ahoski 2 жыл бұрын

I love you Will. Thank you for these videos. ♥️

@fromstudiotostage 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@gabriel_levi Жыл бұрын

So so valuable. Thanks a ton for this!

@donmathews109 Жыл бұрын

Hugely helpful!!! I'm a fresh Session to Arrangement View convert. Thanks!!

@fromstudiotostage Жыл бұрын

happy to help! thanks for watching!

@MILLofficial Жыл бұрын

Wow you saved my life!! 😛Thank you so much!!🙏

@paulflores7026 2 жыл бұрын

HOLY CRAP! You're a saint.

@fromstudiotostage 2 жыл бұрын

Happy to help! Thanks for watching

@jorge_schlueter 11 ай бұрын

thank you so much! This is awesome dude

@fromstudiotostage 11 ай бұрын

Glad it helped!

@synthseeker Жыл бұрын

You remind me of Jonah Hill's character in the film "Moneyball" - advocating a process that makes sense but is radically different from what the artists generally evolve for their own performances...but a great and efficient approach nonetheless. Very helpful and thank you!

@colinosheamusic Жыл бұрын

Hey Will! Great videos, thanks so much. I’ve also been enjoying your new 6 part videos. One major issue I’m finding though. When I drag my configured song into the new set template, the song (with tracks grouped and prepped) still doesn’t play right. I’ve checked warp settings and all correct as per your guidance. Am I missing something else?

@marcoeltiempo Жыл бұрын

thank you so much!!!

@fromstudiotostage Жыл бұрын

You're welcome!

@moydominguezmendoza Жыл бұрын

Incredible content! Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge. Could you help me with the following? I have already made my set list and all the songs in the order in which they will be played. At the last minute the artist tells me that song 3 will be 1 and that song 5 will be 2 😰. How can I rearrange them without everything becoming a disaster?

@cvkillerdrummer 2 жыл бұрын

One of the issues I'm running into is my stems are warping to the next songs tempo in my set when I want them to crossfade from song to song. How can I prevent them from changing tempos? When I inactivate WARP on the tracks, they no longer line up with the click...

@kev7x2010 Жыл бұрын

This video is so good! Exactly what I need. So do you create a separate session for every song? And then you're just able to drag each one individually into a set?

@fromstudiotostage Жыл бұрын

Yes! I teach my students to format each song separately before building a set. It allows you to build sets much faster and manage your files well!

@555foofighters Жыл бұрын

Would you also split up a medley in different songs or would you consider the medley itself to be a song? Hope you understand the question!

@brettbangerter8025 10 ай бұрын

Great video! I have run into an issue with using the free template where my returns show up in arrangement view but not in session view. How do I fix this?

@andretorruco Жыл бұрын

Will, thank you so much! I love your content man. So helpful. I do have a question though, is it possible to just use the click on ableton rather than importing or using the click track on your template? It’s just more of a preference thing. Like would it essentially still stay in time once I collect all and save, then import into a set? Hope that makes sense, thanks again!

@fromstudiotostage Жыл бұрын

You can use Ableton’s click, I prefer to use Foundations for subdivisions but Ableton’s click is great

@CutZooWorld Жыл бұрын

Just curious. After setting your return sends in each of the grouped stems. What happens to the settings when you go from, let’s say, 5 sends, down to 2 sends? Where does the 3,4,and 5 get routed to? Is that something you just have to go back into stems to readjust?

@fernandomartin8816 Жыл бұрын

you are awesome

@timjamiehayward5579 Жыл бұрын

When I am done creating a file with 3-4 songs in it and I play the song back through our sound board sometimes I get a crackling sound and I found out that if I go to each stem and deselect the "Warp" button it seems to clean it up. Do I need to turn warping off on all my tracks before playing them back? Also, sometimes when I turn the Warp button off the stem will get larger or lose the editing that I had done on the stem before.

@solikmazhuga8555 2 жыл бұрын

29:44 its okey if I will use the main Ableton click sound?

@mikehendrickx8144 Ай бұрын

Thanks Will, for this great video. Yet it seems I'm not able to insert a midi clip with cmd-shift-M...? Neither by checking the "Create" Menu-button. Any advice?

@capinknuckles1 Жыл бұрын

just...thank you

@birliban2k 2 жыл бұрын

That is so great content, very helpful. Thank you so much! But what I don't get is, why don't you use your free template file you introduced in the first video of this series as a template for this song? Of course you are using the parts of it, but why don't just load it into Live and then only add the stems and finetune everything. Every track like click, tempo guide and also the return tracks would already be there. Is there any reason why you did it differently?

@fromstudiotostage 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed the video! It's personal preference if you start with the template or start with a new set. Either way you've got to drag in click to match the song, tempo track to match the song, and guide cues to match the song, and route your audio to return tracks-so either way you're doing the same work. I prefer to keep the template file and treat it as "sacred" and drag from it to another file.

@rhiannarowlands2946 4 ай бұрын

Would I be able to used my APC 40MKll with Ableton arrangement view using the features and controlling ableton 12 ???

@davidgraham3162 Жыл бұрын

Great content! Can the method of using midi to loop a song by location markers, also work in the context of a set of songs in Ableton, using the free template you provide, where the location markers are used to separate songs not internal parts of songs?

@fromstudiotostage Жыл бұрын

Yes! That’s exactly how I teach and what I use

@piratephilnitch8505 Жыл бұрын

Very AARRGGHH-SOME videos says I, Pirate Phil. Do you have a template for Live 10?

@fabioalferii 18 сағат бұрын

Hi Will, a question about signal routing. I did exactly what you explain in the video but a strange thing happen. If I pan ledt or right a return track nothing happen ....have you got any idea why? Thank you

@thales_stat 7 ай бұрын

Please! Is there any way to get the Advanced pack without the subscription?

@atangaman Жыл бұрын

i tried downloading the free template but i didn't receive any email

@maxwellgetz252 18 күн бұрын

Do you need to warp the tracks if you don't plan on changing the tempo or key?

@rootwes5030 6 ай бұрын

What if the click track the producer bounced for you is off the grid?

@jroughen 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the template! Only issue I have is that when I try to turn the "Marker" track into a midi track, command+shift+M doesn't work. I've tried duplicating the track and doing the same shortcut on it and it doesn't work. Is there any other way of turning it into a midi track?

@fromstudiotostage 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you’re enjoying the template! You’ve got to select a time range to create a MIDI clip, you can’t do it by clicking on the track.

@SvintMvrcus Жыл бұрын

@@fromstudiotostage i might be doing something wrong but I’m having the same issue. I selected and dragged the entire lengt of the song on the markers track and nothing happens when I try to create the midi clip. Is it because it’s an audio track?

@jeffreyscott9262 Жыл бұрын

@@fromstudiotostage I am having the same issue. The first track I formatted, it worked flawlessly, as advertised. Subsequent tracks are doing what is described above; selected range is not creating (or even allowing in the menu) creating a MIDI clip. What have I done wrong?

@ljules44 Жыл бұрын

The reason it's not working is because the Marker track is an Audio Track as opposed to a Midi Track. You can either create a new Midi track, name it Marker and continue on with the tutorial or drag a pre existing Midi clip on to the empty Marker track and it'll convert the track to Midi instead.

@AmandaLeePeers 2 жыл бұрын

If I'm understanding correct, this is more for backing tracks for performing live right?

@fromstudiotostage 2 жыл бұрын

That's right! This series is focused on running stems/backing tracks live.

@henririsher403 2 жыл бұрын

Will, when i click on my markers track the playhead won't jump to that section. Any ideas? I'm using the free template by the way, and thank you for all the great content

@joephillips7612 Ай бұрын

Looks to me like when you import a song with markers into a set, you have to add locators wherever you have a marker. You can do it fast with the 'add' method and he alludes to doing it automatically. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/kL2Wn9OGstnPnIk.htmlsi=cF_6l9APCl6oF9IJ

@EricLThomp75 7 ай бұрын

My tempo track doesn’t seem to be working properly. I added the bpm and set to Lead, but it doesn’t seem to be setting the proper tempo. I’m on version 11. Any ideas? Thx

@MrPacoArespacochaga 2 жыл бұрын

You’re the best, Will!

@fromstudiotostage 2 жыл бұрын

Not as cool as you Paco, but thanks :)

@MrPacoArespacochaga 2 жыл бұрын

@@fromstudiotostage I’ve used everything you’ve taught me with my band, INTRoVOYS. We haven’t had a bass player since 2017 and we’re still rockin! I’ll be keeping in spreading the word.

@fromstudiotostage 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Paco, so glad to hear it's helped. Please keep up the good work!

@MrPacoArespacochaga 7 ай бұрын

⁠@@fromstudiotostageupdate: still rocking it out with INTRoVOYS and PlayBack Jukebox using your method, playing two hour concerts, without any problems. Thank you!!!

@nolemister 2 жыл бұрын

Incredible content. absolute life changing stuff haha! Is there a way to save one song as a "set" if its in a session that has a bunch of songs? Essentially I have long form stems (the entire show) chopped up by individual song. Am i able to save each song as a "set" without starting a brand new session for every song and redoing a bunch of work? I wish i wouldve found you sooner!

@fromstudiotostage 2 жыл бұрын

I don’t normally recommend creating a Master Set ( a set with all your songs) but recommend keeping each song separate (pre-formatted) and then building your set you need.

@draildrums Жыл бұрын

Do you only like consolidating the stems...what about guide cues or do you leave them if they need to be changed

@fromstudiotostage Жыл бұрын

I leave them separate

@beck3543 10 ай бұрын

I couldn’t add the template! Think its because I don’t have suite... I have intro and it says that im limited to 16 tracks... How do save the bpm for live sets if I don’t want to buy Ableton suite...?

@fromstudiotostage 10 ай бұрын

It works with lite and intro as well!

@Carsons-Clips Жыл бұрын

Seems like all your links are broken?

@emme6907 Жыл бұрын

This is a great way to lose audio quality of stems. Watch out people, if you have stems and you prepare your live set correctly, you should never have the need to warp. Warping changes the audio signal in worse than original.

@fromstudiotostage Жыл бұрын

“Let’s speed this up a few BPM” “Let’s drop this down a step” “Let’s lose that tempo change here, and play it straight ” The artist you’re working with asks for this and wants the change immediately. How does your method of “preparing your live set correctly” handle that?

@emme6907 Жыл бұрын

@@fromstudiotostage In that case it would be very useful, but I honestly can't see instances where artists on stage, on the fly, call a change of tempo or a key change. It would be simply to risky. Those changes you mentioned are indeed part of a live set but should be done in the studio, pre-recorded and then just studied and learnt before the live gig. Isn't it? Or maybe I misunderstood what you meant?

@PrivatePaul 6 ай бұрын

@@fromstudiotostage never in my career have i heard any of these statements being said on stage. and i'm only using my own stuff, so no need to adapt to other people wanting anything changed. meaning: i can skip the warping, right?

@bswinn97 6 ай бұрын

@@emme6907It’s mostly done in rehearsal/soundcheck before the show. Not on the fly in the middle of a performance.

@bswinn97 6 ай бұрын

@@PrivatePaulI’ve had a few singers and artists ask for key changes and tempo changes. It’s very common for houses of worship. You can always just not warp your files though if you don’t need it lol. For my original music I haven’t had to warp a song. So I just don’t warp out files unless needed.

@gerhardwasowski 2 жыл бұрын

too much talking...

@fromstudiotostage 2 жыл бұрын

Hey! Thanks for the feedback

@richardjones2189 Жыл бұрын

😂 He kind of needs to talk to explain what he's doing don't you think? @fromstudiotostage - I think the amount of talking in this video is just fine. Thank you for the free lessons!

@wymes1 2 жыл бұрын

Great content, however your "free template" is only for Live 11. #2 I get so lost with how much you get off the subject and babel. No offense, be blessed.

@fromstudiotostage 2 жыл бұрын

Yes the template is currently only available for 11. I'm working on a template for 10. I babel alot so you probably won't like most of the content on the channel.

@wessanderssays Жыл бұрын

Incredible content! So so helpful! I’m curious, do you ever get worried about fidelity loss when warping tracks or consolidating/bouncing in place? Organization and functionality wise it’s the best option but I worry about creating artifacts that might be noticiable on bigger systems when the warping algorithm doesn’t agree- am i overthinking it? I also worry about leaving a template with a band on tour that doesn’t have a dedicated playback tech and not having the process be as simple as just replacing stems if something isn’t working or needs to be tweaked on the road. Again thank you so so much for these videos!

@fromstudiotostage Жыл бұрын

Never :) If it's a solo act and only using stems, i'd worry but otherwise you'll be good to go. And if you setup the template right it'll be drag and drop for them-atleast that's my experience Thanks for watching! Will