Ableton Live

["Jason W Alder" <alderjas@msu.edu>]

Hello all, 

New to this list. Anyway, I'm trying to start using Ableton for live 
looping. I've been using the program for a couple years with loops I've 
pre-made, so I know my way around it pretty well, but now want to try 
using 
it for live playing. I'm able to record an initial loop fine, but I'm 
having 
problems with then recording a second one on another track and getting it 
to 
sync right. Are there ideal quantization settings I should use? I'm 
guessing 
the problem is that it's nearly impossible to record 2 loops exactly the 
same length live, so eventually they're getting out of sync. Is there a 
setting that will make them start the same time each time? And if so, what 
about loops of different lengths, say a 4 beat loop and an 8 beat? Or an 
uneven measure length like a 4 beat and 6 beat? I've been messing with 
different quantizing settings, but haven't been able to get things to do 
what I want yet. Is it a problem that I'm not using a master clock source? 
Ableton has a tempo setting, but since I'm not using any other loops other 
than what I record on the spot, I may not be synced with it. Or should I 
be? 
Should I tap in a tempo first to get things going? 

All I'm trying to do is be able to play something live, have it record and 
begin looping immediately (which I have already accomplished), and then 
repeat the process on different tracks with different parts (which is 
where 
things start getting ugly). I know of someone doing this same sort of 
thing 
(successfully) with Max/MSP, which I'm going to experiment with, but since 
I 
already have some familiarity with Ableton, I'd like to try it with that, 
first. 

Thanks,
Jason 

 

 

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