In practice
loop. All of the various elements playing together at high volume will make for an uneasy listening experience and probably result in distortion across your main output (also indicated by red peak LEDs lighting up). A better approach, therefore, is to structure the principal instruments and build the additional supporting elements around them, ensuring that individual elements all have space to breathe. Pan, of course, sets the relative position of the loop in the stereo image, from the left speaker to the right speaker. With everything panned centrally your mix might begin to sound cluttered and ill-defined, so
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THIS WAY OF WORKING IS GREAT FOR BOTH KICK-STARTING THE CREATIVE PROCESS AS WELL AS LEARNING HOW TO USE A DAW
actively exploit the full width of the stereo image to give better definition and focus between the loops.
GET EFFECTED
Further manipulating the sound of the individual loops will require the use of some form of effects plug-in. Typical effects include equalisation (this changes the relative timbre of the sound by raising or lowering different frequencies in much the same way as the treble and bass controls on a hi-fi), compression (used to squash the dynamic range of loop and effectively make it sound
‘louder’ and more intense) and reverb (which simulates the effects of room ambience). By mixing and matching effects (usually placed in series in the signal path) you can control how the loop appears in the mix, maybe applying some compression and bright equalisation to make one loop sit towards the front of the mix, while another has reverb and a darker equalisation applied to sit it at the back. Getting creative with plug-ins enables you to bring individuality to the loops and the track as a whole. More extreme plug-ins – Auto Filter,
GETTING STARTED IN ABLETON LIVE LE
Erosion, Redux and so on – can distort and re-shape a loop to the extent that’s it’s unrecognisable from its original form. Equally, using automation – which adjusts the settings of faders, pan pots and effects over time – will make your mix more dynamic and interesting.
EXPORT STRENGTH
The final part of the creative process is to export your mix as a two-track, stereo audio file, in an audio format that’s suitable for your particular objective. Use a high-resolution, uncompressed format such as a 24-bit, 44.1kHz .WAV file if you want to burn the mix to a CD-R. Alternatively, create a compressed MP3 file, which renders down the mix to reduce file size. This format is preferable if the file is being uploaded to the internet – to a MySpace page, for example – or being sent via email.
BEYOND THE LOOP
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Click on the Arrangement View Selector (top right) to set the Arrangement View. Open the File Browser to browse your loops, which can include clips files from Live 7 LE’s content as well as .WAV files from your own collection.
2
Double-clicking on a loop will enable you to view its properties. In this case we can see the results of the tempo-matching process, and we also have the option to change parameters such as tuning.
What we’ve explored here are the techniques and processes of producing music with loops, but equally, it’s also been a perfect opportunity to introduce the concepts of a DAW and how music and audio is handled in the digital domain. As you’ll soon find out, this way of working is great for both kick-starting the creative process as well as learning how to use a DAW, enabling you to achieve professional-sounding results with the minimum of fuss. As we’ll see, though, mastering this process and learning how to turn raw ideas into a finished piece of music take time to perfect, but with many exciting tools and possibilities to discover along the way, it’s a journey well worth undertaking. MP
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Importing a MIDI-based clip gives you even more control over the clip’s properties than you have with audio clips. In this example, the Grid Editor is being used to re-program the drum loop from scratch.
MusicPlanet
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Live LE’s Session View is a more traditional mixer interface. From here you can balance the various elements and shape your mix or apply further effects to the loops in the Live Set.
In next issue’s In Practice we’ll be taking a look at the principles behind acoustic treatment and considering how you might be able to improve the sound of your studio.
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14/8/08 14:26:52