Here is a beginner’s illustrated guide to Ableton 10 Live, which has become the workstation of choice for many music producers, beat-makers, DJs, turntablists, and more, due to its capabilities not only as a traditional DAW but as an instrument for live sequencing and performance.
Ableton has developed a unique range of native software tools and instruments aimed at live performance, and its dedicated hardware controllers have simplified and expanded what’s possible when performing live. It’s advanced as any DAW or sequencer but simple enough to learn the basics quickly, so let’s dive in.
Related Readings:
Is Ableton Difficult To Learn? What Can Ableton Do That Logic Cannot?
What Is a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)? How Does It Work?
FL Studio vs. Ableton vs. Logic vs. Cubase vs. Pro Tools Which is Best?
What’s The Most CPU Efficient DAW? – 5 DAWs Compared
How To Make Music Without Using A DAW?
Top 11 Free Compressor Plugins (VCA, Vari-Mu, FET, Digital)
A Beginner’s Illustrated Guide To Ableton 10 Live
What can I do with Ableton Live?
Amongst the available DAWs out there, Ableton is unique for its focus on live performance capabilities. The Session View offers a tool for DJing on the fly, switching with ease between different beats, tempos, and more.
It has customizable Macro Controls to integrate with hardware devices for live performance, which is why it’s become so popular for DJs. It also has a powerful Arrangement View, so you can capture those performances and lock them in to your exact specifications.
How do I set up an Audio Interface in Ableton Live 10?
First things first, you’ll need to set up your Audio Preferences, which allows you to connect your primary Audio Interface, making it possible to connect monitors, microphones, and other recording devices.
Head to Preferences > Audio and select Driver Type > “CoreAudio” for Mac or “ASIO” for Windows.
Next, select your Input and Output Devices (usually, these will be the same device). Most interfaces do not require drivers to be downloaded, so you should automatically see your device listed. If not, check the company website to make sure no drivers are needed.
Latency is important to pay attention to, especially when it comes to live performance. Buffer size determines Ableton’s responsiveness while processing audio. Low latency will mean faster responsiveness when recording MIDI but will be more taxing on your CPU. High latency will mean more lag but lower CPU Usage—this is better for the mixing stages when you’re adding multiple plugins. You’ll want lower latency when performing live; 512 samples is the right place to start.
How do I set up a MIDI interface in Ableton Live 10?
To set up your MIDI controller keyboards and pads, head to the Link MIDI tab while still in preferences. Most controllers will automatically configure to Ableton when plugged in, meaning you should immediately be able to select them from the dropdown Control Surface menu.
For now, focus on setting the inputs for your intended controller. If you’re having difficulty finding your device, head to the company website for any drivers or the MIDI preferences in your computer’s system preferences.
What Is Ableton Live 10’s Session View?
The Session View is what makes Ableton a bit more unique to other DAWs, so it’s an excellent place to start when building out your first project. This best demonstrates Ableton as it was devised as a supplemental sequencing instrument for live performance and DJ sets.
Here you can create Clips, which are the building blocks to creating your tracks in Ableton.
What is Ableton Live 10’s Arrangement View?
Ableton’s Arrangement View is the linear view of your composition that you’ll find most commonly used in other DAWs. It provides a picture of the whole composition for time-based modifications and edits. This is where you’ll make a cohesive track out of the parts recorded in the Session View.
What is the Browser for?
The Browser panel on the left side of your screen is where you’ll find and drag instruments, plug-ins, and effects into your session and arrangement windows. Categories is where you find these different tools as categorized by Ableton.
You can right-click on any instrument or effect to add it to your Collections folder, which you can rename and customize the colors of the folders for quick access to your favorites.
Places is where you’ll find “packs” of devices and effects connected with your Ableton account and the Ableton store. It’s also where you can browse any folder on your computer for saved files and sounds.
How do I load an Instrument?
While in Session View, select Create > Insert MIDI Track (⇧⌘T) or right-click on an empty section of the area and select Insert MIDI Track.
Then head to the Browser, and select an instrument from Categories to use. Select one of the kits from Drums and drag it to the first empty “clip slot” in your new MIDI Track.
How do I play and record a MIDI Instrument?
Make sure your MIDI channel is record enabled (circular button at the bottom of the MIDI channel), and you have already set up your MIDI devices; you should be able to play your keyboard or pad and hear the drum sounds. If no MIDI device is set up, you can use your computer keyboard as input for triggering the MIDI. Select the Keyboard icon on the top-right menu to activate or hit the [M] key.
Ableton Live has two records and plays menus, one for the Arrangement View and one for the Session View. To record MIDI notes for your newly selected drum kit into a Clip in the Session view, select the Session Record Button in the top center menu of the screen.
As soon as the Session Record Button has been hit, any notes you play will be recorded into a new clip. You can enable the metronome from the top-left menu for more accurate note playing and give yourself a count-in as well.
What is a Clip?
Now that you have recorded your first MIDI notes, you have your first Clip. Clips in Ableton are different from “regions” and “clips” in other DAWs, especially when using the Session View. Clips are MIDI performances or ideas that are meant to be triggered, looped, and modulated to create unique live performances.
How do I edit a Clip?
You can edit the MIDI notes of any Clip by double-clicking on the Clip, which will bring up the MIDI Note Editor. Here is where you can edit the MIDI notes in more detail after recording them. The MIDI notes will show up here on a piano roll, where you can drag them to other notes, lengthen or shorten the notes, edit velocities, or quantize.
You’ll find more advanced editing options you can select in the Clip Box as well, allowing you to take control of the Launch, Notes, and Envelopes for further MIDI note modulations.
How Do I Quantize in Ableton?
Quantizing in Ableton is vital for performance fluidity when launching and selecting clips. Still, you are given the option within its parameters to maintain a personal feel, to avoid the music feeling too robotic.
Within the MIDI Note Editor view, you can quantize it in two ways. Selecting the notes you wish to quantize and then selecting Edit > Quantize [⌘U] is the quick option for lining up any MIDI notes to the currently selected grid.
Quick sidebar: you can edit the Grid (what note values your bars are divided into—smaller for finer edits, larger note value for broader) by right-clicking in the MIDI Note Editor window and selecting your grid value. Once your Grid value is selected, Quantize will move your MIDI notes to the closest beat, fixing any performance tempo errors.
You can also quantize by selecting Edit > Quantize Settings [⇧⌘U], which will bring up a menu that allows you to quantize to a different grid (very helpful when needing to quantize to triplets), and also the amount of Quantization you would like to apply.
This is where you can affect the human element to your beats. A lower amount will still move your MIDI notes to the closest beat but not exactly locked to it, which helps if you need a groove deeper in the pocket, you can maintain that fractional difference while still keeping to the tempo.
How do I make changes to an instrument in Ableton Live 10?
You can change the instrument settings in the same area at the bottom of the screen as the MIDI Editor. [Shift + Tab] will bring up the Device View, which will show you all the parameters you can control for the instrument of the selected channel.
Each instrument will be different, but many of the Ableton native kits will have EQ settings, options for switching out drum hit samples, pad placement for hardware instruments, envelope shapers, and many more vital functions.
What is Clip Launching In Ableton, and How Do I Stop a Clip?
Clips function differently from normally recorded audio in a DAW. You don’t simply press play to start and stop to stop playback. You can adjust a set of parameters to specific functions for when you “launch a clip.”
To “launch a clip,” press the triangular button on the left edge of the clip in the channel strip. This will “launch” the playback of the clip. Clicking the square button on the same channel at the bottom of the clip list will stop the clip’s playback. By default, the clip is stopped at the end of the bar; this helps with performance fluidity.
What’s unique about clips in Ableton is you can adjust many parameters to affect the launching and stopping of a clip (found in the MIDI Editor Window)—different modes include a trigger, gate, toggle, and repeat.
How Do I Move Clips From Session View to Arrangement View?
There are two ways to do it to start to lock in your performance to an editable track in the arrangement view. First, the default way to switch between the two windows is the Tab key. To grab a clip and move it into the Arrangement View, click and hold the clip and hit the tab; you’ll see the clip appear in the Arrangement window, and you can drop it wherever you like.
You can also capture an entire Session View performance by launching whichever clips you want playing and hitting the circular Arrangement Record Button from the top-center menu on your screen.
This way of recording into arrangement allows for improvisations and whatever real-time modulations you make in the Session View.
There is so much more to cover in what Ableton can do, but this is a good way to jump straight into making music. It’s a unique, powerful, and fun creative tool and provides endless possibilities and methods for making music, both in your bedroom studio and live! For more information, check Ableton’s official website, where you can find video explanations, and also get Ableton Live Free for 30 days – Get more info here.
Also! Here is the Beginner’s video for you in case to ensure you get enough information:
Readings that you may like:
DAW Related:
Best DAWs For Musicians Available (With FREE DAWs)
What’s The Most CPU Efficient DAW? – 5 DAWs Compared
How To Make Music Without Using A DAW?
Pro Tools Guide: How To Use AutoTune & Pitch Correction?
Ableton Review: Is It Worth The Money? (Cons & Pros)
Logic Pro X Review: Is It Worth It? (Cons & Pros)
How To Use Auto-tune & Pitch Correction In Cubase?
How To Fix Ableton Crackling, Crashing & Freezing? Step By Step
Plugin Related:
What Are Audio Plugins? Different Types of Plugins Explained
What Are The Best Tools To Develop VST Plugins & How Are They Made?
Cost of Developing Audio VST Plugin: Several Factors (With Table)
VST, VST, AU and AAX – What’s The Difference? Plugin Formats Explained
Complete Guide To Noise Gate – What It Is, What It Does & How To Use It?
How To Clip My Drums? Here Is How & Audio Teasers (Before/After)
Complete Guide To Limiter: How To Use It (+ Best Plugins & Analog Limiters)
Mixing With Reverb: How To Add Life To Your Mixes
Linear Phase vs Minimum Phase EQ – Full Guide
Difference Between LUFS, RMS & True Peak Loudness Meters
How And When To Use Algorithmic And Convolution Reverb In Your Mix?
Difference Between Active EQ, Passive EQ and Dynamic EQ
Headphones & Studio Monitors:
Do headphones get worse with age?
Monitors vs Studio Headphones For Mixing & Mastering
Top 10 Room Calibration & Headphones/Speakers Correction Plugins
Are Noise-Canceling Headphones Good For Music Production?
Can Headphones Break in Cold Weather?
Why do headphones & cables get sticky?
Can Wearing Headphones Cause Hair Loss?
How Do I know If My Studio Monitor Is Blown?
Side Effects Of Sleeping With Your Headphones On
Do You Need Music Amplifier For Studio Monitors or Studio Headphones?
Do Headphones or Earphones Damage Your Brain?
Can Headphones or Earphones cause Deafness or Toothache?
FarField, MidField & NearField Monitors – Their Uses, Pros & Cons
MIDI & Synths:
Should I Buy A MIDI Keyboard Or Synth? (Are Synths Worth It Anymore?)
Why Is Audio Gear So Expensive? (Especially Synths)
Top 12 Synth Brands – Analog, Digital & Modular Synth Manufacturers
11 Tips How To Choose MIDI Keyboard
Should I Buy MIDI Controller Or Keyboard? Cons, Pros & Tips
Guitar/Amp Focused:
Can I Put Nylon Strings on a Steel-string Guitar?
Do Electric Guitars Sound Good Unplugged?
Buying Your First Guitar: 2 Things To Know
Are Tube Amps Worth It? (Tube vs Solid-State Amps)
How Often Does A Guitar Need a Setup?
Can I Play Classical Guitar On A Steel-String Guitar?
How often guitar necks need reset?
Can You Play Two Guitars Through One Amp?
Can a 6 String Bass Be Tuned Like A Guitar?
Can I leave My Guitar Tuned Down a Step? Yes, But Is It Safe?
Should I Learn 4, 5 Or 6 String Bass Guitar & Why?
How To Know If your Guitar Amp Is Broken?
How To Fix Distorted Bass Guitar Sound?
Do Fender Guitars Appreciate In Value?
Should You Put Stickers On A Bass Guitar?
How Acoustic And Electric Guitars Are Made?
Is Electric Guitar Too Loud for an Apartment?
Does a Preamp Improve Sound Quality?
If I Learn Acoustic Guitar Can I Play Electric Guitar?
How Many Hours A Day Should You Practice Bass Guitar?
Do I need an AMP/DAC To Run Bookshelf Speakers?
How to Record Electric Guitar Into Logic Pro X?
Do headphones get worse with age?
Recommended Gear:
Top 12 NearField Studio Monitors On Any Budget
Top 10 Midfield Studio Monitors For Home Recording
Best Biggest Studio Monitors (FarField Monitors)
Top 10 Guitar Pickups for Low Tunings
Top 10 Analog Compressors For Mixing & Mastering (On Any Budget)
Top 12 USB Audio Interfaces Under 150$, 200$, 300$ 400$ (Any Budget)
Top 12 Hardware Equalizers (Analog EQs For Mixing & Mastering)
Top 6 Analog Hardware Limiters
Top 6 Solid State Bass Amps (On Any Budget)
Top 6 Ribbon Mics On Any Budget (For Vocals, Drums & Guitars)
Top 6 Cheap Dynamic Mics For Vocals Under 50$, 100$, 200$ & 300$
Top 6 Chorus Guitar Pedals (On Any Budget)
6 Best 61-Key MIDI Keyboards (On Any Budget)
9 Best 49-Key MIDI Keyboards Under 100$ & 200$
Top 5 Best 25 Key MIDI Keyboards (On Any Budget)
Top 12 Acoustic Drums (Best Kits/Sets On Any Budget)
Plugin Roundups:
Genre Focused:
Top 10 EDM Plugins (And 10 Best FREE Plugins For EDM)
Top 10 Plugins For TRAP Beats (And 5 Best FREE Trap Plugins)
20 Best Plugins For Rock Musicians (+ 6 FREE Plugins)
Top 14 Trance Plugins (Uplifting, Tech, Progressive, Vocal, Dream, Hard)
Top 10 GOA & PsyTrance Plugins (Best Psychedelic Trance Tools)
Top 7 Plugins For Dubstep (With 10 Best FREE Effects & Synths)
Top 20 Synthwave Plugins (+ 11 Best FREE Plugins)
Top 15 Plugins For Techno, House, Electro, Tech House, UK Garage
Top 6 Plugins For Latin Music (And 4 FREE Tools)
Top 12 Plugins For Hip-Hop (+ Best Kontakt Libraries)
Top 7 Plugins For Game & Film Scoring (+ 6 Best Kontakt Libraries)
Top 10 R&B And Pop Music Plugins & KONTAKT Libraries
30 Best Free Plugins For DnB, EDM, IDM & Experimental Music
EQ Plugins
Top 12 Free EQ Plugins For Precise Mixing & Mastering
Top 9 Mid/Side EQ Plugins For Mixing & Mastering (+ 2 Free Tools)
Top 7 Graphic EQ Plugins (With 3 Best Free EQs)
Top 7 EQ Plugins For Mastering In | And Best FREE Mastering EQs
Top 6 Passive EQ Plugins (Klevgrand, SPL, UAD, Waves, IK Multimedia)
Top 11 Plugins For Making Metal (Best Guitars, Drums & Effects)
Metering:
Top 5 Audio Metering Plugins (LUFS, RMS, LRA, True Peak)
Top 6 Spectrum Analyzer Plugins – Spectral Analysis Tools
Top 6 Oscilloscope Plugins To See The Waveforms
Top 5 Key Detection Plugins & Software (+ Best FREE App)
Kontakt Libraries
20 Best Kontakt Libraries For All Categories (Synths, Drums, Vocals)
Top 7 Drum Libraries For KONTAKT (And 4 Freebies)
Top 7 Trap Music Kontakt Libraries (And Best Lo-Fi Kontakt Library)
Top 7 Metal & Rock Kontakt Libraries (Best Guitars & Drums)
Top 10 Guitar Libraries For Kontakt (Acoustic, Electric, Bass & Freebies)
Top 7 Trailer Scoring Plugins & Kontakt Libraries
20 Best Free KONTAKT Libraries For Various Instruments
Top 9 Piano Kontakt Sample Libraries (And 5 Best Free Pianos)
Top 10 Percussion KONTAKT Libraries (And 3 Freebies)
Top 7 Kontakt Libraries For Horror & Thriller Scoring (No VSTs)
Audio Restoration, Calibration & Utility:
Top 6 Noise Reduction Plugins (And 3 Best Free Tools)
6 Best Audio Restoration Plugins & Software
Top 7 Phase Alignment Plugins To Fix Your Bass & Drums
Top 10 Room Calibration & Headphones/Speakers Correction Plugins
Instrument Plugins:
Top 6 Vocoder Plugins (Effects & Synths + FREE Vocoder)
11 Best Rhodes VST Plugins (AND 5 Free Rhodes Plugins)
Top 12 Randomizer Plugins Including FREE Plugins
Top 6 Kick Drum Plugins (Best Kick Designer Tools)
Top 12 Woodwind Plugins (And KONTAKT Libraries)
Top 10 Double Bass Plugins (Best Upright Basses)
Top 5 Strings VST Plugins (AND 4 Best Free Instruments)
Top 6 Sampler Plugins (And 3 Best FREE Plugins)
Top 6 Classical Guitar Plugins & Kontakt Libraries (And FREE Guitars)
Top 12 Sub Plugins (Best 808 & Bass Tools For Massive Low End)
Top 10 Plugins On PluginBoutique (And 7 Best Free Plugins)
Top 11 Plugins On Plugin Alliance
Top 7 Acoustic Guitar Plugins (And 4 Best Kontakt Libraries)
9 Best Bass Guitar Plugins (And 2 Best Freebies)
Top 6 Electric Guitar Plugins (Best PAID & FREE Picks)
Top 10 Arpeggiator VST Plugins (Best Synths, MIDI Effects & Tools)
Top 10 Modular Synth Plugins (And 3 Best FREE Plugins)
Top 6 Choir Plugins & Sample Libraries (And 3 Best Free Plugins)
11 Best Percussion & Drum VST Plugins (And FREE Plugins)
Top 8 Piano Plugins (Best Sounding Pianos & 5 FREE Piano Plugins)
Top 6 Organ Plugins Ever Made (And 3 Best Free Organs)
Top 14 VST Plugins For Beginners (And 9 FREE Plugins)
Top 9 Drum Machine Plugins (And Groovebox Plugins)
4 Best Banjo Plugins (Best Banjo Instruments)
The 5 Best Ukulele Plugins & Kontakt Libraries
Top 13 Synth Plugins (And 5 Best FREE Synths Plugins)
Top 13 Sequencer Plugins (Synth, MIDI & Step Sequencers)
The 10 Best Multi-Effect Plugins (And 3 Best Free Plugins)
Top 12 Plugin Bundles For Musicians (Synths, Mixing & Mastering)
Processing & Sound Design:
8 Best Lo-Fi Plugins (PAID & FREE)
Top 11 Plugins For Mixing Vocals (For Home Studio)
Top 12 Saturation Plugins (Best Mixing & Mastering Tools)
Top 6 Pitch Shifter Plugins (And 3 Best FREE Pitch Shifters)
Top 6 Chorus VST Plugins For Musicians (And 3 FREE Plugins)
Top 6 Limiter Plugins For Precise Mastering & Mixing
The 8 Best Filter Plugins For Precise Cuts & Boosts (+ 5 Free Filters)
6 Best Autotune Plugins To Improve & Enhance Your Vocals
Top 10 Transient Shaper Plugins (VST, AU, AAX)
Top 7 Enhancer Plugins (For Bass, Drums, Vocals & Harmonics)
Top 6 Flanger Plugins (And 5 Best FREE Flanger Emulators)
Top 7 Phaser Plugins (And 3 Best FREE Phasers)
Top 10 Plugins For Mixing Drums (And 3 Best Free Plugins)
Top 7 Bitcrusher Plugins (And 4 Best FREE Bitcrushers + 3 Bonuses)
Top 6 Plugins For Voice-Over & Dialogue Cleaning (Post Production)
Top 10 Stereo Imaging Plugins (Best Old & Modern Picks)
Top 5 Multiband Limiter Plugins
Top 7 De-Esser Plugins For Better Vocals (And 4 FREE Plugins)
Top 7 Clipper Plugins (Best Limiter Alternatives)
Top 6 Chord Generator Plugins That Inspire Melodies (+ FREE Tools)
7 Best Exciter Plugins For Mixing & Mastering
Top 7 Channel Strip Plugins (And 2 Best Free Plugins)
Top 11 Distortion Plugins (And 4 Top Free Plugins)
Top 5 Comb Filter & Resonator Plugins | Melda, Kilohearts, Tritik
The 7 Best Vibrato VST Plugins | Audec, Audiority, Melda
The 7 Best Tremolo Plugins | Eventide, Melda, SoundToys, Kuassa…
The 7 Best Harmonizer Plugins | Eventide, Melda, Aegean Music
7 Best Sidechain Plugins (VST, AU, AAX) | Xfer, Cableguys..
Top 10 Noise Gate Plugins (And 6 FREE Free Gate Tools)
The 6 Best Ring Modulator VST Plugins | KiloHearts, Melda
7 Best Autopan VST Plugins | CableGuys, Melda, Waves, Soundtoys
The 6 Best Frequency Shifter VST Plugins
Top 11 Granulizer Plugins For Future Sound Design
29 Best Sound Design VST Plugins
Compressor Plugins
Top 11 Free Compressor Plugins (VCA, Vari-Mu, FET, Digital)
Top 7 Multiband Compressor Plugins (And 4 FREE Plugins)
Top 5 Diode-Bridge Compressor Plugins
Top 6 Mastering Chain Plugins: Complete VST Solutions
The 7 Best VCA Compressor Plugins (VST, AU, AAX)
Top 11 Mastering Compressor Plugins (And 2 FREE Plugins)
Top 10 Opto Compressor Plugins For Transparent Sound
The 7 Best Vari-Mu Compressor Plugins (And 2 Best FREE Tools)
Reverb & Delay Plugins:
Top 12 Reverb Plugins (And 5 FREE Reverb Plugins)
The 6 Best Spring Reverb VST Plugins | AudioThing, GSi, u-he, Eventide
Top 12 Delay Plugins For Music Production In (VST, AU, AAX)
Top 10 FREE Delay Plugins (VST, AU, AAX)
The 10 Best Convolution Reverb Plugins
Amps & Preamps:
Top 10 Guitar Amp Plugins (And 5 Best FREE Simulators)
Top 10 Bass Amp Plugins (And 5 Best Free Simulators)
Top 9 Preamp Plugins (For Vocals, Guitars & More!) + Free Preamps

Started as a rapper and songwriter back in 2015 then quickly and gradually developed his skills to become a beatmaker, music producer, sound designer and an audio engineer.