How to Play Loops With a MIDI Controller in Ableton Live

Ableton is a company based in Berlin, Germany that develops and distributes the Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) Ableton Live. This loop-based program can be used for creating, recording, editing, sequencing, mixing and DJing tracks. Ableton Live differs from other DAWs in that it is not only meant for studio use, but is also a live performance tool. Using a MIDI controller, your can trigger sounds and loops without using the computer keyboard.

Instructions

1. Connect your MIDI controller to your computer and launch Ableton Live.

2. Switch to a session view by clicking on the "Session View Selector" in the top-right corner of the screen.

3. Create a clip by dragging a file from the browser into an open slot in the column titled "Audio 1."

4. Click on the clip and select the start and end point of the region you'd like to loop using the "Loop Start" and "Loop End" markers in the "Sample Display" window at the bottom of the screen.

5. Turn on the "Loop Switch" by clicking on the box labeled "Loop" in the Sample Display window.

6. Click the "MIDI" button in the top right corner. Click on the clip you want to trigger with your controller. Press the pad or key you want to trigger the loop with on your controller.

7. Click the "MIDI" button in Live again. You can now play your loop with the button you designated on your MIDI controller.

References

• Ableton
• Ableton: MIDI/Sync FAQs