How to Properly Set Up Tracks in Ableton Channel Volume
Create fluent mixes without conflicting frequencies by properly setting up Ableton Live's tracks and channel volumes. Ableton Live is a multi-track recording, DJ and sequencing studio application. It provides multiple mixer channels for adjusting the audio levels and panning positions for each recorded piece of audio in the project. Create both audio and MIDI track channels within your Ableton Live project and then adjust their settings in the mixer section for best results.
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Instructions
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Click the "Session View" button at the top-right corner of the screen, then add either an Audio or MIDI track to your Ableton Live project. Right-click in the empty section of the "Session View" screen and choose either "Add Audio Track" or "Add MIDI Track." Repeat until you have created enough tracks to complete your musical project.
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Add music to each Audio track in your project. Click-and-drag musical content from the "Library" on the left side of the screen onto empty slots on the "Session View" grid for each individual track.
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Load a plug-in instrument onto a MIDI track within your project. Click the second button from the top left corner of Ableton Live's screen to expand the "VSTPlugins" folder, then click-and-drag a VST plugin instrument onto an empty MIDI track in the "Session View" screen.
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Click each of the buttons on the lower right corner of the "Mixer Section" to expand each component of the mixer for full view. The "View Menu" buttons consist of "In/Out," "Sends," "Returns," "Mixer," "Track Delays" and "Crossfader."
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Adjust each of the "Volume" faders for all audio and MIDI instrument tracks in your project, so that the peak level meter reaches as close to "0Db" as possible. Leave the "Master" channel's "Volume" fader set to zero, then lower or raise the independent channels so that they are as loud as possible without the meter going into red (clipping).
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Pan each of the tracks in your mix so that they fit together with the "Pan Control" knob. For example, leave your kick and snare panned in the center position, turn the bass track's pan knob sightly to the left to offset it from the drums and then pan hi-hats and cymbals all the way to the left or right. This keeps your tracks from clashing over top of each other, providing them with their own home in your mix.
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Set up an audio or MIDI track channel by clicking the "Arm Recording" button. Multiple tracks can be armed for recording at the same time by highlighting the tracks with your mouse, then clicking the "Arm Recording" button.
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Tips & Warnings
Mute tracks by clicking the "Track Activator" button, in order to deselect the channel from route to the main output bus.
Click a track's "Solo" switch to hear only that track in particular, muting all others in the project.
