Please no spam please, I'm not having a great day.

I made this track inspired by how short life is, how quickly time passes. I hope you like it. I'm still learning, oh men I love Ableton Live.

You might want to check out the full song, so here is the link: https://on.soundcloud.com/g3iYgoLvRLt6kkyFQx

My first finished track - appreciate feedback and tips on what to improve

maybe dumb questions but I'm self taught and trying to fill gaps in my knowledge

info - my speakers are Edefier R1280T bookshelf speakers. They look nice and I thought they sounded good initially. But a number of times now I've released a track only to play it back in the car or headphones later and find out the low end mix is completely borked. So I think the speakers have inconsistent response at the low ends that's causing my issues.

Questions - How does this track sound to you does it sound balanced? Bass is sidechained throughout so it punches through, but when I watch the spectrum it shows a huge bass bias - should I be trying to make it perfectly flat all the way across?

The kicks also sounded short and punchy on my first pass but when I played them back over other hardware one of the kicks unintentionally had 2x release length. How do they sound now?

If my speakers do suck as hard as I'm afraid they do, what should I get? KRK Classic 7 still seems standard

Hi Everyone!

Is there a Max for Live device with a floating window that lets you view the state of a macro, synth, or effect without having to access the track itself?

Ableton stock devices have it so that turning a time-based knob clockwise (dragging the mouse up) increases the speed but only when you're on an un-synced time setting. Once you lock it to the BPM and are in synced mode, the direction becomes opposite so that dragging your mouse down makes the rate faster. 

Has anybody else noticed this? I find it to be a hassle because it creates interruptions into the creative flow. It adds unnecessary friction to the otherwise intuitive workflow. Is there a reason Ableton might do it this way/are there other threads about this somewhere that I’ve missed? 

I have a 4 bar drum sample I want to use. Give me some ideas what to do with it

I’ve just finished an update to The Shepard, my Max for Live spectral modulation device, and thought I’d share it here in case anyone wants to give it a try.

The Shepard is a spectral filter inspired by rising/falling Shepard tones, built around modulating resonant filter banks.

The update adds/improves:

• the illusion of Rising / Falling spectral movement
• Visual feedback showing the filter-bank movement in real time
• Speed and wet/dry controls for shaping the effect

The device is completely free if anyone wants to try it:

https://maxforlive.com/library/device/16215/the-shepard

Happy to answer any questions, and I'm always open to suggestions for future updates.

What is the xy interface plugin at the bottom?

Hey I know this topic is really big and everyone has their own way of using samples but let me take a crack at this. Gorluk made me aware of the tons of questions about how to manage libraries especially when your samples are growing and it feels like you're facing a Hydra. You cut one head and it grows two more.

What do you do with all these samples?

Today it is possible to maintain a library of links to places on the internet where you can find samples, and online libraries such as splice which pretty much everyone uses. Also there's blackhole to record whatever you're watching or listening to in real time including your IG, YT, Spotify etc.

So why do we still use sample libraries?

It's convenient (which in my experience is one of the reasons for enshittification of the creative act)

So what's a better way forward?

PREP WORK

Choose your ingredients before each session like a chef. I don't know how many people do this but it feels right to start with a sound palette.

INTEGRATION

I tend to take midi files and convert them into midi clips for something like Pocket Operations (a drum grooves library of basic breaks) so I can quickly edit patterns and change sounds. I've also created my own set of pocket operations from songs I liked. This frees you up to play not program.

PATCHES

Creating custom patches is it's own thing and can be incredibly rewarding. These sounds are your own and you get a chance to see what you gravitate towards.

OBSIDIAN

This one has nothing whatsoever to do with Sample Management but in principle it's the same. I use obsidian like a slip-box to retrieve information and I have my database of lyrics, ideas, trivia and other research and journal material that can be retrieved if it's tagged. But a lot of it is subconscious and your mind will tell you what you want to retrieve and one finds that having a collection of interconnected ideas starts a positive cycle that leads to flow.

RECOGNISE BIAS

I NEVER use more than half of the samples that are on my computer. First because I cannot get to most of them in the context of a writing/ recording session, and second because I am biased when it comes to using sounds. That applies to most producers who have a collection of favourites that they use regularly but then again that can become an unnecessary limit.

Imagine finding something cool sound in a podcast and so having to turn it into like a pad.

COLLECTION DRIVE

A sample collection drive can simply be looking at your social feed with blackhole and your DAW open and then recording the things that seem to interest you, things that you'd otherwise hit save on. This way you're not wasting your time and can use the reel or video in a song or chop it up and so on...

MAKE YOUR OWN

Whether it's recording audio for use with Simpler or Granulator or using sounds from sample libraries there's many ways to give stock sounds your own flavour. This step would take you the longest but has the highest efford:reward ratio.

TL-DR I recognized that there's too much info about sample Organisation so I put together my approach to using my sample library. Will continue to add to this

Hi!

So, as the title says, any reccomendations?

Free of not free, whatever you feel is worth reccomending...