Warping in Ableton Live: The Basics

Distinctively, audio is defaulted to an elastic state in Ableton Alive.

Logic calls it Flex Time
ProTools calls it Elastic Audio
Ableton calls it Warping

In basic terms, all of these functions do the same matter. They allow users to automatically or manually adjust the timing of audio without affecting its pitch. Ableton'southward warping function has a great reputation amidst producers and audio editors. Then, permit's talk about it!

The Prune View

The Warping Controls live within the Prune View and can be found on the bottom left of a screen when a clip is selected. As you tin meet to the correct hither, the Warping controls have a large yellow button that says Warp. This toggles the warping function off and on on only the selected prune. Beneath the Warp push we have a place where you can enter the segment'due south original BPM. This will help Ableton in warping your clip.

Warp Modes

And so, nosotros have our warp modes. In this visual it is set to beats, just there are six warp modes:

Beats Manner is great for rhythmic clips with strong, clear transients.

Tones Mode is nifty for clips with strong, clear pitch distinction such as vocals.

Texture Mode is proficient for, you guessed it, textural clips.

Re-pitch Mode changes the pitch along with the tempo when the clip is sped upward or slowed down.

Circuitous Way is keen for multitrack mixes and such

Complex Pro Way is like circuitous mode, but with more precision and therefore more than CPU usage.

Each mode has its own settings that accept to do with how Ableton will go about shaping and preserving the clip'south sound. The options below the manner dropdown will alter based on the selected mode.

Tell Ableton To Warp

To the correct of the box on the left in the clip view, we have the clip'southward transients laid out over time in a waveform. This is where we will exercise our manual warping or tell Ableton to warp for us and arrange from in that location.

  1. Add a marker to the first transient of the sample by placing your cursor and double-clicking.
  2. Now, gear up this as 1.1.1 by right clicking and selecting "set ane.1.i hither."
  3. From here, right click again and select "warp from here (direct). This warping style works best for longer samples with a consistent tempo. Ableton will then create warp markers on transients and snap them   to the filigree. These markers are adjustable, and so adjust away!

If you accept a sample with an inconsistent tempo, you virtually probable will want to warp manually. This ways you lot will add your own warp markers and elevate them to your desired place on the grid.

Here are some helpful tips when information technology comes to manually warping:

  • Double clicking a warp marking will pin information technology to the filigree. So, if you correctly warp, say, a measure of audio, add a marker to the showtime and end of the department and double-click them to lock that department of the sample in its position. Now, warping other parts of the sample won't affect the expanse between the locked markers.
  • Employ the correct warp mode! If y'all aren't using a beat, don't warp in trounce mode. Without granular sampling, some audio might not stretch well. Be sure to retrieve and expect dorsum at the differences between warping modes.
  • Check Ableton'southward auto warping. We all love to be lazy and let the computer practise information technology for us. However, each sample is different, and Ableton simply can't always do it all on its own. Be certain to listen advisedly back to your sample and pay attention to the placement of warp markers. Ableton might place warp markers on incorrect transients or snap warp markers to the wrong spot. Merely double cheque. Do it.

Training Subject

DAW

Ableton Alive

Production

Audio Editing

Mixing

Sampling

Sound Design

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