Program Features - LiveKeyboardist

30Apr 2019 by Brett Pontecorvo

Three Ways To Build A Live Set Faster

1Creating A Keyboard Set Up, Blog, Program Features, Transition Essentials

Preparing for a live performance using Ableton requires four things: A setlist so you know what sounds and effects you will needThe right sounds so your live set matches what you hear on recordingsA way to control patch switching so you can move through your set easilyA way to alter and adjust sounds for spontaneity, or to compensate for different sound systems, band member volumes, and anything else unexpected that sometimes happens. Look at the above list closely... ...Now ask this question How much is the same from set to set? If you're thinking, "Almost everything is the same from set to set", I would not only agree with you, but go so far as to say that is the case for most people. Start From A Template The number…

26Feb 2019 by Brett Pontecorvo

Sync Ableton With ANY Metronome

1Creating A Keyboard Set Up, Blog, Live Playback, Program Features

The Metronome has become an integral part of performing live. Not only for the tempo stability it provides but for effects that have become staples of current music Without playing in time to a metronome live it is impossible to create side chained pulsing synths, Arpeggiators become useless, and delays and auto pans become somewhat misplaced in the shifting time of your music. Now there are three reasons you might be having difficulty seeing Ableton in time with your band. You band isn’t using a metronome at all.Your band uses a metronome, and the metronome is being triggered by a device that CAN sync with Ableton, but you haven’t set them to communicate Your band uses a metronome that is stand alone and cannot communicate with Ableton. For the purpose of…

19Feb 2019 by Brett Pontecorvo

Controlling Ableton’s Tempo From Any Controller

1Creating A Keyboard Set Up, Blog, Featured, Program Features

If you aren’t using the handful of controllers with a dedicated button for controlling Ableton’s tempo, you may find yourself at a bit of a lose for how you can control Tempo Now of course there are simple options like assigning tempos to a master scene, or using a tap tempo. However... In my experience using Ableton with a live band in a real performance, being able to push the tempo a few clicks up and down is absolutely priceless. Unfortunately, It’s not quite as simple as mapping a button and calling it an afternoon. You can use any controller, but for more reasons than I can count, I highly recommend you get your hands on a Novation Launch Control XL. I can give you quite a few reasons that…

09Feb 2019 by Brett Pontecorvo

Prepping Multi Tracks For Use In Arrangement View

1Sound Design, Blog, Live Playback, Program Features

In the years of running tracks, I have gone through many phases of what I thought was best. After much reflection, I realize much of what works best is situational. Session view and arrangement view each have their own advantages. Today, we are going to look at how to prep multi Tracks for use in Arrangement View. If you are more interested in session view, you can check out my post, Exporting stems to session view. Track Prep Overview These are the steps you will go through to get a track ready for playback. Since it is a somewhat involved process, I find it helpful to start with a birds eye view and then move into details. Create MIDI clip markers to temporarily replace locatorsCreate tempo track to lesson automation…

22Jan 2019 by Brett Pontecorvo

How To Save Sounds With Audio Effects

1Sound Design, Blog, Program Features

Make sure you save the WHOLE idea... Let me set the scene. You have just spent 90 minutes getting a sound for your next performance dialed in just right. You created it using Ableton's wavetable, delay, auto-filter, Dynamic tube, and glue compressor. The glorious moment arrives for you to save your newly created sound into your user library. You click the save as preset button, celebrate because you can now use your awesome patch in every live set, open a new live set and drag in the saved preset. Slow tears begin to roll down your face because all that was saved with the patch, with NONE OF YOUR EFFECTS 90 minutes lost... That you can never get back.... Sound familiar? Admittedly, It's happen to me before. So, whats' the remedy?…

12Jan 2019 by Brett Pontecorvo

Cleaner, More Interesting Chord Triggers

1Sound Design, Blog, Midi, Program Features, Uncategorized

Chord Triggers are a great tool. As a Keyboard player who is constantly playing the parts of several people with just ten fingers, they can be quite indespensible. It's always better to think in terms of artistic value though, as opposed to a necessary aid for covering more ground then physically possible. So the question then has always been, how to I keep more chord triggers sounding, natural, clean, and transparent. Here are three tricks I've come up with over the years that have helped me to use chord triggers in an effective way. I have also built a diatonic chord trigger that works in all 12 keys for you. You can download a free copy of that by clicking here. It's touch sensitive so high velocities produce bass notes,…

08Jan 2019 by Brett Pontecorvo

Writing Dummy Clips WIth The Two Click Method

1UsingAbleton, Blog, Program Features, Transition Essentials

Writing dummy clips is essential for working in Ableton, especially in session view. Dummy clips can have many functions. We can use them for patch changes like described in this post. You can use them to create that sort of "Jump to" functionality the way you are able to in Mainstage. You can also use them to adjust the range of keyboard splits, or other types of set up adjustments. No matter what way you cut it, you will be putting information into dummy clips within Ableton, and so it's really important that you are able to do it quickly and efficiently. The Two Click Method The two click method of writing dummy clips actually has four steps. It's a great work flow that is going to save you tons…

29Dec 2018 by Brett Pontecorvo

Automation In Arrangement View

1UsingAbleton, Blog, Program Features

Working with automation is a great way to bring your music to life. You use automation to tell Ableton how to move and change any given parameter over a timeline. This works particularly well in arrangement view since it is so naturally tied to the timeline. The Two Most Common Uses Making a track If you are using Ableton live to build a track, automation will be your friend and come in handy. For example, you may want a ton of reverb on a particular drum hit, but not anywhere else in the track. In that case, you could automate your reverb send to turn all the way up for that hit, and off for the rest of the song. You may also use automation for turning on and off…

22Dec 2018 by Brett Pontecorvo

Supercharge Your Live Performance With Macros

1Creating A Keyboard Set Up, 1Sound Design, Blog, Live Playback, Midi, Program Features

Ever wonder why all of your keyboard sounds feel stagnant, sterile, and computerized? Perhaps you feel comfortable making set lists, but are looking to make your sounds go the extra mile? If you're tired of sounding more like a robot than a musician, read on... https://youtu.be/VB_rngXDS_4 Every instrument has the ability to produce many types of sounds... Ableton is VERY MUCH your instrument, so your approach to creating a variety of dynamics, textures, and tones is pivotal in creating a captivating performance. Unfortunately, just popping a few audio effects after a synthesizer isn't going to give you the ALIVE feeling that you need to have. In order to make your sounds pop you must have the ability to change how, and how much a sound is effected in real time,…

18Dec 2018 by Brett Pontecorvo

How To Record Automation In Ableton

Blog, Presets and Sounds, Program Features

Recording automation in Ableton Live is just about as easy as recording anything else in Ableton Live. There is and will always be a time and a place to manually draw in your automation, but much like using curved automation lines, recording your automation brings in a whole new level of human expression to what could be otherwise stagnant. You can record all of the same parameters that you can manually enter in live. However, with the ability to record Ableton you can capture things that you actually do during a live performance such as Aftertouch and Modwell adjustments. If you add this to the other things that you could draw in that you might actually do with a controller during a live performance like bring side-chained effects in and out, adjust…

Category: Program Features