How To: Build An Ableton Set

Read Time: 5Min

This article will give you a step-by-step process for building an Ableton set for a live service experience.

Part 1: Useful Key Commands
Part 2: Downloading & Unpacking Songs
Part 3: Building the Set
Part 4: Saving the Set
Part 5: Best Practices
Part 6: Frequently Asked Questions

Part 1: Useful Key Commands

• Cmd + C = Copy
• Cmd + X = Cut
• Cmd + V = Paste
• Cmd + R = Rename
• Shift + Cmd + Delete = Delete Time
• Option + Cmd + F = Create Fade

Part 2: Downloading & Unpacking Songs

• Step 1: Go to Dropbox and download the songs needed for the upcoming set.
  • Tracks are located at Highlands->Worship->Services->Ableton->Tracks.
• Step 2: Highlight each song and double-click to unpack them all at once.

Part 3: Building the Set

• Step 1: In Ableton’s browser, locate and open the Arrangement View Template.
• Step 2: Locate the tracks in Ableton's browser and find the .als(Ableton Live Set).
  • This is the file that is able to be dragged into the Ableton set.
• Step 3: Click and drag the file into your set.

• Step 4: Highlight all of the utility tracks (loop trigger, tempo track, guide, and click track) using shift + click and move them to the corresponding channels in the template.
  • Here is a great time to use the “Cut” and “Paste” commands.
  • Additionally, deleting the extra utility channels gives more space to work.

• Step 5: Repeat the previous step for the song tracks.
• Step 6: Trim the excess space between songs.
  • Highlight all of the excess space between songs and use the “Delete Time” command to remove it.

• Step 7: Add the LOOP locator.
  • Right-click in the scrub area and click the “add locator” function.
• Step 8: Clean up.
  • Rename the locator at the beginning of the songs.
  • Rename the track folders.
• Step 9: Repeat for each song.

Part 4: Saving the Set

• Save As…
  • In the menu bar, navigate to the File tab-> Save Live Set As…
  • Save the set somewhere easy to find.
• Collect All and Save
  • This is to be used immediately after the initial save.
  • This function collects all files imported into the Ableton set and stores them in one place. 
  • Especially useful when transferring sets from computer to computer.
• Packing up a set
  • If sending a set through any cloud-based file-sharing application, it is good to “pack” your set up. This is similar to creating .zip files with folders.
  • Menu Bar-> File-> Manage Files
    • A tab on the right side of Ableton will open.
    • Manage Project-> Open the “Packing” tab-> Create Pack
  • This creates the .alp or Ableton Live Pack to be used for easy transferring.

Part 5: Best Practices

• File Organization
  • Keeping files in a folder on the desktop allows for quick organization.
  • Delete files after the set is no longer needed in order to prevent cluttering up the computer’s storage.

Part 6: Frequently Asked Questions / Troubleshooting

• What if I can’t remember a key command?
  • All key commands are listed next to their corresponding function in the “Edit” and “Create” tab in the menu bar.