Editing Tools

Editing an Arrangement in Ableton Live

Now we're going to look at editing an arrangement: how we can start moving things around, easily modify, cut, delete, and edit elements within our arrangement.

Overview of Editing

It's very easy to splice things, cut them, shrink them, grow them, you name it!

Editing Within Ableton Live

Now let's look at editing within Ableton Live. I'll go over to my arrangement view where I'll have various options for making changes.

• Repetition: If I play this now, it will sound somewhat repetitive since the same elements will occur over and over. Remember, this is only one part of a complete composition.

Deleting and Extending Clips

To delete something, I can select a clip and hit delete.

• Extending Clips:
  • Whenever I hover near a clip, you'll see a little brace appear.
  • I can click and hold it to extend it out or shrink it in any direction I want.

Splitting Clips

I can also split clips. For example, if I want the beginning part but not the middle section, I can do the following:

1. Select the desired clip.
2. Press Ctrl + E (or Command + E on Mac) to split or cut that section.
3. If I need to, I can delete the unwanted part or use Ctrl + Z (or Command + Z) to undo.

Copying and Duplicating

• Copying: I can use Ctrl + C to copy.
• Pasting: Use Ctrl + V to paste.
• Duplicating: Use Ctrl + D (or Command + D) to duplicate.

Creating Compositions

You can start cutting sections, for instance:

• Cut a section using Ctrl + E.
• Then duplicate it with Ctrl + D.

This process allows for easy creation and modification of different compositions.

Subtractive Arrangement

Now I can delve into something called a subtractive arrangement.

• I can get rid of elements like the bass up to a certain point.
• Clicking and dragging allows me to modify the track structure easily.

As I play around with the clips, I find that now my intro is defined, and I can structure the following sections based on when the beat comes in.

Tools for Building Arrangements

There are additional tools to help in building out this concept:

• Repeating Sections: If I want a section to repeat, I can move it where needed and use Ctrl + E (or Command + E) to split, or Ctrl + D (or Command + D) to duplicate.

Time Options

I have powerful options under the Edit menu, such as:

• Cut Time: This cuts the entire selected area.
• Duplicate Time: This duplicates the selected section.
• Delete Time: Use this if you want to remove an ending part completely.

Example Edits

For example, if I duplicate an area and then cut or paste sections, I can create a more minimal intro.

• The full beat will come in seamlessly.
• I can also delete time to compact the arrangement.

Editing can be done while the track is playing back, allowing for real-time adjustments.

Conclusion

So, that's the basics of editing within Arrangement view in Ableton Live.

You can:

• Click and drag things,
• Cut and delete,
• Easily manipulate your composition.

It's a simple and effective way to start crafting your arrangement!