Plugged In: Starting Your Track
For the second tutorial of the series we are going to go over how to make a loop in Ableton Live. The process is essentially the same across all DAWs, but the specific function and menu names will vary. Even if building music out of loops is not your intended or preferred workflow, the production techniques we’ll go over can be applied to any method of music-making. I specifically made the loop in the video so that each track demonstrates a different technique to build your song: using samples (one-hits and loops), virtual instruments, direct-input recording, and recording with a microphone. In future episodes we will expand on these techniques and how to use them more professionally, but for today’s purposes this video will help you start recording your ideas so you can polish them later. Since there are a few things you should know that weren’t covered in the demonstration, this article will help fill in the gaps. Additionally, there are links at the end of this article that will help you keep rolling while we prepare the next segment, but if you have any questions or requests, DM us on Instagram @talkbackblog or comment on the video!
*:43- The setup I am using is Ableton Live 10 Standard on a PC running Windows 10. I have an Audio Technica AT2035 condenser microphone and my Ibanez Artcore AS73 electric guitar plugged into a Scarlett 2i2 audio interface. I am monitoring everything on Samson SR850 headphones.
*:43- To use your interface, you will need to install a driver off of the manufacturer’s website. In the case of Scarlett, you can go to their site and click on the downloads link to find a page that will help you navigate to the correct driver for your interface. Universal Audio and Apogee have similar processes for finding the software for your device.
A note on ASIO4ALL: This is a program for Windows that, for all intents and purposes, stands in for the driver of your interface. It allows your computer’s soundcard to be used like an ASIO soundcard, the kind that your interface uses. While in some cases there are advantages to using ASIO4ALL as your driver, generally it is best to use the driver that comes with your interface. However, ASIO4ALL is a great program if you are working without an interface and will allow you to create music using MIDI instruments or USB microphones.
Generally when you load your DAW and select the driver for your interface from the audio preferences menu, it will automatically load the best settings to use. Sometimes this doesn’t work out perfectly though in which case the best way to solve the problem is by searching how to resolve its symptoms for your particular DAW. Is there too much latency (the time between you pressing a key/making a sound and hearing it in your speakers)? Are there clicks and pops in your audio? Depending on the variables there are a host of things you can try, but generally if you can describe what you think is wrong or what you are trying to fix, there will be internet forums that will walk you through how to troubleshoot it.
*:1:06- Samples can be categorized as loops or one-hits. A virtual sampler, like Ableton’s Simpler, allows you to play that sound with a MIDI controller and manipulate it using the sampler’s functions. Ableton’s Drum Rack loads multiple instances of Simpler so that you can trigger multiple samples at once. While DAWs have built in samplers that can be extremely useful, there are several great third-party sampler VSTs such as Native Instrument’s Kontakt and Izotope’s Iris 2 that offer additional features you may want to check out.
*4:20: Instead of dragging MIDI notes around inside piano roll you can use quantization, a tool that pushes all the notes to their “proper” timing and position on the grid.
*6:19: Some MIDI instruments come built in with your DAW, but additional instruments can be used by installing third-party software. The virtual instrument market is immense, ranging in quality, function, and price so feel free to peruse and research which ones work best for you.
*7:34: Some interfaces come with built in mic-preamps and direct-injection boxes (DIs). Microphone preamps differ from phantom power, which is just a power source built into most interfaces that most condenser microphones need to work. Microphone preamps amplify the level of the signal being sent from your microphone into your computer so that it is audible. The sound quality of the ones built into most interfaces is not that great, but there are plug-ins and hardware mic-preamps that can help with that (more on why this is when we talk about microphones). DIs, for all intents and purposes, level the output signals of your instrument and allow them to be transmitted accurately to your recording equipment. They also range in quality but the ones in your interface will work, assuming your interface has them (most have at least one or two).
*8:31: The black circle in front of my microphone is a pop filter which helps reduce the volume spike caused by “P” and “T” sounds (sounds that create an audible pop). You can make one yourself by stretching pantihose over some sort of frame. We’ll go over more ways to better record with microphones in the next article.
Audio Resources:
VST/Software sites:
https://www.pluginboutique.com/
https://bedroomproducersblog.com/free-vst-plugins/ (FREE)
https://www.native-instruments.com/en/specials/free-vst-plugins/
https://slatedigital.com/ (primarily mixing plugins but they have some good synths and effects as well)
*these sites include effects and things that we have not covered yet but will in upcoming episodes on processing sounds
VST Compilation Lists/Product Recommendations
https://consordini.com/best-vst-plugins/
https://blog.landr.com/best-free-vst-plugins/
https://bedroomproducersblog.com/2019/12/27/free-vst-2019/ (FREE)
Sample Sources:
https://labs.loc.gov/work/experiments/citizen-dj/
https://www.musicradar.com/news/the-best-free-music-samples-and-loop-download-sites-on-the-web
https://plus.pointblankmusicschool.com/7-essential-sites-to-download-high-quality-free-samples/
Reddit’s r/drumkits community has a barrage of free sample kits, some of which I used in the video.