VST/LIVE-FX

I try to use my VST instruments in Live, but they don't show up in the VST Plug-in-Window.
Unfortunately, you can't use VST instruments within Live. Any VST instruments in your Plug-in directory will be ignored when you launch the program.

Why doesn´t Live show my VST Plug-ins in the VST-Browser Window ?
Please go to the "Preferences" menu and select the appropriate VST folder. Live´s default setting is the VST folder within your Live Folder.

I have set a mixer or fx control to a certain value before saving - but it is not restored! What is wrong?
This requires a little explanation: In the course of session recording, you have tweaked mixer and fx controls. These movements are recorded into the Arrangement along with the clips launch.
When finished recording, little red corners will appear around every control that has a movement recorded (we call it 'automation'). You can edit the automation as an envelope in the Arranger, by selecting the required control.
If you now decide to change the value of an automated (red-cornered) control, by dragging or typing:
- if you are in record mode, your action is recorded, obviously;
- if you are not, Live assumes you are trying something, but not (yet) overwriting the original automation. Therefore it temporarily de-activates the automation in favour of your new setting.
The 'Back-to-Arrangement' button in the Control Bar lights up to warn you: what you hear is not what is on 'tape'! Clicking on the Back-to-Arrangement button will re-activate all automation. Here is what you can do to avoid losing data:
- Watch the Back-to-Arrangement button. Make sure it's off before saving.
- Get rid of automation data where it is not required, by selecting automated control and choosing Delete Automation from the Edit menu.

MIDI

I have timing problems while sync'ing Live and Cubase.
Make sure that "Favour Midi Timing" option is checked in Cubase!

How can i use more than one Midi-controller for Live´s Midi capabilities ?
You can use only one Midi device for controlling purposes and another device to equip Live with Midi /SMPTE Sync. It can be the same device obviously (such as a synthesizer that sends/receives Controller and Midi timing information) or an OMS IAC Bus (Mac OS 9).

I want to sync e.g. Logic/Cubase via Midi Clock/OMS IAC Bus (Mac OS9) to Live, but I can´t get a sync signal in Live?
Please make sure that you have marked "Run Midi in background" option in the OMS set up. Of course, the preferred option for synchronizing Live with another application is ReWire.

AUDIO SYSTEM/ASIO

I try to load an audio file into Live, but keep receiving the error message: "Encountered problems while reading. File is corrupt." I don't have any problems with this file in other programs. What can I do?
Please send a brief message regarding your problem to bugs@ableton.com, and attach the audio file to your letter. This error occurs occasionally, and depends on the software that the file was created with. You can use an external audio editor to open the files that Live recognises as corrupted, and then re-save them (under another name if you want to avoid confusion) with the program's Save-As command. When you load those files into Live again, the problem should be solved.

I often have a Harddisc Overload/suttering file-playback on my Mac OS 9. Is there anything I can do?
When this occurs, you can increase the number of runable tracks by creating a "RAM-Disc" in the Memory control panel. Naturally, the amount of audio-data can not exceed the amount of free RAM available for the "RAM-Disc"; as the name suggests, the files will then be read straight from the RAM and not from the harddisk. Another solution of this problem is to reduce the amount of running tracks by converting some of your Stereo files to Mono. You can do that using any standard Sample editor. (simple math: 10 playing Stereo Tracks mean in fact that you run 20 mono Tracks - this will especially cause problems on slower Laptop/Powerbook Harddrives).

I can´t select my ASIO interface as an audio output device in Live.
Make sure that you have copied the "real" copy of your Asio driver (aliases don´t work!) into Live´s Asio Folder. You´ll find this folder within Live´s "Resources" Folder.

REWIRE

After setting up ReWire I can't hear any signal through Live's ReWire channels.
Make sure you have the monitor input turned on for the ReWire channel. You'll find the button in each Track-Slot below the Headphone icon. The same button is also used to make audio recordings into Live (through the currently selected inputs).

The Rewire channels don't appear in my Logic Mixer. What can I do?
Turn off the "Multi Processor Support" function in Logic (if it´s activated); then, Logic will add the "Others" submenue to "Instruments" (where you can choose the Rewire channels).

SESSION VIEW

When I play scene with active monitoring in some tracks (the 'microphone' switch is lit), Live records new clips. Can I avoid that?
Please use the function "Add / Remove slot button" in the edit menu to solve this problem.

ARRANGER VIEW

In the Arranger, I can't copy clips by drag-drop with the Alt-modifier held (as it works in all other programs).
Drag the selected part without pressing the Alt-key and press the Alt-key when you drop the selected part on its new position. You´ll see a small "+" symbol at the bottom of your cursor.

GENERAL/OTHERS

When my Live version is updated, can I delete the old one?
Do the same as with other applications: run the latest program version, but keep the old one until you have the impression that the latest Version is good and stable (of course it should be like that). Please test all features - try to load your Songs/Sessions and if everything is fine, get rid of your old Versions.

I can´t select Spark as the editor in Mac OSX, what is wrong ?
This can be done with a small trick: Spark is a bundled application (actually a folder that only looks like an application), and Live doesn't know yet how to handle those bundles. We hope to fix this problem in the next major version (Live 2.0). For now, you can solve the problem by making a symbolic link to the actual application file inside of the bundle folder. Unfortunately, to do that, you'll have to go to the Terminal. Open the Terminal, and change the directory to Spark folder. For example, if you installed your default location in /Applications, type this: Code: cd '/Applications/SPARK ME 2.5' Now make the symbolic link: Code: ln -s 'Spark ME.app/Contents/MacOS/SPARK ME' Spark-Link Now go back to Live and choose Spark-Link as your sample editor.

Is Ableton Live still compatible with Mac OS 8.6?
With MacOS 8.6 you can only use Live versions below 1.5 If you use MacOS 9.04 you will probably have to download the "CarbonLib" System- extension from www.apple.com

My Question is still not answered. What should I do ?
There are two sources for help: ableton's forum and ableton's tech support. Please check out the forum first; you might find an answer for your question.

Otherwise, email Christian Kleine at support@ableton.com. Please help us to provide faster response by:

- making sure you are running the latest version of Live. We can only support the current release.
- giving us your computer configuration / OS.
- attaching to your email the Live.log file which is found at (Installation Directory)/Ableton/Preferences (Windows); /System/Preferences/Ableton (MacOS9) and /Library/Preferences/Ableton (MacOSX).
This file contains useful information for identifying problems.