Track Monitoring Options in Ableton Live
This tutorial shows the user the three different monitoring options that Ableton offers the user in order to listen to the information recorded into a track, and how to use Track Monitoring Options in Ableton Live.
These monitoring options are specially useful in audio tracks, but can also be selected in MIDI tracks. However, for the scope of this tutorial, we will be only studying the example of audio tracks.
Let’s look at an audio track channel strip in Ableton Live:
The track monitoring section of the channel strip is located right on top of the “Audio To” section as:
It is easy to see how there are three basic options displayed: “In”, “Auto”, “Off”. This tutorial will show how each one of them work
- Track Monitoring: IN
When “IN” is selected at the Monitor section of the track, the user will only listen to the input of the track. The input of the track is what the track is receiving whether it is recording or not.
If “IN” is selected, the user cannot listen to the information that is already recorded into the track but only the audio being received by the input of the interface.
The main purpose of the “IN” option, is basically for the musician to “practice” the part. If IN is selected, the session can start playback and the musician can listen to his/her instrument on top of the arrangement to practice a part until he/she is confident to actually record it.
2) Track Monitoring: AUTO
When “AUTO” is selected at the Monitor section of the track, the user will only listen to the input of the track when the track is recording. Conversely, when the track is playing back, the user will listen to the recorded information on it. This “switch” will be done automatically by the software when the track goes in and out of record mode.
“AUTO” mode is the default mode recommended for all tracks in Ableton and the vast majority of Digital Audio Workstations.
The main purpose of the “AUTO” is to be able to record audio on top of another part, therefore replacing it. Basically while the track is record enabled, the user can start playing back the arrangement and the user will be listening to whatever is on that track already recorded; when the user punches-in to record, the AUTO mode switches the listening to be the input of the track so the user can listen to whatever he/she is actually playing on it.
3) Track Monitoring: OFF
When “OFF” is selected at the Monitor section of the track, the user will not listen to the track.
We hope you found this tutorial on Track Monitoring Options in Ableton Live useful. Please call us at 615-933-6775 to get started on your Ableton Live training!