Ableton Live’s Monitor Modes: When To Use IN, AUTO, and OFF

Understand how and when to use each monitor mode in Ableton (IN, AUTO, OFF).
Here's what you'll learn in this video:
-What each monitor mode does
-What mode is best for the studio?
-What mode is best for the stage?
-When to use each mode?
-What mode will help you do your best Ed Sheeran impersonation?
---
Like this content? Make sure to subscribe to see when I post new videos: fs2s.link/youtube-subscribe
Become a From Studio to Stage student:
fs2s.link/subscribe
Download all my templates/patches/presets:
fs2s.link/shop
Set-up a quick 15 minute call with me:
fs2s.link/15minute
Set-up an hour long remote Zoom call with me:
fs2s.link/oneonone
Purchase Ableton Live
fs2s.link/ableton
Purchase Ableton Push
fs2s.link/push
----
Download my free Gear Guide:
fs2s.link/gear
Download free Click Tracks for Ableton Live:
fs2s.link/clicks
Download free Guide Cue files for Ableton Live:
fs2s.link/cues
Download free ProPresenter 7 MIDI cues template:
fs2s.link/pp7
Download my free Getting Started with Live 11 Guide:
fs2s.link/live-11
Download free LTC/Timecode files for Ableton Live:
fs2s.link/timecode
Disclaimer: This video and description may contain affiliate links. By you clicking on these links, you’re supporting this channel and buying gear at the same time.
00:00 Introduction
00:27 Channel Intro
00:40 Monitor Mode Intro
01:01 IN Monitor Mode
03:16 AUTO Monitor Mode
05:30 OFF Monitor Mode
08:37 Wrap Up

[@tomn.8475]

I also think the 'OFF" option is best for the lowest latency when recording. In that case, you'd want to use your Digital Interface "MIX" knob to 'hear yourself' or if using an instrument. But of course, when doing that, you won't be able to hear the effects in real-time.

[@lauraciuraneta]

thank you so much for this vid! I understand better now, before watching this i felt completely lost with this parameter ^^ also loved that you referenced ed sheeran since it's the first artist i saw performing with ableton and who inspired me immensely as a teenager

[@fromstudiotostage]

Glad it helped! Thanks for watching!

[@MichaelSchiesserMD]

A practical reason to use "off" is when you are bringing in a signal from Universal Audio for example a virtual channel containing computer audio. If you don't turn the abelton monitor to off, it will feedback like crazy.

[@joeseabreeze]

Cool vid. I’ve found when recording, it’s best to leave all Live (i.e. daw) monitoring off. There’s always just enough latency to mess with the take. I’d rather monitor from the audio interface (or mixer) directly to headphones. When I’m recording vocals, I don’t even need monitoring because my voice is loud enough to cut through the audio coming through the headphones 😀 I’ve honestly never found any use for monitoring through a daw unless I’m using it as a midi sound source

[@freyafoxmusic]

There’s a trick to do this so you can hear the processing on your vocals while recording , without latency at all You just duplicate the vocal track and chain Record both at the same time , one without monitoring and monitor the other It’ll record perfectly

[@joeseabreeze]

@@freyafoxmusic It's not an issue with the recorded track, it's about what you're hearing via the headphones while recording. There's very little need to hear the processing chain on a vocal while recording it, so I find it's best just to hear what's going into the mixer/audio interface, rather than hearing all the processing (which generally adds a bit of delay)

[@joeseabreeze]

​@@jasoncruizer I would never rely on vst plugins for my guitar effects chain. It's always going to be from an outboard preamp (or mic'd up amp) and outboard effects chain . If not, it's going to sound cheesy. I have cab sim and guitar amp vsts and they don't even come close to the quality of outboard gear. However, I might tweak the guitar track with addition effects after the recording (but mostly things like compression, eq, and reverb). Live performance using vst plugins is just not a good approach in general. Also, the quality of your audio interface matters as well. If you're using a $50 audio interface (or even some popular brands like Focusrite and PreSonus), you're likely to have more latency than high-end interfaces that are used in pro studios

[@coyoteserranoband]

Love this thumbnail

[@fromstudiotostage]

I'm pretty happy with this one too :)

[@a.devries1388]

Im a live keyboard player, when I use in monitors the colors of my clip disappear. Any solution for this?

[@bswinn97]

I’m having an issue where i’m trying send my vocal microphone through ableton for some processing and FX, then send it out to the sound board, but I keep getting that doubling with my voice. Is there a way where I can just send the processed audio of my microphone from ableton?

[@Stefvlaere]

You mean that when you are recording you hear both the dry signal of your microphone + the processed sound from Ableton, right? My guess is that you have an audio interface that has "live monitoring" of the input. If you turn that off (for example if you have a Focusrite, you can mute the channel with Focusrite control), you should only hear the Ableton processed sound.

[@bswinn97]

@@Stefvlaere Hm i’ll have to take a look into that. Thanks for the reply!

[@nliss860]

How is it not playing in headphones tho, how can you hear it through the speakers? Still kinda confused

[@potapow8684]

I don't remember leaving those comments. Why did I write them in all caps? That's weird af🤔

[@fiboleomat]

why when I play the guitar on the In mode, the sound hears later (sorry for my english)

[@Turtlpwr]

This is called “latency”. To fix: Ableton monitoring will be Off Monitor from your audio interface directly Add all the effects and processing after you record, while you mix.

[@potapow8684]

AND HOW CAN WE RECORD TO A TRACK WHILE ANOTHER CLIP ON THIS TRACK IS PLAYING?

[@fromstudiotostage]

YOU CAN ONLY RECORD/PLAY ONE CLIP ON A TRACK AT A TIME. YOU CAN CREATE ANOTHER TRACK AND RECORD YOUR INPUT ON THAT TRACK WHILE LISTENING TO THE CLIP IN THE OTHER TRACK. THANKS FOR WATCHING!!!!!!

[@potapow8684]

BUT HOW CAN WE HEAR OURSELVES WITH SIMULTANIOUSLY LISTENING TO RECORDED CLIP?????????

[@chaddy3277]

SAMEEE