Everything I Know About Optimizing Ableton Live For Apple Silicon

[@keagansemon8506]

I think it’s best people understand that Will is talking about running a project that is mainly just playing wav files. Yes, if you run 256 in a project with lots of vst synths and processing, you will have pops, clicks, and freeze on the space bar. Especially if you have any plugins oversampling. That being said, my M3 can run a full finished project with synths and busses running tons of things at 96000 512 without spikes. Once I turn on any oversampling shit hits the fan haha

[@faeriepalace]

my mind is blown by the buffer size tip alone cuz i always just had mine at the highest until i had to record stuff ... ahhhh this video is so great thank u

[@Richard_P_James]

As the locators are fairly small in Live, I tend to create an empty MIDI track at the top of my session and add separate MIDI clips with a colour code for each section of my track. Visually at least, it’s far easier to see what’s going on than using the standard locators.

[@caintheperson]

I wonder if that would push the CPU a little? Especially in a large arrangements are filled with multiple songs?

[@fromstudiotostage]

yeah a markers track is the best way to keep track of your song sections. Don't sleep on locators also, as it's the secret sauce that let's you repeat. Check out the content on the channel to learn how!

[@fromstudiotostage]

Cain-great question. Thankfully locators and a markers track have ZERO impact on CPU, so add away!

[@thomaslthomas1506]

Good idea, I’ve been working with some long pieces . I’m gonna try this.

[@crisprieto1545]

Sick advice!!! Will do this!

[@goo9637]

This video is GENIUS ! I just changed my buffer size from 512 to 256 and voila ! it lowered my cpu usage from 39% to a blowing 13%... Thanks for the info ! :-)

[@robowser]

Would have never thought to lower buffer for better performance, been doing the opposite forever (PC's, Intel Macs). Why is this not in Ableton docs?! Thanks - you're the man!

[@merihakaboogie]

You have a lot of valuable info and a great channel, keep up the good work! Respectfully, I disagree with the part that says to set the cpu metering on average. If our goal is to have zero dropouts, then current cpu is all that matters. Once you go beyond 100% even as a momentary spike you will have a buffer error. This can be easily tested by creating an artificial heavy cpu load in a single point of time. For example, playing a lot of voices simultaneously on a VST like Serum with high unison count while using a low buffer size. The transient will crackle, even though the average meter stays within safe limits.

[@fromstudiotostage]

I would do what you feel most confident in :)

[@merihakaboogie]

@@fromstudiotostageI dont see what confidence has to do with cpu metering or dropouts, as I understand how buffering works in daws. But if it makes you happier then go ahead and average ;)

[@jimmyrigs]

This was such a valuable video! I had been wondering why i was having disk error messages and dropouts after having added locators. Collect all and save on everything has also worked flawlessly for me. Using an M1 Max MBP 16”

[@fromstudiotostage]

Glad it helped!

[@billweir1745]

Did you ever make a video about how many tracks you can have in a set? Or how many songs you can have in a whole set?

[@user-km6eh3ox9h]

Thanks a lot bro 🙏

[@Opd351]

this is legit the best youtube channel for ableton anything thank you youre a treasure Will

[@fromstudiotostage]

I appreciate that!

[@Opd351]

i did MASTERTRACK 2019 with Electronic Creatives and Laura Escude and your channel by far is the best for keeping my playback skills sharp and fresh, youre a great explainer of something that can be so complicated (playback) on the surface@@fromstudiotostage

[@IlianaBeilis]

Hey man! you really blow my mind by the buffer size... I recently buy a Mac Studio M2 Max and it's been HEEEELLL!!! I don't know why Ableton 12 doesn't work with plugins (and I assure you that I've payed for them!) so I don't know what to do. In my old Macbookpro I used to use AU but now I read that it's better if I use VST3 but no matter what I do, my session crashed at minimal use. I'm using Ableton with Rosseta by the way... PLEASE CAN YOU HELP ME??!!!

[@DamonZenDrummer]

Great video Will ! Love the community you founded!

[@fromstudiotostage]

Thanks Damon and thanks for watching!!

[@h20sports434]

lmao my cpu usage went from 30% to 6& thank u so much man! God bless!

[@donlakakwaaijazz5220]

That sorted my problems i couldn't run NI and Keyscape whilst running tracks and now i an doing it without problems...thanks a million ,great information.

[@fromstudiotostage]

Awesome!! Glad it helped

[@jeffthompson6162]

I still run live 10 on an intel based mac. rock solid. want to make the switch to apple silicon and live 11 soon. thanks for the info!

[@fromstudiotostage]

Awesome! Glad to help, thanks for watching

[@enriquesuarez2214]

Amazing video, thank you so much!

[@fromstudiotostage]

Glad you liked it!

[@abeteezy]

legendd

[@Okamiiee]

I thought it was supposed to be lower than 512.. I feel like lower than 256 will definitively cause popping

[@wildekek]

Both the Locators and Collect all and Save issues should not make any performance difference in theory and really sound like nasty bugs in Live. Any feedback on this from the Ableton folks?

[@slippyg]

I think this might be the opposite on Live 12, because if I go to 32 samples, i get 72% and when I go 256 samples, I get 32% CPU.

[@SebastianMateo]

Sadly, whenever I drop my sample rate lower than 512, it lags... i have the M1 Pro with 10 cpu cores, might be that I have the 11.3 version?

[@fromstudiotostage]

i'd have to see your set to see what you mean by "lag", but don't miss the step that you HAVE to be at 256 or less, and then we can optimize further from there. 512 or higher will 100% cause issues.

[@SebastianMateo]

@@fromstudiotostage Thanks a lot for your reply! By 'lag' I meant the audio almost completely breaks (both in Ableton and from other apps like Chrome or Discord) as soon as I set it to 256.

[@SebastianContreras-dr3id]

I just upgraded from the i7 to an M1, @256 so far with a 40 track project and 4/7active plugins, and its cpu is between 10-35, but between breaks or pauses w the bar it chops up to 70/100, popped every-time I hit the space so if under 256 is the principal then idk lol 512 Samples works like a dream so far but Im trying to warm her up and see what happens

[@loopingleo]

I am having the same issue :( M1 MBP running Ableton Live 11.3 (wasn’t better with 11.2) and it’s crackling all the time - so much that I am not able to make music and just get annoyed. I realized as I run Output’s Arcade this seems to substantially increase issues.

[@ChrisUlrich]

Any word on using Apple Silicon and Paralells/Bootcamp for Ableton?

[@MrDalpe]

Hi, I'm doing MIDI zoning via Ableton with my Yamaha MODX and I'm getting MIDI hangs. Have a M2 Pro. Do you have a solution for that? If you have, that would be a great help.

[@MrDalpe]

Also happens when playing VSTs in multiple instrument racks.

[@GG-zv9ku]

I still think Ableton need to work on optimizing Live. If other DAW are working better then Live can too

[@JoshuaLoveofficial]

Takeaway: 256 or lower

[@johnaroj]

what about m2 pro chips that uses more effeciency cores than performance core?

[@fromstudiotostage]

Applies to ALL Apple Silicon

[@nickperez_]

1000th view… lol