How to Make a Click and Cues Track in Ableton

[@DrumElectric]

Like what I do? Click here: www.buymeacoffee.com/drumelectric

[@webtrendjohn]

Great Job... This has been immensely helpful. The simplest things can be very difficult if you don't know the process. You have demonstrated a lot of important information for me as a beginner in Ableton. I have tried to find out this information from a number of different You Tube sites and yours is the most concise and to the point. I will be using all you demonstrated.

[@DrumElectric]

Thank you so much!! Happy to hear I can help!

[@ten4roger271]

Just what i needed.. Thanks for this awesome tutorial

[@DrumElectric]

Glad I could help!!

[@musicstudynetwork]

Thank you for making this. It is quite helpful and flexible.

[@musicstudynetwork]

I did add a silent tack and set as a leader to adjust the tempo of each track in a set. Everything that is placed under the blank track will follow that tempo.

[@JoshuaSkaja]

If you don’t want to unclick Warp on each stem, you can turn off “auto warp long samples” in settings. Thanks for the ideas!

[@DrumElectric]

I’m STILL learning everyday, thank you Joshua!!

[@dontothepiano]

I used to just take the integrated ableton metronome but this makes things so much more flexible! because changing from having those 16th notes in certain songs to a more quarter note based click in the next song is so cool and really changes the feel of your pocket and the way you sound on the kit! thanks so much for this amazing tutorial

[@jimlund4845]

Super Helpful...I thoroughly enjoyed that tutorial! Cheers

[@azaleajanemusic]

Great tool, thank you!

[@cedmapi]

This was so incredibly helpful! Deff subscribing!

[@pianobeginnerlessons]

I cant seem to het any soh d in the click foundation

[@FrankowwYT]

Best tutorial ever ma man

[@pianobeginnerlessons]

The click foundation is not making any sound in the midi area when i tried recreating that

[@Inferreddrummerboii]

same

[@JonnyOhneHMusic]

@@Inferreddrummerboii same

[@scotdefreitas4879]

I'm not getting any sound out of the midi track for the click and cues? after I fiddle around with it I do manage to get sound but its coming through as keys instead of a click and/or cues.

[@a.mosley7105]

that was awesome, thank you man

[@FrankowwYT]

How do you change what the cue says because I play reggaeton live and I need the cue to say the word CHANETO 2 3 4 . Is there a way to do that?

[@DrumElectric]

Great question! Think of these cues as just literally samples. So if you want a specific song name, I’d use an AI voice and bring it in as if it were a sample as unfortunately the pack in this video specifically doesn’t have custom options

[@BenGilman]

Or just record them yourself and drag into the sampler, probably less annoying than text to speach

[@gumertoledo2888]

Thanks man!

[@calex2055]

One question. The midi clip goes in stereo, if I put to channel 3 (for example) and I put my inear in channel 3...I have only the click in one ear. Can you help me please? 😖😖😖😖😖

[@DrumElectric]

Sounds like the output of channel 3 is mono. If you plugged into channel 3 and 4 your problem may be fixed! If you plug into channel 4 only, do you have the same issue?

[@drummatronic]

Great info man. Thank you 👏🏼

[@DrumElectric]

Thank you!

[@adibfauzan5191]

thank you! I already made the cues, but when it comes to click it nothing sounds, can you help me with this?

[@nicotessi7]

Hi, is there a way to add the content of the dynamic cues folder into the guide cues midi track? Because now i can only use the content of the song sections folder as you shown in the video

[@DrumElectric]

Great question! It’s been a while for me, so I’m working on memory - but from what I remember, it should just be a case of importing the samples to the cues instrument like you would any sample, and then selecting it through MIDI. The best way is to treat it like you would a normal sampler!

[@danielecongiu6238]

Hi! Thank you for your videos. I' m continuing to struggling with a simple situation, but I don' t know where I get wrong. I use audient id24 as audio interface and I only want to use the ableton's metronome to listen the click only in the outputs 3-4 for a live performance. I follow all the instruction about routing the outputs and setting the audio interface's preferences. I can see from ableton and from the audient's software that the click (cue) is working only on the outputs 3-4, but I don't know why I continue to hear the click also from output 1-2. Can you help me about this? How can I fix it?

[@DrumElectric]

Great question! My first thought is to check the outputs of the cues track. If it’s set to “Master” then you’ll hear it out of the master outs. You’ll need to set it to “Ext Out” and that should (hopefully) fix the issue. You’ll also want to check the output settings of the ID24 too. So for example on the Focusrite, it has a software called “Focusrite Control” that allows me to change what each output does. It may be that the ID24 is set to output everything on Ableton rather than what you specifically set it to. Lastly, you can try and make sure all of the outputs are selected. It sounds like you’ve already done this, but just check in the Ableton preferences that the “Output Config” in the Audio tab has all the outputs you want selected

[@MrHenrikBank]

Thanks a lot for this video :) How about tracks with variable tempo - if you have a midi tempotrack from Cubase - can you somehow use that in Ableton Live - so that the tempo is dynamic within the song?

[@DrumElectric]

Thanks for the thanks! :) Great question! I automate the tempo in Ableton all the time, but I've never exported from one software into the other. If there's a way to export MIDI data from Cubase to your tracks, I don't see why that wouldn't work! You may have to manually automate the tempo though. A long method, but definitely works.

[@MrHenrikBank]

@@DrumElectric Managed to find a workaround. Had Cubase to detect the tempo and create a tempo track. Then I created an empty midi track and exported that as a midi file and when importing that file back into ableton it contained the tempo automation... :) Easy actually just needed a push in the right direction :)

[@DrumElectric]

@MrHenrikBank that’s amazing!! Thank you for sharing your findings!

[@ieadi6558]

i can't hear the click track, do i need to load the sound f irst?

[@jayrecords9353]

Perfect. How can I do this for 14 songs in the same session? With BPM changes on every song? Pauses in the show and also some tempo changes in actual songs which clicker needs to change in the end. any advice pls?

[@DrumElectric]

So funnily enough I actually dive into this on the full Ableton course - but! How I do it is automate the tempo change for that song, use AbleSet to customise the setlist and add auto stops/loops/go to next, etc and that gives me full control over the whole rig. It’s a bit of a task putting int the automations, but once it’s done it’s incredible

[@DrumElectric]

You don’t have to, but if you wanted to check out the Ableton course, you can find it here: drumelectric.company.site/The-Ableton-Backing-Track-Course-for-Drummers-p632961617 And if you decide to get AbleSet, you can use ‘Drumelectric’ for 10% off. But again, don’t feel like you have to purchase either! Just making sure you have all the info I can give!

[@successjack]

Can’t I make similar in Flstudio?

[@DrumElectric]

I don’t see why not!

[@femiolarewaju3125]

Can click and guide be used on go studio

[@thekingoftheweirdos]

Awesome video, but how do you set this up in Session view? Could you make a video on that?

[@DrumElectric]

Great question! I’ll look into it!

[@thekingoftheweirdos]

Awesome, that would be very helpful. @@DrumElectric

[@joelmccoy1989]

Is there a way to automate the click so it changes from quarter note to eights, sixteenths and so on? I'm putting together the tracks show for a band and some songs have different feels where sometimes the click would sound better in quarters and some in eights. Same question for when changing time signatures.

[@DrumElectric]

Absolutely there is! You can automate everything of the click using the built in automation on ableton. Just use the ‘A’ key on the keyboard and the automation settings should come up. Then select the click option you want, and bosh!

[@IZOOBADAVID]

Thanks, Hurry. My church is very spontaneous, with worship music and all. How do I add or loop a song section without the track sounding chopped?

[@DrumElectric]

The good thing about Ableton is that it can jump to different sections at the end of a bar, so as long as your tracks are in time with Ableton’s click, you’ll be good! To help with this further, I use a plugin called ‘AbleSet’ which allows me to hop around the whole track and setlist

[@fabioalferii]

HI, thank you for you nice video. I have a problem with Foundation 3.0, I can't ear the the accent click despite of I set the note in E3 as you did. When I play, I can see meters going yo 4, 8 and 16 note, but not on accent note....how can I solve this? thank you!

[@DrumElectric]

This is a strange one! Is that the same if you change the sound of the click? Sometimes it can be the click samples themselves

[@fabioalferii]

@@DrumElectric Hi, thank you for your reply! I changed the midi note to D# and it worked...I don't know how or why, but it works now! 😂

[@DrumElectric]

That summarises the fix of 95% of the problems I have with tech!

[@安帅瞻]

where can download Foundation 3.0. Thanks

[@TheSCHIFERR]

thanks bro u are amazing

[@dylogix]

11/10 thank you :)

[@romarnacampbell]

Hey! Could you go into more detail as to how to route this for a live show, so that the band can hear the cues and clicks but the audience won't? Thanks so much! ☺

[@DrumElectric]

Of course! So you can do this in two ways, either with an Audio Interface (I use the Focusrite 18i20) and send a bus with the click to deprecate outputs. Then you can get the monitor engineer to send the band only the click and cues. Or you can pan the tracks left and click right, and just send it out of the headphone output. Then the sound engineer can split it

[@djangobriley4953]

@@DrumElectric same thing applies to the solo 2nd gen?

[@kursesandkarma3224]

Thanks Harry. Would you be so kind and explain how you would route the click track to the headphone port in the SPDSX so that the click is not in the mix/backing track? That way I can run a cable from the headphone port to my Scarlett6i6 input and hear it out of the headphones of the Scarlett. Of course if there is an easier way, please feel free to share.

[@DrumElectric]

Great question! So you can’t do that from Ableton sadly. You’d have to either import the backing tracks directly onto the SPD-SX, put the click onto its own pad, and route that pad output just to the headphones. Or in Ableton, you’d setup a bus and route all the audio to it, then that output would be set to your headphones giving you control over how much of everything you hear

[@kursesandkarma3224]

@@DrumElectric Thanks for that information. I've never worked with a bus but will have to give it a go. Cheers.

[@santiago.drrrumzzz]

Can't thank you enough!

[@timzyk]

Great vid - THANK YOU!

[@HenrySalinas-u4p]

Thank you for the tutorial. Do you know why there are multiple preset boxes?

[@DrumElectric]

If you’re on the Ableton setup already, then it’s to add your own preset

[@BDUBDRUMS]

How do you add multiple clicks in a multisong setlist? Having trouble navigating! Thanks!

[@DrumElectric]

So I just put the next song a few bars after the previous with all the new clicks/audio. Then just making sure I label it with the markers like “End”, “Intro”, “Verse”, etc. I hope that answers your question!

[@huydavidpham]

I dont get it yet. So i created everything but if i want to apply the click on different songs, how is it possible to save if i want to hear the 1/4th 1/8th 1/16th notes on each song. So i dont have to set it up separately every time

[@DrumElectric]

Just to make sure I understand - do you mean multiple songs in one Ableton project and having the different clicks? Or do you mean one Ableton project per song, and so multiple Ableton projects?

[@huydavidpham]

@@DrumElectric one project w multiple songs and different clicks

[@ISEIfam]

i followed you exactly, but when i double clikc on cues MIDI, i only see notes C0, C#0, etc... and not the descriptions like female one, or female intro, etc... how can i change this?

[@MrHenrikBank]

Can I use this method if I'm have multiple songs in one session - or how do you manage a whole setlist?

[@DrumElectric]

Absolutely! That’s exactly how I do it. So I’d just import the next track with a gap between, and so on until you have a full set. But experiment, see what works for you best!

[@CajonCover]

Great job! 👍 thank you

[@kimthompsett]

Hi, why can't I hear the midi sounds? Possibly a very rookie question but I have searched and can't find out what I am doing wrong.

[@DrumElectric]

Without going into your Ableton project, I wouldn’t know! The things to check are: - Ableton Outputs: Have you selected an output device? - Track Output: Is an output selected on the click and cues track? - Master Output: are the click and cues tracks being sent to the master output and does that have an output itself? The only other thing is to double click onto the device itself, onto one of the samples, and make sure it’s outputting when you hit the little ‘play’ button

[@kimthompsett]

@@DrumElectric Hi, my project is the one you have described here and I went and downloaded everything as described and opened the project, so it's just the 'project' to create a click track. I went into the audio settings and made the inputs and outputs through my Focusrite 2i2 as per the instructions. I will check the 2nd and 3rd bullet points when I fire up next. When I am building the notes in midi there is no sound either so there's definitely a settings issue, probably simple but I am very new to this. Hopefully nothing to do with using the free version that came with the Focusrite or something daft like that.

[@DrumElectric]

@@kimthompsett Thanks for sending me a message about this, we'll chat there!

[@gotunesband-qt5gd]

my click and cue has no sound, it says “media files are missing” how do i solve it?

[@DrumElectric]

This usually means the device in Ableton running the click and cues can't see the files. Re-download them and see if that works, if not, check you've given Ableton permission to read the files on your computer!

[@princecastino7071]

hi, the file i am downloading is corrupted and has no audio, what can i do about it?

[@Davidppc]

you need to extract the file !

[@nscrider]

How do you create a clicktrack with tempo changes during the song?

[@DrumElectric]

Great question! As the click is created with MIDI, I then use Automation in the 'Master' channel to automate the tempo. Then the click moves with the tempo changes

[@adonaimebivu498]

How do y’all cut the voices i just want instrumentals of the song be blessed

[@DrumElectric]

For this specifically I got the individual instrument stems. For some songs that don’t have that, you can use apps like ‘Moises’ to get a good separation (although not perfect!)

[@adonaimebivu498]

@@DrumElectric any other apps?

[@DrumElectric]

I haven’t used any others, so worth having a search as I’m sure there’s a few now

[@sam.calvarytlh]

Appreciate the video! Followed each step however I'm not getting any audio from the click track. Any insight as to why?

[@DrumElectric]

Interesting! Without looking at your Ableton project I wouldn’t be able to say for certain, but as a guess is that all audio isn’t coming out when you change the click track sound? I presume your inputs and outputs are all set and you’re getting audio out of Ableton from other tracks?

[@sam.calvarytlh]

Thanks for the quick response! I was able to figure it out. Complete user error. Somehow I had changed the Click type to 11 without realizing it which is just the empty custom click. Appreciate you@@DrumElectric

[@DrumElectric]

Haha! So easily done, and something I’ve done before so I’m right there with you. Appreciate you back!

[@luks_-vj8yb]

Is the "Live 12 Intro" version of ableton enough for this?

[@DrumElectric]

You can, but I’d look at the limitations of the intro version to make sure you don’t run out of tracks and options for what you want. I use Standard and I’ve never had any issues so far

[@juancarloscreates7726]

What if I have a set list and the first song is 4/4 time signature but the next song is 3/4 where do I make that adjustment? Awesome video by the way I was completely lost until I found it

[@DrumElectric]

Just above the timeline you can right click and add a time signature. Or (I think) head to insert -> time signature. I have a few tracks that do the very same, so fortunately it’s easy!

[@juancarloscreates7726]

@@DrumElectric I’ll give that a shot! Thank you very much

[@LastChances06]

Hey!! Your video has been very helpful, but do you have any tutorial if there are multiple songs to play?

[@DrumElectric]

Thanks so much! Not yet, I'll be sure to make one though!

[@nahumpena1152]

Excellent, Thanks

[@carlostmerced]

So I created a song... how do I create a set list with multiple songs? Do you have a video on that?

[@DrumElectric]

I’ve got a video coming up! A small spoiler - I use a software called ‘Ableset’

[@HimanshuKumar_BOBMUZIC]

Click foundation link....?

[@austindrumming24]

Is there any reason why it would say media files are missing

[@austindrumming24]

Never mind I figured it out I had to extract the files I did switch over to loop community click and cues they seem a bit easier to adjust and implement

[@princecastino7071]

how did you extract it? same struggle here

[@calebfortnat]

What version of albeton did you use ?

[@DrumElectric]

I use Ableton Standard for everything

[@jazzzman1000]

I just drag the click in, copy & past. Boom. Cues, go through the song and use the Set button to mark each section (Intro, V1, C1, etc). Then I just drag my Cues in. Easy to group cues, copy & past. Done.

[@kevinbandal2243]

Does it work in logic pro!?

[@DrumElectric]

Unfortunately the pack I used in this video doesn’t

[@dywili]

I have no sound on my ableton

[@MatthewAtkinsMusic]

Thanks for the very good info, it was really helpful. One comment is that as someone who isn't all that familiar with some of the basic moves you were making, it was a bit hard to follow along easily. I understood what you were doing, but had a hard time seeing how you were doing some things. If it is possible to make your cursor a bit more visible it would be really great. Thanks for the video.

[@DrumElectric]

Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, this is really useful information!

[@christianbauer8852]

Amazing video, you're the best! What version of Ableton are you using? Is it a "complete" one or is it possible to run this in a cheaper Ableton option?

[@DrumElectric]

No YOU’RE the best!! Thanks so much! I’m using Ableton Standard (the middle option) and seems to do great! The only thing I then added was the Max for Live plugin. So far hasn’t stopped me from creating anything!

[@izychizzytv]

Thanks bro my struggles are now over 😂

[@itslouisstone]

Awesome video dude! Is there a way of changing the order of a set in Ableton without having to create a new project with a different order of songs? 👍

[@DrumElectric]

Thanks so much! And yes, there is! I use a plugin called “AbleSet” for exactly that. It’s SO good!

[@andyg_drums]

will these work directly in logic? or will I have to do this in Ableton then export it to logic?

[@DrumElectric]

The audio will, but the actual plug-in itself is sadly just Ableton. If you download the pack, you can just grab the audio (as they’re just .WAVs) and import it to Logic that way, you just won’t have the fancy knobs that change sounds!

[@NattaponMalee]

Nice , thank you

[@luancardoso6896]

Maaan thanks a loot!

[@deathcuree]

dude, you are the best! you'll get a 100x views only on me haha

[@DrumElectric]

Haha thanks so much!

[@georgefleming8258]

Ollie pratley watches this every night before bed

[@JerridFoiles]

If you can't get Def Lepard/Mutt Lang's "Unta, gleepin,' Clopin,' Clovin'..." I'm not interested. LOL

[@DrumElectric]

LOL!! Now THAT is a click I need to make!!

[@jahashayadi564]

is that a democratic cap?

[@DrumElectric]

Just a hat with a Llama on it

[@jahashayadi564]

@@DrumElectric no bitches?

[@jephbennett]

Kinda strange that they left out the "8".... so on an 8 count intro, its "..5, 6, 7, ___...". lol

[@EricLThomp75]

Looks like the site wants $29 for Foundations now 😢

[@DrumElectric]

The click pack I’m using in the video looks like it’s still free! Click the link in the bio, scroll down to ‘downloads’ and click on the ‘Click & Guide’, should start downloading!

[@pianobeginnerlessons]

The cues worked but the click foundation no sound ​@@DrumElectric