How to Write Film Music in Ableton Live

I usually write film music in either Logic or REAPER, but the feature I just finished scoring was written completely in Ableton Live. In this video, I go over everything you need to know about how to write film cues in Ableton Live: how to import video, how to sync music to picture, and how to export when you're done. I also talk about a couple of the challenges of using Live, a piece of software which was really designed for electronic music, for soundtrack work.
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[@endermusica]

I've been using Ableton for years and didn't know the trick about finding the tempo by warping a file. I used to be a Logic guy, for many years, and I have to say...it's a pain that you can only add one video track per project. In Ableton it's endless, and that's incredibly convenient. You can throw all the footage in one project where you have all your elements, sound design, etc, so you when you change the mix or anything, it applies to everything. This has been very useful with some work for advertising where you have to make different versions with different durations. One thing that I think it's not that good in Ableton for scoring is actually scoring, but in the end the best approach is exporting MIDI files anyway, and importing them in Sibelius or a similar software. I haven't been in a project so complex that the markers would be a problem, but in the rest, if you ask me, much more comfortable and practical than Logic, which is supposed to be one of the main tools for soundtracks. Also I find Ableton is much more comfortable for sharing projects with other producers, or people you're working with. Ah, and another thing...I suppose you don't know anything about working with OMF in Ableton, right? Sometimes that can be a pain in the ass. Anyway, good video, I'm glad I subscribed.

[@daniandre]

Been using Ableton for multiple years, but for some reason i had no idea i could just drag and drop video into Ableton like this lmao. Great video!

[@samuelkilik8233]

DUDE ME TOO

[@tristantzara9496]

@@samuelkilik8233 if ur on windows it might not be that easy

[@samuelkilik8233]

@@tristantzara9496 sadly i am on windows

[@Computernerd297]

@Samuel KILIK you just need to install an encoder, it's a simple install After that just drag and drop video like audio files You'll find it on the ableton, using video, help page

[@TheCarnage2001]

@@Computernerd297 hey can you elaborate on installing the encoder? thanks

[@johngoodmanson6288]

super helpful - so rare to see the mechanics of writing to picture - I suppose b/c folks can't show the footage. Also love your ascetics and the way you apply them across everything you create. No idea how you have the time to do such consistently awesome stuff, but I'm super grateful for it!

[@blackbrain77]

When right clicking the time ruler in the bottom in Arrangement there are frame options besides ms, you can change to 24 FPS (for example).

[@DavidHilowitzMusic]

Ah, that’s cool!!! I had no idea.

[@TonyThomas10000]

@@DavidHilowitzMusic Yep, it does 24, 25, 30, and 29.97 drop and non-drop. Just right click on bar.

[@valiumdupeuple]

@@DavidHilowitzMusic And there's a few M4L devices for markers' list, like the one called "fp.clock" (which also has a floating timecode window).

[@jakeknobbe]

Can't figure out where to right click? Found it under Options > Time Ruler Format

[@DaveTherrien]

Lots of great tips in this video, David! Thanks

[@sandwich-breath]

Thanks for posting this, I like your options for cutting and longing up the midi to the film edits.

[@indaskyes]

Thank you David! This was an excellent and super informative intro into and exactly what I was looking for! ✌

[@manufortiskd]

Its been a struggle composing in ableton till i seen this, thank you vvery much.

[@irbomusic]

You're so helpful yet so underrated man. Earned a new sub :D

[@GatotAlindo]

wow this is really helpful .. the warp and leader on video track .. thank you

[@marksteinhauser3779]

Thanks for doing this - great insight 👍

[@SMIZZART]

Very helpful and an all 'round great video. Thanks for the tips!

[@andreiviievskyi2838]

interesting technique with a leader! thank you for this

[@kiabellray402]

Thx sooo much for this vid. I will definitely put it to use. 😊

[@RaphaelRacor]

Thank you! I use Live for everything and now I want to create scores on it! Liked and subscribed!

[@cook-music]

How did I not know about this follower function! Thanks David!

[@joelstephenson8017]

Man, I love this video!

[@pesto9672]

You're wonderful! I love your work! Your videos are very useful and helpful for me! Please, make a Patreon, I want to support you!!

[@xradical89x]

thanks, David!

[@hpptlsm]

Great vid! Thank you :)

[@tehxperience]

Its worth using insert time instead of dragging clips across. It'll prevent any headaches later. Also if you name markers a time signature, it will change the time signature - so you can add a few random beats without misaligning all of the music ahead of that point. So you could add a bar of 2/4 and then change back to 4/4 the next bar with markers. [I write this assuming you already know this but didn't include it for the simplicity of the video, however others may find it useful]

[@DavidHilowitzMusic]

Totally agree about Insert Time! It’s so useful. I actually did try filming me using insert time, but for some reason the process looked complicated onscreen, so I went back and reshot it with me just moving the clips. :)

[@MusicalWizardryMarcoIannello]

Did you watch one of Daniel James' early first videos, where he showcases how he used Ableton to score an Italian feature fan film centred on Metal Gear Solid? He too made use of those warp markers, but only to signal the cut hits, he would then go ahead and add/remove beats

[@virajvidheer3129]

loved it

[@byD.Jakubiak]

Thanks a lot!

[@Blondesax]

Cool. Seems like it's more of a pain in the ass if I'm already comfortable with Logic, but it's nice to know that it's doable if I find myself in Ableton anyway.

[@thomaslthomas1506]

I've migrated to ableton from Ill-logic over the last year. I typically score short sequences like this ie commercials. Ableton few short comings. More than are made up for by its flexibility. I list out my ques on paper then I score it in session view then record it into arraignment view. then import the video and massage all the hits etc.

[@tonezou3918]

Hi David, quick question: how do you make the mod wheel animation (for increasing dynamics/layering) easy to use in your scoring flow? I tried to do that, but I am missing something and other DAWs make it seem very fluid and it just works out of the box. It is not really pleasant to do that with the mouse manually.

[@PositiveActionMan]

Hi David! From Australia :)

[@DavidHilowitzMusic]

Hi!

[@bhushanvaze4168]

Very helpful vidio

[@1983naam]

Hello David, I love your content, and I would love to have a little chat with you...I use Ableton Live for years, and I'm starting to make music for film. I found another workaround to set my hitpoints I would love to share with you. Have a nice day my friend.

[@PleasureRyland]

I’d also love to know how you pull this off

[@MercurialAscent]

Oh-oh... And here, I thought this was a tutorial on how to SCORE with Ableton. Dang it.

[@tonematrix]

I'm curious, what's your experience with using Kontakt libraries (mainly Spitfire Audio) in Ableton. I've been using Joshua Casper's technique for loading multiple libraries in a project. It works great but I seem to have an issue with closing a project that contains a big library like Albion One. It pinwheels until I force quit (most of the time). Also I noticed you use a combo of Addictive Keys & LABS Soft Piano. That's a great idea. I wish I could see how you have that set up. Lastly for this long winded comment, do you find it's hard to tame String libraries in Ableton as opposed to Logic? I can't seem to master the Christian Henson fader technique for dynamics/expression. I end up manually drawing in everything with a stiff neck. Thanks for this awesome inspiring video, love the channel!

[@jamiemori3729]

Did you ever resolve this? How much RAM does your computer have? I had the same issues with big libraries and the pinwheel.

[@tonezou3918]

I've also been trying to avoid the manual animation of the dynamics, but no luck yet. Did you find a solution for that fader?

[@b3nmusicofficial810]

hey mate, great vid! What were you meaning when you said “turn off the audio from the video clip?” no idea what part that was talking about. cheers man!

[@sodavidhill]

When you import a video into the DAW, the daw will create a separate audio track for the audio that the original video contained. What he was saying was to mute or not send that particular audio track with the stems. The editors already have the original video audio, so there’s no use of you sending them it again. It’s redundant . Hope that helped 👍

[@JazzyJazzRock]

My only problem with ableton is it's not possible to make RAM friendly orchestral templates like in Cubase, Studio One, or even Bitwig as it doesn't roll back kontakt sample from RAM when you disable a midi track with Kontakt instance.

[@vdub4216]

So if I am scoring a video that is purely background (ire: drone footage) but want to keep 4/4 time and have the audio as the leader I should warp the video as follower and use warp markers to mark impact / cut / triggers ?

[@RolandsBriedis]

Are there any aupdated in Ableton to work in FPS workflow more easly? Thinking to switch from Logic to Ableton, but working a lot with video sounddesign.

[@franklingregorymoore]

I'm doing a score that has many tempo changes (automated on Master fader, unfortunately) and anything I edit towards the beginning affects everything after and it's a pain. With adding markers in the Warped/Leader clip do you then adjust the tempo in the clip or how does it work? I've been doing it the hard way all along 😩 Thanks

[@PleasureRyland]

Let me know if you figured this out. I’m also trying to find the same solution

[@jessinrodenburg7728]

On your note on the timecode: Isn't there a max for live device that can do that? I mean, they're making it possible to connect lego mindstorms to ableton, it should surely be able to make working with films easier right?

[@DavidHilowitzMusic]

Apparently there is! Someone posted it in another comment. :)

[@definitelymiami7978]

i've scored a few things in Ableton using many of these techniques. I wish someone (with time on their hands) would make a bunch of the Pianobook libraries for Sampler!

[@tonematrix]

Same! Every time Spitfire teases "we have a big announcement" I naively keep hoping it's some sort of LABS/Pianobook plugin :p

[@von5086]

Does that window pop up whenever you drag video into audio track on windows or do I have to have media player open or this only on Mac

[@joelstephenson8017]

Do you need to download something for windows to accept the video in ableton?

[@tomaa3522]

Has ableton 11 addressed any of the issues you’ve mentioned ?

[@chappie7123]

Just a heads up to anyone on PC, importing video will likely be an issue. I agree, Ableton is so fun to compose in, but I couldn't get this to work for me - I went down the Abelton support rabbit hole to try to get it to work, no luck :( Seems to work great on mac though! Thanks for all the awesome videos David!

[@tristantzara9496]

Don't give up, literally took me years to get it to work. It's probably something stupid to fix

[@chappie7123]

@@tristantzara9496 thanks! I actually ended up going with Cubase , It’s been about 6 months now 👍 My poor Ableton 10 is collecting dust, I never got this video stuff to work on PC :(

[@tristantzara9496]

@@chappie7123 ah nice, I've wanted to switch from abletin to FL for almost 2 years, very hard to learn and youtube tutorials are shit

[@DREW420]

​@@chappie7123 Joshua Casper on yt talks about it. It's not a fault of ableton but your PC. I'm assuming it's running on a x64 system? Then you probably don't have the right coders on that PC. You need the matroska splitter. Check Joshuas vid in case it still doesn't work. There's an easy fix!

[@turtlewarcry6321]

My export does not have the option for exporting as a movie, what do I do?

[@avm_official]

Hi From India.

[@DavidHilowitzMusic]

Hi!

[@SMTHN-0]

How do you mix then? Because as soon you use some plugins with latency everything will be out of sync again.

[@DelToroBeats]

I love ableton but its not made it for scoring; for my is almost imposible and i used ableton almost 20 years now ehehehehe but i love logic pro x for sound design and scoring. Nice video❤️

[@DavidHilowitzMusic]

yes, i'm inclined to agree :)

[@madd2377]

I feel like damn near every DAW is close to being as good as it possible could but the respective brands just WONT add the stuff that would make their software the "undeniable" best DAW

[@tonguesunknown]

did Ableton address the time code issue in 11?

[@donatasb9343]

In ableton version 9 instead of Leader it sayes Master. And the follower is named a slave. The question is, does this function works the same in the version 9? I am curious because, its not working for me as I expect. The tempo doesn't change after I added several warp markers. If I also drag the markers, then the master tempo reacts, but the transitions of the tempo aren't smooth it just goes straight up or down... Can anyone tell me how this Leader and slave function actually works? If the first midi note of the bar has to start in same position as warp markers in the Leader channel, it definitely doesn't do the job for me.

[@PleasureRyland]

I have this same question

[@jakeknobbe]

Anyone know how to do a tempo change without changing the video speed? You can see even in this video when he changes the tempo the video warps different. Also is their a way to change tempo speed in the clip? After you warp the video and set it to leader you can no longer change the tempo on master.

[@cmuse]

If your video is changing speed you must be doing something wrong. Ableton is a little glitchy with the video preview and gets more glitchy the more you mess with the video file, but setting it to leader should not effect the actual file. Try exporting it after messing with the warp points while it's set to Leader and see if the exported file is the same length as the original.

[@jakeknobbe]

I think I got it now. It locks the master tempo once you click leader so you have to do everything with warp markers in the clip.

[@joelstephenson8017]

Why didn't you put film music in the background of this video?

[@sssbbb]

You ARE CHANGING the speed of the VIDEO when you make Warp Markers and MOVING THEM!! You shouldn't do this!!

[@lastcall9998]

Hi David, have you considered normalizing/maximizing your speech audio? Kinda low compared to other youtubers, and since you are an audio guy I don't know why you wouldn't do this (because I bet you know what I am talking about). Cheers..