No More Recording Latency in Ableton Live

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When recording audio into Ableton Live, it has been suggested to leave monitoring off and use direct monitoring through the audio interface. Otherwise, you'd hear and record the latency. As of Ableton Live 12, there's a new feature that allows you to record with zero latency despite that. Whether you don't have direct monitoring available, or you want to hear effects in Live while you record. In this video, we'll look at what this feature is, how it works and the different ways you can access it.
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[@joeclockwork1756]

I'm new to Ableton and this is a massive help. Thanks!

[@sonicbloomtuts]

No worries. 😀

[@wmayhem]

Awesome info. Thanks for all you do for the Ableton community!

[@sonicbloomtuts]

Thank you so much for saying this. I truly appreciate it. ☺

[@mikemorton7844]

This is such a welcome feature. I actually set up a bunch of 'Utility' tracks for all my audio inputs set to 'In' and my working tracks feed off those. This seems to work well and, I think, eliminates the latency of the audio as you play an instrument in. I also make send/return tracks instead of using stock send/return as they get calculates in a second cycle after all the tracks are summed, thus introducing more latency.

[@sonicbloomtuts]

There should still be some latency from the audio tracks set to Monitoring In. Perhaps your interface plus your settings introduce little enough of it to be unnoticeable. If I'm not totally mistaken what you say about return tracks is not true.

[@mikemorton7844]

@@sonicbloomtuts I'll have a look for the long thread on the ableton forums on the topic of return tracks introducing latency through a subsequent cycle.

[@guittimmusic]

good explanation, thx 🔥

[@sonicbloomtuts]

You're welcome. 😀

[@wrigna1]

It seems too good to be true. I wonder why we didn't have this feature at least a decade ago.

[@sonicbloomtuts]

Good question.

[@ColPanic-oi3cn]

The latency wasn't necessarily a bug before, in many settings it makes sense. Suppose you are playing along to a drum track in Ableton, and you are playing perfectly to the beat. Ableton's playback itself has a certain amount of latency, so this would make sure that what you recorded has a matching latency and your recording would exactly match what you heard as you performed it. If you turn this off, then your recording would sound a bit late vs. the pre-existing drum track.

[@sonicbloomtuts]

@@ColPanic-oi3cn It's not a bug, it's an inevitable feature of AD/DA conversion. Just basic physics really. And it's not Ableton Live that introduces the latency, but the audio interface/soundcard. Then having Monitoring set to Off would not be the recommended, because with this setting you never recorded the input latency.

[@tugaryev]

​@@sonicbloomtuts yeah, but Logic, Reaper don't have any latency issues

[@ToneChaser-13]

Been using ableton since version 7. Switched to studio one last year because of that latency issue and the complicated work around. Too little too late ableton.

[@mrtinacrispoti]

That's awesome! Thank you so much!

[@sonicbloomtuts]

You're very welcome. 🙂

[@danielnorkin18]

Really great tip. I was just looking for this

[@sonicbloomtuts]

Happy to hear it's been helpful to you.

[@DrumBuss909]

Thank you so much for this video!!!

[@sonicbloomtuts]

You're very welcome. 🙂

[@RobbieSko]

Thanks for the video! Confused about the proper way. I recorded with “keep latency” on - there was slight delay when recording, but audio was in time on playback. I recorded same thing with keep latency off, and the audio was closer to realtime on monitoring, but the recording was way off, way early. Hmm, for context interface is fireface ufx ii and buffer size 256. Dang hope can find a proper way to use this, thank you! 🙏

[@sonicbloomtuts]

It should have been the other way around. Or maybe you're one of the people who got used to adjusting to the latency. If that's the case, then for you Keep Latency should be on. Most people will prefer it off though.

[@Kkidzz]

Stimmt! Vielen dank!!

[@sonicbloomtuts]

Gerne.

[@herschoolcolors]

I'm confused. If I turn off Keep Latency, I'll still hear the delayed signal while I'm recording right? It's just that the recording will be adjusted back slightly in time so that when I listen back afterwards, it will be properly aligned with everything else-right?

[@sonicbloomtuts]

Yes, it only applies to recording latency, not the monitoring.

[@christhescientist]

@@sonicbloomtutsIs there a way of fixing this monitoring latency alongside what you’ve shown in this video? Or is it just a case of reducing the buffer size?

[@nsjx]

good stuff. thank you for explaining 👍

[@sonicbloomtuts]

No worries. 😄

[@Phadddy]

They way I understand it, with Keep Latency turned off, Ableton adjusts the D/A conversion lange cy right after it was recorded and pushes the audio track those ms forward. BUT what does it do when Monitoring is set to "On"? It cannot make the real time latency disappear??

[@sonicbloomtuts]

There is no Monitoring 'On' setting. There's 'In' and 'Auto'. And with any of these settings, it will get rid of the input latency in the recording, but not when Monitoring is set to 'Off' as then the input latency isn't recorded in the first place. It sounds like you never watched the video.

[@Phadddy]

@sonicbloomtuts Sorry for the typo, yes, monitor in. With that setting clips cannnot be recorded, as you said, so I wonder what difference the new button makes...

[@TimBoulette]

When, if ever, would you want to keep latency ON?

[@sonicbloomtuts]

Some people seem to adjust their timing to the latency, so when they turn it off, the timing is suddenly off.

[@SubThiel]

@@sonicbloomtutsmight be because you’re used to it being like that? I’ve been working around this “feature” for years, and the solution was always duplicate, with one monitor off. The amount of extra work though. I mean, Ableton - folks - you create stellar software. Don’t tug this under 2x sub menus - should be default. The amount of non edm producers who unknowingly is put off by a sense “something isn’t grooving in Ableton”…I think the number is big. So yeah, go default. Please.

[@RickGomez]

One thing I can't quite comprehend is why it's an option. What value, from a production standpoint, could there be to "keep latency"? If I have the option to record audio with no latency and ensure that, regardless of the number of plugins on a track, everything aligns exactly as desired, why or when would I ever want to "Keep Latency?" Why wouldn't Ableton just always record audio in the most efficient way possible? Honest question if anyone knows... Would you ever want to make sure "Keep Latency" is turned on? It seems it should just always record without latency. Thanks!

[@sonicbloomtuts]

Personally I find Keep Latency should be off by default, because most people will want to keep it out. Some people might get used to to hearing the played input timing and thus might want to keep that latency in.

[@RickGomez]

@@sonicbloomtuts Agreed. and that makes perfect sense. Thanks for your work! I appreciate it.

[@EannaButler]

What are they doing here? Writing the audio to the track a little bit early? Do other DAWs have this feature? I'm not criticising - far from it. This is quite a gamechanger if it really is true! Does it compensate for plugin latency too?

[@sonicbloomtuts]

I can't tell you for certain, because there is no entry in the manual with details. I think it likely just subtracts the input latency when writing the recording into a clip. Don't know if other DAWs have it. Haven't used anything but Live in a long time. No, it only compensates for the input latency in recordings. That's it.

[@dvnk3343]

Is this dependent on driver error compensation? Or totally separate?

[@sonicbloomtuts]

Separate. I've had the setting 0 ms.

[@VentureNW]

Seems this would also be useful for midi coming in from, say, a midi controller, yes? Are there any downsides to using this? Does it increase CPU usage or something? Wondering why we need latency at all. When I am playing in midi, from my midi controller, I typically need to reduce the buffer size and/or turn off monitoring.

[@sonicbloomtuts]

Just as heads up: this isn't for MIDI latency. Only audio. The downside is that while you're recording with Monitoring set to Auto, you still have the incoming latency, which is audible. I think I explained this in the video. Latency results from the AD and/or DA conversion (A for analogue, D for digital).

[@VentureNW]

@@sonicbloomtuts Ya, I usually turn down my buffer, when playing in from a midi controller, so my brain doesn't get fried from the delay 😁

[@sonicbloomtuts]

@@VentureNW You could also try a higher sample rate setting. Decreases the latency overall.

[@VentureNW]

@@sonicbloomtuts I always do everything in 48k. Yes, agree, it does help a bit. Not sure I want to up it past that, however.

[@sonicbloomtuts]

@@VentureNW Depends on the purpose. If it was for a live performance and you really need to minimise input and output latency for maximum performance timing, it would definitely make sense. You'd likely delete the recordings anyway. Otherwise it might not make sense anymore if your latency is acceptably low.

[@sadarahurh8794]

what about MIDI latency ?

[@sonicbloomtuts]

People use this term for different things. Could you elaborate what exactly you mean?

[@beatfarmdigital]

Not only why hasn’t this “feature” been there since 1.0, but why wouldn’t it be the default?

[@sonicbloomtuts]

These are great questions, but they have to be addressed to Ableton, not me, because I really don't know.

[@odvirgin]

yes, the result is the recort alined with metronom. But while just playng is still not sync

[@sonicbloomtuts]

Yes, that's true. If you want lower latency for the monitoring, try increasing the sample rate and/or decreasing buffer size settings under the Audio tab in the Live Prefs/settings.

[@mouthfulofmoths]

why would you ever want to keep "keep latency" enabled?

[@sonicbloomtuts]

Some people seem to adjust their timing to the latency, so when they turn it off, the timing is suddenly off.

[@GogOtHeCaT15]

This would not work in Ableton 11 ?

[@sonicbloomtuts]

No, it's a new feature in Live 12. In Live 11 you'd have to have Monitoring of the track set to OFF.

[@sebbosebbo9794]

💪💥🗯🔥💭❤💨🕊 .............🕯................ p.s.midi latency isnt be compensated I think.. !? should it be per track delay funtion be compensated & work it ? ..work that with recording compensation.?

[@sonicbloomtuts]

MIDI latency comes from MIDI being serial in how the data is sent, so no. Not sure what your other questions mean.

[@20680]

i also ended recording with latency, i installed Cubase and latency no more.

[@sonicbloomtuts]

But you still watch Ableton tutorials?

[@20680]

@@sonicbloomtuts sure i own both

[@sonicbloomtuts]

@@20680 Did you upgrade to Live 12?

[@20680]

@@sonicbloomtuts yes

[@in_10z]

Be sure to not mix this up with driver error compensation. These options will not help your driver delays no matter what keep latency setting you chosse.e.

[@sonicbloomtuts]

Yes, driver error compensation is for when the latency reported by the interface isn't correct and so manual adjustment is needed.

[@tgpetya]

Can someone back this up, maybe tested it with plugins? Like are you kidding me.. this would be nuts

[@sonicbloomtuts]

This is for recording latency only (so input). Plugin latency is output latency.

[@aurelelouis6032]

There's a misunderstanding in a lot of comments here (and maybe in the video). If you're playing along, recording a "real" instrument while listening to a beat played by Ableton (for exemple), "keep latency" will make sure that your timing is reflected in the recording. If deactivated, you'll be ahead of the time and it won't be how you played it. Turn off keep latency makes sense when you use an external sequenced instrument clocked by Ableton for exemple (or resample maybe), because it doesn't listens to the latency produced by the processing. That's why it was really often late on time once you recorded it.

[@sonicbloomtuts]

That's not true and I showed it in the video how it works with Keep Latency on and off. You're misunderstanding the difference between input and output latency. What Keep Latency is about is ONLY input latency. What you're hearing from Ableton Live and playing along to is the output latency, which isn't changed with Keep Latency at all.