Ableton/Live/UG/11 MIDI Tools/03 Generative Tools
- The generators included with Live.
- Generates a repeating rhythm on one pitch or drum pad, chosen with Pitch or by
Option-clicking (Mac) / Alt-clicking (Win) the piano ruler. - Steps (up to 16), Pattern (the arrangement of hits; choices depend on Steps and Density), and Density (how many notes).
- Step Duration sets the step length and so how often the pattern repeats in the selection: in one bar, 8 steps of 1/8 play once, of 1/16 twice. Split is the chance a step divides in two; Shift moves the pattern by steps.
- Velocity and Accent set normal and accented velocity; Accent Frequency sets how many notes apart accents fall (1 accents every note), and Accent Offset moves them.
- Deselect the result and run it again on another pitch or pad to layer rhythms.
- Generates random notes within ranges. Set the pitch range with its sliders or handles, or
Option-drag (Mac) / Alt-drag (Win) on the piano ruler; overlapping the handles gives a single pitch. The slider is purple when a scale is active. - Duration (1/128 to a whole note) and Velocity (1 to 127) ranges work the same way.
- Voices caps simultaneous notes; Density sets how many notes, as a share of the pitch range.
- Generates a run of notes that follows a shape, chosen from Shape Presets or drawn in the display, within a pitch range set by sliders or by
Option-dragging (Mac) / Alt-dragging (Win) the piano ruler. Purple means a scale is active. - Rate sets the shortest note; Tie is the chance a note extends to the next; Density sets how much of the shape is filled.
- Jitter randomizes pitch away from the shape while staying within the range.
- Adds chords or progressions within the scale, filling the time selection or loop.
- Choose a chord by dragging on the Chord Selector Pad or with
Cmd (Mac) / Ctrl (Win) and up or down; diagrams follow the Tonnetz, and the Status Bar names the chord. - Custom chord banks are JSON
.stacks files. Put one in a folder in Places and double-click it to load; the Stacks tag finds them. Saved banks live in the User Library's Chord Banks folder. - Add Chord (+) and Delete Chord (−) build a progression; the display shows the selected chord's settings.
- Chord Root sets the root, limited to the clip scale's notes and defaulting to its root;
Option-click (Mac) / Alt-click (Win) the piano ruler or use the arrow keys. Chord Inversion cycles inversions, negative values an octave lower. Chord Duration and Offset adjust length and position in eighths of the chord.
- A Max for Live generator for Euclidean rhythms on up to four voices, in the time selection or loop.
- Pattern tab: a picture of the rhythm, on/off toggles and a Rotation slider per voice, and a button that randomizes rotations.
- Voices tab: on/off toggles, a pitch or drum pad per voice (arrows shift them all), and per-voice Velocity.
- Steps sets the pattern length, repeating and wrapping across the selection; Density sets how often it repeats; Division sets the step length.