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Will Homden profile image Will Homden

What Is a Scene in Ableton?

Scenes in Ableton Live’s Session View allow for the triggering of multiple clips simultaneously, helping to organize and manage different song sections in live performances or arrangements.

Ableton Scene creation

A Scene is a horizontal row in Ableton's Session View that contains multiple clips which can be triggered simultaneously with a single action.

What Are Scenes Used For?

Scenes are fundamental to live performance and song arrangement in Ableton Live. They allow you to:

  • Organize different parts of your song (intro, verse, chorus, etc.)
  • Trigger multiple clips across different tracks at once
  • Create smooth transitions between song sections
  • Build dynamic live performances
  • Quickly arrange songs by launching different combinations of clips

Scenes are particularly useful for live performance and improvisation, as they let you trigger entire sections of your song with a single button press.

How to Use Scenes in Ableton 12

1. Creating a Scene:

  • Right-click an empty scene slot and select "Insert Scene"
  • Use the keyboard shortcut Cmd/Ctrl + I

2. Organizing Scenes:

  • Drag clips into different clip slots within a scene
  • Name scenes by right-clicking and selecting "Rename"
  • Reorder scenes by dragging them up or down

3. Launching Scenes:

  • Click the Scene Launch button (triangle) on the left side
  • Use a MIDI controller mapped to scene launching

4. Scene Settings:

Double-click a scene to open Scene View. In Scene View you can:

  • Access Follow Actions (new in Live 12)
  • Adjust launch quantization in the global Launch settings
  • Set scene launch tempo changes if needed

FAQs

How do I copy a Scene?

Select the scene, use Cmd/Ctrl + C to copy, then Cmd/Ctrl + V to paste. You can also hold Cmd/Ctrl while dragging a scene to duplicate it.

Can I launch Scenes with MIDI controllers?

Yes, you can map MIDI controllers to Scene Launch buttons. Enter MIDI Map Mode (Cmd/Ctrl + M), click the Scene Launch button, and press the desired button on your MIDI controller.

What happens if a Scene has empty clip slots?

When launching a Scene, empty clip slots will stop any currently playing clips in their respective tracks, while filled slots will trigger their clips.

Can I set different launch quantization for different Scenes?

Scenes follow the global launch quantization setting, but individual clips within a Scene can have their own quantization settings.

How do I create smooth transitions between Scenes?

Use the Follow Actions feature (new in Live 12) to automatically trigger the next Scene, or adjust clip launch settings like "Legato Mode" for smoother transitions.

Can I save Scenes for use in other projects?

You can save individual clips from a Scene as Live Clips by dragging them into the browser. These can then be imported into other projects.

What's the difference between Scenes and the Arrangement View?

Scenes are part of the Session View for live performance and improvisation, while the Arrangement View is for linear song arrangement. You can record Scene launches into the Arrangement View.

How many Scenes can I have in a project?

There's no practical limit to the number of Scenes you can create in an Ableton Live project, though performance may be affected by very large numbers of clips.

Can I trigger multiple Scenes at once?

No, only one Scene can be triggered at a time, but you can use Follow Actions to automate Scene sequences.

How do I remove a Scene without deleting its clips?

Right-click the Scene and select "Delete Scene" (not "Delete Scene and Clips") to remove the Scene while keeping all clips intact.

Will Homden profile image Will Homden
Sampling nerd with a passion for the intersection of music and data.