Ableton live 11 Lite (very basic) question

[Wilf]

Just got a Focusrite preamp which comes with the free Ableton software. Never used recording software before and I'm clearly missing something very basic. The plan was to simply record guitar and bass along with one of Ableton's core drum kits (for now just using the drum kit as it is, not altering or adding to it). Here's where I'm at:

Managed to set the Focusrite up and can record it as an instrument input to the Audio channel.
Also, after a lot of faffing about, to record a second guitar.

I can choose one of the core drumkits and preview it. Can also drag it to one of the Midi channels. I know how to arm the channel and press record, but nothing happens. It doesn't play and it doesn't record. I suspect I will have the same problem with any of the instruments and effects that go onto a Midi channel.

So, any bright ideas what I'm doing wrong? And keep it simple please!

p.s. I've looked at various youtube tutorials on using drums in Ableton, but they go into great detail about creating your own beats. They don't give me the thing I'm missing, how to record the feckin drums.

 

[souljacker]

If it's a midi channel, you need to add midi notes either by drawing them in the sequencer bit or by tapping them out on a keyboard/drum pad. The preview it gives isn't a loop that will play. For that you need clips that are dragged into an audio channel.

 

[danski]

Yeah, wot they said ^

 

[Wilf]

If it's a midi channel, you need to add midi notes either by drawing them in the sequencer bit or by tapping them out on a keyboard/drum pad. The preview it gives isn't a loop that will play. For that you need clips that are dragged into an audio channel.

Cheers for that. That was the message I was getting from the videos I was watching, it just seemed counter intuitive that there were complete drumkits there and you could preview them, but there isn't a way to use/import them exactly as they are. Anyway, I did manage to get some fairly random beats recorded with a couple of guitar tracks. I'm pretty much at the monkeys and typewriters stage at the moment.

 

[souljacker]

Cheers for that. That was the message I was getting from the videos I was watching, it just seemed counter intuitive that there were complete drumkits there and you could preview them, but there isn't a way to use/import them exactly as they are. Anyway, I did manage to get some fairly random beats recorded with a couple of guitar tracks. I'm pretty much at the monkeys and typewriters stage at the moment.

You should check out the clips section in the collections browser on the left if you want quick easy beats