Ableton Certified User Audio, MIDI Recording & Editing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In Live's MIDI clip editor, what does the 'Fold' button do?
- Collapses the clip to a single row
- Hides all piano roll rows that contain no notes (Correct answer)
- Folds the clip's start and end markers together
- Reduces MIDI velocity by half
Correct answer: Hides all piano roll rows that contain no notes
The Fold button hides all pitch rows that have no notes, making it easier to see and edit only the notes present in the clip.
Question 2: Which MIDI recording mode in Live allows you to layer new notes on top of existing ones without erasing them?
- Replace
- Session Record
- Overdub (Correct answer)
- Punch-In
Correct answer: Overdub
Overdub mode adds newly played MIDI notes on top of existing clip content rather than replacing it.
Question 3: What is the purpose of the 'Legato' button in Live's MIDI clip editor?
- Adds portamento between notes
- Extends each selected note to the start of the next note (Correct answer)
- Quantizes notes to the nearest grid division
- Transposes notes up by one octave
Correct answer: Extends each selected note to the start of the next note
Legato stretches each selected note so it ends exactly where the next note begins, eliminating gaps between consecutive notes.
Question 4: When drawing MIDI notes with the Pencil tool in the clip editor, how do you delete an individual note?
- Right-click the note and select Delete
- Hold Shift and click the note
- Hold Alt/Option and click the note (Correct answer)
- Press Backspace while hovering over the note
Correct answer: Hold Alt/Option and click the note
Holding Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) while clicking a note with the Pencil tool switches to erase mode and deletes that note.
Question 5: In Live, what does the 'MIDI To' section in the I/O routing of a MIDI track control?
- The source MIDI device for recording
- Where the track's MIDI output is sent (Correct answer)
- The MIDI channel used for recording
- The velocity sensitivity of incoming notes
Correct answer: Where the track's MIDI output is sent
The 'MIDI To' section determines where the MIDI track's output is routed, such as to an instrument, another track, or an external device.
Question 6: What happens when you hold Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) while dragging a MIDI note in the clip editor?
- Duplicates the note
- Locks the note to its current pitch while moving horizontally (Correct answer)
- Snaps the note to the nearest beat
- Changes the note's velocity
Correct answer: Locks the note to its current pitch while moving horizontally
Holding Ctrl/Cmd while dragging a MIDI note constrains movement to only the time axis, preventing accidental pitch changes.
Question 7: Which view in the MIDI clip editor allows you to draw automation for MIDI CC (Continuous Controller) values?
- Notes view
- Envelopes view (Correct answer)
- Modulation view
- Velocity lane
Correct answer: Envelopes view
The Envelopes view in the MIDI clip editor lets you draw and edit MIDI CC automation, pitch bend, and other modulation data within the clip.
Ableton Certified User Audio, MIDI Recording & Editing 2
In Live's MIDI clip editor, what does the 'Fold' button do?