CUE option and clock: how to record a short loop, then immediately a long one?
Most of my songs have a "default" clock length of 4 bars. Sometimes, before recording the first melodic loop (some guitar chords), I want to add some simple percussion, that usually only takes 1 or 2 bars.
So when recording a 1 bar percussive loop, and then while recording it I set the clock to 4 and CUE it, it doesn't start immediately start recording after the percussive loop, but the percussive loop is played 3 times before the recording starts.
While I see the logic behind this behavior, I don't think it's convenient. I know that I can force recording a loop by disabling CUE and hit record, but then I will also have to end the record manually (which usually is inconvenient), as the clock length of 4 doesn't apply anymore.
I feel there's a need for "something in between" the two? Maybe a way to CUE recording to exactly X bars, regardless of its clock length?
Comments
Or vice versa: disable CUE, but still apply the clock's length?
You should be able to set the clock length with CUE turned off. Try turning on the metronome and hitting play before recording your first loop. Then manually punch in/out all your loops. You will have to turn off the metronome manually however.
The reason CUED loops are not guaranteed to start immediately is to do with phase alignment with other loops and other apps if you are using Ableton Link. For example, if you already have a 4 bar loop and you want to record another, then the two will playback in sync.
I didn't investigate this further yet, but just wanna make this note:
I agree that when Ableton Link is active, this behavior makes sense. But if it's not active, then GTL would know that there's no other 4 bar loop it needs to wait for to be in sync.
I see your point here, unfortunately the way GTL is built makes it tricky. Loops do not sync to each other but to a common clock. The clock has a timeline which is divided up to find the playhead position for a particular quantum(Loop length). One function of CUE is to make sure all loop sequences are phase aligned and the above 'common clock' method is a good way of doing this but it does mean waiting for the loop sequence to come round sometimes. I do see the need to record loops one after the other. At the moment, the 'instant recording' mode (NO CUE) is the best method for this.