Workflow template (Beginner · Basslines · tutorial)

Absolutely — here’s the lesson turned into **exact Ableton Live 12 actions** you can follow to build the **DnB bass workflow template** step by step. --- # Build a DnB Bass Workflow Template in Ableton Live 12 ## Part 1: Start the set 1. Open **Ableton Live 12**. 2. Create a **new Live Set**. 3. At the top-left of Live, set the **tempo** to **174 BPM**. 4. Go to **File > Save Live Set As…** 5. Create or choose a folder named: **DNB_Workflow_Template** 6. Save the set. --- ## Part 2: Create the Kick Trigger track for sidechain This track will control the bass ducking. 1. Create a new MIDI track: - **Cmd+Shift+T** (Mac) - **Ctrl+Shift+T** (Windows) 2. Rename the track: - Click the track title - Type: **Kick Trigger** ### Add Simpler and a kick sample 3. In the Browser, go to **Instruments > Simpler** 4. Drag **Simpler** onto the **Kick Trigger** track. 5. Drag a short kick sample into Simpler. - Use any short, punchy stock kick. ### Program the trigger pattern 6. Double-click an empty clip slot to create a **1-bar MIDI clip**. 7. In the piano roll, draw kick notes: - Put one note on **beat 1** - Put one note on **beat 3** 8. Press play and confirm the clip is triggering the kick. ### Keep it available for sidechain, but silent in the mix 9. Lower the **track volume fader** all the way down. 10. Do **not** deactivate the track. 11. Leave the track visible and clearly named. Tip: The compressor can still use this as a sidechain source if the routing is set correctly. --- ## Part 3: Create the bass track 1. Create another MIDI track: - **Cmd+Shift+T** / **Ctrl+Shift+T** 2. Rename it: **Bass — Workflow** --- ## Part 4: Add an Instrument Rack 1. In the Browser, go to **Instruments > Instrument Rack** 2. Drag **Instrument Rack** onto the **Bass — Workflow** track. 3. In the rack, click the **Show/Hide Chain List** button to open the chain area. 4. Right-click in the chains area and choose: **Create Chain** 5. Create **two chains** 6. Rename them: - **Sub** - **Body** --- # Part 5: Build the Sub chain ## Add Operator 1. Drag **Operator** onto the **Sub** chain. ## Set up a clean sine sub 2. In Operator: - Make sure **Oscillator A** is active - Choose a **Sine** waveform - Set the **octave** to **-2** or **-3** 3. Turn off or reduce any extra modulation if needed so the sound stays clean and stable. 4. If Operator is polyphonic, set it to **Mono** or **1 voice** if you want tighter DnB sub behavior. ## Add EQ Eight to control the top end 5. After Operator, drag in **EQ Eight** 6. Use EQ Eight to remove upper frequencies from the sub: - Create a **low-pass filter** - Set it around **200 Hz to 250 Hz** - Use a reasonably steep slope ## Add Utility to force mono 7. After EQ Eight, drag in **Utility** 8. Set **Width** to **0%** This keeps the sub fully mono, which is important for DnB low-end. --- # Part 6: Build the Body chain ## Add Wavetable 1. Drag **Wavetable** onto the **Body** chain. 2. Choose a basic wavetable with some harmonics: - Start with something in the **Analog** or **Digital** family 3. Set the oscillator octave to **-1** or **0** 4. Play a few MIDI notes and make sure the body layer sits above the sub. ## Shape the body tone 5. Use Wavetable’s filter: - Turn the filter on - Lower the cutoff until the sound feels controlled but still bright enough for DnB ## Add EQ Eight 6. After Wavetable, drag in **EQ Eight** 7. Create a **high-pass filter** 8. Set the cutoff around **60 Hz to 80 Hz** This stops the body layer from fighting the sub. ## Add Saturator 9. After EQ Eight, drag in **Saturator** 10. Raise **Drive** slightly: - Start around **2 dB to 5 dB** 11. Keep it subtle for now. ## Add Utility for width 12. After Saturator, drag in **Utility** 13. Leave Width above 0% so the body can stay wider than the sub. - Start around **100%** - You can widen later if it still sounds clean --- # Part 7: Map the Rack Macros Open the macro area so this rack becomes fast to use. 1. On the Instrument Rack, click **Show Macro Controls** 2. Click **Map** to enter Macro Map mode ## Macro 1: Sub Level 3. Click the **Sub chain volume** 4. Click **Map** to assign it to **Macro 1** 5. Rename Macro 1: **Sub Level** ## Macro 2: Body Level 6. Click the **Body chain volume** 7. Map it to **Macro 2** 8. Rename Macro 2: **Body Level** ## Macro 3: Filter 9. Click **Wavetable Filter Cutoff** on the Body chain 10. Map it to **Macro 3** 11. Rename Macro 3: **Filter** ## Macro 4: Drive 12. Click **Saturator Drive** on the Body chain 13. Map it to **Macro 4** 14. Rename Macro 4: **Drive** ## Macro 5: Width 15. Click **Utility Width** on the Body chain 16. Map it to **Macro 5** 17. Rename Macro 5: **Width** ## Exit macro mapping 18. Click **Map** again to leave mapping mode --- # Part 8: Set useful macro ranges This makes the template easier to use musically. 1. Re-open the rack’s **Macro Mapping Browser** if needed. 2. Set practical min/max values: ### Suggested ranges - **Sub Level** - Min: not fully silent unless you want that - Good idea: keep some audible sub at minimum - **Body Level** - Set a usable volume range - **Filter** - Min: dark but not completely closed - Max: bright but not harsh - **Drive** - Min: 0 dB - Max: enough grit without destroying the sound - **Width** - Min: around **80%** - Max: around **140%** or whatever stays clean For beginner workflow, keep these ranges conservative. --- # Part 9: Add global processing after the rack These devices go on the **Bass — Workflow** track, after the Instrument Rack. ## Add EQ Eight 1. Click to the right of the Instrument Rack on the bass track 2. Drag in **EQ Eight** 3. Leave it mostly flat for now 4. Use it later for small cuts if needed ## Add Saturator 5. After EQ Eight, drag in **Saturator** 6. Add a little more grit if needed - Start subtle ## Add Compressor 7. After Saturator, drag in **Compressor** ## Add Utility 8. After Compressor, drag in **Utility** This final Utility is good for: - mono checks - gain adjustment - final width control if needed --- # Part 10: Set up sidechain compression Now connect the bass compressor to the Kick Trigger track. 1. Open the **Compressor** on the **Bass — Workflow** track 2. Click the little triangle or sidechain section to reveal **Sidechain** 3. Turn **Sidechain** on 4. In the sidechain input chooser, select: **Kick Trigger** If available, use: - **Audio From: Kick Trigger** - Use **Pre-FX** or **Pre-Mixer** if needed so the signal still reaches the compressor reliably ## Dial in starting settings 5. Set: - **Ratio**: **4:1** - **Attack**: **fast**, around **1 ms to 5 ms** - **Release**: **60 ms to 150 ms** 6. Lower the **Threshold** until you see gain reduction when the kick trigger hits. 7. Press play and listen for the bass to duck on beats 1 and 3. If you don’t hear ducking: - check the Kick Trigger clip is playing - check the compressor sidechain input meter moves - make sure the trigger track isn’t disabled - try **Pre** sidechain detection --- # Part 11: Create a test MIDI clip on the bass track You need a bass note to hear everything working. 1. On **Bass — Workflow**, double-click an empty clip slot 2. Create a **1-bar MIDI clip** 3. Draw in a long note, for example: - C1, C2, or whichever low note suits your system 4. Let the note play for the full bar 5. Press play Now you should hear: - a mono sub from Operator - a harmonic body from Wavetable - sidechain ducking from the kick trigger --- # Part 12: Balance the sub and body Use the macros you mapped. 1. Turn **Sub Level** until the low-end feels solid 2. Turn **Body Level** until the harmonic layer is audible but not overpowering 3. Move **Filter** to darken or brighten the body 4. Increase **Drive** for extra aggression 5. Adjust **Width** so the body feels wide but not phasey For beginner DnB: - keep the **sub dominant in low-end** - keep the **body cleaner than you think** - avoid too much width in low frequencies --- # Part 13: Optional chain-style variations If you want quick tonal options inside the same template: 1. Open the rack’s chain list 2. Duplicate the **Body** chain 3. Rename the duplicate something like: - **Body Clean** - **Body Grit** - **Body Wide** 4. Change Wavetable settings or Saturator amount on each version 5. Use **Chain Selector** if you want to switch between them with one macro This is optional, but useful later. --- # Part 14: Name and organize clearly Do this now so the template is reusable. 1. Confirm track names: - **Kick Trigger** - **Bass — Workflow** 2. Optionally color the tracks: - Kick Trigger = bright color - Bass = darker blue/green 3. If you want, rename devices: - **SC Comp** - **Sub Utility** - **Body Saturator** Clean naming speeds up DnB workflow a lot. --- # Part 15: Save the Instrument Rack 1. Click the title bar of the Instrument Rack on **Bass — Workflow** 2. Click the disk icon or right-click and choose: **Save Preset** 3. Name it: **DNB Bass — Workflow Rack** Save it to your **User Library**. --- # Part 16: Save the full Live Set as a template 1. Go to **File > Save Live Set As…** 2. Name it: **DNB_Workflow_Template** If you want this every time Live opens: 3. Open this exact set 4. Go to **File > Save Live Set as Default Set** If you’d rather keep it as a manual template, just leave it saved in your project/template folder. --- # Part 17: Quick test before you finish Run this check: - **Tempo** is **174 BPM** - **Kick Trigger** clip plays - **Compressor sidechain** is receiving the trigger - **Sub chain** is mono with Utility at **0% width** - **Body chain** is high-passed around **60–80 Hz** - **Sub chain** is low-passed around **200–250 Hz** - **Macros** work and are named: - Sub Level - Body Level - Filter - Drive - Width - **Instrument Rack** is saved - **Live Set** is saved --- # Super-short version if you want to build it fast 1. Set project to **174 BPM** 2. Make **Kick Trigger** MIDI track with **Simpler + kick sample** 3. Program kick on **1 and 3** 4. Make **Bass — Workflow** MIDI track 5. Add **Instrument Rack** 6. Create chains: - **Sub** = Operator sine, low-passed, mono Utility - **Body** = Wavetable, high-passed, Saturator, Utility 7. Map macros: - Sub Level - Body Level - Filter - Drive - Width 8. After rack add: - EQ Eight - Saturator - Compressor - Utility 9. Sidechain compressor from **Kick Trigger** 10. Save rack and save set as template --- If you want, I can next turn this into either: 1. a **printable checklist**, or 2. a **super beginner version with absolutely no guesswork** including exact starter settings for every device.