How to Layer Synths in Ableton Live 9

Two Minute Ableton Live Tip #27: How to Stack Synths in Ableton Live

One synthesizer may sound nice on its own, but sometimes you want things to be a little thicker.  Maybe you want to add some bass to a sound or give a bassy sound some interesting high end.  Imagine being able to control multiple synthesizers with the touch of one keyboard.  Ableton Live makes this extremely easy to do.  In this 2 Minute Ableton Live Tip, I will show you just how easy it is to layer synthesizers on top of each other in a single midi track in Ableton Live.  The creative and sonic possibilities this opens up is endless. Check out the video below, in which I use the AfroDJMac MegaBrute Collection to demonstrate.

Two Minute Ableton Live Tip #27: How to Stack and Layer Synths in Ableton's Instrument Racks. This tip will teach you how to layer synth sounds and create thick fat and interesting synthesizer sounds, all controlled with one midi clip.

Experiment, Experiment, Experiment

I'm sure you can imagine, this technique allows you to quickly and easily build very complex sounds.  Try out some interesting things. On a piano sound, layer a slowly evolving pad that only creeps in on longer sustain notes. Fatten up a weak kick drum with a thicker heavier one underneath. On a synth lead, add another synth that generates a little white noise to dirty up the sound.  The possibilities as always are endless.

All sounds in the video created with the AfroDJMac MegaBrute Collection, On sale now!

Here's the promo video:

50 Ableton Live Instruments, created with samples from the Arturia MiniBrute. This collection of analog synth instruments takes the power of the MiniBrute and combines it with that of Ableton Live. Extremely playable and useful instruments with tons of effects and macro knobs for control.

Here's a 4 song EP I made using only MegaBrute Collection Sounds:

Here's an instrumental EP that I made using only the Arturia MiniBrute analog synthesizer. I have meticulously sampled loads of patches into Ableton Live and created 50 different instrument racks. The goal was to create sounds that are impossible with the hardware synth alone.

The MegaBrute Ableton Live Collection contains loads of analog warmth, charm and character.  Here are the features:

• 50 Ableton Live Instrument Racks (most of which contain additional midi and audio effect racks inside)

• 10 Ableton Live Sets

• The AfroDJMac MegaBrute EP- a four song EP created entirely with the Mega Brute Collection

• The 5 Ableton Live sets used to create the MegaBrute EP (this gives an inside look at how the MegaBrute Collection was put to work)

• Works in Ableton Live 8.2 and above.