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Ableton Live Exercise 3 – Creating a Dolby Atmos Mix

  • Updated

Exercise Objectives: 

This exercise is designed to reinforce concepts covered in Modules 7, 8, and 9. The objective for this exercise is to import audio into the Live set you created in Exercise 1 and create your own Atmos mix using pan automation and the Dolby Atmos Music Panner’s step sequencer. The final product of this exercise will be up to you and your creative decisions. Use the exercise as an opportunity to explore the possibilities of a Dolby Atmos mix.  

 

There are 2 sets of stems located in the exercise content (95BPM and 146BPM). For this exercise pick a tempo and use the stems and MIDI files labeled with that tempo.  

 

Dolby Atmos Renderer 

  • Close any open master file 
  • Set up the Renderer as in Exercise 1 

Ableton Live 

  • Close any open Live set 
  • Open the Live set you created in Exercise 1 
  • Verify that the tempo of the Live set matches the tempo of the tracks you will be importing 
    • The tempo of the tracks is in the filename 
    • Set the tempo of the Live set to match this tempo 

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  • Ensure you are in arrangement view and begin importing tracks from the Stems folder (located in the exercise content) into your Live set: 
    • Drag and drop the individual audio files from a finder window onto a track 
      • or 
    • Navigate to the location of the audio files in the file browser within Live and drag and drop the audio files from the browser onto the timeline 
  • Ensure that none of the imported tracks are being warped 
    • Double click on a clip and uncheck the Warp button in the clip view 

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  • Ensure that all clips are starting from 0:00 
    • Click and drag the Start Marker to the start of the clip 

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  • Arrange the tracks on the timeline so that they start 2 bars after the LTC timecode track starts 
    • Refer to Module 5.8 and the pre-mixed sets for an example and more information 
  • Rename the tracks in Live and make note of the object/output numbers 

Dolby Atmos Renderer 

  • Change the Input Configuration to match the tracks in Live 
  • Create a new master file 
  • Enable sync 

Ableton Live 

  • Push play and verify audio/timecode playback in the renderer 
  • Start mixing! 
  • Try using a variety of panning techniques: 
    • Use static object placement and Copy object linking on elements such as the kick and the snare to precisely position objects 
    • Record manual automation and use your mouse to create dynamic, expressive pans 
    • Write automation by hand using draw mode to create precise movements over long or short spans 
    • Use the step sequencer in the Dolby Atmos Music Panner to create dynamic, tempo-based pans 
    • Refer to Module 9 for more tips and best practices 
  • When you have created a mix that you like, use the processes you learned in Exercise 2 to record a Dolby Atmos master 

 

(OPTIONAL) There are MIDI clips included with the exercise content (in the MIDI folder). Try importing a MIDI clip and using one of your favorite VST instruments or one of Live’s built-in instruments to make the sound your own. Explore how different virtual instruments sound in the mix.  

 

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