00:02In this video, we'll take an
overview of Live's user interface.
00:06We'll focus on getting accustomed with
how to navigate the interface and where
00:09to find different parts of the software.
00:12We won't cover each section in
detail, as these will be covered
00:15in depth in separate videos.
00:17By the end of this video, you
should have a good idea of how
00:20to navigate within Live and find
different sections of the software.
00:24Live's user interface is
designed to be modular.
00:27Different sections can be hidden
and shown as needed using several
00:30toggles around the interface.
00:40One useful area to be aware
of when getting started with
00:43Live is called the Info View.
00:45This can be hidden and shown using
the toggle in the bottom left.
00:49The Info View provides information about
any part of Live's interface simply by
00:53hovering your mouse over that element.
00:56As I move my mouse around Live's
interface, you'll see that the Info
00:59View updates with information about that
section, down to the level of individual
01:03buttons and controls, and even mentions
keyboard shortcuts when available.
01:10If you're new to Live, leaving the Info
View open is recommended, to learn about
01:14any interface elements at a glance.
01:18At the top of Live's interface is
the control bar, which always remains
01:21visible no matter where you are in Live.
01:23This contains things like your
project tempo and time signature,
01:27Live's metronome, and the key and
scale of currently selected clips.
01:33In the middle of the control bar
you'll find the arrangement position
01:36indicator, play, stop and record
buttons, and several buttons related to
01:40recording, like MIDI overdub, automation
arm, capture and session record.
01:47To the right of this are arrangement
loop controls, loop start and loop
01:51length controls, controls for punch
in and punch out, and the loop switch.
01:58On the right hand side of the control
bar are controls for draw mode, computer
02:02MIDI keyboard, and key and MIDI mapping.
02:07You can also see your project's
sample rate and current CPU usage.
02:13On the left hand side of the
interface is the browser.
02:16This is where you'll find and load
all the instruments, sounds, and
02:19effects you'll use in your project.
02:21The browser can be toggled using
the button in the top left.
02:26There is an additional toggle to the right
of the browser button to show and hide
02:30Live's tuning and groove pool sections.
02:36At this point, it's worth mentioning
that different interface elements are
02:39resizable by clicking and dragging.
02:44There are also several shortcuts
for toggling interface elements.
02:48These will differ slightly on Mac
and PC, but you can always find
02:51them by going to the view menu.
02:53For example, option command
5 toggles the browser on Mac.
03:02The main section of the interface
is where you'll spend most
03:04of your time making music.
03:07Live has two main views that can be
toggled using the icons in the top right.
03:11Currently we're looking at Live's
Arrangement view, where you arrange
03:14the parts of your song on a timeline.
03:17Tracks that contain the instruments
and sounds in your project run
03:20horizontally, and the track header
is found on the right hand side.
03:24Let's click the icon to
switch to the Session view.
03:28In the Session view, our tracks
are shown vertically as columns.
03:32The top section of tracks in the Session
view shows our clips - the pieces
03:35of MIDI and audio in our project.
03:38At the bottom is the mixer section.
03:41Here we see things like track volume,
panning, solo, mute and record arm
03:46buttons, and send controls if available.
03:50The mixer can be toggled using
the icon at the bottom right.
03:56The toggle to the right of the mixer
icon lets us hide and show different
03:59parts of the mixer as needed.
04:04At the right hand side of the session view
are our return tracks and the main track.
04:09Return tracks are commonly
used for setting up effect sends.
04:13The main track is where all our
tracks are summed together before
04:16being sent to our speakers.
04:19If we switch back to the arrangement
view, you'll see that the mixer
04:23section can also be shown here,
including returns and the main track.
04:28The arrangement mixer can be
resized by clicking and dragging
04:31at the top of the mixer.
04:36At the very bottom of the
interface is the detail view.
04:39This can be toggled using the
two tabs in the bottom right.
04:43You can either show the device view,
where you see all the instruments and
04:46effects for the currently selected track,
Or the Clip View, where you'll see the
04:50contents of the currently selected clip.
04:53The Clip View can be resized by clicking
and dragging at the top of the view.
05:01You can also see the Device View
and Clip Views simultaneously by
05:04clicking the toggles next to each tab.
05:08This will stack with the Mixer View
if you have enough screen space.
05:20Lastly, let's see how to navigate
within the Arrangement View.
05:24Above and below the Arrangement
View are the Beat and Time rulers.
05:28If you hover your mouse
over the beat ruler, it will
05:30change to a magnifying glass.
05:32You can then click and drag up
and down or left and right to
05:35zoom and pan the arrangement.
05:40You can also use the plus and
minus keyboard shortcuts to zoom
05:43in and out of your arrangement.
05:47At the top of the
arrangement is the overview.
05:49which shows an overview of all
the clips in your arrangement.
05:53Click and drag at the bottom of the
arrangement overview to expand its size.
05:58You can also click and drag up and down
and left and right within the arrangement
06:01overview to zoom and pan the display.
06:08Within the arrangement, click on
the toggles next to a track's name
06:10to fold and unfold that track.
06:15Hold Alt or Option and click
any of these toggles to fold and
06:18unfold all tracks simultaneously.
