Reference Manual

CHAPTER 4. LIVE CONCEPTS 18
Audio signals are recorded and played back using audio tracks, and MIDI signals are
recorded and played back using MIDI tracks. The two track types have their own corre-
sponding clip types. Audio clips cannot live on MIDI tracks and vice versa.
Information about inserting, reordering and deleting audio and MIDI tracks is found here.
4.5 Audio Clips and Samples
An audio clip contains a reference to a sample (also known as a sound le or audio le)
or a compressed sample (such as an MP3 le). The clip tells Live where on the computer's
drives to nd the sample, what part of the sample to play and how to play it.
When a sample is dragged in from one of Live's built-in File Browsers, Live automatically
creates a clip to play that sample. Prior to dragging in a sample, one can audition or
preview it directly in the Browser; the switch in the Browser with the headphone icon
activates previewing.
Samples Are Dragged in
from Live's File Browsers.
Live offers many options for playing samples in exciting new ways, allowing you to create an
abundance of new sounds without actually changing the original sample  all the changes
are computed in real time, while the sample is played. The respective settings are made in
the Clip View, which appears on screen when a clip is double-clicked.