Ableton Sample Library

edgewise · 2013-07-08T21:40:17.000Z

Is it possible to batch convert (or just plain convert) the Ableton Suite 9 sample library for use in the MD-UW and/or OT? When I drop one of the samples on my OT disk and try to load it into a Flex machine I get an “unsupported format” message. I can’t audition them in OS X finder, either. I hold a license and own the samples, so it seems like I ought to be able to do what I want with them, even if that’s outside of the Ableton biosphere.

Nivekevil · 2013-07-09T05:39:30.000Z

I don’t own Live 9, but I suspect you just need to convert the samples to the proper file format for the OT, namely 44.1 and 16 or 24bit WAV. No reason they shouldn’t be treated the same as typical audio files. If you’re on a Mac, Max does an excellent job with batch conversion.

edgewise · 2013-07-09T12:06:55.000Z

It seems like Ableton has done something “special” with the encoding. Although the files have regular file extensions, they aren’t standard aif files. If they were, they would preview properly in the Finder.

nedavine · 2013-09-10T11:31:14.000Z

I am quit curious about this too. It seems Ableton stores library files as .aif and yet they dont preview or play in anything except ableton. I too would like to be able to easily export some of the samples from the live library. Anyone ever figure this out?

greenhouse · 2013-12-16T09:18:44.000Z

Any updates? Somebody?

bambrose · 2013-12-16T14:12:50.000Z

For some livepacks, you can rightclick on the .alp file and select show file contents, which allows you to then see the internal file structure and the samples located within. I broke open a couple like this in order to make some sample chains. You can then consolidate, which saves them as 32bit files by default… which you then have to downsample to 24bit to be readable.

Housecliche · 2013-12-16T15:46:13.000Z

Ableton is using “aifc” (at least on Mac OSX anyway) under the hood, even though it shows as aif. You should be able to export as wav but this is only a solution for one or two samples - there are lots of conversion utils out there that will handle batch processing aifc to wav, the trick is finding one that works reliably - do some serious research before you buy any conversion software.

It would be interesting to know if this issue is just on Mac - so can Windows users get away with straight import of Live samples to OT? - I believe the aifc thing might be just an Apple wierdism…

bambrose · 2013-12-16T16:00:30.000Z

""Housecliche"":

Ableton is using “aifc” (at least on Mac OSX anyway) under the hood, even though it shows as aif. You should be able to export as wav but this is only a solution for one or two samples - there are lots of conversion utils out there that will handle batch processing aifc to wav, the trick is finding one that works reliably - do some serious research before you buy any conversion software.

It would be interesting to know if this issue is just on Mac - so can Windows users get away with straight import of Live samples to OT? - I believe the aifc thing might be just an Apple wierdism…

I hadn’t noticed that. FWIW I’m on a mac, and use Switch which seems to work well (considering it’s free)