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Ableton Live Quick Tip: Using Beat Repeat as a Gate

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Video: Ableton Live Quick Tip - using Beat Repeat as a gate

A quick trick for turning Ableton's Beat Repeat into a gate that sequences a sound for you. In the video I use it on a lead sound.

How to do it

  1. Load Beat Repeat on the track with your sound (a lead in the video).
  2. Set the Interval to 1/16.
  3. Set the Grid to 1/32, with no triplets.
  4. Add some Variation.
  5. Set the mix mode to Insert.
  6. Turn the Volume all the way down.
    Ableton Beat Repeat set up as a gate: Interval 1/16, Grid 1/32 with No Trpl, Variation 3, Ins mode and Volume at minus infinity dB
    Beat Repeat configured as a gate

Now Beat Repeat gates the sound, so it sounds sequenced instead of playing continuously.

Why it works

  • Insert mode mutes the original sound while Beat Repeat is active, so you only hear the repeats.
  • Volume sets the level of the repeats only. With it turned fully down, the repeats are silent.

So whenever Beat Repeat fires, the sound is cut out instead of repeated. The Interval decides how often this happens, the Grid sets the length of each slice, and Variation randomizes the Grid a little so the pattern doesn't sound too predictable.

Quick tips

  • Try different Interval and Grid values for different rhythms.
  • Add more Variation for a less predictable pattern.
  • Use it on any sustained sound, not only leads.

FAQ

good to know
How do I use Beat Repeat as a gate in Ableton?

Set the Interval to 1/16 and the Grid to 1/32 (no triplets), add some Variation, switch to Insert mode and turn the Volume all the way down.

Why does Insert mode with the volume down gate the sound?

Insert mutes the original while Beat Repeat is active, and the Volume control only affects the repeats. With the volume down, the repeats are silent, so the sound is cut out in a rhythm.

What does Variation do in Beat Repeat?

It randomly shifts the Grid value within a range, so the pattern is less predictable.

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