Adding Ableton Plugins

Hello! In this text I will be teaching you how to add plugins to a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). There are many different types of DAWS one might use to create music but for this tutorial we will be using Ableton Live. Plugins are like add-ons that allow you to do more within Live. For instance, the plugin we will be using is called OB-Xd. This plugin is intended to proved a digital synth that will give us access to sounds not provided with the DAW. Furthermore, there are hundreds of plugins that can be used within a DAW.

Supplies

Ableton Live Program

Compatible plugin

Opening Your DAW

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To start this process you will want to open a new Live project and familiarize yourself with the preferences tab. In Live, command + " , " opens this up. Once here click the plugins tab. This is where your DAW will access the plugin saved on your computer. Make sure every field is turned on to prevent unintended errors.

Downloading Your Plugin

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A quick google search for free Ableton Live plugins will give you an endless supply of plugins to try but for this project we will be going to https://www.discodsp.com/obxd/ . Here we will find the OB-XD plugin and a link to download it. Click the word download to begin.

Opening + Installing

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Once the button is clicked, your computer should store your download in the download folder. Here, open the zip file and click the .pkg file to start and complete your download.

Getting Plugin Into Ableton Live

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Now that your plugin is downloaded to your computer, Live should be smart enough to find that file and add it to your DAW. This may not work if the required files are not saved in the proper location but this should not be a problem if you followed the download procedure correctly. In Live, go to your plugins page again and click "Rescan". This should search through your computer and find all available plugins compatible with Ableton Live.

Adding Plugin to Project

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Your newly downloaded plugin should now be available underneath the plugin tab to the left of the program. Here the plugin should be available for use on any track. See a tutorial on how to use plugins and tracks within Live for further exploration.