You already know that you can hit the “delete” key on any parameter in a device to return it to its default position (or, in Live 10, double-click it).
But did you know that if you save a preset as a rack and then tweak a macro (after re-opening the version you saved), you can hit “delete” to return to whatever YOU set as the default position for it?
When you hit “Delete” on a macro of a plugin (Ableton Core or VST/AU), it returns to that plugin’s default position, which cannot be changed (set per plugin device).
So like if you drop Ableton’s “Chorus” effect on a track and mess with parameters and hit “Delete” on them, they will return to the Chorus Device’s default positions for those parameters. But sometimes you may not like having those pre-chosen values as the defaults to snap back to. The solution is to use Racks!
For saved rack presets in your library, the “Delete” key on one of the 8 macro knobs will return the value of a given macro knob to the position it was set at when it was saved (the “default position”).
[Note this does NOT work with the chain selector or chain volumes. Hitting “Delete” on the chain selector returns it to 0 and hitting “Delete” on any chain volumes returns them to 0db.]
So let’s say i make a preset for a VST EQ Audio Effect and set the “Mids” to +0 Gain as default at the exact half range (63.5). Then if i tweak the mids macro up or down and want to return to 0, instead of typing “63.5” in the macro or try to line it up with the mouse, just hit “Delete”! Way easier.
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2) Tweaked Macro
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3)”Delete” key snaps it back to default!
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(the display rounds to nearest whole #… in this case 63.5 reads as 63)
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Hey – thanks for the tip. This could be very handy for me, but unfortunately it’s not working (I’m on Live 9.2.1). I’ve followed your instructions: saved my macro rack as a default preset, then reopened the instrument… and when reopening the knobs do come up in their remembered positions, but when I hit delete on any of them they go back to either the lowest or the middle value. Can you think of anything that might be causing this for me?
I have no idea! I’m currently on live 9.2.1 as well and it still works for me always.