# Dust and Bloom - Detailed Quick Start

**Tempo:** 121 BPM | **Key:** D# minor | **Mood:** Earthy, blooming, deeply textured

This is an original MIDI construction kit, not a preloaded .als Set. The web audio
preview is an eight-bar, eight-stem render of this kit's MIDI through the files in
preview-assets (WAV drums, percussion and atmospheres, Serum .fxp oscillator data and
PML groove MIDI) named in RACKS_AND_ROUTING.md; it is not the exact sound of the racks you will build below.

User-supplied listening references: **UVITA / OSFUR**. These are mood-board references, not endorsements or replicas.

## 1. Import and orient

1. Start a blank Live 12 Set in Arrangement View. Set 121 BPM and 4/4 manually.
2. Import `Full_Arrangement.mid` at bar 1. If track separation or naming differs,
   import the individual `MIDI_Stems/*.mid` files at the same bar-1 origin.
3. Keep the written timing and velocity initially; do not apply another full swing
   groove on top of already-offset notes.
4. Use `BUILD_SHEET.md` for section locators and the ending. MIDI marker import is
   not assumed. The original Melodic Techno endings may include a partial bar.
5. Create the four groups and three returns below, then assign instruments.
   Start monitor/headphone volume low: the suggested faders are starting points,
   not guaranteed safe peaks for every sample or preset.

## 2. Required plugins and stock alternatives

**Required third-party plug-ins: none.** Live 12 Standard is the recommended
baseline for the complete track/rack layout. Check your installed edition's devices;
Lite/Intro users may need to consolidate parts to stay within track/device limits.

| Role | Stock starting point | Alternative / caveat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kick, hats and percussion | Drum Rack with Simpler one-shots | Use your own or licensed Core Library sounds. Map the exact MIDI pitch shown below. |
| Sub and bass reply | Drift | Operator or Wavetable are optional if licensed; replace rather than require them. |
| Chords, motif and answers | Drift | Any licensed stock synth with the needed voice count; Meld/Operator/Wavetable are optional, not dependencies. |
| Level, mono and width | Utility | Keep the sub centered; do not use a stereo widener to repair a weak bass patch. |
| Sidechain and bus control | Compressor | Glue Compressor is optional; its controls will not match every setting one-for-one. |
| Tone shaping | Instrument filter; EQ Three for broad balance | EQ Eight is optional for precise cleanup; EQ Three is not an identical surgical replacement. |
| Space and repeats | Reverb and Delay | Hybrid Reverb or Echo are optional if licensed; begin with the simpler stock pair. |
| Organization | Instrument Rack / Audio Effect Rack | Macros map parameters inside that rack, not arbitrary controls on other tracks. |

Do not download artist presets or copy commercial recordings into this project.
The source MIDI supplies notes, not instruments, samples, routing, FX or automation.

## 3. Exact track routing and starting levels

| Track | Instrument / MIDI mapping | Audio To | Starting fader | Processing / notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Kick | Drum Rack -> Simpler on MIDI pitch 36 | DRUMS | -10 dB | Dry; no sidechain on kick |
| Rim | Drum Rack -> Simpler on MIDI pitch 37 | DRUMS | -20 dB | Short-room send only if needed |
| Closed Hat | Drum Rack -> Simpler on MIDI pitch 42 | DRUMS | -20 dB | Short-room send only if needed |
| Open Hat | Drum Rack -> Simpler on MIDI pitch 46 | DRUMS | -20 dB | Short-room send only if needed |
| Low Conga | Drum Rack -> Simpler on MIDI pitch 64 | DRUMS | -20 dB | Short-room send only if needed |
| High Conga | Drum Rack -> Simpler on MIDI pitch 63 | DRUMS | -20 dB | Short-room send only if needed |
| Bell | Drum Rack -> Simpler on MIDI pitch 56 | DRUMS | -20 dB | Short-room send only if needed |
| Shaker | Drum Rack -> Simpler on MIDI pitch 82 | DRUMS | -20 dB | Short-room send only if needed |
| Sub Bass | Drift, one voice, triangle/sine-like fundamental | BASS | -14 dB | Utility Width 0%; external Compressor |
| Bass Reply | Drift, one voice, pulse/saw body | BASS | -20 dB | Reduce competing lows; external Compressor |
| Chord Stabs | Drift, polyphonic for chords; mono or poly for individual phrases | MUSIC | -22 dB | VOICE rack; light sidechain; returns A/B/C |
| Motif | Drift, polyphonic for chords; mono or poly for individual phrases | MUSIC | -22 dB | VOICE rack; light sidechain; returns A/B/C |
| Counterline | Drift, polyphonic for chords; mono or poly for individual phrases | MUSIC | -22 dB | VOICE rack; light sidechain; returns A/B/C |
| Air Cue | Drift pitched/noise texture; follow the cue gates | ATMOS + FX | -28 dB | Slow attack/release, remove unnecessary lows, gentle ducking |
| Arp | Drift, polyphonic for chords; mono or poly for individual phrases | MUSIC | -22 dB | VOICE rack; light sidechain; returns A/B/C |

For each drum track, load the one-shot into the Drum Rack pad matching its **MIDI
number**, not just a displayed octave label. The rack triggers Simpler at its intended
sample pitch. Dragging a pitched drum MIDI stem straight onto a default Simpler may
transpose the sample unintentionally; verify pitch if using that alternative.

```text
DRUMS -> Main
  Kick -> DRUMS
  Rim -> DRUMS
  Closed Hat -> DRUMS
  Open Hat -> DRUMS
  Low Conga -> DRUMS
  High Conga -> DRUMS
  Bell -> DRUMS
  Shaker -> DRUMS
BASS -> Main
  Sub Bass -> BASS
  Bass Reply -> BASS
MUSIC -> Main
  Chord Stabs -> MUSIC
  Motif -> MUSIC
  Counterline -> MUSIC
  Arp -> MUSIC
ATMOS + FX -> Main
  Air Cue -> ATMOS + FX
SC GHOST -> Sends Only (A/B/C all -inf; track active)
A SHORT ROOM -> Main
B DARK SPACE -> Main
C FILTERED DELAY -> Main
```

Set ordinary track Monitor to Auto and disarm after recording. Do not route group
outputs back into their child tracks. Return sends start at -inf and returns go to
Main, never into themselves or a feedback chain.

## 4. Build this template's voices

- **Bass:** Dark triangle/saw bass with 300 ms decay; let the sub breathe while the reply adds grit.
- **Melodic voice:** Raspy mallet/pluck hybrid with 610 ms decay; slowly reveal a clean high octave after the break.
- **Percussion:** Earthy conga, husky shaker and a dry slap; a high bell punctuates rather than drives the groove.
- **Harmony:** scale-root progression `[0, 5, 1, 6]`.
  Use degree-offset voicing [0, 4, 5, 9] and change every 6 bars.

Set Sub Bass to one voice and keep its output mono. The sub's octave is already in
the MIDI: check the actual pitch before transposing. Give Bass Reply more upper
harmonics but less fundamental than the sub. Use at least as many synth voices as
the simultaneous notes on Chord Stabs; do not accidentally run chords through a mono patch.

## 5. Ghost sidechain - active but inaudible

Import the supplied SC_GHOST.mid stem; it is already a continuous quarter-note trigger.

1. Use a short click on a Drum Rack pad at MIDI pitch 36. Keep the track activator ON.
2. Set Audio To to **Sends Only**, with every return send at **-inf**.
3. On each receiving Compressor, enable External Sidechain and select
   **SC GHOST / Post FX**. Do not select the Main mix or the bass itself.
4. Sub Bass: start around 4:1, attack 1-3 ms, release 109 ms, makeup off.
   Adjust threshold by ear for roughly 2-4 dB of gain reduction, not to a universal dB value.
5. Bass Reply: start around 2:1, attack 5 ms, release 134 ms;
   use less reduction than the sub.
6. Motif, Chord Stabs and return B: optional light ducking, roughly 1-2 dB.
   Keep their attack audible and release before the next quarter-note trigger.

Solo a receiving bass while the audible kick is absent: ducking should continue.
If not, verify that the ghost instrument makes a click and the source tap is Post FX.
Do not mute the ghost track to silence it; silence its destination instead.

## 6. Return effects

| Return | Devices / initial settings | Feed from | Keep out |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A SHORT ROOM | Reverb, 100% wet, about 0.6-0.9s decay, modest pre-delay | Rim/clap, selected percussion, a little Motif; start sends near -24 dB | Kick and Sub Bass |
| B DARK SPACE | Reverb, 100% wet, about 2.5-4s decay -> Compressor keyed from SC GHOST | Chord Stabs, phrase endings, replacement atmosphere; start near -28 dB | Low-end fundamentals and dense continuous hats |
| C FILTERED DELAY | Delay, 100% wet, synced eighth or dotted-eighth, feedback initially 20% and capped near 30% | Motif and the melodic answer; start near -24 dB | Kick and sub; any self/return feedback path |

Roll unnecessary lows and excessive highs out of wet returns using their internal
filters or an available EQ. Level-match before judging whether more reverb is useful.
Do not turn a return to 100% wet and then also route dry audio through it in series.

## 7. Macro assignments - build a real rack

On **Motif**, create one Instrument Rack named `VOICE - Dust and Bloom` with one chain:

```text
Drift -> Reverb (short insert) -> Delay -> Utility
```

All four devices must be **inside the same rack chain**. Keep the track's external
sidechain Compressor after the rack. Reveal eight macros, enter Map mode, choose
each device parameter and assign its macro. Set Min/Max in the Mapping Browser.
The insert Reverb is only a small close-space layer; large space stays on return B.

| Macro | Exact device target | Suggested Min-Max | Starting value | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Tone | Drift -> filter cutoff | 180-7500 Hz | 900 Hz | Reveal the phrase without raising its fader. |
| 2 Decay | Drift -> amplitude-envelope decay | 80-992 ms | 248 ms | Keep note tails clear of the next attack; MIDI note-off still matters. |
| 3 Release | Drift -> amplitude-envelope release | 20-397 ms | 90 ms | Extend phrase endings, not the whole low end. |
| 4 Width | Utility -> Width | 0-120% | 90% | For this melodic rack only; never map the sub's width here. |
| 5 Short Space | Reverb -> Dry/Wet | 0-12% | 4% | Set Reverb decay to 0.7s; larger space comes from return B. |
| 6 Echo Amount | Delay -> Dry/Wet | 0-18% | 5% | Set synced delay to an eighth note before mapping. |
| 7 Echo Feedback | Delay -> Feedback | 0-30% | 15% | Keep the upper limit capped; do not create a feedback loop. |
| 8 Output | Utility -> Gain | -12-0 dB | -6 dB | Compensate for tone changes instead of chasing loudness. |

Save this Instrument Rack separately after auditioning. Duplicate it onto the
counterline if useful, but tune the second rack independently; one macro cannot
silently control another track's rack. Track return-send levels must be automated
on the track itself, not mapped as if they were parameters inside this rack.

For the bass rack, use Drift -> Utility with Width fixed at 0% on the sub, followed
by an external Compressor. Optional bass macros: filter cutoff 80-700 Hz, amp decay
80-496 ms, amp release 10-109 ms and Utility output -12-0 dB.
Leave sidechain threshold manual until the ghost and bass levels are established.

## 8. Bus processing - subtle and reversible

| Bus | Chain | Starting approach |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DRUMS | Utility -> optional EQ -> Compressor | Ratio 1.5:1-2:1, attack 20-30 ms, release about 124 ms. Aim for no more than 1-2 dB reduction. Keep kick attack intact. |
| BASS | Utility -> optional EQ | Balance sub/reply first. Avoid another aggressive compressor on top of per-track ducking. Check mono and crossover overlap. |
| MUSIC | Utility -> optional EQ -> gentle Compressor if needed | Keep level and width controlled. Use roughly 1.5:1 and 1 dB reduction only if the chord/motif stack actually needs it. |
| ATMOS + FX | Utility -> optional filter/EQ | Remove unnecessary low content, automate fades and prevent textures from masking the melody. |
| Main | Utility for conservative trim; metering | Leave several dB of peak headroom, approximately -6 dBFS as a practical starting target. No mastering limiter is required to build the template. |

Optional Drum Buss, Saturator, Glue, Echo or third-party processors are enhancements,
not requirements. Do not insert them by habit. Bypass and level-match every bus change;
if it only sounds better because it is louder, undo the gain difference.

## 9. Section-by-section macro and mix moves

These are **manual automation suggestions**, not automation embedded in the MIDI.

| Section | Bars, 1-based inclusive | Suggested move |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DJ Introduction | 1-16 | Keep Tone near 500-900 Hz, Echo Amount near 0-5%; leave the sub out until its written entry. |
| Percussion Pocket | 17-40 | Introduce the written layer; keep Bass Reply below the sub and expose the motif without widening bass. |
| Bass Conversation | 41-64 | Introduce the written layer; keep Bass Reply below the sub and expose the motif without widening bass. |
| Theme A | 65-96 | Introduce the written layer; keep Bass Reply below the sub and expose the motif without widening bass. |
| Air Gap | 97-112 | Pull audible low end back; lower Tone and cautiously raise return B. Keep SC GHOST active. |
| Rebuild | 113-128 | Raise Tone gradually, shorten Release, and reduce reverb before the next downbeat. |
| Theme B / Peak | 129-152 | Open Tone toward 4875 Hz, bring the answer forward, and level-match Output. |
| DJ Exit | 153-168 | Close Echo Amount and return B; strip melodic density before the final percussion handoff. |

Air Gap already removes the audible kick and both bass parts in the supplied MIDI.
Keep the ghost running throughout. Load Air/Atmos Cue with the specified original
pitched/noise texture and follow its written gates; do not accidentally turn it into a loud lead.

## 10. Save and acceptance check

1. Audition the intro, full theme, breakdown, peak and ending at conservative volume.
2. Check MIDI-pad assignments, missing samples, clipping, mono bass, inactive
   sidechain sources and unexpected double-routing.
3. Confirm every macro changes its named target and returns to a usable starting state.
4. Use **Collect All and Save** for any samples you add, then **File -> Save Live Set
   as Template**. Also save reusable racks into your User Library.
5. Reopen the saved template as a new untitled Set and confirm it loads without
   missing devices or samples. Native Set/rack saving and sound auditioning must happen in Live.

References: https://www.ableton.com/en/live-manual/12/managing-files-and-sets/
and https://www.ableton.com/en/live/compare-editions/


## Four separate melodic and atmosphere preview parts

- **Pluck** is the `Motif` MIDI track, with its own short-envelope instrument.
- **Arp** is the dedicated `Arp` MIDI track. Its 24-sixteenth pattern is `[[1, 0], [3, 7], [5, 11], [8, 13], [10, 2], [13, 4], [15, 8], [19, 15], [21, 4], [23, 6]]`.
  It displaces motif onsets and uses the written chord-voicing degrees. Do not place
  another Arpeggiator on top unless deliberately changing this composed part.
- **Lead** is the `Counterline` MIDI track, introduced in the latter half of Theme B.
  Use a separate saw/triangle patch with a little more sustain than the pluck.
- **Atmosphere** is the `Air Cue` MIDI track. Load a quiet pitched/noise texture with
  a slow attack and release; its two-cue cycle spans 48 sixteenths.
  Keep it on ATMOS + FX, not BASS. The preview now renders this part rather than omitting it.

The preview exposes all four parts individually, alongside Drums, Percussion, Bass
and Harmony. MIDI, preview audio and track naming agree on these role mappings.