← The Two Views
Mission 09 · World 2
Tracks
Audio. MIDI. Return. Group. Master.
Tracks are lanes for sound. Pick the right type or fight Live forever.
+50 XP
// WHAT IT DOES
Audio tracks hold recorded or imported sound. MIDI tracks hold notes that play an instrument. Return tracks receive sends (reverb, delay). Group tracks bundle other tracks. Master is the final output.
Pick the wrong type and nothing works — a sample on a MIDI track is silent.
Think of it like → Tracks are highway lanes. Trucks (audio), motorbikes (MIDI), exit ramps (returns) — they all need their own lane.
▸ WHY YOU CARE
- • Right type = sound the first time.
- • Groups and Returns keep your mix tidy when 30 tracks become 60.
// SEE & HEAR IT
Move faders, mute, solo — listen.
DRUMS
80
BASS
70
SYNTH
60
PAD
50
VOX
65
MASTER
0.0 dB
▸ HOW IT WORKS
Each track is a signal pipeline: Input → Pre-FX → Devices → Post-FX → Sends → Mixer → Output.
▸ Signal flow — watch the dot
▸ SIGNAL FLOW
Glowing dot = your signal travelling through Live.
▸ LISTEN FOR
- • Audio tracks meter on input even without arm; MIDI tracks meter only post-instrument.
▸ WALKTHROUGH (3 steps)
- 1. DO: Cmd/Ctrl+T → new Audio track.▸ LISTEN: Empty stereo lane appears.
- 2. DO: Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+T → new MIDI track.▸ LISTEN: Lane appears with no instrument — silent until you add one.
- 3. DO: Select two tracks → Cmd/Ctrl+G.▸ LISTEN: They group into a folder track with one fader.
▸ COMMON MISTAKES
- ✗ Putting a sample on a MIDI track (silence).
- ✗ Forgetting Group tracks have their own automation.
// QUIZ (QUICK)
Question 1 / 30 correct
Reverb sends go to a…