If you’re looking to speed up your workflow and start creating tracks faster, then it’s time to learn how to use Ableton racks properly. In this article, we’ll walk you through the different types of racks, such as drum racks, effects racks, and instrument racks, and show you how to use them to their fullest potential. Plus, we’ll share our top picks for drum rack sample packs that can help your Ableton tracks stand out from the crowd. So what are you waiting for? Let’s dive in and for the must-have Ableton racks!
What are Ableton Racks?
Ableton Racks are groups of preset instruments, drums, and effects that you can easily load into your audio and MIDI tracks in Ableton. Although Ableton provides a few pre-made racks for drums and effects, creating your own racks based on your unique needs is easy.
The term “rack” is borrowed from analog studios’ effects racks, enabling digital producers to set up the same kind of racks in their DAW.
In addition to housing various effects chains, Ableton Racks can also house sets of drum samples, as well as preset synth and sampler instruments. There are three types of Ableton Racks: Drum Racks, Effects Racks, and Instrument Racks.
Let’s take a closer look at each of these.
Drum Racks
Take a closer look at Ableton drum racks. This is a really common must-have Ableton racks. Drum racks are where you can program, customize, and control your drums in Ableton. These racks use 16 pads that are MIDI-mapped from C1 to D#2. Each drum rack in Ableton consists of five sections:
- Macro effects control section
- 16-pad sampler
- Sound chains section
- Ableton’s Simpler plugin for each sample
- Drum MIDI roll
With macro controls, you can add custom effects, EQ, compression, and other sound design tools to change the sound of the entire drum rack. Sampler pads allow you to audition sounds in the rack and swap different samples in and out easily. In the chains section, you can send each sample through your output of choice, set up choke groups for hi-hats and other instruments, and adjust the volume and pan of each sample. The Simpler plugin view enables you to modify and design the sound of each individual sample in your drum rack. Finally, with a drum rack open, you can easily click in drum patterns straight into the MIDI roll by opening a clip or clicking into the timeline.
Effect Racks
How about Ableton effects racks? They work similarly to drum racks, but without the 16-pad sampler feature.
Effects racks are built to give you centralized control over the various effects plugins in Ableton, so you can easily adjust them to your liking.
The best part about Ableton effects racks is that they’re customizable and saveable. You can create your own unique effects racks that perfectly fit your needs, whether you’re working on guitars, vocals, or anything else.
Once you’ve set up your effects rack, you can use it consistently in your projects and easily recall it whenever you need it. It’s a real time-saver that lets you focus on creating the exact sound you want.
Instrument Racks
Ableton instrument racks are a great way to group together different instruments and apply macro effect controls like filter, drive, and EQ over the entire rack.
One of the benefits of using instrument racks is the ability to customize the presets of each instrument in your rack and copy the values to other instruments in the same rack.
Instrument racks are also useful for mapping different instruments to different parts of a MIDI keyboard, such as a synth bass in the lower register, a pad in the middle, and a lead in the highs. You can control the pan and volume of each instrument as well.
Once you’ve created your instrument rack, you can save the sounds for instant recall in any of your projects.
10 Must-have Ableton Racks (Drum edition)
Here are 10 must-have Ableton racks specifically in drum that you won’t want to miss out on! These racks are perfect for all your music production needs, so let’s dive right in.
1. 808 Drum Rack
For that iconic TR-808 drum sound that punches through any speaker, this is the pack for you. Perfect for trap and any other genre that uses the 808 sound.
2. Berlin Techno Rack
With slamming kicks, long subby decays and crunchy hats, this techno-inspired sample pack will have you feeling like you’re at Berghain.
3. 90s Hip-Hop Drum Rack
Get all the bit-crushed lo-fi flavor of early samplers like the SP-1200 and the AKAI MPC with this drum rack, perfect for your retro throwback hip-hop tracks.
4. Trap Drum Rack
Thumping kicks, boomy 808 bass, snappy hi-hats and ear-slicing hi-hats – this pack has it all! Perfect for modern trap productions.
5. LinnDrumm Rack
A little more unique than the popular TR-808 or TR-909. The LinnDrumm drum machine is used by producers from Prince to Thundercat. Give this rack a try for a fresh sound.
6. 909 Drum Rack
The original drum machine used by techno and house producers from Chicago and Detroit, this sample pack is a capable substitute for the real hardware machine.
7. Detroit House Rack
Designed for the specific, funky drum sounds that house music demands. This sample pack is perfect for writing groovy house tunes.
8. Studio Drum Rack
For those who want the sound of live acoustic drums, this pack features meticulously engineered recordings of acoustic drums.
9. Lofi Drum Rack
Perfect for lo-fi indie rock jams or lo-fi jazz-hop tracks. This drum rack features crackling hi-hats, understated kicks, soft snares, and low-key vibes.
10. Minimalist Drum Rack
With more subtle drum sounds, this pack is perfect for minimalist techno and house productions. It offers a tasteful vibe for the muted yet mature producer.