Help - my daughter is at music college and has been given recording software that she has no idea how to use.

[Chickpeabiryani]

She’s trying to connect a midi to Ableton live software. I have tried to help but am clueless. She refuses to ask college (I’m sure she has some kind of social anxiety that I’m trying to get her help for but she won’t engage with). We lost her Dad last year and she’s already dropped out of sixth form so really needs this course to work out for her. Am so worried this problem with the recording software might just be what tips her over the edge 😞. Any advice would every much appreciated.

YouTube is your friend, it looks like there are all sorts of tutorials on there.

(Sorry you're both having such a tough time )

YouTube, definitely. There are probably loads of forums about it online, as well.

Yes I think she’s looked at those, just really hoping someone might come along who knows about this stuff.

I think finding the right video or asking/searching on a specialist forum would be easier, and she will gain confidence from getting there herself. I remember my daughter getting frustrated when she was trying to work out how to use FL Studio, but it only takes a little while before you know what you're doing.

That's what I remind myself when I'm learning a new technology (I'm a software developer) - in six months' time this is going to be second nature, it's always a struggle at the beginning!

I'm copying this message to my son (17, asd and on a music btec). I'm not sure if he uses Ableton yet, he does a lot in Logic but I'll see if he can help.

I'm sorry, he's not used Ableton so isn't familiar with the intrface

When midi devices aren't working he checks a few things:

If the wire is working
if there is anything coming through on the settings (he usually monitors this in the Mainstage programme he uses as it shows if there is a midi input)

But he's not really sure about Ableton

Thanks so much comefromaway, that’s kind of your son. I have now contacted college myself (even though she didn’t want me to) and am hoping they can help. I think the fact that it’s all remote learning isn’t helping, as she’s so much happier to speak to people face to face.

Does she know anyone on her course she could ask?

According to my son you drag the midi file (click onto the midi file and move with the mouse) straight into the Ableton screen and it loads