Note FAQ

With Ableton Note, you can sketch ideas, create beats and melodies, and sample your environment. Sync your sketches from Note into Ableton Live with Ableton Cloud, or export audio directly from your iOS device. Find answers to your questions about Note below:

Getting Started with Note
The Note App
Making Music with Note
Using Ableton Cloud
Managing Files in Note 
Reporting Problems
My Account

Getting Started with Note

Where can I buy Note?
Purchase Note in the App Store to install it on your iOS device. 

Will my device work with Note?
Note is compatible with any iOS device running iOS 15 or higher.

Is Note available for iPad?
Note is available for both iPhone and iPad.

Is Note compatible with Android devices? 
Note is not currently compatible with Android devices.

How much does Note cost?
View Note's price in your local currency in the App Store.

Is Note included with my Live license?
The Note application must be purchased separately in the App Store.

Do I need an Ableton account to use Note?
To use the Note App, an Ableton account is not required. However, using Ableton Cloud for syncing Note Sets between devices requires an Ableton account. 

Is an Ableton Live license required to use Ableton Note?
An Ableton Live license is not required to use Ableton Note on your iOS device. 

What Live licenses work with Ableton Note?
Ableton Note Sets can be opened in all Live licenses and editions: Trial, Lite, Intro, Standard, Suite, and Education.

What kind of Live license do I get with Note?
Note comes with a free Live 12 Lite, if you don’t already own an Ableton Live license.

How Do I Activate my Ableton Live 12 Lite that comes with Note? 
In Note, go to Settings and click on Get Ableton Live Lite. You will receive a Lite 12 Serial number that you can register in your account. You can then download and authorize the Live 12 Lite

Can I use Bluetooth headphones or AirPods with Note?
Latency with Bluetooth headphones currently affects all audio applications. This may lead to noticeable delays between an action and hearing the associated audio. We recommend connecting wired headphones to play the instruments in Note. For more information see Bluetooth Headphones and Latency in Note

The Note App

What features are available in Note?
All of Note's features are listed on the Note product page and described in the Note manual.  

Is Note automatically updated?
If App Updates are turned on in iOS Settings > App Store, Note will automatically update.

How do I check what version of Note I’m running? 
In Note, go to Settings > Help.

Are there in-app purchases?
There are currently no in-app purchases in Note. 

In which languages is Note available?
English, German, French, Japanese

How do I use Ableton Link with Note and other apps? 
In Note Settings, tap Link, and enable Ableton Link. Available Link-enabled iOS products are listed on the Link product page. For more information see Using Link in Note.

How do I leave a review in the App Store?
Select Ableton Note in the App Store. Under "Ratings and Reviews", you can select the number of stars and under the star rating, tap "Write a review" if you want to leave a review. 

Making Music with Note

Where do I learn how to make music with Note?
Watch the Learn Note video, read the Note manual, and check the Ableton Knowledge Base for instructions on how to use Note.

How do I record MIDI?
MIDI recording in Note happens via Capture. To learn more about Capture, see Capture for Note or watch the Playing and Editing Notes chapter of the Learn Note video. 

Can I import or export MIDI clips into Note? 
MIDI clips can not currently be imported or exported into Note.

Can I use MIDI controllers with Note?
Note works with any class-compliant MIDI controller or keyboard, over either USB or Bluetooth. Learn more about Note MIDI Input.

How do I record an audio sample? 
Audio can be recorded into Sampler or Drum Rack devices in Note. To learn more about recording audio, see Working with Samples in Note. 

Can I import audio into Note? 
You can import samples into Note using AirDrop to load files from another device, or "Share to" from other apps. Note supports WAV, AIFF, and M4A file types (which are converted to WAV upon import). Samples can then be added to tracks containing a Drum Rack or a Sampler instrument. For more information see Working with Samples in Note. 

Can I warp audio in Note?
Warping is not currently available in Note.

How do I record automation?
Automation in Note is recorded via Capture. For more information see the Capturing Automation chapter of the Learn Note video. 

How do I select the tempo of a Set?
Set the tempo manually by tapping the Set Settings button in the top right corner. Or, with the transport stopped, play a phrase and add the clip via Capture. Note will automatically extract the tempo. 

Can I adjust swing or groove?
To adjust groove, from your Note Set, tap the Set Settings menu in the top right corner and select Groove Amount.

Where is pitch bend for melodic instruments?
Pitch bend is currently not available in Note. 

How do I select the key and scale of a Note Set?
From your Note Set, tap the Settings menu in the top right corner to select Key and Scale. 

How can I access the MIDI editor?
There is no MIDI editor in Note. MIDI can be recorded using Capture. Notes can be quantized, nudged, extended, shortened and transposed in the Note view, accessible by pressing the Note overview strip above the pads grid.

What is the maximum number of tracks in Note? 
Note Sets contain a maximum of 8 tracks.

What is the maximum clip length in Note?
Clips can be a maximum of 16 bars long.

How many Scenes does a Note Set have?
Note Sets can have up to eight Scenes.

How do I access Note presets in Live?
To use a Note preset in Live, share the Set to Live via Ableton Cloud. Then, save the preset to your User Library.

Can Note host AUv3?
Audio Unit v3 devices are not available in Note, since this would not be compatible with Ableton Live on Windows.

I'm having trouble getting my imported loop/sample to play in time/key - how do I do this?
In Sampler or Drum Rack device view, tap Transpose to re-pitch a sample. Transposing also affects the speed of playback. Since Warp is not available in Note, it's not currently possible to adjust timing and pitch independently.

Can I import mp3s?
Currently, Note supports importing WAV/AIFF/M4A. M4A will be converted to WAV upon import.

Which Live instruments and effects are compatible with Note?
Note instruments and effects are compatible with Live when importing a Note Set into Live. Live Sets and devices cannot be transferred into Note. For more details, see Using Note Presets in Live. 

Using Ableton Cloud

What is Ableton Cloud and what is it for?
Ableton Cloud allows easy transfer of Note Sets from your iOS device directly to Live’s browser. Synced Note Sets will also be available on any other iOS devices with Note installed and Ableton Cloud enabled. 

Can I use Ableton Cloud without Note?
Ableton Cloud can only be used from within the Note application for the purpose of sharing Note Sets with other Cloud-synchronized devices. 

How do I enable Ableton Cloud in Note? 
From the Note app's Settings page, turn on Ableton Cloud. For more details, see Setting Up Ableton Cloud or watch the Learn Live Cloud video. 

How many sets can I upload to Ableton Cloud?
You can sync a total of 5 sets. 

What versions of Live work with Ableton Cloud?
Cloud is available in Live 11.2.5 and later. For further information see How to update Live 11.

What is the minimum license needed to use Ableton Cloud?
Ableton Cloud works with all Live licenses and editions: Trial, Lite, Intro, Standard, Suite, and Education.

Can I transfer Sets from Live to Note via Ableton Cloud?
It is not possible to transfer or open Sets from Live in Note. Once a Note Set is imported into Live and saved as a Live Set, the modified version can no longer be opened in Note.

Can I use presets from Note in Live? How about using presets from Live in Note?
Once you've opened your Note Set in Live, you can save any Note preset as a Live preset. However, Live presets cannot currently be used in Note.

Can I transfer Note Sets from one iOS device to another?
Note Sets synced in Ableton Cloud will be transferred automatically to any iOS device logged into Ableton Cloud with the same email address. You can also transfer Note Sets using any of the options under the “Share To...” menu. 

Can I transfer Sets without using Ableton Cloud?
Use the iOS "Share To..." function to share Sets via other apps.

Can Note projects synced to Ableton Cloud be deleted from my device? 
Note projects synced to Ableton Cloud also remain stored locally, under Files > On My Device > Ableton Note > Projects. Cloud is designed as a way to share and synchronize Note Sets across devices, not as a file backup or storage system.

Can I share my sets to someone else’s Cloud?
Live Sets synced to Ableton Cloud can only accessed by the person signed in with the same account on both Note and Live. If you need to share sets with collaborators, use the “Share To…” function.

My sets in Ableton Cloud aren’t showing up in Live, why? 
When you enable Ableton Cloud in Note, be sure to sign in to Ableton.com using the email address associated with your Ableton Live license. For further troubleshooting, see Note Projects in Ableton Cloud not Appearing in Live.

Can I turn off Ableton Cloud?
Turn off Cloud for a single device from Note > Settings > Ableton Cloud. To disable Cloud in Live, go to Live > Preferences > Library. For more information, see How to Disable Ableton Cloud.

Managing Files in Note 

How often does Note save sets? Can my Set be recovered if Note crashes?
Note auto-saves in the background every 10-15 seconds, depending on overall system activity level. This helps prevent data loss in case of a crash. 

Can I transfer Sets from one iOS device to another?
Any Sets synced in Ableton Cloud will be synced automatically to any iOS device logged in to Ableton Cloud with the same email address. 

Can I transfer Sets without using Ableton Cloud?
Use “Share To…” to share Sets via other apps, or transfer using AirDrop. For further details see Sharing Note Sets

Where on my device are Note Sets and related files stored? How do I prevent accidentally deleting Note files? 
Note Sets and related files are located on your device in Device > Files > On My iPhone/iPad > Ableton Note. Before deleting the Note application, back up the entire Ableton Note folder or individual Projects via the “Share To...” feature, or by backing up your iOS device. When opening a Note Set in Live for the first time, ensure to use Collect All & Save. That way, if your Set is unsyncronized your files will remain locally accessible to Live. 

Can I transfer Live Sets back into Note once I've worked on them in Live?
Live Sets cannot currently be opened in Note.

Reporting Problems

Note crashed. What should I do?
If Note crashes, a crash report will be sent automatically to our developers, who will then log the crash for investigation. There is no need to contact Ableton Support.

I found a bug. How can I report it?
If you find a reproducible issue in Note, list the exact steps to trigger the problem and submit them via our contact form. You must be logged in to your Ableton account in order to contact Ableton Technical Support.

When I'm using Note, an orange microphone icon appears in iOS. Is this expected? 

Yes, the application accesses the microphone, which will cause this orange microphone icon to be displayed in iOS. 

I have a suggestion or feature request. Where can I submit it?
From Note's App Settings, tap Help > Feedback.

Where can I find release notes for Ableton Note?
Details about Note updates are available at https://www.ableton.com/en/release-notes/note/.

My Account

How do I request a refund?
Ableton cannot directly refund the purchase price of Note. You can apply for a refund in the App Store. 

I forgot my Ableton email address or password.
Follow this guide to resetting your Ableton account password.

Does using the Ableton Cloud affect my ownership in my Note Sets?
No, it does not. You keep all your IP-rights in your Sets. Ableton does not own or claim to own them. All we ask you for is granting us the usage-rights that enable us to provide you with the services needed for your uploading, storing and downloading of your sets, and nothing more.”

What about data protection and privacy in regards to Note and Cloud?

Please see our EULA and General Terms and Conditions, as well as the Ableton Privacy Policy.