Option-Dragging Plugins Between Ableton Live Tracks

2007 August 25
by Kent Sandvik

au_filter_plugin.pngThis is one of those ‘nice-to-know’ features in Ableton Live. When I start a new project, it’s very common for me to drag the same plugins to multiple tracks, such as AUHighpass filters, with the same starting point cutoff frequencies. Yes, I could use a template, but I always forget about it.

Anyway, instead of always dragging the plug-in from the live devices browser, and select it and define the cutoff frequency, start with one plug-in instance. After that, select it and option-drag it to the next track where you want the same plug-in with the same settings. Continue until you have all the tracks populated with the same plugin settings you wanted. That should save you some time.

Same if you have a nice plug-in setup on one track, option-drag it to another track as a separate copy.

3 Responses leave one →
  1. John permalink
    August 27, 2007

    Good trick, i always find myself programming the same things, too bad it doesnt seem to work with vst instruments

  2. August 27, 2007

    Hey – sorry for the nonsequitor comment, but just wanted to say how much I appreciate this knowledge blog. Linking it up in my blogroll @

    http://itscomingoutofyourspeaker.blogspot.com/

  3. August 27, 2007

    Hmm, not for VST instruments… I’m seldom using VSTs on the Mac, so I have not seen this. It might be worth sending Ableton a bug report about this issue.

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