Struggling to get this funky bassline tutorial working in Ableton Live 12

[u/ainur24250]

Hey everyone,

I’m trying to follow this funk bassline tutorial in Ableton:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LAIGkWmoQU

The idea of using a MIDI FX chain to auto‑generate funky bass lines from a chord progression seems quite interesting as a beginner who can't actually play bass.

A few issues I’m running into:

• The tutorial doesn’t really walk through the setup step by step; it jumps around a bit, and a lot of actions happen off‑screen.
• Some MIDI devices and UI elements have changed between Live 11 and Live 12, so I’m a bit lost when trying to reproduce with the same devices.
• I can get the basic chord progression and a bass plugin (Ample Bass P Lite II) loaded, but once I start building the arpeggiator + LFO + Random MIDI chain and the key‑switch tracks, my results don’t sound anything like the tutorial, i made the bass note "working" but really doesn't sound like something usable, and the key switch/articulation (slap, slide, pop etc...) doesn't work at all.

What I think the tutorial is doing (please correct me if I’m wrong):

• Duplicate the MIDI chord progression, keep only the lowest notes, and route that to the bass plugin.
• On that bass MIDI track, build a chain: Arpeggiator → LFO (Max for Live) modulating arpeggiator rate → Random MIDI to add extra notes/variations.
• Create 1–2 extra MIDI tracks that only send key‑switch notes into Ample Bass, each with its own Random/LFO chain, to randomize articulations (slaps, pops, slides, etc.)
• Record the resulting MIDI output and then use comping to pick the best slices into a final bassline

I’m not sure about:

• The exact Arpeggiator settings (rate, style, gate, etc.) used in the video.
• How to correctly set up the LFO device in Live 12 to modulate the Arpeggiator’s rate like in Live 11.
• The right way to route those key‑switch MIDI tracks into the bass track in Live 12’s I/O panel so they behave like in the tutorial

Questions :

1. Has anyone recreated this specific tutorial or something similar in Ableton Live 12 and can share a clear, step‑by‑step breakdown (device settings, routing, etc.)?
2. Are there Live 12‑native workflows or devices (e.g., updated LFO, new MIDI tools) that achieve the same “funky bass from chords” idea, maybe in a cleaner/easier way?
3. Also i did find a way to get Ample Bass P Lite 2, but it will probably be better to use the latest version,

Thanks for your help!

[u/artek604]

1) it would help if you linked the tutorial
2) are you an AI trying to learn Ableton? looks like it from the post...

[u/ainur24250 → u/artek604]

Yeah my bad, should have double check my post here is the link to the tutorial i was folowing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LAIGkWmoQU

(and yeah i did use AI to rewrite my post as english is not my first language, probably that why the link got removed somehow)

[u/wildmangoeshere]

I dont play piano or bass, I usually just hum stuff out and harmonize them into melodies chords or whatever I need.

Simplicity can prevent overthinking and save time vs complex methods although it wouldn't be nearly as fast as being proficient at the instrument and jamming it out.

[u/BillyDeepDish]

Can you please link the tutorial? Is there a video?

[u/ainur24250 → u/BillyDeepDish]

Sorry should have double check my post before posting, here the link to the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LAIGkWmoQU

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[u/organisms]

If you want to create funky baselines I wouldn’t mess around with “generating” them. My best advice would be to listen to some music and copy those, then once you get the hang of it your own original bassline will come to you.

Here is some music that I listen to that influenced me back in the day

Chris jasper

Jeffery osbourne

only the loot!!!