I almost always start fresh. For me, part of the magic in creating music lies in allowing the mood, emotion, or inspiration of that particular moment to guide the process.
I find that using templates can sometimes pull me into old patterns or predefined structures, and I like to leave room for experimentation, even if it means taking a less efficient route. Building from scratch allows me to stay present with the sounds I’m selecting and how they interact, which helps me stay connected to the story I’m trying to tell in the music.
That said, I do have a few saved channel strip presets and favorite effects chains in Ableton that I reach for when I need to move quickly or stay in a flow state. They’re more like building blocks rather than a fixed starting point. I think that balance between structure and spontaneity is what keeps things both grounded and alive for me.
Pro tip from Niki Sadeki: Map Battery parameters like sample pitch or filter cutoff to Ableton’s Macro controls using an Instrument Rack. It gives you hands-on control over shaping your kits in real time, whether performing or fine-tuning a mix.
