| name | ableton-songwriter |
| description | Professional songwriting workflow for Ableton: structured intake, production brief, composition/arrangement execution, plugin-aware instrument loading, quick mix, QA, and revision handoff. |
Ableton Songwriter
Objective
Convert an open-ended songwriting request into a playable, editable Ableton draft with:
- coherent song form,
- intentional section contrast,
- viable instrumentation choices,
- and a minimal but professional gain/mix baseline.
This skill optimizes for production momentum and clean revision cycles, not final mastering.
Use This Skill When
- The user asks to compose, arrange, rewrite, or “start a song” in Ableton.
- The user gives broad direction and expects structured clarification.
- The user wants a practical draft with a fast polish pass.
Do Not Use This Skill When
- The task is purely technical/debugging (no songwriting intent).
- The user only asks for a single isolated operation (for example, “rename track 3”).
- The user explicitly asks for free-form brainstorming with no DAW execution.
Operating Standards
- Keep decisions explicit and traceable in a compact production brief.
- Resolve high-impact unknowns first; avoid over-questioning.
- Protect user project state (never destructive by default).
- Prefer repeatable arrangement patterns over novelty for first drafts.
- Keep the first pass modular so sections can be swapped or extended quickly.
Workflow
- Parse request and extract fixed constraints.
- Run targeted intake for missing high-impact decisions.
- Emit production brief and proceed unless user asks to review first.
- Build section foundations (rhythm, harmony, hook) in Session or Arrangement.
- Arrange into form with section contrast and transitions.
- Apply quick mix baseline and playback-ready positioning.
- Return structured handoff with revision options.
Intake Protocol
- Use MCQ format with
1. 2. 3. numbering when clarification is needed.
- Ask exactly 3 questions first; ask at most 2 follow-ups.
- Skip any item already answered by user constraints.
- If user asks for speed, ask only:
- genre family,
- energy target,
- section length target.
- Use intake-mcq.md for full option bank.
- If structured input tooling is available, use it; otherwise ask plain-text MCQ.
- Always include one safe default option.
Production Brief Contract
Before building, output a concise brief in this schema:
Production Brief
- Genre/Reference:
- Mood/Intent:
- BPM/Groove:
- Key/Mode:
- Song Form:
- Section Lengths:
- Instrument Priorities:
- Vocal Plan:
- Mix Target:
- Constraints/Do-Not-Do:
Proceed automatically after brief unless user requests approval gate.
Build Standards in Ableton
1) Session Setup
- Set tempo immediately from brief.
- Select one template from song-recipes.md.
- Name tracks by role, not instrument brand (example:
Lead Synth, Drum Bus).
- Keep routing simple on first pass; avoid deep bus complexity.
2) Instrument Strategy
- Try user-owned external plugins when relevant and available.
- If external plugins are unavailable, fallback to stock devices and state fallback.
- For electronic/hybrid leads, prioritize modern synth clarity before layering.
- For acoustic-forward requests without audio assets, use MIDI placeholders with clear naming.
3) Composition Strategy
- Build at least two distinct sections (A/B) with different density and contour.
- Ensure each section has:
- rhythmic anchor,
- harmonic movement,
- top-line hook or motif.
- Keep early motifs short and memorizable; avoid over-ornamentation.
4) Arrangement Strategy
- Minimum draft length: 16 bars unless user requests shorter.
- Preferred default: 32 bars with intro + A + B.
- Add transitions at section boundaries (drum fill, riser, filter move, dropout).
- Place cue points at major sections for fast iteration.
5) Quick Mix Baseline
- Set faders for immediate readability (no clipping on master).
- Keep low-end mono/center-aligned.
- Apply light panning/width to support layers only.
- Use conservative dynamics control for punch, not loudness.
- Leave headroom for later mix/master passes.
6) Playback Behavior
- Set playhead to first actionable section start.
- Do not start playback unless user asks.
Plugin-Aware Policy
- If plugin listing/loading tools exist, check availability before assuming plugin usage.
- When user asks for named plugin loading, prefer exact match if ambiguity exists.
- If multiple close matches exist, request specificity instead of guessing.
- If loading fails, continue with best available substitute and report it clearly.
Guardrails
- Never delete/overwrite user material without explicit confirmation.
- If set already contains substantial content, ask whether to append or replace target region.
- If operations are blocked by platform rules (for example, final track deletion), stop retry loops and state constraint.
- Keep progress updates brief and factual.
Quality Checklist (Before Handoff)
- Section contrast is audible (A vs B not redundant).
- Track naming is clear and role-based.
- No obvious timing/form misalignment across section boundaries.
- Master output is not clipping.
- User constraints have been respected or explicitly called out as unmet.
Handoff Format
Return a short structured recap:
- What was built (sections, bars, key tracks).
- What plugins/instruments were used (including fallbacks).
- Current limitations/assumptions.
- 2-4 concrete revision options.
Revision Loop Rules
- On revision requests, preserve successful sections and change only requested scopes.
- Reuse existing motif/harmony where possible to maintain identity.
- If revision alters core brief dimensions (genre, BPM, key), emit updated brief first.
Worked Example
Example User Request
Write a modern melodic house idea with emotional chords and a strong drop. Keep it club-ready but not too aggressive.
Example Intake (3 Questions)
-
Groove focus:
1. Four-on-the-floor house bounce (Recommended)
2. Straighter driving pulse
3. More syncopated / broken feel
-
Harmonic color:
1. Minor + warm tension chords (Recommended)
2. Brighter major/uplifting
3. Darker/minimal harmony
-
Draft size:
1. 32 bars (Recommended)
2. 16 bars quick sketch
3. 64 bars extended draft
Example Production Brief
Production Brief
- Genre/Reference: Melodic House (modern, emotional)
- Mood/Intent: Uplifting tension with controlled energy
- BPM/Groove: 124 BPM, 4-on-the-floor bounce
- Key/Mode: F# minor
- Song Form: Intro -> A groove -> B/drop
- Section Lengths: 8 + 8 + 16 (32 bars total)
- Instrument Priorities: Kick/bass lock, emotional chord stack, lead hook, top percussion
- Vocal Plan: No vocal in v1 (instrumental motif only)
- Mix Target: Club-ready draft with headroom preserved
- Constraints/Do-Not-Do: Avoid harsh high-end and over-compression
Example Build Plan (Ableton Actions)
- Set tempo to 124 BPM.
- Create/prepare role tracks:
Kick, Bass, Chord Stack, Lead Hook, Top Perc, FX, Atmos, Reference Bus.
- Load instruments/effects:
- Prefer external synth for
Chord Stack and Lead Hook if available.
- Fallback to stock synth + utility processing if plugin unavailable.
- Write section A (8 bars):
- establish kick+bass groove and core chord rhythm.
- Write section B/drop (16 bars):
- increase density, widen support layers, strengthen hook rhythm.
- Add transitions:
- riser, fill, or filter move between A and B.
- Place cue points:
- Quick mix baseline:
- gain balance, low-end mono, prevent master clipping.
Example Handoff
Built
- 32-bar melodic house draft in F# minor at 124 BPM.
- Sections: Intro (8), A groove (8), Drop (16).
- Core tracks: Kick, Bass, Chord Stack, Lead Hook, Top Perc, FX, Atmos.
Sound Choices
- Lead/chords used [plugin name] with fallback to [stock device] where needed.
Current Constraints
- No vocal yet; arrangement optimized for instrumental draft.
Revision Options
1. Make drop more aggressive (drum/bass density + transient emphasis).
2. Make it more emotional (longer chord sustains + softer top end).
3. Extend to 64 bars with breakdown + second drop.
4. Add vocal chop motif in section B.
References
