Voice to Text for Ableton Live
Typing interrupts your creative flow. Whether you're naming tracks during arrangement, labeling clips in Session View, adding locator markers for song sections, or documenting notes in Info View for collaborators, switching from music production to keyboard entry pulls you out of the zone. Blurt lets you speak directly into Ableton Live. Hold a button, say what you want to type, release. Text appears instantly at your cursor. Your hands stay on your MIDI controller, your mind stays on the music.
The Typing Problem
Track naming becomes an afterthought when typing breaks flow
You're in the middle of a production session with 40 tracks. Audio 1, Audio 2, MIDI 3. You know what each track contains, but the generic names make navigating impossible. Every time you reach for the keyboard to type 'Lead Synth Verse Progression,' you lose three seconds of creative momentum. So tracks stay unnamed, and you waste minutes later trying to remember which 'Audio 14' is the vocal take you wanted.
Clip names in Session View become cryptic shortcuts
Session View should be a launchable instrument. But when every clip is named 'loop1' or 'idea' or nothing at all, performing becomes guesswork. You want to label clips with descriptive names like 'Funk Drums 120 BPM with Ride Variation' but typing that out for 60 clips across 8 scenes means an hour of naming instead of an hour of creating. The organization that would make live performance fluid gets skipped.
Locator names stay vague when documentation is tedious
Your arrangement is done. Intro, verse, chorus, bridge, outro. You add locators to mark sections, but typing 'Chorus - Build starts here, watch the high hat pattern' takes effort. So your locators say 'Chorus' and 'V2' and 'End.' Three months later when you revisit the project, you've forgotten what 'Build 2?' meant. The navigation markers that should be a map become cryptic signposts.
Info View notes get ignored because typing is disruptive
Info View is perfect for documenting your production decisions. Why you chose this sample. What processing is on the bass. Which take the vocal came from. But opening Info View and typing paragraphs of notes during a creative session feels like stopping to write a memo. The documentation that would help collaborators and future-you stays empty.
Project handoffs require explanations you never wrote down
Your mix engineer needs context. The synth on track 12 has sidechain compression triggered by a ghost kick you muted. The vocal comp on track 7 is from takes 3 and 5. The arrangement change at bar 64 was intentional, not a mistake. You could have noted all this as you worked, but typing would have killed your momentum. Now you're writing a separate document or scheduling a call to explain what's in the session.
How It Works
Blurt works anywhere you can type in Ableton Live. Track names, clip names, locator markers, Info View notes, and any browser or preferences field. If there's a cursor, Blurt works.
Click into any text field
Track name, clip slot, locator, Info View, browser search, preferences. Anywhere you'd normally type in Ableton Live.
Hold your hotkey and speak
Press your chosen shortcut and say what you want to type. Blurt handles punctuation automatically.
Release and continue producing
Text appears instantly. No delay, no extra steps. Your hands never left your workflow.
Real Scenarios
Track naming during arrangement
You've laid down 30 tracks for a new production. Time to organize before mixing. Double-click the first track name, hold your hotkey, say 'Kick drum main with saturation and sidechain.' Next track. 'Hi-hat pattern 16th notes with swing.' Next. 'Bass synth root notes following chord progression.' Thirty tracks named in five minutes instead of thirty. Your session becomes navigable while you're still in creative mode.
Clip naming in Session View for live performance
You're preparing a live set with 100 clips across 10 scenes. Each clip needs a name you can read at a glance under stage lighting. Double-click a clip, hold your hotkey, say 'Ambient pad in A minor, builds over 8 bars.' Next clip. 'Drum break with filter sweep, manual trigger.' Your Session View becomes a readable setlist instead of a grid of mystery boxes.
Locator names for arrangement navigation
Your song structure is set. You're adding locators to mark sections for quick navigation during mixing. Create a locator, hold your hotkey, say 'Verse 2 starts, drums enter on beat 2.' Next locator. 'Pre-chorus, synth pad swells, watch levels.' Next. 'Drop, remove low end until bar 4.' Descriptive markers that tell you exactly what's happening at each section without opening the project to remember.
Info View notes for production documentation
You're working on a track that will go to a mix engineer. Select a track, open Info View, hold your hotkey and speak: 'This bass was recorded through the Neve preamp with compression on the way in. Reference track is Daft Punk Get Lucky for the low end treatment.' The context that makes mixing decisions easier, captured without breaking your production flow.
Session notes for collaborators
You're sending the project file to a vocalist for overdubs. Click into the Info View for the project, hold and speak: 'Vocal recording should happen between bars 24 and 40. The guide vocal on track 8 is rough, feel free to interpret. Key is D minor, tempo is 124 BPM with slight ritardando in the outro.' Complete instructions without writing a separate email.
Sample library organization
You're organizing samples in Live's browser. Each folder needs descriptive names. Create a folder, hold your hotkey, say 'Vinyl drum breaks 90 to 110 BPM sorted by feel.' Next folder. 'Field recordings urban environments cars and street noise.' Your sample library becomes searchable and browsable instead of a maze of folders named 'drums2' and 'stuff.'
Macro and device naming for performance
You're mapping macros for a live performance instrument rack. Each macro needs a clear name. Click the macro name, hold your hotkey, say 'Filter cutoff with resonance rise.' Next macro. 'Delay feedback and time linked.' Your performance rack becomes playable without memorizing which knob does what.
Why Ableton Live producers choose Blurt over built-in dictation for production work
| Blurt | macOS Dictation | |
|---|---|---|
| Activation | Single customizable hotkey | Double-tap Fn or click microphone |
| Response time | Text appears in under 500ms | 2-3 second delay, sometimes fails silently |
| Music terminology | Handles 'sidechain', 'arpeggiator', 'LFO', 'MIDI' correctly | Struggles with music production terms |
| Workflow integration | Works without disrupting Ableton Live focus | System UI appears, breaks concentration |
| Reliability | Consistent transcription quality | Inconsistent, requires retries |
Frequently Asked Questions
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