// live performance guide
How to Use Ableton Locators for Live Performance
Use Ableton Locators to organize songs and sections in Arrangement View, then control that structure from the stage.
What are Ableton Locators?
Locators are markers you place along the Arrangement timeline to identify important positions in a Live set. For a performance, they can represent songs, intros, verses, choruses, transitions, loops or other cues in the timeline.
How to organize locators for a live set
A simple structure makes the show easier to read and control. You can use one locator for each song and additional locators for sections that you may need to reach during the performance.
- Place a clear locator at the start of each song.
- Add section locators where you may need to jump or loop.
- Use consistent, readable names.
- Keep the Arrangement timeline as the source of truth for the show.
Using Arrangement View during a performance
Arrangement View is useful when the complete show follows a planned timeline. Instead of rebuilding the performance in another system, you can keep the musical structure inside Ableton and use an external interface for stage control.
With Markerlist, the locators already present in the Arrangement can become part of the live control interface. This makes the transition from preparation to performance straightforward.
Control your locators from the stage
If the Ableton computer is positioned away from the performer, a browser-based control device can provide access to the show from the stage. Markerlist can be opened on an iPad, phone or computer connected to the local network.
One opened browser window counts as one control device. Markerlist operates externally and does not require a Max for Live device or plugin in the project.
A practical locator workflow
Before the show, test the complete set from the same interface you will use on stage. Check song names, section names, playback behavior and any loops or cues you expect to use. The goal is to make the live interface reflect the structure you already prepared in Arrangement View.
Keep the timeline you already know. Markerlist turns the locator structure of your Arrangement View into a practical external control interface for live performance.
Ableton Locators for live performance — FAQ
Do Locators change my Ableton project?
Locators are part of your Ableton Arrangement. Markerlist reads the structure externally and does not write changes into your original project.
Can I use an iPad to control an Arrangement View set?
Yes. Markerlist runs its control interface in a browser and can be used from an iPad on the local network.
Do I need Max for Live?
No. Markerlist is an external control layer and does not require a Max for Live device.