How to Choose an Ableton Template
Your template decides how every Ableton export from the app is structured — single songs and whole sets alike. An account admin sets it per band under Account settings → Ableton template. CLI and API cloud builds take their own per-build template instead.
Your template controls how your Ableton files are built when you export. Whether your songs come out as individual projects or built into a full set, the template you pick decides the structure.
It's set once per band, and then it just applies. Here's where it lives.
Who can change it. Only an account admin can change the template. Band admins and members with manage access can still export — and they can see which template is set — but the setting itself is account-admin only, so Account settings won't appear in their menu. If you need a different template, ask your account admin to switch it before you export.
Where to set it
- Click your profile in the top-right corner.
- Choose Account settings.
- Open Ableton template — it's under the Template group, described as "Structure used when exporting to Ableton."
That's where all your export template options live.
This is the answer to "where do I pick my template?" — exporting from the app doesn't ask you. It uses whatever is set here, which is why it's worth checking before a big export.
One exception: cloud builds. If you build through the CLI or the API instead of the app, each build takes its own
templateargument (--templatein the CLI) and falls back to Playback Pro — not to this setting. Pass the template you want on the build itself.
It's per band
If you have more than one band, each band keeps its own template setting.
Use the dropdown arrow at the top to switch bands, then set the template for the one you're working in. Changing it for one band doesn't touch the others.
Which templates you can use
What's available depends on your plan.
| Plan | Templates available |
|---|---|
| Free | Playback Intro |
| Paid | Playback Intro, Playback Standard, Playback Pro, or your own Custom template |
A paid plan adds templates rather than swapping them out — Playback Intro stays available, so you can still pick the simpler layout for a stripped-back show. On a paid account you can also upload and use a Custom template — handy when you have a session layout you reuse across shows.
Using a Custom template
One step matters here:
Select the template you want before you start the export.
Make sure the right Custom template is chosen first. Once it's set, you're good to go.
One template, both export types
Whatever you pick applies to both:
- Individual song exports
- Whole-set exports
So the structure you choose here is what you get every time you export from the app — pulling down a single song or building a full show.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I choose my Ableton export template?
Click your profile in the top-right corner → Account settings → Ableton template. Exporting from the app never asks you which template to use — it uses whatever is set there, for single-song exports and whole-set exports alike. Changing it requires account admin access, and cloud builds run from the CLI or API are the exception — see the two FAQs below.
I can export, but I don't see Account settings. How do I change the template?
You need account admin access to change the template, and that's a different thing from being able to export — band admins and members with manage access can export without it. If Account settings isn't in your profile menu, you don't have account admin access on this account, so ask your account admin to set the template for your band before you export. See The Pliris Account Menu for what each role sees.
Does this setting apply to builds I run from the CLI or the API?
No — cloud builds take the template per build: build_ableton_set accepts a template argument and the CLI exposes it as --template, accepting a built-in id (playback_intro / playback_standard / playback_pro) or the UUID of one of your custom templates. Leave it off and the build uses Playback Pro, regardless of what's saved in Account settings. See Cloud Builds, Custom Templates & Analysis for the full argument list.
Does my template setting apply to every band?
No. Each band keeps its own template. Use the dropdown at the top of the settings page to switch bands, then set the template for that band; the others are unaffected.
Which templates can I use on the free plan?
Free accounts build on Playback Intro. A paid plan adds Playback Standard, Playback Pro, and uploading your own Custom template — Playback Intro stays available on paid too, so subscribing never takes the simpler layout away. If a template you expect isn't in the list, check that your plan covers it and that you're on the correct band — templates are per band.
Where to go next
- Exporting a whole show → Exporting Your Show Back to Ableton.
- Bringing a song in from Ableton → Importing a Song from Ableton Live.
- What each plan includes → Plans, Credits, and Billing.
Stuck at any point, click the support bubble in the bottom-right of any page, or email support@fromstudiotostage.com. You'll hear back within 24 hours.