Exporting Your Show Back to Ableton

Q: Does Safari work for large Ableton set exports?

Not for large Ableton Set exports. Safari hits a memory / folder-write limit. Use Chrome or Edge for those exports — see Supported Browsers for Pliris.

Q: Can I bring edits made in Ableton back into Pliris after exporting?

Yes. Save the set in Ableton, then drag the .als onto the setlist and choose, for each song, a new arrangement, overwrite, or leave unchanged. It doesn't cost credits. See Updating Your Set's Arrangements from Ableton.

Export a whole setlist as one Ableton Live Set with every arrangement in order and LTC timecode tracks pre-configured.

This is the payoff. Once you've got a few songs in your library and a setlist in show order, Pliris™ can hand you the entire night as a single Ableton Live project — every arrangement stitched together, in order, with LTC timecode tracks already in place.

That's what "from stems to set in seconds" means at the scale of a whole show.

Browsers for large exports. For Export Ableton → Ableton Set on a large set, use Chrome or Edge. Safari cannot finish large set exports with samples (memory / folder-write limit) — switch to Chrome or Edge. Details: Supported Browsers for Pliris and Large Ableton Exports and Browsers.

Who can do this. You need manage access on the band — band admin, or permission to manage arrangements or create setlists. That's the only requirement: exporting works on every plan, including free, and there's no flag to request. What your plan changes is which template you can build on — see Pick your template below.

What you get

Export a setlist and Pliris builds one Ableton Live Set containing:

Every arrangement in the setlist, in order — the same order you set when building the setlist.
LTC / SMPTE timecode tracks, pre-configured — so the whole show is ready to sync lighting, backing gear, and anything else that follows timecode.
Your stems, routed and grouped, on a Playback template.

Open the .als in Ableton Live and you're ready for soundcheck — no manual session-building, no wiring up timecode by hand.

Export from a setlist

Open the setlist you want to export.
Click Export Ableton in the setlist toolbar.
Click Ableton Set. It bundles every stem, so the set opens and plays out of the box. The menu shows the download size before you click.
What happens next: in Chrome or Edge you get a folder picker first. That's required; it is not the normal Downloads save. You cannot save into a system folder itself (Desktop, Downloads, Documents). Create or pick a folder inside one of those, then save into that folder. Once the picker succeeds, Chrome can write large sets, including multi-GB ones. Pliris assembles the .als, bundles the stems, and writes the zip there.

LTC is automatic. There's no "include LTC" toggle to remember: any song in the setlist that has LTC assigned gets its timecode track built into the export for you.

Pick your template

The set is built on a Playback template. Depending on your plan and access you can build on:

Playback Pro
Playback Standard
Playback Intro

Your available templates depend on your plan. Free accounts can build only on the Playback Intro template. Playback Standard, Playback Pro, and custom .als templates require a paid Pliris subscription. The export uses the band's template from Settings → Template; see Switching Your Ableton Export Template. Locators for AbleSet, LIOBOX and other setlist tools come from Settings → Setlist management; see Exporting Your Songs for AbleSet, LIOBOX and TAZ.

Pro tip: Exporting a full setlist is the big version of downloading a single arrangement as an Ableton Set. Same idea — a real, editable .als — scaled to the whole show instead of one song.

Good to know

It runs as you. You can only export sets for bands and setlists you have access to — the same permissions that apply everywhere else in Pliris.
Re-run anytime. Each export starts a fresh build, so you always get the current stems and arrangements. Tweaked a song right before the show? Export again and it's included.
Lighter option. If you'd rather not bundle all the audio, you can build a set that references local samples instead — smaller file, but you'll need the audio on hand.
One project, whole night. Because every arrangement lands in a single set in order, you can run the show straight through in Ableton without loading a new project between songs.
VoiceOver and the Chrome folder picker. VoiceOver often never completes that picker. If the folder prompt never lands, the export stops with a size/Safari-memory message — even in Chrome. That's us, not your machine.

The round trip

Export isn't a one-way door. Open the set in Ableton, make your edits, save, and drag the .als back onto the setlist in Chrome. For each song, choose a new arrangement, overwrite, or leave it unchanged. It doesn't cost credits, and stems aren't re-uploaded. See Updating Your Set's Arrangements from Ableton and Building a Set and Updating It from Ableton.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a paid plan to export a setlist to Ableton?

No. Exporting works on every plan, including free — you just need manage access on the band (band admin, or permission to manage arrangements or create setlists). There's no separate flag to request: with manage access, the Export Ableton button is already there. What a paid plan changes is the template you can build on — free exports are built on Playback Intro, while a subscription unlocks Standard, Pro, and your own custom templates.

Which Playback templates can I build my export on?

Depending on your plan and access, Pliris can build the set on Playback Pro, Playback Standard, or Playback Intro. Free accounts can build only on the Playback Intro template; Playback Standard, Playback Pro, and custom .als templates require a paid Pliris subscription.

If I change a song, do I have to rebuild the export?

Just export again — each export starts a fresh build, so you always get the current stems and arrangements. Tweak a song right before the show, re-run the export, and it's included.

Can I export a set without bundling all the audio?

Yes. Instead of bundling stems, Pliris can build a set that references local samples — a smaller file, but you'll need the audio on hand.

Why does Chrome ask me to pick a folder when I export my set?

That's required in Chrome — Ableton Set uses the folder picker, not the normal Downloads save. You can't save into Desktop, Downloads, or Documents themselves. Create or pick a folder inside one of those, then save into it. Once that picker succeeds, Chrome can write large sets, including multi-GB ones.

I got a size / Safari memory error in Chrome. Is my computer the problem?

Usually no. If VoiceOver is on, the folder picker often never completes. When the prompt never lands, the export stops with that size/Safari-memory message even in Chrome. That's on us, not your machine.

Does Safari work for large Ableton set exports?

Not for large Ableton Set exports. Safari hits a memory / folder-write limit. Use Chrome or Edge for those exports — see Supported Browsers for Pliris.

Can I bring edits made in Ableton back into Pliris after exporting?

Yes. Save the set in Ableton, then drag the .als onto the setlist and choose, for each song, a new arrangement, overwrite, or leave unchanged. It doesn't cost credits. See Updating Your Set's Arrangements from Ableton.

Where to go next

Haven't ordered your show yet? Start with Building and Sharing a Setlist.
Need standalone timecode audio for your gear? See Sending LTC / SMPTE Timecode.
Large set exports with samples: Supported Browsers for Pliris and Large Ableton Exports and Browsers.

Hit a snag exporting, click the support bubble in the bottom-right of any page, or email support@fromstudiotostage.com. You'll hear back within 24 hours.