How to Export Your Song as WAV and MP3 in Ableton Live
The definitive guide to exporting your finished tracks from Ableton Live in high-quality WAV and compressed MP3 formats.
Exporting & Bouncing · beginner level
Steps
Define Export Range
In Arrangement View, select the portion of your song you want to export. Click and drag your mouse across the timeline to highlight the desired duration. If no range is selected, Live will export the entire playback range from start to end of the last clip.
Open Export Audio/Video Dialog
Go to 'File' menu > 'Export Audio/Video...' (Cmd+Shift+R / Ctrl+Shift+R). This opens the export settings window.
Configure WAV Export Settings
Under 'Rendered Track', select 'Master'. Choose 'PCM' for your 'Render Sample Rate' (typically 44100 or 48000 Hz). Set 'File Type' to 'WAV'. For 'Bit Depth', choose 24-bit for professional use or 16-bit for CD quality. Ensure 'Normalize' is OFF unless you specifically want Live to maximize volume.
Configure MP3 Export Settings
In the same 'Export Audio/Video' dialog, enable 'Encode MP3'. Set 'Bit Rate' to '320 kbps' for high-quality MP3s suitable for distribution. Lower bit rates (e.g., 192 kbps) are suitable for previews or smaller file sizes.
Check Other Export Options
Consider 'Include Return and Master Effects' (usually ON), 'Dither' (typically 'Triangular' or 'Pow-r 1' if down-sampling bit depth), and 'Convert to Mono' (OFF for stereo tracks). 'Create Analysis File' (for Live's warp features) is usually not needed for final exports.
Render and Save
Click 'Export'. A dialog will appear asking you to choose a save location and filename. Once you confirm, Ableton Live will render your track. Do not interfere with Live during this process.