Randomize Clip Names

Generate fresh, abstract three-word names for Arrangement View clips inside a selected time range in Ableton Live.

Randomize Clip Names is a lightweight Ableton Live Extension for quickly replacing the names of Arrangement View clips that fall within your selected time range. It generates evocative, unpredictable names such as:

• Velvet Meteor Orchard
• Glacial Resonance Belfry
• Nocturnal Sprocket Frontier
• Iridescent Undertow Observatory

It is useful when you want a more visual, playful way to navigate a dense Arrangement View, label experiments, or give sound-design passes and sections of a track a distinct identity.

Features

• Renames Arrangement View clips that overlap the selected time range on the selected track or tracks
• Generates abstract three-word names from a large pool of combinations
• Uses cryptographically strong random selection for fresh results on every run
• Prevents duplicate names within the same rename batch
• Works with both Audio Tracks and MIDI Tracks
• Changes clip names only — it does not alter clip audio, MIDI, timing, color, warp settings, devices, automation, or track routing
• Groups the rename pass into a single Live undo action

Requirements

This Extension currently requires:

• Ableton Live 12 Suite Beta 12.4.5 or later
• The packaged .ablx may work on Windows, but it has not yet been tested
• The packaged extension file: randomize-clip-names-1.1.0.ablx

[!IMPORTANT] Ableton Extensions are currently part of Ableton Live's public beta workflow. They do not work in Live Standard, Intro, Lite, or earlier Live versions. You do not need the Ableton Extensions SDK or Node.js just to install and use the .ablx file. Ableton Extensions FAQ

More on Ableton Extensions

Want to learn more about what Ableton Extensions are or how to build your own?

• Read about Extensions on Ableton.com
• Explore the Extension SDK
• Join Ableton’s Discord to connect with other users and developers

Disclaimer

This project was developed with help from AI tools, which assisted with parts of the code, troubleshooting, and documentation. I remain responsible for the design, testing, and final decisions, but it may not be written in the most elegant way.

If AI-assisted development isn’t your thing, no hard feelings at all. Thanks for giving it a look anyway.

Installation

1. Download randomize-clip-names-1.1.0.ablx from this repository's Releases page.
2. Open Ableton Live 12 Suite Beta.
3. Open Settings/Preferences:
   • macOS: press Cmd + ,
   • Windows: open Options → Preferences
4. Select Extensions.
5. Drag randomize-clip-names-1.1.0.ablx into the Extensions settings page.
6. Restart Live when prompted.

For normal use of the installed .ablx, make sure Developer Mode is turned off.

How to Use

1. Switch to Arrangement View.
2. On an Audio or MIDI track, make a time selection over the area you want to work in.
3. Right-click inside that selected time range on the track lane.
4. Choose Extensions → Randomize Clip Names.
5. Every Arrangement clip that overlaps the selected time range on the selected track or tracks receives a new abstract three-word name.

Example workflow

Imagine an Arrangement track with five clips, and you select a time range that covers only the middle three:

Audio 1
├── Clip 1 (outside selection)
├── Clip 2 (inside selection)
├── Clip 3 (inside selection)
├── Clip 4 (inside selection)
└── Clip 5 (outside selection)

Only clips that overlap the active Arrangement time selection are renamed. Clips on the same track outside that range are left unchanged.

After running Randomize Clip Names, you might see:

Audio 1
├── Clip 1 (unchanged)
├── Faded Relay Undercroft
├── Luminous Drift Fjord
├── Obsidian Pulse Sanctuary
└── Clip 5 (unchanged)

Run the extension again whenever you want a completely fresh set of names.

Undo

The whole rename operation is performed as one Ableton Live transaction.

Press:

• macOS: Cmd + Z
• Windows: Ctrl + Z

…once to restore all clip names from that rename pass.

Naming Behavior

Version 1.1.0 uses three large word banks:

1. Descriptors — e.g. Velvet, Glacial, Iridescent
2. Objects / musical concepts — e.g. Meteor, Resonance, Sprocket
3. Places / atmospheres — e.g. Orchard, Belfry, Frontier

The result is more than two million possible name combinations.

The Extension does not save a permanent history of names. It guarantees no repeated name within one rename action, while names generated in future runs remain intentionally random and highly unlikely to repeat.

Safety

Randomize Clip Names changes only the names of Arrangement clips that overlap the active time selection.

It does not change:

• Audio files or samples
• MIDI notes
• Clip placement, length, looping, or warp settings
• Track names or colors
• Devices, effects, parameters, automation, routing, or mixer settings
• Session View clips

Still, as with any tool that changes a Live Set, test it first in a duplicate or saved version of an important project.

Troubleshooting

I do not see "Extensions" in the right-click menu

Check all of the following:

• You are running Ableton Live 12 Suite Beta 12.4.5 or later.
• You installed the .ablx file in Settings/Preferences → Extensions.
• You restarted Live after installation.
• Developer Mode is off when using the packaged .ablx.
• You are in Arrangement View, not Session View.
• You created a time selection and right-clicked inside the selected range on an Audio or MIDI track lane.

Extensions are context-sensitive: Live only shows them when the selected item matches the Extension's supported context.

I installed it but an older version appears to run

Remove the old version from Settings/Preferences → Extensions, install randomize-clip-names-1.1.0.ablx, then restart Live.

Can I use this in Live Standard, Intro, or Lite?

No. The Ableton Extensions public beta currently requires Live 12 Suite Beta 12.4.5 or later.

Building From Source

If you want to edit or develop the Extension yourself:

npm install
npm start

Build an installable package with:

npm run package

This produces an .ablx file in the project folder.

Development requires the Ableton Extensions SDK, Node.js, and a compatible Ableton Live 12 Suite Beta installation. See the official Ableton Extensions SDK documentation.

Version History

v1.1.0

• Replaced the original small two-word name pool with expanded three-word abstract names
• Added much larger descriptor, object, and atmosphere word banks
• Switched to cryptographically strong random selection
• Prevented duplicate names within a single rename action
• Preserved the one-click workflow and single-step undo behavior

v1.0.0

• Initial release
• Batch-renamed Arrangement View clips using randomly generated abstract names

License

MIT License. See LICENSE for details.

Credits

Built by Tyler W. Supernor with the Ableton Extensions SDK.

Ableton Live is a trademark of Ableton AG. This project is an independent community tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Ableton AG.