Root Split

A context-menu extension for Ableton Live 12 that splits a chord MIDI clip into two new clips: one holding only the root note of every chord, the other holding every non-root note.

Right-click a MIDI clip made of chords and pick a Root Split action. Two new clips appear in the next empty Session slots on the same track — a root line named Bass or Root (depending on the method you pick) and an upper-voices clip that keeps the original clip's name — both the same length and color as the original. Great for extracting a bassline, re-orchestrating the upper structure onto another instrument, or layering roots and colors with different sounds.

Two ways to split

Right-clicking a MIDI clip gives you two menu items — they differ only in what counts as the root of each chord:

• Root Split — Bass Note. The lowest note in each chord is the root. Simple and fully predictable: whatever sits in the bass is treated as the root.
• Root Split — Chord Root. Detects each chord and uses its true harmonic root, so an inversion like C/E (E–G–C) still roots on C, not the bass E. Falls back to the bass note when a chord is too ambiguous to name.

For chords in root position the two modes agree. They only differ on inversions — use Chord Root when your voicings are inverted and you want the harmonically correct root line.

How it works

• A chord is a group of notes that start at (about) the same time (small timing differences from humanization are tolerated).
• Each chord contributes exactly one note to the Roots clip (its root); all of its other notes go to the Other clip.
• A lone note that isn't part of a chord is treated as its own root (it lands in the Roots clip).
• The action only runs when the clip actually contains chords. If every note plays on its own, Root Split tells you and does nothing.

Requirements

• Ableton Live Suite 12.4.5 or newer (Extensions require Live Suite).

Install

1. Download Root-Split-1.0.0.ablx from the Releases page.
2. In Live, open Preferences → Extensions.
3. Drag the .ablx file into the Extensions list (or use the install button).
4. Right-click any MIDI clip of chords and choose a Root Split action.

Note: Extensions are a Live Suite feature. The first time you install a community extension you may need to confirm the install in Live's dialog.

How to use

1. In Session view, right-click a MIDI clip that contains chords.
2. Choose Root Split — Bass Note or Root Split — Chord Root.
3. Two new clips appear in the next empty slots on the same track (a scene is added automatically if the track is full): one named Bass or Root (matching the method you chose) with the root line, and one keeping the original clip's name with the remaining notes.

Building from source

Requires Node ≥ 22.11.

npm install
npm run build       # type-check + production bundle
npm run package     # builds, then produces the distributable .ablx
npm run start       # build:dev + launch in Live (needs Live running + EXTENSION_HOST_PATH in .env)

Credits

Built by hello_nocap with the @ableton-extensions/sdk and the tonal music-theory library.

License

Released under the MIT License © 2026 hello_nocap.