AAF to Ableton Live Converter

Abletonlive.aaf converts AAF (Advanced Authoring Format) files from various DAWs & NLEs into Ableton Live projects (.als). This tool preserves audio clips, timing, volume automation, fades, and track structure*.

*Subject to the limitations of each DAW/NLE's AAF export capabilities.

Tested with: Pro Tools

AAF Format Limitations

The AAF (Advanced Authoring Format) is an industry standard for exchanging audio/video projects between applications. However, it has inherent limitations that apply regardless of which DAW or NLE you're using.

What AAF Does NOT Include

Feature	Status	Workaround
MIDI Data	AAF does not support MIDI tracks - audio only	Bounce MIDI to audio before export, or export MIDI separately
Plugins / VST / AU	Plugin settings and effect chains are not stored in AAF	Save plugin presets separately and re-apply in destination DAW
Tempo Map	AAF format does not store tempo information	Export a MIDI file alongside AAF to transfer tempo changes
Time Signature	AAF format does not store time signature changes	Export a MIDI file alongside AAF to transfer time signatures
Pan Automation	Only Nuendo reliably exports pan automation - most DAWs don't	Static pan may work; recreate automation manually if needed
Markers	Marker support is inconsistent across DAWs	Export markers as text file or create manually in Ableton
Track Colors	Track color assignments are rarely preserved	Set track colors manually in Ableton after conversion
Sends / Routing	Bus routing and send configurations are not in AAF	Recreate routing structure in Ableton manually

What AAF DOES Include

Feature	Support Level
Audio Files	Excellent - embedded or linked
Track Layout	Excellent - track names and order
Clip Positions	Excellent - sample-accurate timing
Clip Gain	Good - per-clip volume (most DAWs)
Volume Automation	Good - varies by DAW (see below)
Fades / Crossfades	Good - duration preserved, curves may vary
Static Pan	Partial - inconsistent across DAWs

DAW & NLE-Specific Limitations

Pro Tools (Avid)

Feature	Limitation	Workaround
Track Faders	Pro Tools only exports fader automation when "Enforce Media Composer Compatibility" is disabled	Disable "Enforce Media Composer Compatibility" in export settings
Clip Gain	Pro Tools only exports clip gain when "Enforce Media Composer Compatibility" is enabled	Enable "Enforce Media Composer Compatibility" in export settings
Clip Gain Range	Pro Tools clip gain values above +12dB are not exported to AAF	Bounce clips that need gain above +12dB before export
Markers	Avid Pro Tools does not include session markers in AAF exports	Document markers separately or export as EDL
Pan Automation	Pan automation is not reliably exported by Pro Tools to AAF format	Bounce panned stems or recreate panning in Ableton
Plugins/Effects	Plugin settings and effects are not part of the AAF specification	Bounce tracks with effects applied, or document plugin settings

DaVinci Resolve (Blackmagic Design)

Feature	Limitation	Workaround
Volume Automation	DaVinci Resolve has a known bug where volume automation is not written to AAF files	Apply volume automation curves manually in Ableton
Track Faders	DaVinci Resolve does not export static track fader levels to AAF	Set track levels manually in Ableton after conversion
Pan Settings	DaVinci Resolve does not export pan settings to AAF format	Apply panning manually in Ableton after conversion
MXF Audio Files	Ableton Live does not support MXF audio format - only WAV and AIFF are supported	Export audio as WAV format before creating the AAF

Logic Pro (Apple)

Feature	Limitation	Workaround
Fades/Crossfades	Apple Logic Pro does not include fade information in AAF exports	Use "Bounce in Place" to consolidate clips with fades before export
Static Fader Levels	Logic Pro does not export track fader positions to AAF	Note fader positions before export and recreate in Ableton
Markers	Logic Pro does not export markers or locators to AAF format	Export marker list separately as a text file

Sequoia / Samplitude (MAGIX)

Feature	Limitation	Workaround
Mono Export	This converter requires stereo interleaved audio - mono AAF exports are not supported	Export as stereo interleaved format in Sequoia
Split Stereo Pan	Sequoia's split stereo panning mode is not exported to AAF	Use standard stereo panning before export

Nuendo / Cubase (Steinberg)

Feature	Limitation	Workaround
Track Faders	Cubase/Nuendo does not export static track fader positions to AAF	Draw volume automation instead, which IS exported
Pan Settings	Pan positions and pan automation are not exported to AAF format	Set panning manually in Ableton after conversion
Markers	Cubase/Nuendo markers and locators are not included in AAF exports	Export marker list separately or note positions manually
Stereo Tracks	Stereo tracks are exported as consecutive mono channels with identical names	Converter auto-detects and applies L/R panning

Premiere Pro (Adobe)

Feature	Limitation	Workaround
Custom Fades	Custom fade curves (exponential, S-curve) are converted to linear fades during AAF export	Recreate custom curves in Ableton if needed
Track Faders	Static track fader positions are not exported to AAF	Use clip gain or draw volume automation instead
Pan Settings	Pan positions are not exported to AAF format	Set panning manually in Ableton after conversion

Export Tips by DAW & NLE

1File > Export > Export Session as AAF/OMF
2Format: AAF
3Audio Format: Embedded (or Copy if you need separate files)
4Sample Rate: Match your session
5Bit Depth: Match your session (24-bit recommended)
6The "Enforce Media Composer Compatibility" toggle affects which features are exported

1Go to the Deliver page (rocket icon at bottom)
2Select the "Pro Tools" preset in Render Settings
3Video tab: Uncheck "Export Video"
4Audio tab: Check "Export Audio"
5Format: Wave, Codec: Linear PCM, Bit Depth: 24-bit
6Enable "Embedded AAF file" for portable projects
7Add to Render Queue and Start Render
DaVinci Resolve has a bug where volume automation is not exported to AAF

1File > Export > Project to AAF File
2Sample Rate: Match your project
3Audio Bit Depth: 24-bit recommended
4Logic Pro does not export fades or crossfades to AAF. Use "Bounce in Place" on clips with fades to preserve them before export.

1File > Export AAF
2Use stereo interleaved format (mono not supported)
3Embed audio files for portable projects

1File > Export > AAF
2Select audio tracks to export
3Check "Copy Media" to include audio files
4Choose "Export All to One File" for embedded audio (recommended)
5Uncheck "Quantize Events to Frames" for sample-accurate timing
6Bit Depth: 24-bit recommended
7Volume automation IS exported - draw automation for any level changes you need
Track fader positions, pan, and markers are NOT exported to AAF

1File > Export > AAF
2Select audio tracks to include
3Choose "Embed Audio" for portable projects
4Audio Format: 48kHz, 24-bit recommended
5Fades and crossfades ARE exported (as linear fades)
Custom fade curves are converted to linear - only shape is lost, timing is preserved

Media Folder

When specifying a media folder:

The converter will search this folder for any audio files referenced in the AAF
Useful when AAF references external files that aren't embedded
Subdirectories are searched automatically
Leave blank if all audio is embedded in the AAF

Troubleshooting

Missing Audio Files

Check if the AAF has embedded audio (file size should be larger)
Specify the correct media folder path
Ensure referenced audio files exist and are in WAV/AIFF format

Tempo/Timing Issues

The converter creates a fixed-tempo Ableton project
Tempo maps and tempo automation are not transferred
For variable tempo projects, note the tempo changes before conversion

Large Projects

Large AAF files may take several minutes to process
Progress is shown in the console
Ensure sufficient disk space for extracted audio

Output

The converter creates:

ProjectName.als — The Ableton Live project file

Samples/ — All extracted audio files