12am.com.au : Mixing Music Media

In days gone by; analog sequencers and drum machines were pattern based and therefore phrases of music could be changed on the fly.

As production techniques for electronic music have changed, music has moved largely to the digital domain, removing much of the live feel. This has meant that even when we are suposedly watching a "live" dj act or techno artist, much of the set would be sequenced and played through a computer based platform.

Recently there's been a resurgence in popularity of classic sounds as well as classic working methods (pattern based synths such as Rolands MC-505 and samplers such as the Akai MPC 2000).

Now a German software Ableton, have brought together the best of both worlds (Incorporating the power of software, with the functionality of hardware).

So what is it?
Live is a software sequencer aimed squarely at the performance market. It allows spontaneous and instant manipulation and sequencing of audio files. This means that you can purchase or use your own samples, or just record them live.

Who is it for?
Live is designed for digital musician who wants to perform live; with the power of studio sequencing, and not the constraints. This can include and mix of DJ's/live producers and any live instrumentation such as drums, saxaphone etc.

What else do I need?
System requirements - Either PC or Mac format

Macintosh:
G3 Macintosh or faster, 64 MB RAM (128 MB recommended), CD-ROM drive, Mac OS 8.6 or later, monitor resolution 800 x 600 (or higher), 256 colours, OMS 2.3.8. or later

PC:
300 MHz CPU or faster, 64 MB RAM (128 MB recommended), CD-ROM drive, Windows 95/98/NT 4.0/2000 or later, monitor resolution 800 x 600 (or higher), 256 colour Windows-compatible sound card, preferably with DirectX or ASIO driver

Other than that all you need is live musicians or samples to start working with!

Getting Started with Live….

Installation
Live installs off the included cd, and is a very simple affair.

Copy Protection
Live‚s copy protection ties the license to a single user, and a single computer. The software operated for ten days as a trial, and then requires an authorisation code from Ableton. This is cheap and effective copy protection, but unlike a hardware key; what happens when the muso wants to
go on the road with another machine?

Configuration
Configuration of midi and audio is simple in Live; with well detailed preferences menus.

The Interface
The Live arranger interface as seen in the screen shot below, offers easy manouvering around the program. Live implements the drag and drop theory which allows easy movement of samples and effects throughout the different channels.

Features
The live software has some powerful features not available elesewhere, so we have divided them into sections -

Audio in

Recording On the fly
During a performance, audio can be recorded on the fly‚ and edited to be played back immediately. The software also supports multiple inputs. This means that if you‚re performing with a DJ, drummer and saxophonist; you can sample just the DJ (or just the sax) and play it back over a drum solo (while the DJs having a whizz!). You can also edit this audio, using Live's effects and produce your own interpretation.

Importing samples
Live supprts wav and aiff sound files. This means that as well as recording directly into live, you can use samples or loops from just about anywhere. Getting the samples in is a piece of cake, with Live‚s drag and drop interface.

Once the samples are there, the sky'‚s the limit. Drop any loop into Live and volila! It‚s in time. You don‚t even need to know the original tempo of the sample. Live does it all for you. Got sample of acoustic music (funk, jazz and opera) that doesn‚t sit in time? No problem, just show Live where the beats are, and it makes it happen. This is a great feature for the modern musician as most music devised on computer has a very strict 4/4 timing and allows the added implementation of other MIDI instruments to be added perfectly in time.

Looping
The looping within live is a very normal tool within music production software, however live takes it a few steps further with the ability to set loop ranges on each indevidual track. This means that you may have a 1 bar loop for track one while track two has a 16 or 32 bar loop! Rock on!

Editing
The editing features are awesome, and in themselves make Live a worthwhile purchase (ask anyone who‚s used to using time stretch / compress functions in a sampler or sequencing software). Other editing features include everything you will require to chop up, move around and change the sounds within your session.

Audio out
Audio (clips‚) in Live can be triggered in three ways: via the mouse, keyboard, or midi (making it a big fuck-off sampler). MIDI gives you the power to plug in hardware componants to control the software and allows you to use a more musical approach to your sequencing, which is perfect for those who want the technology that this software provides, but unsure on how to navigate around the keyboard or mouse triggers.

Live supports multiple audio outputs (if you have a soundcard with more than one output). This has two applications:
1. You can send audio to different channels on a desk (using hardware dynamics and effects for each channel)
2. You can use Live's audition‚ function; and cue up (or edit) audio from the computer. This is something that is quite remarkable, allowing you to listen to different samples of sounds within the session while Live is performing on another channel.

Effects
Live has a suite of effects included:
Erosion
Four EQ
Autofilter
Vinyl Distortion
Chorus
Gain Delay
Filter delay

In addition to these, Live supports Steinberg‚s VST effect format. This has become the industry standard (native to Cubase, and adopted by Logic) and means you can use third party effects from a variety of sources.

Other options:
Live incorporates Rewire, software that acts as a linking protocol which allows you to slave Live to another sequencing application (such as Cubase, Logic and Digital Performer). Rewire is produced by Steinberg and originally appeared with the much-loved ReBirth. This means that Live can be slaved to a master sequencer concurrently with another client application. This means you can have (for example) Logic running, with Live and reason running underneath simultaneously.

Post Production
Another great feature of Live is that you can record your set; not just as audio, but as a session. You can then go back and tweak your mix, with full access to all the parameters and effects for each channel. The only thing is that you would want to run more than the minimum system requirements (runs beautifully with 256 meg ram) to perform large slabs of music editing as it does slow the program down quite considerably.

Support
The Ableton web site offers comprehensive support via email contact, faqs and tutorials.

Free upgrade to Version 1.5 as a download on the website and is a very worthwhile upgrade including extras including an audio export function that allows you to save your session as an audio file... This is a free upgrade and is available through their website that is linked at the bottom of this review.

Comparisons
Well we don‚t know anything else that does all this in a software package. Live also adds elements not seen on sophisticated sequencers such as Logic (time stretch options to beat sync loops). Live seems to have adaped to earlier software methods to produce music on the fly, but has also taken extra steps to ensure fast editing, and quick navigation to change the sounds and effects with ease.

Where do I buy?
Live is distributed in Australia by Major Music, so check out www.majormusic.com.au for more information on stores in your area.

How much is it?
Recommended retail price in Australia is $699.

More Info -
Goto www.ableton.com