Ableton released version 7 of their Live audio sequencing software this week. Live 7 introduces three new add-on instruments, a revamped audio engine, video export, sidechaining, improved midi timing and lots of other improvements to make creating music easier than ever. Ableton has released a major update with version 7 and broadened its usability with time signature changes, tempo nudging and an incredible new drum rack device which allows infinite possibilities and creativity for drum programming. I had a chance to try it out during the Beta testing and it was really quite good with the ability to add effects to each individual sample and the new addition of Rex file format slicing to individual pads making beat slicing and remixing a breeze.
Ableton Live 7 Features:
- Multitrack recording up to 32-bit/192kHz
- Complete nondestructive editing with unlimited undo
- Powerful and creative MIDI sequencing of software and hardware instruments
- Real-time time-stretching and warping of AIFF, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC and MP3 files, for improvisation and instant remixing
- A comprehensive selection of built-in audio effects, including a host of creative delays, filters, distortions, studio compressors and EQs
- Built-in software instruments: Simpler for creative sample-based synthesis, Impulse for sampled drums
- Instrument-, Drum-, Effect Racks for creating and managing complex performance setups, drum kits and multi-effects
- VST and AU effects and instruments support; automatic plug-in delay compensation
- REX file support and native sliced audio file creation
- Video import and export for scoring to picture or warping picture to music
- Real-time control of parameters with any MIDI controller—just MIDI-map it or choose from a list of popular supported controllers for instant mapping
- Full ReWire support
- Single-screen user interface for simple, creativity-focused operation
- Multicore and multiprocessor support
The three new add-on instruments sold seperately or as a set within Live Suite are:
- Tension – string emulation
- Electric – electric pianos
- Analog – classic synth sounds
These were created by AAS (Lounge Lizard) and are implemented into the lower rack of the user interface, similar to operator and sampler which have also been improved and are included in the Suite version as well.
The extended instrument collection (EIC) which comes with the boxed version of Live has been updated and expanded to version 2. EIC2 is a huge 15 gigabyte sample library from Sonivox and Chocolate Audio containing a wide variety of diverse instruments from orchestra to drums and voices optomised for use with the new Live 7 audio engine and memory management improvements.
Drummers can get the optional Session Drums with microphone placement settings and and lots of features using the new drum racks. Then theres Drum Machines for those classic drum emulation box sounds of the past. With the addition of REX file support there comes the ability to slice rex and wave files directly into the drum rack. Live 7 creates a midi clip at the same time on the new track, which plays the loop back or it can be manipulated to create completely new beats and rhythms.
The audio engine now has 64 bit summing at all mix points in the program. There are new dithering modes and other advanced features such as the new compressor with sidechaining, improved EQ8 and auto filter noticably improving the sound quality across the board. Midi timing has been improved and a number of editing features for a better workflow, all of which make Live 7 one of the most important music software releases of 2007.
So with the gift giving season right around the corner, head over to the Ableton website and check out Live 7.
Tags: Ableton, DAW
