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Producing in Ableton Live
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Zoopy
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
44
Posts :
538
Posted : Apr 11, 2006 02:16
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So I know Ableton Live is great for playing your stuff..well..Live, but I've been hearing some things about using it for full-scale producing.. I've just recently gotten very accustomed to Cubase..I'd like to hear some opinions on this matter, though. I tried searching but there are soooo many threads using such words. I've always loved Ableton's interface, but they just added midi support yes? How'd they do?
Thanks! |
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jivamukti
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
21
Posts :
342
Posted : Apr 11, 2006 13:25
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You mean support for external hardware? I don't use much external hardware with Live, so I comment on that much, other than that Access Virus C that I use has worked well.
Live has some serious limitations. Firstly only the first 128 parameters of a plugin are automatable - and you can't decide what the parameters are. Many plugins (mostly synths) have far more params than this and because automation is so crucial a part of trance music, Live causes you serious headache. There is a workaround for this, but it requires a plugin and makes things slower and clumsier.
Secondly Live has no note slide, which also is highly annoying. You can get around this by using a synth's portamento, but it's not as convenient as having a true slide function.
I'm considering switching to Tracktion 2. It doesn't seem to have the slide either, but it has no parameter automation limitations and has 64 bit mixing and several other features that Live doesn't and yet it is quick and convenient to use, in many ways even better than Live. |
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e-motion
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
71
Posts :
933
Posted : Apr 11, 2006 16:24
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ableton live+cubase sx rewired is really good but you'll need a monster pc... altough i prefer fl+sx. |
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the pacemaker
Started Topics :
1
Posts :
6
Posted : Apr 11, 2006 21:45
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I wouldn't recommend it for producing, having done it for 2 years but I've finally moved up and I'm not regretting it.
The midi timing sucks, the audio quality is really really bad and it tends to crash regularely.
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Psyrap
Started Topics :
8
Posts :
70
Posted : Apr 12, 2006 04:46
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Quote:
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On 2006-04-11 21:45, the pacemaker wrote:
The midi timing sucks, the audio quality is really really bad and it tends to crash regularely.
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sorry i had to answer to this nonsense.... ableton (if not cracked) is probably the most stable system around, if it crashed then either it was cracked or something is wrong with your set up. About the sound quality, i heard great tracks that were made using ableton, if your sound was really really shit, i would ask myself if i was you.. WTF am i doing making music... |
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Methodic Marble
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
54
Posts :
384
Posted : Apr 12, 2006 04:52
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I think somebody is(Are) totally out dated....
ABLETON is now day´s the nº1 tool to produce and play live.
I´ve heard wonderfull´s about Live´s , i´m not a user...but it´s no new´s the live is use for the most top toch producers in the world, in every style of dance music. |
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Boobytrip
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
39
Posts :
988
Posted : Apr 12, 2006 12:42
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Quote:
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On 2006-04-12 04:52, Methodic Marble wrote:
I think somebody is(Are) totally out dated....
ABLETON is now day´s the nº1 tool to produce and play live.
I´ve heard wonderfull´s about Live´s , i´m not a user...but it´s no new´s the live is use for the most top toch producers in the world, in every style of dance music.
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"don't believe the hype" (public enemy)
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Get-a-fix
Getafix
Started Topics :
147
Posts :
1441
Posted : Apr 12, 2006 12:46
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I've talked to some artists who use Live rewired to Cubase SX as e-motion mentioned..I'm sure you could use Live as your main sequencer too, though it might have some limitations..
 http://www.soundcloud.com/getafixmusic |
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the pacemaker
Started Topics :
1
Posts :
6
Posted : Apr 12, 2006 13:15
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Dear ppl here,
I don't believe some people who are defending Live here. I must admit that I have used it for 2 years myself so once i had exactely the same toughts as you guys BUT
who can argue with me when i say midi timing really sucks? C'mon, your 4x4 beats sound really out of order. (mine did at least)
And the crashing...maybe it's just my computer 
BUT then again the sound quality... this must be the weakest quality I have heard. Please play a song in LIVE, then play it in Cubase, Protools, ACID pro... the song in Ableton will most probably sound like real crap, while in the other sequencers it sound way better.
I really don't need more to convince me NOT to write my songs on ableton, but hey, if some ppl here like it and want to create on it, be my guest.
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jivamukti
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
21
Posts :
342
Posted : Apr 12, 2006 21:43
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My Live has been rock solid and I've been using it for more than a year. With plugins and Virus I've never had any timing problems.
There has been an awful lot of discussion about Live's sound quality compared to others DAWs;check the Ableton forum. Someone posted a short multi-percussion track rendered in Live and another DAW there and people weren't able to tell which was rendered in which DAW. Neither was I. Having said that, I'd like to hear a busy synth mix done in the same way to see if there's any difference then. I think there was also another similar test discussed there, but I don't remember.
Use "live audio quality" to search the Ableton forums. |
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psyaudionamics
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
38
Posts :
546
Posted : Apr 21, 2006 05:12
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Id have to say live kicks ass!!!
it's so much faster to work with compared to other sequencers... i agree when your monitoring during recording it sounds weird... but afterwards it sounds fine, don't know why??? anyways you don't have to stop and undo like in cubase erhhhh it's just easier to flow with, and the midi is awesome!!! i can assign parameters to my controllers without breaking a sweat easy as 123 abc literally! the session view is where it's at in my opinion. I use it for it's timestretching aswell.. some say live sounds wack because they don't fully undestand it's features but give it a shot you'll love it but then again it's a matter of prefrence.
i use live for my programming ,,, just midi very lil audio and then once finish i mix all tracks out of my desktop's gina to my mackie mixer straight to the lap top running cubase sx3 used just for recording the audio... it's a killer set-up man.
any one with questions regarding live hit me up and i'll be more than glad to answer question u might have in mind. honestly i first had a crack version after learning it and the shortcuts i said f**k this and I bought it since i use it alot and it's worth the cash. it's become the heart of my set-up and i have quite a set-up live is suppperrr easy give the demo a shot or get a crack but if you do really like it and use it do buy it cause the developers deserve it just my thoughts,,,happy tweakings |
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element
Started Topics :
3
Posts :
43
Posted : Apr 21, 2006 08:20
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jivamukti and pacemaker maybe you dont know how to use live but its the best and most awarded sequencer of 2004 2005.
easy of use and very profesional |
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element
Started Topics :
3
Posts :
43
Posted : Apr 21, 2006 08:21
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complete music solution jaja |
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jivamukti
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
21
Posts :
342
Posted : Apr 21, 2006 09:02
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element, you don't think the parameter automation restriction is a serious problem?
Nowhere in my posts did I dismiss Live completely, and I think it's a delight to use because of its fast UI. |
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Axolotyl
Started Topics :
9
Posts :
96
Posted : Apr 21, 2006 11:40
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I've been using Live for about a year and a half and its a very good program. The main things which shit me about it are the low headroom in the master channel. Also the way you can't group folders is a bit annoying and the routing I find a bit rudimentary at times.
The sound quality is something I notice very rarely and all DAW have their own sound... Logics being the most sought after ofcourse. To be honest though, I dont mind Abletons sound. It can be a tad digital or dry, but for psytrance is this a huge problem? I think it actually works in favour when trying to destroy sounds sometimes. Like anything though, you can treat it with the right processing.
To be honest I havnt found the 128 parameter limit to be all that much of a problem?? Most of the important parameters in synths (cutoff, lfo, fm modulation) are within that 128.
Overall I find the positives and outweigh the negatives a whole lot more. |
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