Thank good for GarageBand ( ) . Without it , not only would countless musician ( and musicians - in - training ) lack an easy - to - use melodious sketchpad , but software reviewers would tie themselves into knots explaining the thought of loop-the-loop - ground sequencing to readers unfamiliar with the conception . But , thanks to GarageBand , many of you probably already sympathize the notion that you’re able to create musical authorship by string together prerecord digital sound and MIDI choice morsel . And because you do , I can skip much of the prologue and State Department that , in its tardy iteration , Ableton Live 6.0.3 give way well beyond its roots ( ) as a loop - base sequenator and adds feature that make it an option for those desiring a nearly full - blown digital audio workstation ( DAW ) .
The basics
Before addressing Live 6 ’s improvement over the former version , it ’s worth recounting its essential capabilities and unique talents . Live earns its name by give you the power to well trigger prerecorded audio with a computer ’s keyboard , mouse , or , ideally , with a MIDI keyboard . The ability to allot MIDI controllers to just about any one of Live ’s occasion is one of the computer programme ’s primary strengths . In this regard , unlike with traditional DAWs , MIDI ascendence makes Live as much a playable official document as it is an audio editor and MIDI sequencer .
For those concerned in creating and modify compelling grooves on the fly , Live is dead the tool to use . But Live can also conduct like that traditional DAW , cater an Arrangement scene where you linearly record digital audio frequency and MIDI track as well as add prerecorded clips , virtual musical instrument , and effects by hang back them from Live ’s File web browser pane . As with GarageBand , you could alter the speed of your composing , and the clips will stretch ( orwarp , in Live parlance ) so that they oppose the pacing of the piece without change pitch ( and without introducing ugly audio artifacts that can make the sound to warble or stutter ) . Unlike GarageBand , Live provides the powerfulness to manipulate clips in a variety of ways . Not only can you append and chain together effects ( using Live ’s build - in gist , Audio Units and VST force for audio files , and MIDI effect ) , but you could also edit MIDI controller data point ( change the velocity data on a series of notes , for example ) , and you could edit individual sample to vary such element as their pitching , volume , and panning .
To get a better impression of what Live can do , download the amply running demonstration fromAbleton(the demo disables save and exportation ) . run through the first-class moral files approachable via Live ’s Help fare will familiarise you with the programme ’s main feature in short order of magnitude .
New life
Live 6 adds some new feature article in this interlingual rendition that should worry current and possible user . Most challenging to me , as an editor ofMacworld ’s video recording podcasts , is Live ’s financial support for QuickTime movies . you’re able to now scuff a QuickTime movie into a track within Live ’s musical arrangement window and not only create a score synchronized to that movie but also edit and hold effect to the movie ’s audio tracks just as you’re able to with any other Live tracks . Live is particular about how your movie are named , however . While it will readily import movies with a .mov or .avi extension service , it does n’t know what to do with files that terminate in .m4v . Append a .mov extension to those files , and they import as they should .
If you have a multiprocessor or multicore Mac you ’ll be proud of that Live now puts your increased processing superpower to beneficial use . With financial backing for more potent Macs , you ’re far less probable to range into position where Live balks at smoothly playing complex , multi - track compositions . On my 2.66GHz Dual - Core Mac Pro , I was able-bodied to fabricate a loggerheaded , multitrack composition and toy a impenetrable sampled trail live with nary a singultus .
If you do n’t have one of these sinewy Macs ( or you manage to demand too much of Live ) you’re able to take some of the pressure off your Mac ’s mainframe with the unexampled Deep Freeze feature film . Although you couldfreezetracks in the late version of Live — meaning that Live would create an audio file of the frozen cartroad , which requires far less from your C.P.U. when played back — you could n’t edit these frozen tracks . With Deep Freeze , you still have a cadence of controller over your frozen tracks . For example , you may dress the clips , apply mechanization to them , and hale wintry MIDI clips into audio tracks .
Live 6 also introduces instrument and effect racks . The stand concept is familiar to musicians — it ’s a collection of twist run in parallel of latitude that can be saved and keep in line as a single gimmick . For example , you might create an instrument single-foot that combines a forte-piano sampling with an airy pad synthesiser that has reverb and flange effects use to it . Using Live ’s Modern macro see you may change the character of the rack with up to eight pommel , each adequate to of alter any parameter from any equipment in the rack . wrack can also be export and share with other Live drug user .
inhabit optionally extend a new $ 199 Sampler instrument capable of play and cut samples in a motley of formatting as well as the $ 119 Essential Instrument Collection , a multigigabyte array of instruments from SONiVOX that are play through Live ’s included simple instrument .
Macworld’s buying advice
Ableton ’s Live has long been a up to and originative tool for make medicine both in the studio apartment and in live performance . Live 6.0.3 inflate those capabilities and — with the addition of multiprocessor and heart support and its Deep Freeze function — makes for a skilful performing program . The summation of video recording livelihood may even tempt those who have — up to now — been perfectly happy with Apple ’s Soundtrack Pro ( ) . If you ’re a musician seeking inspiration from your digital audio workstation or a DJ looking for prick more interesting than a turntable and social , you owe yourself a longsighted face at Live .
