Lazerbeat
Offline
Tokyo, Japan

This might sound like an incredibly foolish question but I have had two or three little sessions with Ableton and one highly capable Live user try and explain it to me but I just don't really "get" the software. I don't know if it requires some kind of shift in thinking I can't make or a leap I am not capable of but I was really curious why so many people like it and what if specifically attractive about it?

Also I am totally not insinuating the software is deficient in any way, just that I haven't been able to click with it yet.

Really interested in everyones thoughts.

Dot.AY
Offline
Melbtown, Lolstralia

My personal favourite few things about ableton -

Assigning MIDI controls: amazingly quick, go into midi learn mode and almost every button or variable can be assigned to a MIDI controller (I am well aware other software does this but nothing as elegant and simple as ableton)

Drum Racks: Ability to very quickly build up a drum kit from any samples you have (drag and drop) (again other software does this but it is very simple in ableton)

Obviously there is a lot more but these are just some things I personally use a lot

Last edited by Dot.AY (Feb 22, 2010 7:51 am)

pixls
Offline
Philly, PA, USA

It's tough to learn, I haven't gotten it yet, but it seems like it's one of those thing that, once you get it, it'll be great. kinda like LSDJ?

ant1
Offline
uhajdafdfdfa
Dot.AY wrote:

Assigning MIDI controls: amazingly quick, go into midi learn mode and almost every button or variable can be assigned to a MIDI controller (I am well aware other software does this but nothing as elegant and simple as ableton)

In FL Studio, you click the "MIDI learn" button, twist any knob on screen, and then twist a knob on your MIDI controller, and it's done, and takes effect instantly. Does it really get more elegant and simple than that?

goto80
Offline
CHIPTUNE

it's great to improvise live with. the name gives it away! smile what i like is to add loops on the fly and manipulate them - repitch, change loop points. record new audio while playing - be it external input or a channel in ableton. use the master-tempo-slow-down-thingee (like putting the finger on a vinyl playing) to sync manually with dodgy external hardware. the internal effects are hi-quality. the audio handling is good, even on windows. there is also some possibilities to generative things, which is probably out of this world these days when max/msp is supported. it also has a rudimentary support for video. i like that. you can do silly stuff like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_fisJYImDY

but it does take a while to get into the ableton way of thinking i suppose. it's a bit particular. it's like society! ableton is the new society. don't resist it, just pretend like you're doing something.

DKSTR
Offline
Finland

- Stability (it has crashed on me like 2 times on my 3-4 years of use)
- good internal effects
- UI is one of the best i know
- slicing/manipulating audio is pretty fast with it

In some ways I think the whole session/writing your song down could be lil bit better.

pixls
Offline
Philly, PA, USA

while we're on the topic of ableton and how great it is, did anyone use any video tutorials about how to use it or anything? something like that i know would be helpful to m, just in terms of how the things works.

Paroxysm
Offline
Hull, UK

I've tried tons of DAW's and to me, it was the easiest to learn and had the best built in effects & features, as at the moment, i mostly use it for post production on game boy tracks.

infradead
Offline
Tacoma WA

tom cosm has some really goood ableton stuff.  tutorial videos and such.
http://www.cosm.co.nz/

DKSTR
Offline
Finland
pixls wrote:

while we're on the topic of ableton and how great it is, did anyone use any video tutorials about how to use it or anything? something like that i know would be helpful to m, just in terms of how the things works.

Have you checked out it's own built-in tutorials? They are really good to get to know the workflow of things in Live. I readed those and after that I've just googled around whenever there's something I dont understand.

PULSELOOPER
Offline
São Paulo, Brazil

I use it a lot, and have been a user since much before going into chipmusic. For me, it's the best music software ever made. For producing, performing and djing.

Shonen_
Offline
Newcastle, UK

I love Ableton, really is a bit of a steep learning curve though. Just watch some youtube tutorials, learn how all the built in stuff works, and don't give up! smile

Sabrepulse
Offline
London, UK

When I first heard about ableton, the artists I knew waxing on about it kept talking about 'transparency' like it was the second coming. I thought it was a pr buzzword (indeed, ableton mention it in their press release) but it's actually a very accurate description of how the software lets you view the creative process in totally different than other DAW's.

Use it as a sequencer, or a drum machine, use it as an audio/midi triggering device, or in the same manner to create a dj set, use it to create full tracks, use it for post producing those tracks, use it to record jam sessions on a real instrument and manipulate it in realtime and record it directly to a customizable section of your arrangement, use it's rudimentary video support to create video soundtracks...

The possibilities are vast. Personally, it's scope outweighs my vision and 5 years on from switching to it i've still barely scraped the surface. Plus they keep adding new toys....!

The way I learned how to use it is the same as with any software, trial and error - I was also lucky enough to live with a couple of people who used it for mastering & live performances (I remember at the time being impressed at how seamless it handled those two things in one package) - so I picked the general flow and tips/tricks from watching them.

I'd watch the tutorial videos (ableton's own) and youtube/vimeo's and if you get a chance (cough cough!) ask people who use it big_smile

Last edited by Sabrepulse (Feb 23, 2010 10:10 am)

Dweeble
Offline
Dot.AY wrote:

Drum Racks: Ability to very quickly build up a drum kit from any samples you have (drag and drop) (again other software does this but it is very simple in ableton)

I do that yet have no idea how to trigger the samples to play through completely once. I can get them to play completely but they loop and that isn't what I want, just want to be able to play samples via midi drum kit.

I've googled the funk out of it.

Essentially i've assigned samples to the drum rack and a tap on my midi drum kit can either start the looping of the sample or it'll only play the split second i tap on it.

Could someone help me out a little?

do a quick tutorial showing this or something?

Jonnyriddle
Offline
Milton Keynes, England
Dweeble wrote:
Dot.AY wrote:

Drum Racks: Ability to very quickly build up a drum kit from any samples you have (drag and drop) (again other software does this but it is very simple in ableton)

I do that yet have no idea how to trigger the samples to play through completely once. I can get them to play completely but they loop and that isn't what I want, just want to be able to play samples via midi drum kit.

I've googled the funk out of it.

Essentially i've assigned samples to the drum rack and a tap on my midi drum kit can either start the looping of the sample or it'll only play the split second i tap on it.

Could someone help me out a little?

do a quick tutorial showing this or something?

in the drum rack just below the little "device on/off" icon there are three icons
the bottom one of those 3 opens up a little sample manager for the selected sample
it has a whole bunch of options
make sure loop is not highlighted and so long as it's not, the sample shouldn't loop.
switch the release time up and when you trigger the sample it should play through the whole sample.
do that for each of your samples and you should be all set.

vickysbooties
Offline
NJ/MA

It's worth having in your arsenal.  I was strictly tracking (mostly in renoise), and i just got to the point where i needed something just to fuck around with and execute experiments with ease.  Max for live, i have not used, but it is a step into the future of music.

As for learning__ I just started to make a new track and read the little helper thing on the bottom left.  I'm still a noob though....