Ableton Live 5 Music Recording and Performance Software Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you're new to multi-track audio sequencing, I recommend Ableton Live! above every product on the market. It's user interface has been appropriately descibed as "revolutionary" by Mix Magazine and Electronic Musician, take the power of Pro Tools, shave away the most daunting and complex functions and add the simplicity of Sony's Acid loop sequencing software, mix the two togeather and provide an entirely fresh user interface that is instantly approachable, one that yields instant results and you have Ableton Live. I've abandoned Sonar, Cubebase and Vegas Audio in favor of Ableton Live this software is a joy to use. Here's what you get:
PROS
- Multitrack 16-bit/24-bit recording
- About a dozen popular effects
(Reverb, Compression, Noise Gate, EQ effects, Amp Sims, etc...)
- Powerful control over enevelops
- Timewarp feature without pitch alteration.
- Snap-to grid layout allowing recorded tracks to syn effortlessly with loops (works uniquely with time wrap feature, has to be heard to be believed)
- Track freeze
- Smart processing (the software optimizes memory and CPU performance quite well, but allows the user to take control of sample quality and quality of effects if desired)
- Solid VST plug-in support. (I've tested with AmpliTube, Korg Legacy Collection, Groove Agent, all at the same time! no problems! I've had many problems using VST's inside other non-Cubase sequencers)
- MIDI support goes well beyond the basics, you can set up loops as samples and play Live! like an instrument in real-time, it's actually designed with stage use in mind, but works equally as well in a studio as the heart of a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)
- Use computer keyboard as MIDI controller option (compose a melody on a plane or in a hotel room! :)
- Works extreemly well on Laptop PC's, was designed to be played Live! on laptops.
- ReWire support lets you hook-in to Reason, Cubase and other sequencers to use Ableton as a remote or a host.
CONS
- No support for DirectX Instruments (DXI)
- Limited support for loop types, Live supports WAV, you'll have to convert everything else.
Another reviewer mentioned cost of this product, it's priced competitive, don't compare Live! to Sonar or Acid, those products cost about half of what live does, but they are not in the same category. Live! is in the ranks of Reason, Pro Tools and Cubase, which it is priced well against thos products. If you are a student you can purchase the full version of Live for about half the retail price. You can also upgrade from the Lite version of Live (packaged with many M-Audio products) to the full version for the same price.

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