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Basically, Max for Live is a tool kit for making new devices. Think of a diverse and comprehensive set of building blocks that you can use to build pretty much anything you can think of. These building blocks include basic objects such as “+”, audio elements such as filters and oscillators, user interface objects, and a set of objects that regulate access to Live and hardware devices. Max for Live also provides a canvas where you can place and connect these objects with virtual wires. Flowing through these wires are audio, MIDI or video signals, or any other kind of data. Max is essentially a visual programming environment where you build courses or tracks for these signals to run through.
You can build new devices from scratch, modify existing ones or simply use devices that others have made. Max for Live includes several ingenious example devices and plenty of tutorials to take you from using to tweaking, and then to building.
Solid Sounds is an exclusive Live Pack created in collaboration with premier content provider Loopmasters. This free download includes over 400 MB of content, featuring 400 loops, 128 Simpler presets and 12 creative instrument Racks in a variety of musical styles.
Samples are loaded under “Samples->Loopmasters”.
Simpler presets are under “Instruments->Simpler->Loopmasters”.
Racks are under “Instruments->Instrument Rack->Loopmasters”.
The racks are setup so that Macro knob 1 allows you to quickly scroll through layers in a rack. Very cool!
“Emissions is a real-time soundscape generating instrument by Ableton Live content developer Puremagnetik (www.puremagnetik.com). It utilizes an array of textural ambiances, specifically designed for use with Percussa’s AudioCubes. It will morph, react and evolve depending on what the user (and the cubes!) decide to do.
AudioCubes are a tangible interface for creating music and sound. They interface seamlessly with your existing audio software giving you hands-on control in creating elements for music production, sound design and live performance.”
System Requirements:
Get the latest AudioCubes software from:
If you haven´t seen this great article already!
If you could control your music with all of your digits, and get interactive feedback on a display, what would your setup look like? Expert Lemur user and software engineer Bryant Place has one such answer. It shows off just how much the Lemur’s software has evolved over a series of revisions, and reveals a bit of what can go into performing with Ableton Live.
Side note: for a look at live touch interfaces with Native Instruments’ Reaktor, see our story for our NI minisite. To really understand how touch is impacting live playing, I think it’s helpful to see what’s going on with different software platforms.
Part of the appeal of Ableton Live is that it behaves as a hybrid between arrangement software and musical instrument. Early versions even carried the tagline “Sequencing Instrument,” but that sums up the problem: instruments generally aren’t sequencers, and visa versa. To “play” your sequencer live is challenging enough, but added to that is the fundamental mouse-pointer interface that’s been in the marketplace for over twenty years. To really control live, you need more direct access.
The Lemur multi-touch hardware promised just such control when unveiled. In an early review, I saw this as promising but cautioned that the custom software the Lemur runs was overly rigid. Since then, firmware updates have gradually added more custom features.
On a recent trip to Los Angeles, I got to watch as Bryant showed off a set of templates he’s been developing that exploit these features for deeper, more interactive control of Ableton Live. Bryant’s session was brief enough that you could blink and miss it, but an awed crowd of assembled Live gurus revealed that he’d showed something really special. It’s a dream multi-touch setup. He’s using the new v2 firmware for Lemur, which we see in a screenshot from Jazz Mutant has also been used in their own template for Live. Not all the features come from v2 firmware, but those tabs make a big difference, and I can imagine continuing to go hog-wild with envelopes and such.
The basic idea: set up effects for live performance and make them readily accessible from the futuristic-looking, multi-touch, colored Lemur control surface. With a few compact screens, and interface elements that respond dynamically to what’s happening in software, it’s possible to use touch gestures to control elaborate effects arrangements in ways that would be very different than the results you could get from conventional knobs and faders.
Ableton has released a new free Live Pack called “Designer Drums”.
You can listen to a preview and download the Live Pack from here.
Designed for electronic music producers, composers, and laptop DJs and performers, Infrasonik’s sample packs are constructed to maximise the unique and powerful features of Ableton Live and Kontakt.
Infrasonik’s philosophy is redefining the traditional audio sample pack into a powerful production environment that include effects chains, dynamics and EQ processing, macro controls, and channel strip presets that expand the sonic possibilities of these powerful audio production tools.
Ideal for modern electronic styles including Minimal, Electro, Techno, Tech House, Progressive, Deep House, Glitch, and IDM, Infrasonik’s sample packs are excusively available for instant download on Infrasonik.com
Gustavo Bravetti has put together a free, exclusive FM8 drum kit in Ableton Live for CDM readers. More on the kit, FM8, and how to make the most of it, plus our download, at the Kore@CDM NI minisite:
Free Exclusive Download: FM8 Drum Kit for Ableton Live from Gustavo Bravetti
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How to control Ableton Live with your iPhone
Make sure to check this little sucker out, I have tried it with Live and it works really well
The DR1 DR.DRONE is a VST synth plugin created by Martin Wheeler (aka. Vector Lovers). The DR1 makes it easy to produce fat electro bass, rich analogue style drones, and circuit-warped FX from the convenience of your laptop. Developed and tested alongside vintage hardware (Moog, Octave Cat, Polivoks) the DR1 has a classic analogue-inspired sound all of its own. Arriving March the 1st 2008! Check for more at www.drdrone.com! First Samples now up!
MusicTech Magazine has created a 132-page special edition that concentrates purely on Ableton Live and features. It contains brand new Live 7 tutorials, interviews with power users, 9 classic Live 6 workshops, full Live 7 review, free DVD with workshop resources and 20 Ableton video tutorials. This is available online and at local bookstores.
If you are new to Live this is a must have. Its a comprehensive guide to all the features of Live + a number of in-depth tutorials, make sure to check it out.
The very first Music Tech Focus edition goes on sale Thursday 6 March. This 132-page special edition magazine concentrates purely on Ableton Live and features:
