Ableton

If you currently own and operate Ableton Live 8 or Suite 8, you are eligible to download a free copy of Puremagnetik's Retro Synths -- a selection of sounds from multi-sampled vintage synthesizer packs, including more than 4,000 samples from classics such as the Korg MS-20, Roland D-50, and more.  

Make your Live setup Lion-ready by updating your DAW to version 8.2.5. This new version of Ableton Live makes the DAW fully compatible with Mac OS X 10.7 Lion; it also makes the software more functional and less bug-ridden. Version 8.2.5 resolves a number of known issues and provides significant improvements to major features.  

Former lead singer for the A-Sides and current lead singer for Sun Airway speaks with Owen O'Malley about learning Ableton and getting away from writing music on guitars.  

Cameron McVey is, these days, a member of CirKus, but he has also worked in production with bands including Portishead, Massive Attack, Sugarbages, Neneh Cherry and more. He talks about using Macbook Pro with Pro Tools and Ableton for the latest CirKus record.  

Drum machines, tubular bells, and Novachord presets are now available for Ableton Live and Live Intro, courtesy of the new Partner Instrument libraries, Soniccouture Novachord, Puremagnetik MachineKits, and SonArte Tubular Bells.  

Ableton is kicking off the season of sharing with its latest offering, Creative Diversity. This new collection includes five free Live Packs created by top Ableton Live-using artists.  

Get a closer look at Ableton and Serato's DJ / producer program, The Bridge, and learn about it from industry pros and guest artists at one of The Bridge Tour 2010's eight stops. Ableton and Serato will showcasing The Bridge across North America this Fall, beginning in New York and ending at Chicago.  

Spice up your Ableton Live arsenal of sounds with the latest partner instruments, Sonica Japanese Taiko Percussion (taiko drum sounds for Live) and AAS Journeys (a set 128 acoustic-like, atmospheric Tension sounds for Live).  

DJs can get the best of both worlds, with Ableton and Serato's The Bridge. The new release bridges the gap between multitracking and turntable-style control, allowing you to drag Ableton Live Sets onto decks in Scratch Live for hands-on control, as well as save your Scratch Live mixes as Live Sets.  

Ableton and Softube teamed up to make Amp, a new audio effect featuring guitar amp and cabinet models for Ableton Live 8 or Suite 8, available with Suite 8 or on its own. Amp provides the amp and cab models, simple interface, and integrated extras that will "dirty up" sounds in no time.  

New owners of Ableton Live 8, Suite 8, Live Intro can, for a short while, get free online Live training from Ableton's partners, such as Berkleemusic.com, Sonicacademy.com, and many others.  

Now available for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch, Liine Griid is a new app that provides a quick, handy interface for controlling Ableton Live away from the computer.  

Jon Philpot of Bear in Heaven warns Owen about the dangers of trusting MIDI synch in live performance. Also discussed: real synths vs plugins, the seeming omnipotence of Ableton Live, and starting the band you didn't mean to start.  

When your basic live setup includes sending your snare drum through an envelope filter at the mixing board, it's a good idea to find a sound person willing to tour with your band. Neon Indian learned that lesson the hard way, but at least they learned it before playing this past Pitchfork Music Festival. Owen spoke with drummer Jason Faries about some of the other tricks the band employs live.  

Through the end of August, Ableton will be saying, "Enjoy your summer!" by offering Live users free downloads of the Partner Instrument Compilation, ten free Live Packs by Minus, and a special deal to new owners of Live 8 or Suite 8.  

With the recent release of rev 8.1.3 of Ableton Live, GW reviewer Markkus Rovito wonders where the innovative DAW and performance platform might go next based on where it came from and where it is now. If you wonder what he wondered, read on.  

This summer, if you purchase Ableton Live 8 or Suite 8 you can get a Partner Instrument free via the Choose Your Partner offer. No worries if you already own Live 8 or Suite 8 or Intro, since Ableton is offering something special to current owners as well.  

Via the Ableton Summer Music Challenge, students can take a break from their summer reading lists and make some music instead, for the chance to win Ableton software, Novation controllers, Loopmasters samples, and more, for themselves and their schools.  

Live users only have to make one-stop to shop for new Live packs and instruments, now that all of Ableton's partner instruments -- instruments and packs made especially for Live by other partner companies -- are available for purchase at the Ableton Web shop.  

We talk more with Ableton Specifications Team member Stefan Franke, this time about how he views the legions of adoring fans that call Ableton Live their golden cow. Also in this video: rare footage of a former head of state being assaulted by an APC40.  

As a member of the Ableton Specification Team, Stefan Franke is one of the people who helps decide what features get included in revisions of Ableton Live. Gearwire traveled to Berlin to ask Stefan how he feels about the newest inclusions and how the team decides on the next features to include.  

Ever wonder who's behind the instruction manuals and vast online help text that ship with your Ableton Live software? Dennis DeSantis is that guy, and authoring manual documentation is only the tip of his job-berg.  

Ever wonder what Ableton employees really think of their flagship product? Gino Robair spoke with Ableton Head of Creative Graham Ball about the trend-setting DAW and performance software, and guess what: Graham's a fan of Ableton Suite 8!  

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area or Los Angeles, pencil in some time to attend next week's Live Beats Series 2010, a free set of workshops on Live 8 and Novation Launchpad integration.  

What is Ableton The Bridge? Why, nothing less than the love child of Ableton Live and Serato Itch. Maybe "wedding vow" would be more accurate. . . you know, let's let Ableton explain.  

DJs can get the best of both worlds, with The Bridge by Ableton and Serato. The Bridge literally bridges the gap between multitracking and turntable-style control, allowing one to drag Live Sets onto decks in Scratch Live or Itch, and also save mixes as Live Sets within Scratch Live or Itch.  

Ableton and Akai have collaborated once again on making a dedicated controller for Ableton Live. The Akai APC20 gives you a 40 illuminated buttons of hands-on control over every parameter within the DAW.  

The multi-talented bassist / vocalist / stage technician Kyle Akers talks about the mulit-talented recording / performance software Ableton Live. We interviewed Kyle about how he uses Live to control lights and more for his band, Antennas Up.  

Head to Ableton's Web site to get new freebies by Henrik Schwarz and KJ Sawka. The Schwarzonator is a tongue twisting, note twisting Max for Live patch, and Mad Beatz is KJ Sawka's Live Pack of drum 'n' bass, dub step, and breakbeat sounds for Live.  

Available now, Max for Live provides the creative device-making tools found within Cycling '74 Max / MSP, but presents them in the intuitive, more aesthetically pleasing, user-friendly environment of Live.