New entry level version of Ableton Live

[aMUSEd]

Will it still work with Live addon instruments like Operator and Sampler? I presume they wouldn't have the 2 instance limit?

[thecontrolcentre]

The 2 instance limit is for VSTs. Live instruments are limited to 8.

[headquest]

...and notice they are including a version of the Essential Instrument Collection in the box, which is good stuff. So just to clarify you can use:
12 Live effects
8 Live instruments
2 VST / Au instruments
2 VST / AU effects

A total of 24 plugs.

But the point is with the instruments that users can simply record their VSTs as audio on the adjacent track anyway, so it's not a limitation. And without the (excellent) freeze function that the full version offers, rendering in this way is probably going to be necessary anyway (thinks back to Live 4)...

For a beginner taking their first plunge I would say that most of this is ideal. Most of us here are not beginners of course, so we look at the limitations and cry (or not, in the case of those of us who own Live anyway)

[Meloday]

i suppose its a good price for the 'average' buyer....but for us gear dorks on KVR , not so much...especially when you have full fledged functionality for

Bidule $75
Renoise $70
eXT/XT" $75
Usine $70

i realize its apples to oranges with Live....but i'd rather have the FULL apple for $70 than the HALF the orange for $150....Live LE's price might be justified if you got a nice upgrade deal but thats not really the case....

[whyterabbyt]

not for that price though

why not?

[aMUSEd]

The 2 instance limit is for VSTs. Live instruments are limited to 8.

Yes but will it work with the addon ones, not just the included ones?

[jones-y]

The 2 instance limit is for VSTs. Live instruments are limited to 8.

Yes but will it work with the addon ones, not just the included ones?

If you are able to add Sampler and Operator to Live LE, I'd assume that these would be included in the limit of 8 Live instruments.

[botkiller]

I dunno, I think it's not a bad package for the price, and they're being competitive with the pricing. I rarely use more than two softsynth instruments in composing in any program I'm in, so the instrument restriction is ok to me. I'm not crazy about the limitations on AU/VST and built in effects - I think those should be higher, but in Live situation, I think it could hang - and that's the whole point of Live, anyway.

[headquest]

Also note that they are including 2 send/return tracks, which will be useful for spreading the effects (and processor load).

Also nice is the fact they have included all 23 of Live 6's effects, including the much praised Beat Repeat and EQ8.

[spaceman]

not for that price though

why not?

As Melody pointed out, there's so much you can get for much less money, and with no limitations.

In a typical -small- project with a compressor and eq on most tracks alone you'll be running out of plugs before you get really going (I guess not having freeze is less important then ) and the two sends is not going to help there either.

This software will thereby be most useful for the typical Live functionality but I don't know if that is enough to warrant $150. I don't know.. maybe there are marketing this towards DJs more than towards the usual sequencer users, or as you mentioned, maybe it's meant to be a scratch pad or composition tool.

Either way, there's a lot more to get elsewhere for $150 is the form of energyXT and Project5

[headquest]

Either way, there's a lot more to get elsewhere for $150 is the form of energyXT and Project5

That's true... from the perspective of us KVR users. But I don't think Live LE is aimed at us at all.

A couple of obvious things that Live offers that those dont:
Firstly, the whole gapless audio, live stage features, Session View, global crossfader for DJing, etc.
Secondly, ease of use (I would say Live scores higher than either/or eXT and P5 on that front, especially with its more esoteric features like clip envelopes and racks removed )

For the Steinberg Sequel noobie market, I think this will be a good contendor. It will have the same spot-on on-screen tutorials, the EIC and a simple but powerfrul sampler and drum sampler included, plus a wealth of effects.

I think it is clear from the opening statement on the website who this is aimed at:

Step into computer-based music with more fun and less hassle. Live 6 LE provides a simple interface and the pro-level features you need for recording, songwriting, producing, remixing and DJing.

Step into = complete beginners.

More fun... less hassle.

I would recommend this over Sequel ANY day, and I think it is ultimately less limited. I would need to check out some details mind you - for example, can it export individual tracks as in Live 6 (very useful for kids bringing in their stuff to school, then loading into Cubase/whatever).

As for price, I'm assuming that by Christmas this will have a UK street price of around £50 - £60.

[shogger]

This version is their try to get more people into the boat. Samplitude is available as an LE version on magazine cds, Steinberg did a VST-free Cubasis follow up (Sequel) and Reaper has a way lower entry price (non-commercial license) without any feature restrictions.
If you want Live for what reasons ever I think it's a cool demo version which can even save your projects. Depending on what you're doing (working with audio loops mostly) it might even be all you ever need.

Shogger

[aMUSEd]

Bit mean to remove freeze from a beginners app.

[thecontrolcentre]

A beginner wouldn't know what freeze is ...

[vieris]

Yeah a 2 vst only is limiting if you only had that to work with. There built in FX are more then enough to start with. Someone buying an LE version wont have a crapload of $VSTs anyways. The built in FX are better then most crappy ass free vsts.
Ive owned Live from ver 2. I rely on Live, Operator, Sampler, & there FX daily. I use a crap load of 3rd party vsts as well but thats because they offer me different colors of sound not because i couldnt do it with live in the 1st place.