Ableton has released Live 9, the highly anticipated new version of its popular music creation software. Today also marks the release of Push - Ableton's first hardware instrument.

The latest version of Live features a multitude of innovations and improvements - designed "to inspire creative music makers everywhere".

The most important new features at a glance:

• Session automation: In Live 9's Session View, automation can now be recorded in real time directly within clips. Automation can move together with clips between Arrangement and Session View.
• Find sounds fast: In Live 9's re-designed browser, all instruments, effects, samples, and plug-ins are in one easy-to-navigate view. Drag and drop folders from anywhere on your computer, search as you type and navigate from the keyboard to find everything quickly.
• Discover new sounds: Live 9 comes with a large selection of production-ready sounds (more than 3000 in the Suite edition), providing a full range of synthesizers, drum kits and one-shot samples, acoustic instruments, loops and much more - all powered by Live's built-in synthesizers, samplers and effects so they can be tweaked and personalized.
• Audio-to-MIDI: Live 9 has three ways to extract MIDI from audio clips. Use Drums-to-MIDI to convert drum breaks into MIDI files for use with your own sounds. Use Harmony-to-MIDI and Melody-to-MIDI to get the notes and chords from samples. Sing, beatbox, tap a rhythm, or play any solo instrument, then use Melody or Drums-to-MIDI to turn your recordings into MIDI clips to edit and reuse with any sound.
• Get your sound right: Live 9's studio effects have all been reworked for even better sound and usability. The Glue Compressor is a new effect - an authentic model of a legendary 1980s console bus compressor. EQ Eight now has an audition mode for isolating frequencies and an expandable spectrum display. The Gate and Compressor effects feature a Gain Reduction view which shows changes in signal level over time.
• Edit the details: Live 9 introduces new tools and an improved workflow which allow for fast and flexible editing of musical ideas. Transpose, reverse and stretch MIDI notes or warp clip automation and add curves to automation envelopes.
• Max for Live - now in Suite: The Suite edition of Live 9 comes with Max for Live - giving users access to an ever-expanding array of unique instruments, effects and tools. The included Max for Live boasts 25 new devices such as a convolution reverb, drum synthesizer instruments, MIDI echo as well as reworked versions of classics such as Step Sequencer and Buffer Shuffler 2.

Live 9 pricing and availability:

Live 9 is available immediately at retailers worldwide and at Ableton.com. Prices start at $99 / €79 (Live 9 Intro download version), $449 / €349 (Live 9 Standard download version) and $749 / €599 (Live 9 Suite download version).

Upgrades to Live 9 Standard and Live 9 Suite vary in price depending on the Ableton products you already own. More details at: www.ableton.com/shop

More information: www.ableton.com/live/new-in-9

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