KVR Audio

diverdee · Post by **diverdee** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 8:58 pm

I've been using the nfr copy of tracktion as a rewire host for a while - & I can't dis it, reckon T2 will be excellent value also. Anyway a mate of mine has been around 2day with his laptop & ableton live - so I exported some midi files etc. & he demo'd ableton live 4 me. The interface seemed a bit strange at first, but he kinda talked me through that & then he started 'playing' with the clips - & that was exactly what it was, it was so much fewkin fun, messing with the clip automation & bouncing bits of audio, messing with them, randomizing shit - I swear it was such a cool experience I don't really know how 2 put it into words - but i am definately sold on live now for sure - cool cool application that made music making a real fun experience. Just thought i'd share that, cos i'm still buzzing off it.

Meffy · Post by **Meffy** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:02 pm

Sonar is my main host, but for some projects Live is a lot more fun to work in. More spontaneous. It's not right for every project but it sure is different, no?

I don't use loops all that much, but version 4 adds pretty good MIDI support. And it doesn't have to be used for loops even so. :-)

headquest · Post by **headquest** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:14 pm

I have moved from Tracktion to Live 4 as my main host.

Live 4 is now capable not only as a fun performance tool, but also now as a fully-fledged music production environment. Live 4 had a few issues when it first appeared last year, but Ableton have sorted them out. Wow, indeed

Tracktion seems to me to have a very, VERY long way to go before the developer(s) iron out several of the long-standing bugs, issues, and address regular users' most frequent feature requests.

diverdee · Post by **diverdee** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:29 pm

Like I said - i'm not dissing T - i really like it - but the way u can just automate some crazy stuff in clips in live - then assign them to one of those slots - it allows spontaneity u know I had no fear of losing an idea - cos that was already saved in another clip slot (or whatever they're called) in that 'session view' is it? Plus all the various controllers for reason showed up for midid editing, not just the generic cc controller names, but the correct stuff e.g filter cutoff, filter resonance etc. - so no leafing through reason documentation to try & work out which controller does what - it was all there

. My guy had it launching various clips at differnet times - & then recorded that as new clips & on & on. It just opened my eyes to the potential of noodling around in a non-linear fashion. I'm one of those blokes who has an idea, a riff or something, but lately finds it hard to build on ir - to make it progress, that non-linear way of working in live kinda helped me get past that block. Like I said i'm still buzzing off it & I know I didn't check out even a small portion of what could be done & i'd probably be lost on my own with it, but I have to say props to the guys at ableton - I'm in 2 minds now about whether to save up for live or T2. guess i'll have to set my tent up at my mates yard & play with live some more - may just be that initial 'wow' response to a new piece of software/new way of working, but he's been preaching the gospel according to live at me for a while & i'm feeling that vibe big time.

kuniklo · Post by **kuniklo** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:36 pm

Live 4 rules. So much more fun than anything else I've tried.

Amberience · Post by **Amberience** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:39 pm

Live 4 is my Cubase. I love it. It can do everything I need.

GlitchB0t · Post by **GlitchB0t** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 5:15 pm

Live really is such a unique application, its the first host that FEELS like an instrument for me. I used to hate programming drums with a *passion* because it was so tedious and unmusical.

Not so with Live, the way they did the midi editor is brilliant imo. Simple enough that you can just USE it.

Set a 4 bar loop, then either play from your kbd realtime, with realtime undo/redo, and realtime quantize (easily adjustable), or you can click in the piano roll and add notes if you want to do it that way.

Then you wanna make your variations? ctrl-c, ctrl-v a few times, and just take stuff out or add stuff in.

brilliant

Then its got enough to mix in it, if you really want to. I normally don't, once the inspiration and creation is over, export the tracks into Sonar and begin *work*

headquest · Post by **headquest** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 5:30 pm

That's really it!

Most hosts (including T2, with its linear sequencing paradigm) are aimed at recording engineer types and are peppered with esoteric recording and MIDI editing features. Fair enough, because that's what their target user wants.

But Live is a music-making application, written by musicians and for musicians. It's the most inspiring sequencer on the planet imho.

And yes, I think you can mix your finished recording in it. I really like its mixing approach, in fact, especially having quick and easy send/returns (unlike the bizaare and complicated setup in T2).

But I tend to export and do the final MASTER in Adobe Audition.

braj · Post by **braj** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 5:53 am

In all fairness to Tracktion (which seems to be getting a bit slammed here) there are things it does like Racks that Live can't do. I love both, and would heartily recommend Live to anyone, but Tracktion is a great host and not just for engineers either. It removes many of the issues that other 'conventional' hosts have that makes it hard for a musician to just pick up and use. + and - exist for T and Live. That's why I use both.

Karbon L. Forms · Post by **Karbon L. Forms** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 6:58 am

you guys are speaking my language! I'm a big supporter of RMS and Tracktion but I tried Live properly a couple weeks ago. I'd tried it before whilst wankered and gone "whot the fook! nonsense pile o shite!"
worked through one of the tutorials. got totally carried away and had to save it as my own tune!
So T for recording/rendering etc and Live in charge of me drums and loops.

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Finally making music again.

Theres this Mandolin loop on the factory content... I've never had so much fun! Drives the wife nuts.

braj · Post by **braj** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 7:07 am

Karbon L. Forms wrote:Drives the wife nuts.

Karbon L. Forms · Post by **Karbon L. Forms** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 7:12 am

braj wrote:
Karbon L. Forms wrote:Drives the wife nuts.

yeah! start mucking about with beats. make a huge big build up. drop it down again. build it up. then WHACK! "that f**king mandolin sample!"

lion_cub · Post by **lion_cub** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 8:57 am

It sounds like an ingenius bit of software.

The only thing putting me of using it as my main sequencer app is the cost ($499)

Karbon L. Forms · Post by **Karbon L. Forms** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 9:05 am

lion_cub wrote:It sounds like an ingenius bit of software.

The only thing putting me of using it as my main sequencer app is the cost ($499)

yeah. a weeks wages to me.

braj · Post by **braj** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 9:12 am

Try ebay
$295 isn't a bad price at all.

Ableton Live - wow