Updating Ableton Live

[ravasb]

I bought Live 3 when it was released, and then updated to 4 a couple of months ago for $119, which I thought was fair. I really do like the product.

Now I see 5 is being released, and will cost another $119. However, people updating from 3 only pay a total of $169, not the $238 for people who updated first to 4. This seems to take away any incentive to update regularly. I feel I should wait for 6 or 7.

Unless there was a feature I simply could not wait for, what is the point of shelling out the money now?

[TVD]

It's a good thing that only play with Live 4 (demo version).

And it's a great thing that I stay with Live 3. I still use FL Studio 5 for all of my MIDI programming needs.

[TVD]

I bought Live 3 when it was released, and then updated to 4 a couple of months ago for $119, which I thought was fair. I really do like the product.

Now I see 5 is being released, and will cost another $119. However, people updating from 3 only pay a total of $169, not the $238 for people who updated first to 4. This seems to take away any incentive to update regularly. I feel I should wait for 6 or 7.

Unless there was a feature I simply could not wait for, what is the point of shelling out the money now?

If I were you, I wouldn't spend any money until I check out Live 5 (demo version).

[vbfischer]

It did not cost $238 to update from 3-4. In fact, looking at my receipt, it cost me $49 to upgrade from 3 to 4.

Now, doing simple math, $119 + $49 = $168

[vbfischer]

Correction. It was $49 for me because I had just upgraded from 2 to 3 just a month prior to upgrading to 4, so I got a discounted upgrade.

But the full upgrade from 3-4 was only $119. Plus, you got to use the software in the meantime, so that's worth something. Plus it gives someone who hasn't upgraded recently incentive to try it again...

I'd agree with you in that you might not want to upgrade if there's no features that interest you.. Don't just upgrade for upgrades sake

[blortblort]

the jump from 4 to 5 is going to be a major difference. Just look at what they're going to be adding. If this version is released with as few bugs as the other major releases and the CPU hit for some of the improvements is either non-existent or negligible, I KNOW I'll be giving up the cost of the upgrade -- once i have a chance to demo L5 for myself, that is!

...I didn't see anything about the Abe's bringing back either kbd shortcuts or midi/key assignment for quantize res (as they used to have in L3)
and I'm not gonna shut up about that until it's back.. that is the MAIN thing I miss from L3, but all the other additions (especially MIDI/VSTi) I can wait'em out

[ravasb]

I am sure it will be a fine product as will following updates. I am just suggesting that people who update each version wind up paying a lot more than those who wait in betwen two or three versions (which is not a long wait because of the frequency of the updates). I think it would be nice if Ableton found a way to reward the regular updaters instead of charging them a lot more in the long run.

[anti-banausic]

Ummmm, because you got to use LIVE4 for more time? Come on, this is really excellent software. They are trying to get people to update from LIVE3.

Your reward for regularly updating.....the use of an amazing piece of software? I think that is sufficient for me. I mean, I have been using LIVE4 for the past year. If I had "waited" and just upgraded from LIVE3 to LIVE5 (thereby saving some small amount of money), I wouldn't have had LIVE4 for the year to use....

What's your problem?

[jegha]

you have to see that live 4 is much better than live 3, so the price from 3 to 4 was ok, in addition live 5 comes in 1-2 month maybe, so if you had waited for live 5 when you had live 3, its a long time without vst.

but its correct that the price from 4 to 5 is too much, of course 5 is better than 4 but its not the difference as it was from 3 to 4, thats why the price is likely unfair!

nevertheless, live roxx

[anti-banausic]

I'm not sure about your reasoning. LIVE5 is going to have track freeze (and in typical Ableton fashion, not like everybody else's), PDC, many ways to mess up clips, multiple points within clips, device chains, use of third-party MIDI plugs, better arrangement view, more plugs, overall better MIDI editing....

This is not a small release. This is really going to pull it up there with the big boys......as if LIVE4 hadn't already, ok, well not quite.....

Perhaps however, I am a bit biased as it is my main sequencer....I only export to mix down, even then sometimes leave it in LIVE>

We'll see when the beta starts and we get more news. It's still in in-house alpha testing, though it was given a run by Robert Henke at Mutek today! We'll have to see the verdict.

[jegha]

yes its right, the new version is actually improved, but i meant thats not as the difference from 3 to 4, but i loved what i here about 5, the arpeggio and freeze are important to me, also the mp3 support...

[jsd]

I am sure it will be a fine product as will following updates. I am just suggesting that people who update each version wind up paying a lot more than those who wait in betwen two or three versions (which is not a long wait because of the frequency of the updates). I think it would be nice if Ableton found a way to reward the regular updaters instead of charging them a lot more in the long run.

this is pretty standard behavior. same complaints over on the cubase.net forum when SX3 came out. it was the same price to upgrade from 1 or 2 to 3. people said, why didn't i just stay with 1? well, why didn't you? presumably there was some feature you needed in 2, and you got to use it while you waited for the next upgrade.

the alternative approach is a subscription model like native instruments has with komplete. but would you really want to pay some amount every year without knowing FOR SURE that there would be an upgrade to justify it?

[vbfischer]

the alternative approach is a subscription model like native instruments has with komplete. but would you really want to pay some amount every year without knowing FOR SURE that there would be an upgrade to justify it?

I've always wondered why more (music) software companies don't do that. Its pretty standard for software development software. You buy the product, and then a maintenance contract annually which allows you to update the software during that time, no matter if its a major or minor release.

It would help me out budgeting for stuff...

[anti-banausic]

Ok, so in Ableton's case (if you haven't noticed their cycle), the maintenance fee is $120 a year, due to the fact that they put out a new version every year around NAMM (or Mutek) recently.

It's all about the same. Development takes money and people. Until that isn't true, we are going to have to pay for the upgrade. I would rather pay for the upgrade then be stuck using outdated stuff for years.....

By the way, it seems that the upgrade cycles are going to get faster and faster until they hit a point of convergence (between speed of new development and capacity for us to pay-for/use/accept it). So, I guess we are just parts of the big development machinery.

We ask for it, they develop it, we whine about the price of it....

Reminds me of what one of my professors at grad-school said. We are paying them to make our lives miserable, but better in the long run.....

[kovacs]

The beauty of Fruity is that you pay once then get everything for free...but the beatuy of Live is different. It is a marvellous product and I am not going to hesitate before I upgrade.

Yeah, $120 a year is quite a price to pay, I agree. But it's one hell of a program and it seems as if v5 will finally let me ditch some of the workaround solutions I am using. (Like, eh, finally they put in an arpeggiator).