Ableton AG Live 8

Make up, create and customize music with Ableton Live. The software is indispensable for composition, songwriting, recording, production, remixing and live performance. Live's nonlinear, intuitive flow, alongside powerful real-time editing and flexible performance options, make it a unique studio tool with live performers. Ableton Live is for you in case you would rather be "making music" than just "using music software"! Live 8, the latest version of the software, includes innovation techniques and improvements with a new groove engine, revamped warping, live looping, new effects, cross fades in the Arrangement View and a reworked MIDI editor.

Standout Features:
* Arrangement View;
* Real-time/Live performance and production capabilities;
* Beat and music sequencing features;
* Improved warp and quantize features.

Audio Production Features:

Ableton Live's production and editing (not to mention performance) tools and features are among the most simple and intuitive to be found in any music production software program. There is a casual quality, a looseness to all production and editing features that gives them an experimental quality. And really, audio production is more a matter of experimenting than anything, which makes Ableton Live an even more appealing program.

Elastic Audio Engine
DJ-ing has evolved beyond the traditional "two turntables and microphone." Now, in addition to expanded support of new audio delivery formats and software-based controls, DJs now have many intuitive loop-making, beat-matching and mixing features at their disposal, which, in the case of Albeton Live, are far better than any analog controller.
With the Ableton Live's Elastic Audio Engine, DJs and producers have a palette for endless experimentation. Mix as many track elements and effects as you want. Ableton Live can handle it, even keeping it in sync the entire time. Perfect for fixes, remixes and mash-ups, the Elastic Audio Engine is as good as it gets for producers, artists and DJs with a creative, experimental bend, as well for those that simply want to "bring the noise" without the program stuttering to a halt.

Ableton Looper
Nothing is more common in modern music production than the loop. Sure, it has gone by countless names in previous musical epochs, but the loop is the keystone, cornerstone and foundation of virtually all music being produced today. As production has moved from hardware to software, looping samples and tracks has become easier while becoming, simultaneously, more difficult and easier: easier to execute; more difficult to execute well. With Ableton Live, looping retains the sound and feel of analog looping, even letting producers and program users do so remotely using a control. The difference, however, lies in its intuitive beat-matching, tempo-nudge and other elements that allow for real-time synchronization.

"It's the Beat!"
As Simian Mobile Disco's track of the same name exclaims, few audio production features are as important to producers, artists and DJs as those used to sequence music and construct beats. Few music production programs understand this as much as Ableton Live, which offers 128 pads for creating and constructing beats. Moreover, each of the 128 pads has its own device effect chain for instruments and effects. Producers can even drop effects onto the Drum Rack that will affect all pads, or just a few selected pads, further increasing its flexibility and real-time functionality. As for sequencing music, Ableton Live again passes with flying colors. Ableton Live's slicing feature allows producers to replace, reshuffle and re-record track elements, samples and even entire events, and do so with visually-defined grooves on the Drum Rack that take the guess work out of this oftentimes-tedious affair. Moreover, with drag-and-drop functionality both freestyle experimentation and precise editing are made impressively painless. Replace instruments, customize a pad or kit, forget about matching time or manually defining new elements--with Ableton Live, all are done automatically.

Input Options & Features:

Ableton Live is perfectly capable of functioning sans external hardware. In fact, many DJs, producers and artists use Ableton Live on stage and in studio without any supplemental devices. However, for DJs, producers and artists with hardware-intensive needs or a larger sample or effect palette, Ableton Live has a takes-all-types architecture that allows it to effortlessly act as a master (or slave) to MIDI hardware devices and other plug-ins. As for audio file format support, Ableton Live, again, runs the gamut. The standard audio file formats like WAV, WMA, MP3, OGG Vorbis and MP4 are supported. So, too, are other "lossless" and "lossy" formats like AIFF, FLAC and others.

Output Options & Features:

Like its input capabilities, Ableton Live is equally open to various output modes. Audio output to various audio devices--amps, monitors, etc.--can be set using the interface included in the program. Also, Ableton Live can publish finished tracks, samples or effects in WAV, WMA, MP3, OGG Vorbis, AIFF, FLAC and other audio file formats.

Ease of Use:
As mentioned (several times) previously, Ableton Live is about as intuitive and user-friendly as they come. Like all audio production software and digital audio workstation programs, it has a learning curve. The learning process, however, can be shortened through careful readings of the numerous guides and learning materials or, as is the case with most of its users, by experimenting with the various tools and features until you find something comfortable in it.

Help/Support:
All audio production software programs have a learning curve. Even for those with years of experience behind the boards or in front of the computer monitor will have to undergo a process of adjustment and program familiarization. Ableton Live is no different. However, unlike many music production software programs, Ableton Live never leaves its users at a loss, offering a variety of program guides and user resources to get its users from A to B and back again.