Ableton announces Live 7, new add-on instruments, Ableton Suite

Posted by Dennis Sellers Oct 4, 2007 at 11:42am

Ableton has announced a range of new products to be released before the end of 2007: Ableton Live 7, several new add-on instruments, and Ableton Suite, a product that combines Live 7 with a choice selection of instruments in one comprehensive, discounted package.

Ableton Live 7 renews the core of Live, according to company reps. The enhanced audio engine improves fidelity with 64-bit mix summing, POW-r dithering, optimized sample-rate conversion and other advances. The new compressor device integrates three compression models, one of which is based on a feedback design commonly found in vintage compressors.

Fully integrated side-chaining capability is available for the new Compressor as well as Gate and Auto Filter. High-Quality modes have been added to Operator, Dynamic Tube and Saturator for anti-aliased processing, reducing typical “digital” artifacts. Ableton Live 7’s EQ Eight has an improved user interface and a 64 bit mode for increased accuracy. The new Spectrum analyzer provides visual feedback for any audio signals within Live 7.

The MIDI engine has been reworked to minimize timing error (jitter) of recorded MIDI. Hardware integration has been streamlined; hardware synthesizers and effects can now be inserted into device chains just like software plug-ins. New memory management technology allows users of large sample libraries, such as Ableton’s new sampled instruments or third-party libraries imported via Sampler, to run a number of instruments at the same time. This happens automatically, with no setup changes required.

New Audio and MIDI fact sheets explain how signals are (or are not) being modified when using specific features in Live and provide tips for achieving the highest quality results. Time signature changes can be inserted in the Arrangement timeline and tied to Session scenes. Warped and unwarped video can be exported to files.

Multiple automation lanes per track can be displayed and edited at the same time. A new “tempo nudge” function makes it easier to synchronize to live musicians or DJs. REX files can be dragged, dropped and played just like WAV or AIFF files. Live, Operator and Sampler have received many small improvements and additions based on users’ requests.

The new “Drum Rack” streamlines beat production via an drag-and-drop interface and brings endless creative possibilities. A familiar drum pad interface allows dragging and dropping of samples, instruments and effects. Every pad can have its own Sampler, Simpler, Operator, or any other virtual instrument or plug-in, and its own individual effects chain.

The slicing feature fills a Drum Rack with the individual hits from REX or audio loops. The original sequence is represented as a MIDI clip and is designed to make it easy to replace, reshuffle or re-record the events and process them individually. In Ableton Live 7, Drum Rack can have its own sends, returns and sub-mixes. Every pad can be shown as a mixer channel in the Session View. Each drum can be dragged out of its rack for isolated pattern control and editing.

The new add-on instruments are the result of Ableton’s collaboration with leading industry partners. The palette covers physical models of electric pianos, analog synthesizers and string instruments as well as multi-mic/multi-layer sampled acoustic drums, drum machines, orchestral strings, brass, woodwinds and percussion. The instruments integrate with Live, both in terms of workflow and resource management.

TENSION is a physical modeling string synthesizer based on the advanced technology found in String Studio from Applied Acoustics Systems. Through the use of mathematical models, Tension simulates each component of a stringed instrument. Tweak everything from how the string is played—with a pick, bow or hammer—to the size and type of instrument body used. Create incredibly accurate reproductions of real instruments or design otherworldly hybrids, all within Live’s familiar working environment.

ELECTRIC offers the sounds of classic electric pianos. Based on AAS’ acclaimed Lounge Lizard, Electric uses the same physical modeling synthesis technology and integrates into Live’s workflow. Because Electric uses synthesis, users can dive inside and play with the guts of the instrument—the hammers, tines, pickups and more—to achieve just that right amount of melancholy or bark and bite.

ANALOG emulates the circuitry and tweakability of vintage analog synthesizers, employing the renowned physical modeling technology of AAS’ Ultra Analog. Analog is a creative workhorse that features versatile alias-free oscillators, multi-mode filters, syncable LFOs, looping envelope generators and much more. Able to produce everything from silky pad sweeps to earth-shaking bass, Analog is also completely integrated in Live’s familiar interface.

SESSION DRUMS is a multisampled library of acoustic drums that reproduces the nuances of a recording session and puts you in the engineer’s seat. Session Drums gives you full control of the close mics for each drum as well as the overheads and room mics, so you can craft a drum mix for your songs. Session Drums also includes stereo kits appropriate for various musical styles and a variety of MIDI grooves to speed up the production process. Session Drums was created in collaboration with ChocolateAudio, makers of the critically acclaimed “Imperial Drums.”

DRUM MACHINES offers a choice selection of classic drum machines, sampled and programmed by Ableton content developer PureMagnetik, to reproduce the original sounds. Drum Machines is tweaked with mapped controls, allowing users to experiment with the inner workings of the instrument and adjust to taste.

ORCHESTRAL STRINGS, BRASS, WOODWINDS, PERCUSSION—four collections of sampled orchestral instruments featuring a number of variations and articulations, created in partnership with SONiVOX, a provider of premium sampled instruments. Recorded with world-class musicians, engineers and producers, these collections put symphonic possibilities at the composer’s fingertips. The Orchestral Strings, Brass, Woodwinds and Percussion collections take advantage of integration with Live and its new sample engine, allowing users to work with an impressive number of instruments in their compositions.

ESSENTIAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTION 2—a multi-gigabyte collection of sampled and selected instruments, offering a choice selection of acoustic and electric pianos, guitars, bass, drums, orchestral strings, brass, woodwinds and more. Version 2 adds acoustic and electronic drums as well as presets optimized for better sound quality and faster loading.

Ableton Suite is a combination of Live 7, plus a selection of Ableton instruments. This package provides a set of musical tools, all integrated into Live’s acclaimed workflow. The download version of Ableton Suite includes Live 7, Sampler, Operator, Electric, Analog, Tension and Drum Machines. The boxed version of Ableton Suite additionally includes the Essential Instrument Collection 2 and Session Drums.

All announced products will be released within the fourth quarter. All users who unlock their Live 6 or Live 6 Upgrade between Oct. 1 and Jan. 31, 2008 will get a free download upgrade to Ableton Live 7, plus attractive instrument bundle offers at release date.

Ableton Live 7 will cost US$499 for a downloadable version and boxed version, includes the Essential Instrument Collection 2, for $599. Pricing for new Ableton instruments are US$159 each for Tension, Electric and Analog. The Essential Instrument Collection 2 is $119 (for owners of EIC 1, a free upgrade to EIC 2 is included with the boxed upgrades to Ableton Live 7 and Ableton Suite).

Other prices are: Session Drums, $179; Drum Machines, $79; Orchestral Strings, $249; Orchestral Brass, $249; Orchestral Woodwinds, $249; Orchestral Percussion, $199; and Orchestral Bundle (Orchestral Strings + Brass + Woodwinds + Percussion), $799.

The downloadable of Ableton Suite is US799 and the boxed version is $999. Upgrades from Live 6 to Live 7 are $119 and $159 for the downloadable and boxed version, respectively. Special upgrade bundle offers, valid through Dec. 31, are: Ableton Live 7 (boxed version) + Session Drums + Drum Machines, $299; Ableton Suite (download version), $339; Ableton Suite (boxed version), $459.

Owners of Sampler, Operator or the Essential Instrument Collection receive additional discounts when upgrading to Ableton Suite. You can find details here. Upgrade offers from other Live versions including Live LE and Live Lite. Pricing varies depending on which version you upgrade from. For users of any version of Live including Live Lite and Live LE, there will be introductory offers for Live 7 and various combinations of instruments. Details can be found here.

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