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Ableton Live

Live is a sample-based sequencer with unique real-time features - Ian Waugh does a gig...

Live, at heart, is a sample-based sequencer. That is, you create a song by assigning samples to tracks much as you do with Sonic Foundry's excellent Acid program and the fun and affordable eJay series. However, Live has many other features which will be of particular interest to DJs and performing musicians.

Installation first. This is fairly straightforward but the program uses a Challenge and Response system for copy-protection. It generates a Challenge number which you must send to Ableton who sends you a Response number which you must enter into the program. You get 10 days to do this before the program stops working. There are several drawbacks to this method of copy-protection and some people refuse to use software so restricted but you need to make up your own mind about that.

Clip round the 'ear

The musical unit in Live is the clip, not the sample. Samples stay on your hard disk. A clip not only references a sample but also contains markers that stipulate which part of the sample is to be played, how it's to be triggered, transposition and other parameters. One sample, therefore, can be used as the basis for many clips, each with their own settings.

Like other sample-based sequencers, Live automatically adjusts the pitch and tempo of the samples/clips it uses to make sure the whole song stays in pitch and in sync.

With short samples/clips this is fairly automatic but longer samples, say over a few minutes, may need a little extra help. This involves using Warp Markers to tie sample positions to particular time positions in the song. The pitch and tempo is then adjusted so that these line up exactly during playback. It simply means that the processing functions can work on short sections (between Warp Markers) rather than a long section of audio with the possibility that it may drift out of time.

Jam session

There are two main screens - Session View and Arranger View. In Session View you load clips onto tracks and then - and this is one of Live's unique features - you can jam with the clips in real-time, recording the session as you go.

This is a superb feature both for composers and DJs. Playback was incredibly stable even with heavy jammin' and you could certainly use this live. You can also load samples during playback, not something you can do with yer average sampler or sequencer, further confirming its suitability for live use..

After recording, switch to Arranger View where the clips will appear in "jammed" order and where you can add other clips and generally tart it up. The result can be saved as a single audio file. 

The program supports mixer automation and includes several effects such as chorus, compression, EQ, distortion, reverb and several types of delay. It also supports VST plug-ins which adds enormously to its expansion potential.

Another great feature is support for ReWire. This is a protocol which allows you to route audio output from other ReWire-compatible software such as Propellerhead's Reason and ReBirth into Live's mixer where it can be further processed.

You get loads of samples to start you off but they must be copied to your hard disk first as Live cannot use them direct from a CD.

Summary

You can use Live simply as a sample-based sequencer but to do so would be to underuse it. It's just begging you to get down and dirty and play it in real-time. Whether you use the jam function in live gigs or as a composition aid is up to you but if you like playing "live" you'll have fun with this.

Ian Waugh

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