So what is Live still missing to make it an amazing DAW?

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
jOop.
Posts: 47
Joined: Sat Oct 04, 2003 7:45 am

So what is Live still missing to make it an amazing DAW?

Post by jOop. » Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:13 am

Just curious what the community's thoughts would be on this issue. When I first started toying with the notion of giving up
Cubase and / or Logic the notion seemed laughable: Live lacked midi, a rock solid and professional sounding engine, bussing flexibility and
other key features.

Nowadays, what functions do you still turn to more "professional" systems for? I address this, of course, to people familiar with Cubase SX, Logic, Protools,
Cakewalk, etc.

My sad story: I was a PC Cubase user that made the switch to Mac in 2002. Little did I realize this was a horrible time to make the jump: Steinburg's Mac support (and
coding) sucked, Logic just made the switch to AU from VST, many of the programs hadn't gotten the chance to catch up with OSX and many other annoyances (e.g.
M-Audio, then still Midiman, had released the Quattro but had yet to get the Firewire 410 to the market, etc). I never liked Logic and Cubase, last I checked, was a piece of crap
on Mac (dongles? for real?). I'm thinking Live might finally be my answer.

ps: I've played with Live from version 1 through 5. I haven't really checkout out much of 6, 7 or 8. I add this to let you know I'm relatively familiar with what Live can do..
It's the little things I might overlook that I'm posting for.

Oh, and my musical pedigree in label-speak: Plus 8, Minus, Prime Evil, Code Red, Mosquito, Sativae, Peace Frog, Probe, Mille Plateau, DrumCode, Loop,
Sonic Groove, Rephlex, Warp, Predicaments, Schematic, Hybrid, Planet Rhythm, Seventh City, Ele-mental, Force Inc.

Tarekith
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Re: So what is Live still missing to make it an amazing DAW?

Post by Tarekith » Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:28 am

Audio editing, custom key commands
Tarekith
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arctic ranger
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Re: So what is Live still missing to make it an amazing DAW?

Post by arctic ranger » Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:31 am

dude...you gotta try the (fully functioning)demo...you should have a good idea after 14 days if its good for you.
mpb c2d, remote sl, mpc1000, korg legacy, zebra 2, phoscyon, devastator

http://soundcloud.com/enrock/first-edit

jOop.
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Re: So what is Live still missing to make it an amazing DAW?

Post by jOop. » Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:37 am

arctic ranger wrote:dude...you gotta try the (fully functioning)demo...you should have a good idea after 14 days if its good for you.
Naturally that would be the best option. However, before I can do that I need to purchase a new MacBook Pro (2.53ghz, 4 gb ram, etc). I'm on a pre-Intel system.

That purchase won't occur till Jan, and even then it may be delayed if Apple announces the laptop quadcores (the tech is out there now but nobody knows when Apple will make the announcement). And even then I have to decide if I'm going to sign onto the Peace Corp (2 years, poor time to upgrade hardware). This all verges on TMI, but is my constructive way of saying "just answer the question." ;)
Tarekith wrote:Audio editing, custom key commands
Well it seems Max for Live will allow for the latter. Perhaps even the former to a limited degree (but not enough probably).

OvertoneZero
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Re: So what is Live still missing to make it an amazing DAW?

Post by OvertoneZero » Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:41 am

cappuccino machine

aeon_flux
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Re: So what is Live still missing to make it an amazing DAW?

Post by aeon_flux » Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:06 am

multiple cuepoints on waveforms

naujpablo
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Re: So what is Live still missing to make it an amazing DAW?

Post by naujpablo » Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:08 am

it needs.... to be a DAW, be oriented as one, because today, isnt it. and that's fine, its ok for me since that's why i use Live in first place: because is NOT a DAW.

nigel1
Posts: 78
Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:29 am

Re: So what is Live still missing to make it an amazing DAW?

Post by nigel1 » Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:15 am

1. ability to assign knobs to control clip/audio length and movement in arrangement view via sample length (ie 1, 10, 100, 44100) in addition to it's current options(specific note values or off). Sort of what I can do with my MC Pro and Nuendo via Eucon. It allows me to slide/shorten the beginning and ends of a specific slice of audio. Also allowing for moving a selected piece of audio without keystrokes or mouse clicking. This allows for a quicker workflow.
2. a sort of pop up selection box ala Cubase/Nuendo/Logic for selecting necessary tools. Hitting a keystroke or assigning one for consolidation is a pain. Just give me a glue tool..please.I have enough controllers in front of me to be reaching over to hit a keystroke. lol. Same goes for the split feature. Give me a scissor tool so i can peruse and split without moving the timeline and clicking on the screen. Simple things yes..but this is what makes it's audio editing feel a bit clunky to me.
3. recording of clip envelopes with a controller in Session view. PLEASE!!!!! It really really SUCKS to draw it in now. You lose any type on instant creativity when you have to think about the moves for drawing envelopes. If i can do it in Arrangement view then why not in Session's clip details.

Otherwise...they've got EVERYONE beat hands down! ...I've had Logic and Pro Tools and I've been on Nuendo for countless years and I was shocked when I was first put on to Live 8. The majority still don't understand
what Ableton has done to the world of recording. They still think its a slightly different version of Acid. LMFAO!!!! Let em keep thinking that way and I'll be laughing my way to the bank.

sheer ingenuity...i'm telling you.

Peace
Dennis Ferrer
http://www.Objektivity.com
http://www.myspace.com/dennisferrer

gurumonkey
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Re: So what is Live still missing to make it an amazing DAW?

Post by gurumonkey » Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:15 am

because it's not a DAW?

what do you think DAW stands for?

because, as best as i can tell, Live sure seems to be a workstation for audio, and at least my version is digital...

nigel1
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Re: So what is Live still missing to make it an amazing DAW?

Post by nigel1 » Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:20 am

not a daw?

that doesn't even warrant a response....

df

luddy
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Re: So what is Live still missing to make it an amazing DAW?

Post by luddy » Tue Oct 13, 2009 2:43 am

One way to answer this is to ask, what do you go to other DAWs for? I end up going to Logic for
-tracking and comping live parts
-richer MIDI environment (e.g., better MIDI editing, ability to handle any kind of MIDI message)
-higher track counts

I also trust the MIDI timing to external MIDI hardware in Logic more than I do in Live. Logic seems to perform better in a simple MIDI loopback test than Live, with the same MIDI interface, for example.

I don't go to Logic for the audio editing (I actually prefer whacking on audio inside Live or in a dedicated editor like Peak). I also don't go to Logic for its built-in instruments and effects. For whatever reason I actually prefer Live's.

I think Live is a very capable DAW! Not far at all from being able to compete with Logic, PT, etc. The question is, is it worth closing the gap if it means making Live more complex or compromising on something that's really fundamental to its appeal? The thing I like most about Live is its simplicity and cleanliness. If it became kitchen-sinky like Logic it would lose a lot of its appeal I think...

-Luddy

zalo
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Re: So what is Live still missing to make it an amazing DAW?

Post by zalo » Tue Oct 13, 2009 2:52 am

gurumonkey wrote:Live sure seems to be a workstation for audio, and at least my version is digital...
really, mines an analog picture editing suite

Android Bishop
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Re: So what is Live still missing to make it an amazing DAW?

Post by Android Bishop » Tue Oct 13, 2009 3:08 am

the main thing live is missing is stability and cpu efficiency

Michael Hatsis
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Re: So what is Live still missing to make it an amazing DAW?

Post by Michael Hatsis » Tue Oct 13, 2009 3:17 am

Live needs a good user at the helm, thats it.

Imaulle
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Re: So what is Live still missing to make it an amazing DAW?

Post by Imaulle » Tue Oct 13, 2009 3:21 am

yeah only thing I think needs to be fixed is the GUI. it could be a lot more snappier. my PC is a beast and ableton causes gfx issues here and there...

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