Switching from Acid 5.0 to Live 4.0 Tryout

Zacchino · Post by **Zacchino** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 12:57 am

Hi all,

If you guys are interrested in a "Acid vs. Ableton" battle, well, this is not the right subject. Slightly different though. Please read the post till the end, and you'll get a picture of my issue

I've been using Acid for more than 3 years now (since 2.0, now working under the latest 5.0).

As I do not have the time to switch sequencers, I'm going from forums to forum to look foward and tryout some other sequencer.

Ok, here's the deal :

I LOVE Acid Pro. But I miss one point : multitrack sequencing. I do not have the time to wait for the 6.0 release and see that they still don't want to include this important feature (In my Objective opinion ^^). So that's why I'm looking over "ACID Like" softwares.
As I was raised with Acid, learning curve and frustations of "missing Acid's Logic/workflow" will be difficult for all software I'm testing (I'm downloading the Live4Demo at the time this post is written).

The PC-only sequencer poll I'm testing can't be objectivly compared :
Acid Pro 5.0 / Sonar 4 Studio / (and now) Live 4.

Important note : I'm not using Acid Pro 5.0 as a Loop sequencer, but as a VSTi Host / Samples "Zoom-based" Editor / A-to-Z project builder.

The lack of Acid : Complex Song arrangement (and not remix, I'm not a Dj). IE : VSTi Automation = Forget about it. Mix Automation = Don't even think about it. Group tool (as in Reason, and now as a pattern-sequencer in Cubase SX) = they did not even thought about this one.

The magic of Acid : MS Windows' style logical workflow (drag & drom, copy & paste, mousewheel zoom control, etc...). Intuitivity in drawing and Synchronisation of samples (with their great Grid-based main window and midi sequencer).

Now my question is (to you, the hardcore users of Live) : how will Live 4 fullfill my wishes listed up there ?

Please, don't tell me to tryout the demo, as the learning curve is very long for most of the softwares. Just try to answer some of my needs ^^.

Thanx in Advance !
Zacchino (Fadengo in Acid Family Product forum).

hacktheplanet · Post by **hacktheplanet** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 1:50 am

Good gravy. In my opinion, Live 4 is light years ahead of Acid in all of the ways you mentioned there. You should REALLY download the demo. The learning curve isn't very high at all, and the program is quite deep.

With Live, it's easy to record automation, multitrack midi and audio sequences, organize clips, and make changes to arrangements easily. If you're concerned about a drag and drop interface, Live has it's own browser that you can drag midi and audio clips in each channel. Cut and paste works well too.

So yeah, download the demo and watch the tutorials! They are helpful and informative. If you're used to multitrack sequencing software, Live's learning curve will be very low.

mokomo · Post by **mokomo** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 7:37 am

Acid does have right-click menus, midi preview and OPT.
Plus v5.0's media manager is a good concept, even if the performance is currently a little flakey. I find the Acid arrangement view to be very easy to work in, maybe I am just more used to it.

Live does now handle VST very nicely.

Where is SX3 on your list?

Credo · Post by **Credo** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 8:27 am

Well, download the demo... Just kiding

You have, and if you had the same experience as me you have found out that Live has a non existing learning curve, wonderfull interface design and can do all you want it to (plus much more).

I have not used Acid though. (I tried a demo once but didnt understand how to get it going, didnt like the interaface, though Im sure its competent)

What I appreciate the most in Live is:

* the session view matrix. It makes composing with loops, midi and VSTi's very fast and easy. Recordable in arranger and editable afterwards. Its like a pattern based phrase machine
* Built in fx with the ability to do automation envelopes. This can really make any loop sound like anything

I now I dont answer your questions and I cant even compare with Acid but I can tell you that I wouldnt make music if it wasnt for Live.

Hope you find what you need

C

lanquarem · Post by **lanquarem** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 11:23 am

Hello. I'm an Acid User also... I adopted Live 6 months ago, and I still use both softs intensively. Live did not replace ACID as I would have thought...

The learning curve for Live is really inexistent... Spend 3 hours looking at the tutorials, and you'll be able to work with it.

went to the gypsy · Post by **went to the gypsy** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 11:53 pm

Give Live 3 hours, and I figure you'll be sold--if it takes that long.

I started on ACID myself--as well as a PC--and found Live to be the champ!

cheers!