Does anyone actually use Abletons built in instruments?

[9white5]

I love ableton, but find that i rarely use its host instruments.
I do like operators wave editing capabilities, samplers alright too for standard resampling, and i use drum rack and analog occasionally, but the rest get absolutely no use from me. (Collision, Electric, Impulse, Simpler and Tension)

Are they worth learning\using at all, and do they bring anything to the table that vsts dont? I'd just like to know if im missing out on anything by not using them, Ive been spending so much time invested in plug-ins that i've completely forgotten about the ones that i own by default

Thanks a lot!

[NoSonic822]

I use only analog and operator I use no external syunths...I use sampler always also....I barely use tension except when I want a guitar in my mix....I rarely use collision...I never use electric simpler or impulse.

[jestermgee]

I'm still yet to fully explore what some can do but because I have suite I like to "force" myself to use what Live has to offer and make it a rule sometimes that if I need a sound or an idea I have to dip into something and create it from there. Problem is with so many other nice plugins and samples I have it can be a challenge to simply not fall back to what I already love.

The biggest thing that I keep failing on is with a multi-monitor setup I like to have instruments open on a single monitor with Live open on another. I just never feel compelled to push my face close to the monitor to work the tiny interfaces but the actual instruments themselves are rather useful and versatile when you get right into them and controllers do help a lot.

I will say I use the Drum rack and Sampler/simpler all the time. I love the drum rack even more than using battery and normally wrap all my other drum machines (battery, EZ Drummer etc) into a drum rack first.

[login]

Operator and sampler a lot, tension and collision from time to time. I don't like analog or electric.

[eyeknow]

Some.

Sometimes a sound really inspires me. I do find I have to be a mode of exploration though. It takes a long time to go through all those.

[regretfullySaid]

Here's a crazy idea: form your own opinion about them

You're welcome!

[slatepipe]

i use simpler a lot. i bought sampler but have rerely used it. drum racks quite a bit too. impulse now and then

[LFO8]

I think they are very useful in their sound. Also Operator is a god FM synth, but the interfaces are a major major draw back to work with; so small and undetachable! That's why I keep going to third party stuff. Can't beat U-he anyways.

[re:dream]

Operator, Sampler - can't imagine Live without them.
I have a soft spot for Collision with the Decay turned up to ridiculous values.
Analog, Electric & Tension - almost never.

[Beni Shoga]

All of them from time to time. Operator gets most use (even though I have FM8), and Analog gets least use (because I have so many VAs, notably Diva.

[TomViolenz]

I think they are very useful in their sound. Also Operator is a god FM synth, but the interfaces are a major major draw back to work with; so small and undetachable! That's why I keep going to third party stuff. Can't beat U-he anyways.

For me it's a mixed bag regarding the GUI.

I don't like to use vst instrumets or fx, because their GUIs cover up what's behind them and they all have that weird reality imitating approach to their design.
On the other hand the small GUI of Lives instruments with several tabs that can't be seen at the same time, is annoying.
I think the best would be if Ableton gave the instruments GUI a workover like it did for EQ8, with the posssibilty to be as small as now, or as big as covering the whole screen (I work on a laptop without an additional screen).
At least for Sampler, Operator and the DrumRack, because these are the ones I always use

[LFO8]

Totally agree!!

[h3rtz]

I love the drum rack even more than using battery and normally wrap all my other drum machines (battery, EZ Drummer etc) into a drum rack first.

Sorry for the offtopic, but would you mind elaborating on how you do that? I'd love to have battery in a drum rack.

Back on topic, i use operator and analog for bread und butter sounds that dont get highlighted in the mix. More prominent stuff is done using cakewalk, sugar bytes, ni.

edit: and korg, lots of klc!

[timday]

I use operator and sampler a bit and analog a fair amount. I ended up with Suite because at that point it's cheaper to buy suite than get all the instruments separately, but I rarely use tension, electric or collision.

Drum racks though. Drum racks are awesome. Even with external drum machines I use ext instruments on drum rack pads to programme them just because I like them so much.

[oddstep]

yeah - I don't use any vsts; too much effort + i'm more interested in sampling
i use collision and tension to make harmonically dense sounds with a rapid attack and interesting behaviour on decay.
my only real use for analog is to make mentasm-reese hoover sounds or anachronistic subtractive synth emulations
operator and sampler are great for creating oscillators and one shots
I use granulator 2 for live resampling and heavy timestretching