Ableton on tablet

[Division Monarchy]

With tablets getting more powerful, does anyone know if it is possible to run Ableton on a tablet yet?

I'm really just looking to use the MIDI sequencing to run external gear, so not so much for audio processing. Basically I want to control a hardware synth with Push via Live on a tablet. Are there any options for this?

[jrhillma]

I run Ableton Live 9 Suite with a handful of plugins (Korg Legacy collection and a couple others) and Cakewalk Sonar X3e Producer on a Surface Pro 2 (8GB/256GB, i5) without issues. I also use a Korg NanoKey 2 with it. Works pretty well.

[yur2die4]

Yeah, what do you mean by 'yet' ?

It'll run. Depending on the processor and your set, you may have different results. For the most part it can handle basic sets.

The only other thing to consider is that Live isn't completely made for multi-touch. So you still have to use it like you would with a mouse. Plus if you do plan to touch it, understand that some things might be more tricky to control than others. Launching clips with your fingers isn't easy yet.

It'd be nice if they gave you the option to resize Just the session grid

[jrhillma]

Yeah, what do you mean by 'yet' ?

It'll run. Depending on the processor and your set, you may have different results. For the most part it can handle basic sets.

The only other thing to consider is that Live isn't completely made for multi-touch. So you still have to use it like you would with a mouse. Plus if you do plan to touch it, understand that some things might be more tricky to control than others. Launching clips with your fingers isn't easy yet.

It'd be nice if they gave you the option to resize Just the session grid

Very good points. Especially about touch. On the SP2, I use a Bluetooth Logitech T630 (I think that's the model), Ultra Thin Mouse. I also use wired in-ear earphones (Klipsch or iPhone jobs) as the built-in speakers are very thin sounding and lack any sort of decent bass. The tablet setup, for me, is more for doing sketches and screwing around than full-blown production.

One other thing, I have been using splice.com since the beta for collaborating/sharing between my devices (iMac, MacBook Pro, SP2) to get around having to put everything on a thumb drive. Works great.

[yur2die4]

Lately I've been eyeing up the Lenovo Miix 2 11". The one on the microsoft page.

Pros: good price, comes with 'keyboard', still is a tablet form factor

Cons: does not have the neat Surface Pro 3 type stylus. Is made of plastic. The 'keyboard'.

[jrhillma]

Lately I've been eyeing up the Lenovo Miix 2 11". The one on the microsoft page.

Pros: good price, comes with 'keyboard', still is a tablet form factor

Cons: does not have the neat Surface Pro 3 type stylus. Is made of plastic. The 'keyboard'.

In terms of 'bang for buck,' I think one of the higher end Surface Pro 2 models is the way to go. The digitizer on the SP3 was changed to N-trig active capacitance and while it is more accurate at the edges than the SP2's Wacom tech, it isn't as precise when drawing. If that's not a use case for you, though (sketching, note taking, etc.) it may not be an issue. The SP3 does have the option of an i7 vs. the max i5 in the SP2 line. I was pretty excited about that, but real world testing showed only about a 10% performance gain, so the premium wasn't justified for me (and I have stuck with my SP2, as discussed).

The build quality of my SP2 is exceptional. It feels solid, substantial and occasionally a bit heavy (when playing Pinball FX2 in portrait mode, for instance). I've had no problems with mine and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it for someone who's needs match what it offers.

[crystalmsc]

The build quality of my SP2 is exceptional. It feels solid, substantial and occasionally a bit heavy (when playing Pinball FX2 in portrait mode, for instance). I've had no problems with mine and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it for someone who's needs match what it offers.

Always in the mood for a portable pinball machine for Windows, because I have several Pinbal FX2 tables on Steam and other games. Specially since it's also able to run Live. Coupled with the new Electribe, going to be a complete portable studio. Tablet is getting more interesting.

[jrhillma]

Always in the mood for a portable pinball machine for Windows, because I have several Pinbal FX2 tables on Steam and other games. Specially since it's also able to run Live. Coupled with the new Electribe, going to be a complete portable studio. Tablet is getting more interesting.

PBFX2, Civ V and Tropico 4 have all gotten me through some very long, tedious, otherwise-boring meetings.

[Division Monarchy]

Thank you for the replies. Definitely a few things to consider as far as the touch screen goes. I will look into the SP2. Is it possible to do this with an iPad too?

I'm also curious, do you think that tablets are close to making laptops obsolete?

[crystalmsc]

PBFX2, Civ V and Tropico 4 have all gotten me through some very long, tedious, otherwise-boring meetings.

welcome to the club my friend creating beats and sounds during a meeting and boring flight is also what I'm after.

[jrhillma]

welcome to the club my friend creating beats and sounds during a meeting and boring flight is also what I'm after.

Because of the nature of our company, 90% of my meetings are virtual, so I don't have to leave my office. I've become very adept at 'multi-tasking'; sketching around in Ableton or Sonar, surfing the web (chessworld.net is great for online chess matches), playing the aforementioned "stress-relievers." If my job was more demanding, I'd probably screw with the SP2 less, but as it is, I deliver at a very high level and nobody's ever questioned what I do or how I manage it. LOL.

Thank you for the replies. Definitely a few things to consider as far as the touch screen goes. I will look into the SP2. Is it possible to do this with an iPad too?

I'm also curious, do you think that tablets are close to making laptops obsolete?

I have a bunch of music-related apps on my iPad 3. You can create songs on it just fine, but I find that it's more tedious and limited (due to the hardware, mostly). I'm much more productive and workflow is more streamlined on the SP2. I think that's because, as a hybrid device, it's more "laptop in a tablet form factor" than "tablet trying to pretend to be something more." Since getting the SP2, my iPad has been relegated to mostly Clash of Clans and Hero Academy duties, with occasional Tapatalk (why doesn't Ableton forum support this?!) use. It's challenging to go from the near-workstation performance of the SP2 back to the iPad; the iPad just seems slow and clunky and what I thought was a slick UI isn't nearly as polished as Win8.1 *for my use patterns*. YMMV, naturally.

If I could be bothered to hook up an external monitor of appreciable size, and a full-size keyboard, my SP2 could replace my laptops at work. My employer has bestowed upon me a 15" thinkpad that was too clunky and massive to lug to in-person or off-site meetings. So, they allowed me to also have a 12" thinkpad. Once I picked up the SP2, though, I quit taking a laptop at all. I can ink and type notes right in to OneNote (desktop app, the modern app isn't as full featured...yet), which is great for my productivity.

I don't think the current generation of tablets come close to laptop performance, hybrids like the Surface Pro 2/3 are almost there but not quite. It's coming, though. If they can get through the next couple generations of tech advances, I think laptops will be done.

[crystalmsc]

Because of the nature of our company, 90% of my meetings are virtual, so I don't have to leave my office. I've become very adept at 'multi-tasking'; sketching around in Ableton or Sonar, surfing the web (chessworld.net is great for online chess matches), playing the aforementioned "stress-relievers." If my job was more demanding, I'd probably screw with the SP2 less, but as it is, I deliver at a very high level and nobody's ever questioned what I do or how I manage it. LOL.

Sounds like a dream job. I'm also in a stress free company and mostly stay in the office all day, next to the music studio and gaming room. My plan is to use the tablet during weekend. Like playing pinball and other games on the lake side..or creating beats and sounds in a new place. May be I will get Sonar as well, at least the music creation version, just for a sentimental reason. It's among the first one supporting the multi touch interface. How do you like it compared to Ableton, on the SP2?

hybrids like the Surface Pro 2/3 are almost there but not quite. It's coming, though. If they can get through the next couple generations of tech advances, I think laptops will be done.

I'm looking closely for the Surface Pro 3 now, it's going to be a cool device for running Traktor as well.

[Airyck]

I always think a nice windows tablet would be great for portability (there are some pretty cool ones out there). Then I remember that Microsoft doesn't care about low latency audio and then remember that the once portable tablet will become a tablet, audio interface, external keyboard or controller and then I stop getting excited about it. :/

[sopwith]

Very happy user of Surface Pro 2 + Live + RME Babyface here. Wicked low latency and seriously portable. Can run multiple very hungry VSTs (like u-he diva) simultaneously.

[login]

I have tried Surface Pro 1, rme fireface UC with push and it didn't performed well at all.

Nice to hear it performs well on SUrace pro 2, may get an ultrabook in the future for portability.