Ableton Forum

Just wondering if there is a definitive decision one way or the other for a bit bridge. If not then I can go invest in jbridge now, but if one is coming then there isnt much point. I saw in some other forum posts that some ableton reps had said there wasnt much point since jbridge existed, but that it wasnt off the table

Official word

Bernd wrote:Hi, currently we think we should not develop our own bridge solution as

a) we expect little improvements over solutions like jBridge.
b) see the need for it getting smaller and smaller over time.

But, hey, if you think we should invest here instead of all the other great areas we could invest in, please raise your voice in the 'Feature Wishlist' forum.

I will lock this thread now to make it easier for us to keep track of the open issues.

Regards, Bernd.

My hope is that there'll be effective cooperation between Ableton and João Fernandes (maker of jBridge, VERY responsive and helpful) so that people with 32-bit plugin needs can be aware of this highly useful tool, and bugs with bridging various plugins can be solved. There are some fantastic plugins which will likely never go 64-bit because their companies are out-of-business or they're simply "old" and haven't been updated in years.

The best option right now is to have both versions installed. I use the 32-bit to load old plugins, bounce to audio and import to the new version.

I really can't live without some of those plugins that probably will never be updated again

Angstrom wrote:Official word

Bernd wrote:Hi, currently we think we should not develop our own bridge solution as

a) we expect little improvements over solutions like jBridge.
b) see the need for it getting smaller and smaller over time.

But, hey, if you think we should invest here instead of all the other great areas we could invest in, please raise your voice in the 'Feature Wishlist' forum.

I will lock this thread now to make it easier for us to keep track of the open issues.

Regards, Bernd.

Yeah, their answer was dismissive. Wish I had seen it earlier. Of course, the need for 32-bit will drop slowly over time, but why not fully support your current user-base?

Obviously, jBridge doesn't work for everyone. See thread viewtopic.php?f=46&t=182960.

And if jBridge only costs 15 Euros; then licensing its technology or developing a similar solution is not that costly. Plus, Ableton will be one of those few DAWs that can say "Yes, we support 64- AND 32-bit plugins".

Jrel wrote: And if jBridge only costs 15 Euros; then licensing its technology or developing a similar solution is not that costly. Plus, Ableton will be one of those few DAWs that can say "Yes, we support 64- AND 32-bit plugins".

complete with the bugs to go with it... i'd really prefer them not to get distracted with the whole 'why doesn't live work with my special 10-year-old plugin through the 32 bit bridge? i need it to write my special psychedelic banjo jazzstep music' etc. let them focus on bezier curves in automation instead

theophilus wrote:

Jrel wrote: And if jBridge only costs 15 Euros; then licensing its technology or developing a similar solution is not that costly. Plus, Ableton will be one of those few DAWs that can say "Yes, we support 64- AND 32-bit plugins".

complete with the bugs to go with it... i'd really prefer them not to get distracted with the whole 'why doesn't live work with my special 10-year-old plugin through the 32 bit bridge? i need it to write my special psychedelic banjo jazzstep music' etc. let them focus on bezier curves in automation instead

+1. And why reinvent the wheel, unless it's shit?

anyone tried jbridge with refx vanguard and/or quadrasid?
does it work?
refx says they won't release 64bit version of their plugs but rather sell a new 64bit vanguard2 soon...
what is the timeframe for m4l to work in 64bit ableton live?
i have been using lots of m4l modulation fx in my sets and will need to find some third party plugs to substitute m4l since i won't go back to 32bit... any recommendations???

bought jbridge mac and it works fine with refx vanguard, refx quadrasid and faw circle.
only issue i noticed is audiodropouts when opening closing the bridged plugs gui.
bought sugarbytes turnado to substitute m4l modulation+fx devices. like it even though its not really comparable...

jBridge is a fix, not really a solution. It's a shame Ableton has gone from leading the pack to gasping to catch up. Both Renoise and Reaper have bit bridges that are rock solid (unless you confuse them with folder shortcut loops necessary to work around Live's only-one-VST-folder limitation. ).

Berndt probably meant "all the other areas we should invest in" not "all the other great areas we could...". I'll certainly give them that. Now that 64bit has effectively axed m4L, Live 9 has actually got to be really good (no more "no, but you can do that with m4L").

@hgt: Meldaproduction Creative Bundle offers a lot of modulation options.

wasoota wrote:jBridge is a fix, not really a solution. It's a shame Ableton has gone from leading the pack to gasping to catch up. Both Renoise and Reaper have bit bridges that are rock solid (unless you confuse them with folder shortcut loops necessary to work around Live's only-one-VST-folder limitation. ).

Berndt probably meant "all the other areas we should invest in" not "all the other great areas we could...". I'll certainly give them that. Now that 64bit has effectively axed m4L, Live 9 has actually got to be really good (no more "no, but you can do that with m4L").

@hgt: Meldaproduction Creative Bundle offers a lot of modulation options.

if you want to use Ableton Live 64-bit with 32 bit plugins... jBridge is the solution...

a matter of fact... i like Ableton's approach... testing out the program/features a few features at a time... once the vsti(s) implementation/testing is complete... they will start the next phase of testing... with the hardware going 64-bit along with "most" developers... why should Ableton support legacy software? therefore... if Reaper and Renoise has the features that you are looking for... by all means use them...

Ableton are on the right path here... i could see if there were "no" 32-bit Live... but there is!!!

I'd agree if this was three years ago. And I'd agree with you if a bit bridge was coming. I'd even agree if only jBridge was a fool proof, glitch-free solution. Maybe even if they built jBridge into the software like Cakewalk apparently did. But unfortunately none of that is true. They haven't even added an option for multiple plugin paths. Maybe that's a great thing they're working on.

I do deduct from their answer however that they must be stretched pretty thin at Ableton right now, and that doesn't exactly give me a warm fuzzy feeling looking forward to Live9.

You're right of course, no choice but to suck it up or change. I currently only have one plugin that glitches under jBridge (sadly one of my faves) and replacing Live's native instruments would cost me a lot more than I'd get out of selling Live so...

But man, what ever happened to the "Hell yeah you can!"-Ableton of yesteryear.

wasoota wrote:
I do deduct from their answer however that they must be stretched pretty thin at Ableton right now, and that doesn't exactly give me a warm fuzzy feeling looking forward to Live9.

i do not think that is the case... i think those yearly updates caught up with Ableton... i feel Ableton is really sorry about the Live 8 release and made promises to themselves that would never happen again...

they went back to basic... which i think is a great idea... after they get the platform stable and robust... Ableton's innovation will take over "again"...

Let's hope so.

Hopefully Ableton is not wasting its time, money, resources in developing a bit bridge. I have used the bit bridges in both Logic Pro and Cubase (on Mac) and they are buggy shit. Dishonorable mention: Cubase has THE worst bit bridge implementation I have ever had the displeasure of using.

And as far as developers not communicating with their user base as to a possible 64bit version of their product (like Sylenth1), move on as there are alternatives; some of them are even better (Diva, Retrologue, etc.).