Noob Needs Help

[Machines]

Hey all,

Coming over as a long time Logic user and trying to wrap my head around what's going on in Live (just bought it and a Launchpad this weekend). I've gone through the install process (got the regular version of Live but am having a bear of a time figuring out how to load any presets. When I look at the Library via the OS X Finder (users/username/library/application support/ableton/library) I see all kinds of different presets installed on my machine, yet when I try to access them via the File Browser in Live, opening all the folders reveals nothing. I'm guessing this is because of what version of Live I bought, right?

So the question is this: where is the 10GB+ of content that installed with Live to begin with? Are these all simply the samples in Simpler and nothing else? No basic software instruments in what Ableton calls the 'Large' version of Live? Or did install 10GB+ of stuff I can't use until I upgrade to the Suite?

Just trying to figure out what my next step is and if I need to upgrade. I have Komplete, so I'm not lacking for instruments to use, but unless I'm not looking in the right places, Live seems awfully bare to me.

Any guidance for a long time Logic user trying to get out of the dark would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

Brent

[David Ve]

10GB+ of stuff I can't use until I upgrade to the Suite?

you guessed right...

[Machines]

Actually, I think David is right. Even double clicking on the presets from the Finder shoots me an error saying they are not compatible with my version of Live. A tad on the confusing side. I guess I'll upgrade later if need be. A little disappointing that they give you all this stuff you can't use. Would be nice if they just streamlined the install in that instance. Unless I'm totally missing something.

[JBlongz]

Hey Macines: Just get the suite and call it done

HERE's WHY!: You're a power logic user which makes you more comfortable with an inhouse selection of sounds and functionality.
Lets look at plugin comparions
- If you are a pro in ESX24, then you must have Sampler.
- If you use Ultra Beat, Live has Drum Racks and its MUCH better.
- EVP88 is well challenged by Electric
+ The rest of the synths are strategically covered in the suite with plugins and a cool feature called Racks...

Racks are many presets(effects and instruments alike) combined into one. So you can have instruments and effects using Logic-style presets (like with its channel setting prests) along with Live's own added depth.
You will see what I mean when you use the presets of Instrument Racks, Audio Effect Racks, and Drum Racks(With mpc style midi slice/chop>>See my youtube<<)

I highly recommend you watch my videos on how to use 3rd party plugins effectively in Live. It will save LOTS of TIME and EFFORT.

[Machines]

Hey Macines: Just get the suite and call it done

HERE's WHY!: You're a power logic user which makes you more comfortable with an inhouse selection of sounds and functionality.
Lets look at plugin comparions
- If you are a pro in ESX24, then you must have Sampler.
- If you use Ultra Beat, Live has Drum Racks and its MUCH better.
- EVP88 is well challenged by Electric
+ The rest of the synths are strategically covered in the suite with plugins and a cool feature called Racks...

Racks are many presets(effects and instruments alike) combined into one. So you can have instruments and effects using Logic-style presets (like with its channel setting prests) along with Live's own added depth.
You will see what I mean when you use the presets of Instrument Racks, Audio Effect Racks, and Drum Racks(With mpc style midi slice/chop>>See my youtube<<)

I highly recommend you watch my videos on how to use 3rd party plugins effectively in Live. It will save LOTS of TIME and EFFORT.

Hey J,

Thanks for the reply. I'll definitely be looking into it. As a Live newbie, I'm going to spend the next few weeks just digging under the hood, converting some Logic sessions to Live projects for live performance use and go from there. I'll definitely be checking out your videos.

I've also noticed that on my Live 8 demo on my laptop, in the 'Live Devices/Instruments' folder, there's a lot of stuff I don't remember seeing in my full installation on my desktop. Of course, it was 3am when I was trying to figure it all out, so I may just need to take another look. If that fails, I may need to do a reinstall and try again.

FWIW, my install was a bit on the problematic side. I installed the boxed disc (8.0.1), then tried to install the content disc but got errors because the version was too old. Next time I installed the upgrade first and then installed the disc content and it was fine. Do you guys keep all the versions of Live installed on your machines or lose the old ones once the upgrades are in place? I deleted the Live 8.0.1 folder once 8.1.5 was installed.

I know these are basic questions, but I've been so immersed in Logic over the years with no need for much else that I've got a bit of tunnel vision!!

Thanks again for all the help so far, guys. Much appreciated.

Brent

[JBlongz]

Do you guys keep all the versions of Live installed on your machines or lose the old ones once the upgrades are in place?

You can safely delete older versions. I leave them in, but don't use them and delete any shortcuts to them. Its there 'just in case' for me. Don't expect to go backwards using the same updated library, it wont work.

I'm going to spend the next few weeks just digging under the hood, converting some Logic sessions to Live projects for live performance use and go from there

That should work out great. Just make you bounce all your tracks at the same length. It saves time. Also, you can convert some exs24 patches (that use samples, not generators) into Sampler patches by navigating to that folder via Live's file browser. I have imported Logic's strings with a simple double-click on the .exs file.

There is much to explore, and the built-in lesson are VERY helpful BEFORE trying to 'fly' with Lve, don't neglect them.

[Machines]

Excellent! Thanks again for the reply, J. Definitely going to be going through all the tutorials. Honestly, having bought the Launchpad, it feels like that is a big help in the learning process alone in terms of getting my head around the conceptual differences between Live and the way I am used to working.