THIS FORUM’S FUTURE: what do you want to see? 🔥

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
Tarekith
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Re: THIS FORUM’S FUTURE: what do you want to see? 🔥

Post by Tarekith » Fri Sep 19, 2025 3:11 am

Same, pages are taking over a minute to load here still.

[jur]
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Re: THIS FORUM’S FUTURE: what do you want to see? 🔥

Post by [jur] » Fri Sep 19, 2025 2:05 pm

Tarekith wrote:
Fri Sep 19, 2025 3:11 am
Same, pages are taking over a minute to load here still.
Yep, it seems like it's still happening randomly.
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S4racen
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Re: THIS FORUM’S FUTURE: what do you want to see? 🔥

Post by S4racen » Mon Sep 22, 2025 2:10 pm

Speed for sure could be a lot better, it feels like it's actually down sometimes...

When it comes to what could be improved, i'm the same as many people, being able to post an image would be very useful.

I mainly use the NEw Posts shortcut to check on updates.

Cheers
D

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Re: THIS FORUM’S FUTURE: what do you want to see? 🔥

Post by thx538 » Thu Sep 25, 2025 6:30 am

I'd like to see a dedicated forum for python scripting.
Is there any chance it would happen ?

otalgia99
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Re: THIS FORUM’S FUTURE: what do you want to see? 🔥

Post by otalgia99 » Thu Sep 25, 2025 10:06 pm

I have no specifically productive thought-chunk to offer, but the topic does give me a chance to thank everyone who has generously responded to my laundry list of questions over the years that I've been a forum member.

The spirit of the forum is one thing I very much hope will not change, though I don't expect it to. It's the people that make the place and there are mighty fine people in this one.

o99
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Re: THIS FORUM’S FUTURE: what do you want to see? 🔥

Post by [jur] » Thu Sep 25, 2025 11:18 pm

thx538 wrote:
Thu Sep 25, 2025 6:30 am
I'd like to see a dedicated forum for python scripting.
Is there any chance it would happen ?
Well, I'd love to find a way to promote and encourage discussions around scripting, hacking controllers and Live (thought, this one isn't easy to "promote" wrt Live's stability) in general.
Back in the days (mostly before Push) there was incredible discussions and brainstorming in here about hacking the APC40, Launchpad and such. I'd love to see those type of fruitful discussions resurface, thought I suspect this isn't as relevant to people nowadays thanks to the gigantic innovation with DAW integration for controllers.
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Re: THIS FORUM’S FUTURE: what do you want to see? 🔥

Post by [jur] » Thu Sep 25, 2025 11:20 pm

otalgia99 wrote:
Thu Sep 25, 2025 10:06 pm
I have no specifically productive thought-chunk to offer, but the topic does give me a chance to thank everyone who has generously responded to my laundry list of questions over the years that I've been a forum member.

The spirit of the forum is one thing I very much hope will not change, though I don't expect it to. It's the people that make the place and there are mighty fine people in this one.

o99
That's good to hear, thx!
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stevetwist
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Re: THIS FORUM’S FUTURE: what do you want to see? 🔥

Post by stevetwist » Fri Sep 26, 2025 4:02 pm

I'm a fairly new member, and mostly lurk. I like the "New Posts"/"Active Threads" (if not logged in) feature of the current forum. That's how I browse the forums, as I'm interested in many of the forums (Live, Max/MSP, Push, Tips & Tricks, Feature Requests etc.) and it's quicker than visiting each forum individually to look for new posts.

It would be useful if I could customize which of the forums show up for me under "New Posts". E.g. I'm not personally interested in Note or Move forums, so it'd be nice to exclude these so I can focus on the forums I am interested in.

Someone else mentioned having a forum dedicated to Python scripting/hacking/modifying Live, and I think that's a great idea. Kind of like having a "modding" community for Ableton Live? Yes, the out-the-box integration of many controllers reduces the need for this a bit, but I personally love building my own tools and workflows with Max for Live, and I'd be interested to learn how others are achieving the same thing (whether it's with Python, Max For Live, or other approaches).

Related to this, I'd be really interested in hearing about and sharing overall approaches to optimizing workflow - how others are leveraging Live to stay in the creative zone and (hopefully) have the technology empower me to work fast and be musical, rather than getting in the way. We have the "Tips & Tricks" forum, but that feels less focused - I've not really seen anyone sharing entire approaches to workflow (e.g. how do they take a song from start to finish; or even more focused things like how to approach recording, editing, re-amping electric guitar in Live etc).

These are topics I'm really interested in (perhaps sometimes more than actually making music :oops: ), and it would be really nice to find others who work with Live and have similar interests, to find and build a sense of community.

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Re: THIS FORUM’S FUTURE: what do you want to see? 🔥

Post by otalgia99 » Fri Sep 26, 2025 4:21 pm

stevetwist wrote:
Fri Sep 26, 2025 4:02 pm

...[snip]

Related to this, I'd be really interested in hearing about and sharing overall approaches to optimizing workflow - how others are leveraging Live to stay in the creative zone and (hopefully) have the technology empower me to work fast and be musical, rather than getting in the way. We have the "Tips & Tricks" forum, but that feels less focused - I've not really seen anyone sharing entire approaches to workflow (e.g. how do they take a song from start to finish; or even more focused things like how to approach recording, editing, re-amping electric guitar in Live etc).
Sounds to me like that's a worthy thread to start within Tips & Tricks! ;->

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dsu
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Re: THIS FORUM’S FUTURE: what do you want to see? 🔥

Post by dsu » Sat Sep 27, 2025 5:29 pm

Hi everyone,

We’re currently brainstorming on the future of this lovely 20+ years old forum.
We have plans, ideas and are aware of what’s been requested over time, but we’d love to have a fresh perspective on your wishes.
  • - What do you like in other forums that you're missing here and why?

    This form and Modwigglers are the only forums with a shortcut on my browser.

    I suppose another question would be why do you use a forum?

    My answer would be two fold.

    1. For some sort of technical support which can be problem specific or just generally to learn about how Live works.
    2. To give back to the community by answering technical questions.

    When I have a technical question i.e. a problem I tend to go straight to google (and what ever AI they have strapped on at the moment).

    On the matter of music rather than technology I don't find it rewarding to engage in an online discourse. The medium lacks subtlety.

    I suppose increasing the subtlety of the forum by supporting the posting of files in context with the text would be helpful. Getting down to the particulars of composition or production on an actual project would be interesting but it seems building a collaboration environment for music is more than a forum. Also do the dance producers want to hang out with the folk singers?

    - What do you dislike or even hate on this forum?

    Don't hate anything. Using the text formating is frustrating on occasions.

    - What (and when) makes you go and ask/discuss on socials or other forums, Discord & co rather than in here?

    I don't get Discord. I was on a couple and didn't find the discussions at all helpful. It just seemed to be one long thread about what ever popped in to peoples heads. Also I don't like the dark backgrounds although I know most of the young folk do.

    - How do you browse the forum? By sub-forum? By using the "Active Topics" or any other quick link? etc...

    This is a good question and I don't think I take full advantage of the forum. I go to Ableton Live subforum. If I ever get back into M4L I would go there. I really should check out the Tips and Tricks, Music Production etc. I suppose on the local events and music shares it would be helpful to filter content. I don't want to wade through posts on concerts in Paris if I'm in Boston.

    - How do you think this place should work and offer for the next 20 years?

    That is a heavy question but since I'm 73 I might not be here in 20 years although I hope the forum is.

    - How to make this forum THE place to be, share, talk, collaborate etc about music? What feature would make everyone leave socials and join us here?
How about a musical partner dating site. I love collaborating with people and I think I have things to offer. Profiles could have a setting for what you are interested in collaborating on and who with. Browse the profiles to see if you can make a connection. Read a post and click on the author and see if you click. Of course profiles should be able to not participate (probably nonparticipation should be the default).

Like a dating app, the forum doesn't have to provide the place to date. I just needs to make help with the introductions. Unlike dating apps where most people are looking for a monogamous relationship. This desire is at odds with a business's interest in capturing a retaining customers. Since monogamy is not a key feature of music creation, where are group creation is a normal practice the model of a music dating site might have some viability.

Having written all this I am finding the prospect of reviewing and editing it daunting so since it is time for breakfast I will click submit.


dsu

[jur]
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Re: THIS FORUM’S FUTURE: what do you want to see? 🔥

Post by [jur] » Sat Sep 27, 2025 9:30 pm

dsu wrote:
Sat Sep 27, 2025 5:29 pm
- How do you think this place should work and offer for the next 20 years?

That is a heavy question but since I'm 73 I might not be here in 20 years although I hope the forum is.
Well, let's be there for as long as possible, and more importantly in good shape!

Thx a lot for you detailed input.
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oblique strategies
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Re: THIS FORUM’S FUTURE: what do you want to see? 🔥

Post by oblique strategies » Tue Sep 30, 2025 10:05 am

Tarekith wrote:
Sat Sep 13, 2025 3:01 pm
🤔

Dark Mode
An actual link to it on the Ableton site so we get some fresh blood here.
The ability to upvote helpful posts
The ability to hide annoying users
Image hosting
A modern frame work that works better on mobile devices.
Some actual interaction from Ableton employees.

To be honest I haven’t spent much time thinking about what could be improved on the forums, this is just off the top of my head.

:x
I agree with Tarekith.

As a Live user since version 1, I've been using the forum since its inception. I think some of the disengagement over the years has to do with people's changing habits over time. I don't spend much time on any forum. While I regularly check this forum, I do not spend much time here, & I engage far less than I did in the mid-2000's. I'd just prefer to do other things.

I did grow tired of people asking for help who didn't provide fundamental information (PC or Mac?), even after the moderators added the 'Looking FOR help? Looking TO help? READ ME' link viewtopic.php?t=242485 link. I can't take any request for help seriously if someone's not providing the necessary information that would facilitate my helping them. Maybe you could make this a requirement (check boxes?) for posts asking for or providing help. Save us all some time, & limit confusion.

I think while the forum may be less "lively" than it used to be, I do think that over time it's improved since there may be a better ratio of signal to noise. The noise could get to some pretty high dBs!

What I absolutely do not want to see are nested comments like Reddit. Keep it all chronological.

Oh, & it can ridiculously slow on Safari on a top spec'd MacBook Pro... :|

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Re: THIS FORUM’S FUTURE: what do you want to see? 🔥

Post by 102455 » Tue Sep 30, 2025 3:19 pm

Yes, I also think some love from Ableton would be nice i.e. make the forum more visible from the main site.

Currently, if you search 'forum' from the Knowledge Base page, it does mention this place - but unless you do that, you wouldn't know it's here.

A direct link at the top of the site would be best. Second best, a link from the Help page. There's a Community heading in the page footers as well, but no mention of the forum there either.

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Re: THIS FORUM’S FUTURE: what do you want to see? 🔥

Post by x3000 » Thu Oct 02, 2025 3:43 pm

Yes, the forum is much too slow. On some devices, it's a joke. But maybe that's for the best, since it's not good to spend too much time on sites that just theorize instead of doing something or reading the manual ;)

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Re: THIS FORUM’S FUTURE: what do you want to see? 🔥

Post by [jur] » Fri Oct 03, 2025 4:46 am

x3000 wrote:
Thu Oct 02, 2025 3:43 pm
Yes, the forum is much too slow. On some devices, it's a joke. But maybe that's for the best, since it's not good to spend too much time on sites that just theorize instead of doing something or reading the manual ;)
Yeah, we're aware of this recurring issue. We're trying to solve this, thanks for the hassle.
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