questions for live performers...final thoughts on LIVE4?

[Winterpark]

I am really digging Live4. I have not used it for live performance yet but I am looking forward to doing so in the future. The beta stage is almost over. So I have a few questions for all the DJ's and live performers....I am not asking about "feature wishlists". Only about current features from Live4 and previous versions.

1-- What are your overall final impressions on Live 4 compared to previous versions for live performance?

2-- Are their any features that have changed from previous versions that will impact how you use LIVE 4 "live"?

3-- Is there anything from LIVE 3 that you miss for live performance?

I remember a few people not happy when the first few betas were released.
I am wondering if any feelings have changed? I would really like some feedback from you guys if possible. Thanks!

i reckon that most of the improvements in live 4 are really going to impact upon using live as a writing tool. Things like the impulse, simpler, all, the routing possibilities, have made it such a great tool to write music with!

As far as doing this "live", the most important new things for me will be being able to program tempo changes in the session view, and probably patch changing external modules...

I'm sure the follow behaiviours will ultimately change the way i perform live also, but i got to get more of a handle on that.

regards,
-am

[EnjoyRC]

Here's how I use it:

The projects that are completed in the studio (PCs running Cubase SX2) get modified. I mute the lead vocals, backing vocals, keyboard parts, guitar parts that will be performed live by the two of us. After the parts are muted, I export audio once again.

The resulting WAV file is brought into LIVE. (Warp turned on to allow modifying tempo live) Applicable intro click tracks are added with IMPULSE that and are routed to the stage monitors, VSTi instruments that were utilized in the original recording are added and MIDI is routed to them from my keyboards, LIVE MIDI channels control and set various MIDI controllable equipment on stage (keyboards, lights, PA FX, guitar FX, etc....). I don't think I've ever seen software that could do ALL of this! I had been hitting all the forums on the web asking for a product like this, and was disappointed when I was told I had to use multiple products on one workstation to do it.

To answer your question, LIVE 3 couldn't do what I needed to and I had Cubase SX2 setup on my PowerBook and was very unsatisfied with the performance. Since the LIVE 4 features were announced, I knew without a doubt that this was the software for my live performances. Now that I've spent the past few weeks designing my performances, I'm blown away.

[cyclyk]

Hello Jbo,

I am not sure, if I understand you correctly. Are you talking about the "follow" button? If so I have good news for you. It is still there but now it is not only available for the arrangement but also for the clip view at the bottom to do the same with a single sample, the notes or a clip envelope. The button is therefore located in the control bar lefthand to the song position.

And furthermore this feature is improved even more. In the preferences you will find under "Misc/Appearance" an entry "Follow Behavior" where you can choose if the view should do paging (like in Live 3) or smooth scrolling which holds the play position marker always in the center of the view.

oh thank you Bernd, I've missed that too, and it was the only thing who annoy me.
For the first time since I'm doing "pc music" I have the feeling being in front of an instrument. That's what I'm thinking about Live4. It's just great.

Thank you

[tekkers]

hi - this is the first time i've seen ppl mention the shift-and click to move the song position pointer thing anywhere - and it annoys the hell out of me..

i am quite sure i will get used to it in the fullness of time but it would be nice if u could switch how the cursor acted - old v3 style or the new.

i guess its simpler to have the pointer doing less functions - and it is more fiddly with mouse positioning v3 style, - but for me being able to drag and alter start position so i can quickly rewind and listen to a part again is a primary function - a simple mouse click,with no keyboard modifers..

[Jbo]

This is what I am talking about...Bernd...Thankyou ,man!..Anything I "miss" in any new versions, turns up and is better than before, every single time! ...or perhaps I will say "both" times to acheive a better or at least more accurate ,characterization, but anyhow, I really do appreciate my posts and their responses these days, and I am pleased to have made contacts with you, Abletons brass tech folk, and I love having the opportunity to be recognized by such persons whom I have great admiration for.

[Guest]

"hi - this is the first time i've seen ppl mention the shift-and click to move the song position pointer thing anywhere - and it annoys the hell out of me..

i am quite sure i will get used to it in the fullness of time but it would be nice if u could switch how the cursor acted - old v3 style or the new."

i want that too.....

[Jbo]

Alls I know is this has been and continues to be as open minded and positive bunch of persons working against the odds of having to "type" to hold a conversation, and still keeping it totally real and without any mistaken passions, as thats always so easily can happen from no fault other than our mutual "affliction"

I just say thanks to all those positive-energy-eminating persons, and I love& appreciate what you do, how you do it, Live has grouped us, and we are better from it and improving, each step we take. thankyou!
for some good forum activity!

[alichis]

Hello,

in my opinion Ableton 4 is a winner all-round and it came at just the right time.

The pressure is on for me to get a live set together as i have an upcoming gig in august. I was needing a way to sequence my synths, drum machines & sampler. If Live didn't exist i would have to program everything into an Alesis MMT-8 sequencer (a glorified calculator!) and make use of my Akai S2000's small memory using floppy disks.

Instead, i'm ditching the mmt8 and s2000 and getting Live 4. The only bad thing i can say about Live 4 is that it MAKES IT TO EASY! It's really alarming how Live 4 can simplify something which was such a nightmare for me two weeks ago

so, just buy it, its worth every penny. Live 4 is like having 10 akai mpc's + multi fx units + big mixer

Just 1 more thing, keep it quiet, next thing we know, every motherfucker and their nan are performing live sets

[Jbo]

I have a feeling this has been brought up already, but I think it is related -- what about the 'arrow' on top in the arrangement view? Did it not follow along during play? As Loophead said, now you have to enlarge the whole thing and go back to the beginning to retrieve the arrow. Small detail, but it seemed much easier in Live 3. Can we have our moving arrow back?

Jonathan

I AM CERTAIN THAT JONATHON IS REFERRING TO THE SAME ARROW AS MYSELF, NOT THE START,........."FOLLOW"

Jonathon, evidently we will only miss the arrow;(it might be back in the regular L4) the function is much improved and engaged by ctrl-f!

CIAO-CHOWW