Can you use Live 4.0 as your only tool for music production?

[Tarekith]

I've been trying like crazy to do a whole tune in just Live since I got it (about 8 months ago), but I admit, I still get faster results in SX3. Part of it is just familiarity of course, but there are things in Live that I still find kind of obtuse, even if workarounds exist. Lack of a cut tool, not having larger meters, folder tracks, and some of the mixdown tools I've gotten used to (ability to link all faders to lower the output level for instance).

Don't get me wrong, I REALLY want to be able to someday switch over to this software 100%, but for the time being, it still lacks some features I rely on. Too be honest, I'm sure it really needs them either, it's just a matter of me getting used to doing without.

[mindlobster]

Yes you can use just Live - probably the thing that will improve your experience most is what instruments/effects you add to it!

[rasputin]

Yeah, it's about time. Sony has Acid Planet for Acid users. What about us? Don't we deserve an expose too?

I know about a dozen guys who post tracks on AcidPlanet that they made in Live - it's the dirty little secret there, really. If you listen closely, sometimes you can hear the timestretching differences. For recording and midi work, live is EASY and HIGH QUALITY. For timestretching off of the Big Fish Audio sample CD, I find that the artifacts are a little more noticable in Live than in Acid, but hey - that's just me. I still don't use Acid regardless.

"acidplant" is actually pretty cool since anyone can sign up and upload as many songs as they want. Even though they're trying to get Acid users involved, anyone can have a band page. Oddly though, you can't read or write in the forums unless you're a registered Acid (or Sony software?) owner.

soundclick is worth checking out as well.

For specifically electronic music, look at electromancer and em411 (all .coms)

I haven't yet figured out all the timestretching parameters in Live. I had a 160 bpm sample I wanted to fit into a 133 bpm song and it did damn well but not perfect... (it was an orchestral finale; not just a simple percussion or combo sample)...