Can Ableton Live do these things?

[thano]

Hi

I'm considering switching my DAW to Ableton Live on the basis of someone's recommendation, but before I go into the process of evaluating and learning how to use it, I need to confirm certain things. Most of the time I produce dub reggae.

Can I use an external MIDI controller (specifically a USB-MIDI controller box with knobs and pads that send MIDI data, and also a velocity-sensitive MIDI keyboard) to automate (and record automation for):

1) dropping tracks in and out of the mix;
2) panning left and right, controlling VST effects such as reverb and delay (I need to automate wet/dry and other parameters);
3) playing VST instruments and the resulting audio being recorded in real time on a track;
4) triggering samples.

What's more, I need to make MULTIPLE passes with automation, i.e. I need to automate about e.g. 20 events using the MIDI controller per track, over 20 passes. This is the most important thing for me. I need to automate the VST instruments and effects, over and over, for each track. All the while treating the software like a virtual multitrack tape recorder.

Thanks in advance,

thano

[DRStudio]

Welcome to the forum!

Yes, you can do all that and many more! Download the demo here: http://www.ableton.com/downloads

[thano]

Thanks thano. Impressive that such a small program can do all that. It's official then - I'll move over to Ableton Live.

All the best,

thano

[heavensdaw]

Thanks thano. Impressive that such a small program can do all that. It's official then - I'll move over to Ableton Live.

All the best,

thano

You do realize that you've said 'thanks' to yourself! Maybe for asking the question.. Or checking back and replying to the thread... (hmmmm maybe I should start thanking myself and showing myself some appreciation!!)

Yes.. Live can do all that AND a lot more!!

What DAW have you been working on? And what controllers are you used to working with?

Oh yeah.. And......Welcome!

Hd

[$4mU3l]

You do realize that you've said 'thanks' to yourself! Maybe for asking the question.. Or checking back and replying to the thread... (hmmmm maybe I should start thanking myself and showing myself some appreciation!!)Hd

You also learned what it means to engage in the ableton forums... After your second post... In my case it took much longer...

[H20nly]

Thanks H20nly!

[H20nly]

You're welcome!!



Hmmm not sure if this helps??

[H20nly]

Enjoy Live thano, but try the demo... that way you know you're not running into any weird audio issues or anything and you can test all your controllers before you take the plunge. I have total faith that it works, but some folks have issues from time to time...

[SubFunk]

try the demo.

it's a fun to work with that application and it can do all you ask for.

and yeah, welcome.

[Pasha]

Subfunk +1

Try before U buy!

[thano]

Thanks thano. Impressive that such a small program can do all that. It's official then - I'll move over to Ableton Live.

All the best,

thano

You do realize that you've said 'thanks' to yourself! Maybe for asking the question.. Or checking back and replying to the thread... (hmmmm maybe I should start thanking myself and showing myself some appreciation!!)

Yes.. Live can do all that AND a lot more!!

What DAW have you been working on? And what controllers are you used to working with?

Oh yeah.. And......Welcome!

Hd

LOL that's the power of positive thinking (or management perhaps) when a man thanks himself for someone else's work. Sorry I meant to thank the other guy, DRStudio.

I've been using FLStudio for years, for everything. However, I trialed a different software recently called Acoustica Mixcraft and came to prefer the multitrack appearance of it, as opposed to FLStudio which will multitrack inelegantly because it's grown around a sequencer/tracker. I then began looking for a multitrack recorder program that would let me use a MIDI controller to drop tracks in and out and use effects in real-time, while recording the real-time MIDI performance (i.e. automation). It seems Live would be able to handle that.

[anachroschism]

Oh boy, prepare for your mind to be blown. Live can do that without breaking a sweat, and then theres the other 90% of it thats yet to be discovered.....

I used FL/cubase back in the day, but it was live that took me to a new level and completely changed my sound in the process, got me to finally take my production and live performances seriously and actually become a musician.


APC40 even with the LE version of Live it comes with will be the best 400$ you ever spend. Then make sure to upgrade to suite, the extra content is well worth it.

[Bleep Blop Ima Robot]

lol a thread where people are talking to them selves lol

[H20nly]

I used FL/cubase back in the day, but it was live that took me to a new level and completely changed my sound in the process

+1 thats exactly where I migrated from.

[onestep]

What's more, I need to make MULTIPLE passes with automation, i.e. I need to automate about e.g. 20 events using the MIDI controller per track, over 20 passes. This is the most important thing for me. I need to automate the VST instruments and effects, over and over, for each track. All the while treating the software like a virtual multitrack tape recorder.

It is NOT possible to record automation with a MIDI controller in Ableton Live while you're in the Session View, just so you know. It is possible in the Arrangement view though. There are clumsy workarounds with limitations that may allow you to do it in session view but it will get annoying.