Ableton Forum

Hi,

I just got 'Live Lite' as a freebie with an M-Audio Axiom. I know zero about 'Live', although I would probably be considered an 'expert' with Pro Tools and Cubase.

I realise that this is just a teaser, but before I plunk down $325 to get the 'real' thing I want to make sure it can do what I need. And what I want to do is use it on my laptop as a Rompler... basically as a replacement for a keyboard workstation... like a Korg Oasys. I've already tried Cubase for this and it's not really all that well suited--PT is even less so

All I really need this to do is let me quickly select the patches I need to play songs during a gig. I don't do much in the way of 'sequencing'... I basically just -play-.

I had hoped that I could somehow load all the sounds I need into a Live 'Set' (that' the right term?) then assign the buttons of the Axiom to switch patches during songs. I might occasionally want to record from a FOH mix to a stereo channel, but patch switching is the key thing.

1. In -general- is Live well suited to this? I'd need to be able to load perhaps 8 simultaneous patches of Kontakt and perhaps a few other VSTis for maybe a dozen patches that I need to be able to switch to during the course of a gig.

2. Given my modest requirements... is it possible that 'Lite' will work for me? I certainly won't need more than 4 MIDI and stereo audio tracks @ one time.

3. I can't figure out how to load my own 'Sample' files. I can load the included WAV files as clips just fine, but none of the WAV or MP3 files I would like to load into a 'Set' appear in the browsers. IOW all those files are simply invisible to the browser.... only the included WAVs are visible. Why? What's the trick?

4. And last but not least, any compatibility issues with the big name VSTis? My main interest are:
a. NI Komplete (K4, FM8, Reaktor)
b. Arturia
c. Steinberg Halion 3

I must say, the initial impression I have of 'Live' is extremely positive. I have no idea if it has the features I need, but I must say that, from a design standpoint, it's very cool. People from my end of the DAW world tend to look down our noses @ loop-based programs, but I can already see that Live has a lot of things that Avid & SB could learn from.

TIA,

---JC

firstly, you should get the free update.... i'm pretty sure you can update to 8.22 lite for nothing.

and then, why don't you just try it out? i'm sure it can do a bunch of stuff you'll want it to... and then you'll come up against the limitations that are put into the lite version... but it's a good process to go through, and you'll then have to decide whether you upgrade, or can live with the limitations.

Thanks. I'll try to get the Lite update. But in the meantime... Any idea what the deal is on importing sample files? As I wrote before "I can load the included WAV files as clips just fine, but none of the WAV or MP3 files I would like to load into a 'Set' appear in the browsers. IOW all those files are simply invisible to the browser.... only the included WAVs are visible. Why? What's the trick?"

Cheers,

---JC

am wrote:firstly, you should get the free update.... i'm pretty sure you can update to 8.22 lite for nothing.

and then, why don't you just try it out? i'm sure it can do a bunch of stuff you'll want it to... and then you'll come up against the limitations that are put into the lite version... but it's a good process to go through, and you'll then have to decide whether you upgrade, or can live with the limitations.

mp3s = no import.

wav & aif = import!

one of those limitations i was talking about...