Will Ableton ever... EVER be made available on Linux, with equivilant quality to OSX & MS?

[RoloMaae]

Perhaps this should have gone in the wish list part of this forum, oh well.

I've just been wondering this for a long time now. I've long preferred Linux to basically any operating system since around the time Windows XP hit the scene. I went to Debian, and really loved it, and basically didn't look back until I found myself wanting to game on PC. This meant for years I was always running dual operating systems, which is a pain in the ass, and honestly... just seems so unnecessary after years and years of doing it.

I haven't played any video games at all really for about 4-5 years... about the same time as I started making music with Ableton.... however I found myself in the exact same problem as before. Dual boot, using Windows for Ableton and my plugins, and thats about it. Beyond that, I have no use for it. I want to go back to Linux so bad.

I've mucked around with all the newest distro's that are available. They have really come a long way. Its hard for me to believe that Ubuntu, or Linux Mint, or Debian, or Arch, etc etc can't run this piece of software.

There are people who try. Try running it WINE, or with VMware or whatever. Some people have switched to BitWig, as it was Linux friendly right out the gate... However, as I expected, it seems absolutely everyone who has made this shift has experienced the same thing everyone else has. Issues with plugins, VST's not functioning properly. I dunno. It all just seems so troublesome.

All I want is to run Ableton 11 suite on Linux... Even if its one of the easier more popular distros like Ubuntu or Mint. Shit... Mint is really really nice. A lot nicer than windows 11 thats for sure.

So like... is this ever... EVER going to happen? Is it even being worked on do you think? I know Linux users are probably less than 1% of the overall PC user base... but I'm also confident that there are THOUSANDS of people out there in my exact position that would appreciate some compatibility with open source operating systems.

Will it ever happen?

[miyaru]

For years I wanted this too.
I really hoped for a distro, specially made for music software - light and fast.

But he, it is 2022, and still not there, why?

I guess the community is to small to develop and port the software (DAW and plugins) for any given Linux distro......

Altough I love Linux, I use Windows for the most part, just because most software is for Win platform or the Mac platform.

Still I hope you enjoy working with Live and other music software with Windows, 'cause enjoyment is the most critical part in making music!!!!

Cheers!

[DunedinDragon]

I wouldn't hold my breath on this one. The market size of users that would be interested in a full DAW like Ableton would be very limited, and given the cost not only to develop it, but maintain it and upgrade it would never pay off. Not to even mention converting plugins.

[[erm]]

Magic 8 Ball says…. Highly unlikely.

[altgraymedia]

Buying Bitwig seems to be the only option if you want a flow similar to Live. I am seriously considering it lately with the last few years of putting up with Windows. I usually have to spend a few hours creating a custom ISO with all the dumbass features like Cortana removed. Then, every time my computer decides to do a feature update (ON ITS OWN!) it reinstalls all the shit I painstakingly removed without any say from me... I'm not really a hardcore open source nut who believes that every piece of software should be open or else, but I am someone who believes in owning and controlling the computer you rely on. It does suck that I spent all this money on Live 11 Suite and built an entire sound library within it, but it might just be a sacrifice I'll have to make because Windows and Mac are becoming absolutely intolerable.

[kamiza]

I would even pay a higher price for an Ableton on Linux if I could forego Windows.

[Matt Rhys-Roberts]

I cannot agree more with the wish to get Ableton running on Linux.

M$ just sucks in so many horrible ways, and now my old Win7 box is falling to pieces (the OS, not the hardware), I stand to lose a lot of work.

I'm actively researching posts from people who have really managed to get A. running on Linux. It seems to require Wine and a number of additional tweaks.

If I can find the ultimate setup guide I will post it on the forum.

Good luck everybody. I do think that if enough of us put our heads together, we'll crack it. Ableton as a company will not suffer one little bit, in fact they may well gain additional customers who have so far been marginalised.

[matyas47]

Meanwhile, PreSonus has announced a Linux build of Studio One, proving yet again that in 2023, a lot of the old objections to developing for Linux are no longer relevant. Configuring a Linux machine for audio is no longer a difficult task requiring systems-level expertise; in fact, with modern desktop-focused distributions, it it often less difficult than tweaking a Windows box. Distros are, on the whole, more compatible with each other than they were in the past, and Ubuntu and its derivatives have emerged as the de facto standard target for audio development. There is a rich and growing ecosystem of both commercial and free apps and plugins for audio and music. And, contrary to popular belief, Linux users are not all a bunch of open-source zealots hostile to commercial software; most are willing to pay to support their favorite OS. And, as has frequently been noted, the Push runs Linux, so at least some of the code has already been ported.
I've been a Live user for a decade, a Linux user for longer than that, and a Max user for even longer than that. I still keep a MacBook around for Live and Max, but my main OS these days is Linux. I use it not just because I dislike Apple an MS. I genuinely love Linux and think that Ubuntu and its derivatives offer the best user experience. Live and Max are the only apps I miss having on Linux. I can tell you right now that if a native version of Live for Linux were to appear tomorrow, I would absolutely install it, even if it were a paid upgrade, and even if it were released first as a public beta with minimal support.

[OneOfThePetes]

Created an account to necropost here....

For years, I've stayed on Windows because of Ableton Live, and upgraded several times....
But these days Windows is just not an option whatsoever.

I've switched to Linux (Mint), and I am not going back to Windows, ever.

I've not yet upgraded to the new Ableton Live release.

With that in mind, please convince me why I should upgrade Ableton Live....

[x3000]

https://www.codeweavers.com/compatibili ... on-live-12
https://www.codeweavers.com/wine#our-support

Crossover (for Debian-based distributions such as Ubuntu etc.) from Codeweavers is based on wine. Wine is not an emulator in that sense, but works more effectively. As far as I know, many things migrate from Crossover to wine and vice versa.
I myself use wine in conjunction with PlayOnLinux for special developer software, which works very well. But I haven't tried it in conjunction with Ableton Live yet, and I won't be doing so soon, as I don't play such games on my work computer.


Codeweavers offers a 14-day fully functional trial version of Crossover. Anyone who wants to try it out can do so. If it works, you are welcome to post it here so that others can find out about it.

It would also be a good idea to install a low-latency kernel under Linux.

[miyaru]

As moving to Linux brings a whole new pallette of problems, and Win 11 isn't an option for me in October '25, I have more or less decided to move to an Akai Professional Force ecosystem. Not ideal too for everything, but as far as I can see now, good enough for my modest needs.

I have had it with MS and Apple!!!

Why isn't my reasonable good working i7-7700 not supported any more after october '25 - just makes no sense. We want to save the world, but spoil it on useless made PC and Apple wrecks, not good for the enviroment!!!

Right now I'm selling some music stuff to get the money together for the Akai Force, and some stuff I want for it.

My current office PC, which runs well on Win 11 is becoming a Hybrid office/music PC , a thing that I always avoided and hated. It is not superfast but has to run basic things in Ableton Live Suite 10 and Reason 12. And If all my projects on thes platforms are done or transferred to the Akai, it is finito!!!!

[Lumix]

As moving to Linux brings a whole new pallette of problems, and Win 11 isn't an option for me in October '25, I have more or less decided to move to an Akai Professional Force ecosystem. Not ideal too for everything, but as far as I can see now, good enough for my modest needs.

I have had it with MS and Apple!!!

Why isn't my reasonable good working i7-7700 not supported any more after october '25 - just makes no sense. We want to save the world, but spoil it on useless made PC and Apple wrecks, not good for the enviroment!!!

Right now I'm selling some music stuff to get the money together for the Akai Force, and some stuff I want for it.

My current office PC, which runs well on Win 11 is becoming a Hybrid office/music PC , a thing that I always avoided and hated. It is not superfast but has to run basic things in Ableton Live Suite 10 and Reason 12. And If all my projects on thes platforms are done or transferred to the Akai, it is finito!!!!

why not debloat win10 pro and dont do updates? most of the stuff will continue to work, Lives installers can be unpacked, if Ableton decides to roast and block you from installing Live 12 on your old windows version.
you dont really need always then newest windows version - ciritical updates will still be pushed after the End of Support for windows 10.

Seriously an AKAI ecosystem sounds way more worse than what Apple and MS have to offer ....

[miyaru]

As moving to Linux brings a whole new pallette of problems, and Win 11 isn't an option for me in October '25, I have more or less decided to move to an Akai Professional Force ecosystem. Not ideal too for everything, but as far as I can see now, good enough for my modest needs.

I have had it with MS and Apple!!!

Why isn't my reasonable good working i7-7700 not supported any more after october '25 - just makes no sense. We want to save the world, but spoil it on useless made PC and Apple wrecks, not good for the enviroment!!!

Right now I'm selling some music stuff to get the money together for the Akai Force, and some stuff I want for it.

My current office PC, which runs well on Win 11 is becoming a Hybrid office/music PC , a thing that I always avoided and hated. It is not superfast but has to run basic things in Ableton Live Suite 10 and Reason 12. And If all my projects on thes platforms are done or transferred to the Akai, it is finito!!!!

why not debloat win10 pro and dont do updates? most of the stuff will continue to work, Lives installers can be unpacked, if Ableton decides to roast and block you from installing Live 12 on your old windows version.
you dont really need always then newest windows version - ciritical updates will still be pushed after the End of Support for windows 10.

Seriously an AKAI ecosystem sounds way more worse than what Apple and MS have to offer ....

Since two weeks, I have the Akai Force, and man is it fun to use……. It is limited compared to PC/Mac systems, but it is liberating!

No need to troubleshoot, just use it. I’m handy with PC’s but do want to spent my time making music. The quality of the Force is very good sound wise. I still will keep one PC for a jack of all trades purpose, but will shift from Live10 suite/ reason12 to the force.

My demands are less, light compositions, no more band recordings and stuff. Mostly instrumental music, dance orientated.

For a while in the early 2000’s I used hardware too, an Yamaha RM1x sequence remixer sequencer and a Roland VS2480cd 24 track recorder. Both rocksolid and steady. I still have the RM1x and use it from time to time, but now I have the Force, I think it’s working days are over now.

I did not use many plugins too, only Rob Papen Predator 2 and the RRP from Reason 12 or used Reason 12 standalone.

I have two PC’s now; one office machine, one music PC. The two will become one after October 2025. If this machine will run Live 10 and Reason 12 on Win11 without to many hassles, I can use it for some things I want it for. Otherwise bye bye to music on a PC.

Downscaling demands and expectations can work liberating and inspiring, for me this is true!

[x3000]

Just a thought: with a little (or a lot) of energy, an idea of Linux and free time, you could perhaps make a Linux version yourself - because it already exists. I'm not talking about Live on Wine.

And if you can't build a Linux version yourself, you could at least perhaps deduce how to set up a Linux system so that Live runs very well on Wine.

Idea: For this you would need a standalone Push 3 with a fully executable Linux version. In fact, you would only need the image of the SSD.

Of course, one of the problems is that Live on Push does not have a computer GUI in the sense that it is displayed on a large, high-resolution monitor, but uses the Push display as output and the user interface as input. But maybe this GUI is still there. Maybe Live was “only” ported to Linux - with many adjustments for this special system Push 3.

Some people here who wanted to upgrade their SSD have already dealt with the Push 3 images.

Perhaps someone here with expertise has looked at an image of the Push 3 SSD and can write something about it. Then it might be possible to see which kernel is running on the system with which customizations, which audio environment, which display server and so on. It would also be good to know which AD/DA converter is in Push 3.


I hope that Ableton does not see any malice behind my thoughts. It's just pure interest and curiosity.

[fedexnman]

They should just have the Push standalone version available for Linux . And make it a cheaper or free than Mac/Windows version . I've never used the Push standalone version by the way . I imagine M4L and packs might be the whole issue with a Linux release who knows ? Who knows maybe this Linux version is going to be Ableton Move and you can run it from a USB stick or something ?