Using Live solely for MIDI sequencing?

[EddieJ]

I currently use a hardware pattern based synthesizer for live performances. It's the pattern based sequencing in Live 6's demo that has me out shopping for a new computer to replace my hardware sequencer. I don't intend to use Live for any audio; I only wish to use it for MIDI sequencing.

Is it worth it?

I've already ordered a touchscreen to help me with the interface (I don't want to mouse about on stage). I'm shopping for the desktop at an upcoming computer show (I'll customize it so it only has what I need).

Live will run on a PC with a 1.5GHz processor with 512 MB of RAM. If I only use Live for MIDI sequencing (and possibly a piano softsynth for one track) on a computer whose sole purpose in life will be to run Live 6, how far above these specs should I go?

How easy is it to use Live for MIDI recording and playback? Is there anyone else that uses Live in this manner?

Thanks,
-Ed (Possible Live purchaser in near future).

[SecretAsianMan]

Wow, tough crowd...

I'd be interested in an answer to this as well.

[Machinate]

I currently use a hardware pattern based synthesizer for live performances. It's the pattern based sequencing in Live 6's demo that has me out shopping for a new computer to replace my hardware sequencer. I don't intend to use Live for any audio; I only wish to use it for MIDI sequencing.

Is it worth it?

Totally. Just being able to record, loop, play back, quantize midi while resequencing the whole thing in real-time is worth the price, I think.

I've already ordered a touchscreen to help me with the interface (I don't want to mouse about on stage).

Ouch... I think you'll find you have some problems, since you need quite a low resolution of the screen to navigate properly with a touchscreen, and IIRC there are some problems controlling the faders. Do you have some good midi controllers? That should help you out a lot more - you generally don't need to "look and click" in the interface, if you know what you're doing - most things are immediately accessed through midi - like record, arm, playback, stop of individual clips, scene changes and so on.

I'm shopping for the desktop at an upcoming computer show (I'll customize it so it only has what I need).

Live will run on a PC with a 1.5GHz processor with 512 MB of RAM. If I only use Live for MIDI sequencing (and possibly a piano softsynth for one track) on a computer whose sole purpose in life will be to run Live 6, how far above these specs should I go?

That totally depends on what *type* of processor you are talking about here There is a performance test thread floating about here somewhere. Do a search for "Ableton Live 5 performance test" in quotes, it should pop up.

How easy is it to use Live for MIDI recording and playback? Is there anyone else that uses Live in this manner?

It is very very very easy, in my opinion. And if you think outside the box you'll find that almost all of us record midi at one point or another - the only difference is that instead of having a vst instrument on the track you have only midi outputs.

Good luck!

[EddieJ]

I bought the laptop (a tablet PC), the software, and a MIDI interface about a month ago. It's working very well (Thanks to Pen2Live and MIDIOX helping out with the rough spots).

Since I don't use any audio processing, the 1.5ghz Pentium M is more than enough (for simple MIDI playback, the processor peaks at 2%).
Having the EIC is nice when auditioning parts away from my studio.
I'm satisfied. It is unlikely I'll upgrade when they offer unless they've got a fix for the MIDI clock and tablet usage.

Thanks,
Eddie J

[Machinate]

doh, didn't see the date discrepancy there - I thought they were both new posts, hehe.

okay. Cool. As you were