Ableton Forum

Hello All,
I currently use cubase 4 for midi/audio sequencing but was thinking of switching to live for the realtime features. I am a house/techno DJ orientated producer so I was thinking Live might be a better choice for this type of production. Is there anyone out here that has used both that can tell me anything about the differences and whether they think Live is a better choice?

thanks in advance

I tend to use Live 6 for live performances (and the odd mash-up) and use Cubase SX 3 for production.

Cubase obviously can't touch Live for the live stuff (including composition via jamming in Session view) and I hate how you "warp" in Cubase's compared to how you do it in Live.

But Cubase has a decent offline timestretching algorithm for rendering final tracks. Until Live has that (or a much better real-time timestretching algorithm) I can't use it for serious production. But if you're not timestretching your audio at all (or if you can do it destructively in an external editor) then that needn't be an issue.

However, I also prefer Cubase's MIDI editing and window flexibility over Live's rigid layout.

Horses for courses, really. I wouldn't like to have to choose one or the other...

so the midi note editor is better in cubase aye? I dont think I could live without that being top notch.

owensands wrote:so the midi note editor is better in cubase aye? I dont think I could live without that being top notch.

Yeah, I think so.

If you tend to program your MIDI parts with notes of the same length, the Live might actually be easier.

But if you tend to click and drag for the length (in Cubase) then you might find Live a bit clunkier: you have to double-click to achieve the same effect.

But download the demo and see what you think...

Live is an audio godsend...
Cubase is a polished timeline sequencer...

I can get around without cubase... plenty of other DAWS...with a timeline...
LIVE however is currently irreplaceable for me...


work flow wise you have to figure it out yourself I guess...
in my experience you can pretty much get your way with any SW...

agree... check out the demo and find out yourself..in my opinion live is way more flexible and i actualy produce faster in live than in cubase 4..but thats a matter of workflow i guess..i mean..i gozt live 7..and really don`t wanna miss drum racks anymore! !..you can set up your percussion in one drum rack and edit all of them in one midi file..thats really cool i think..same with sampled bassnotes..i set them in one drum rack over two octaves for example and there is no need for battery anymore..well you got nice tools in cubase for midi and audio editing so thats a big plus..but therefore you could even use the smallest cubase version..like the new cubase essential...i use cubase only as audio editor now..and i think i won`t change it...i produce only in session view in live at the moment..i use follow action by scenes to let the clips go through the arrangement..i set up 8bar clips and just work through the 8 bars..i like that way cause i don`t tend to get chaotic than in cubase..where i sometimes work at the end sometimes work in the beginning..it is a more straight way in live to me..but thats just my workflow..i could change it in cubase for sure but i tend not to do..

you can get a detailed tutorial about follow actions scenes on my homepage in the ableton live section..

http://www.dark-zlime.de.tl

hope that helps..