Ableton Forum

Hi,

after fiddling around withe the 7.0.2 demo i`ve got some questions before splashing the cash:

Setup/ performance:
I am on a new imac alu., 2.4Ghz C2D , leopard, 3GB ram, internal soundcard.
I got 47% on the test from the test thread. I`ve read numerous times on this forum that a cpu reading around 65-70% could make Live stutter. Honestly, I dont know how demanding the 8 tracks from the test project are, will my system be able to run Live ok? Guess I have to add that I am looking at making music solely "in live". No recording of live instruments, no live-on stage stuff/ dj`ing, just software synths/ effects etc.

Live vs. Logic, value for money:
Ok, I was going to buy Logic studio after the upgrade and price drop. The price is a factor for me atm. What made me turn to Live7 was apples lousy user support and performance issues with Logic 8 on Leopard. On the other hand I guess I wont really use Live for what it was intended to, like real time manipulation of sounds. The session view does not appeal to me, i intend to work linear
So will I end up paying more for a product that I end up using only a fraction of?

Suite or no suite:
I like operator (even though I have no clue how to use it), it seems capable of generating the kind of synth sounds I like. ( Lindstrøm, glass candy, junior boys, metro area, booka shade etc.) Not so sure about Electric, Tension and Analog, will I use them? Do you use them? Could I find free vsti`s that will do the job? What about sampler, is suite worth the extra money?

Thanks for taking your time to read this!

microjr

just a little thing: I also wanted to work linear in the start, but learning the session view and using that before i work linear opens a whole new world.

it will run fine on your machine

micro-jr wrote:a cpu reading around 65-70% could make Live stutter. Honestly, I dont know how demanding the 8 tracks from the test project are, will my system be able to run Live ok? Guess I have to add that I am looking at making music solely "in live". No recording of live instruments, no live-on stage stuff/ dj`ing, just software synths/ effects etc.

mine rated at 67%, runs like a champ with 7.02. the test in CPU intensive but was designed for Live 6. it only has 1 sample so it's no RAM intensive. you have more RAM than 99% of Live users. your machine will probably be fine there's no shortage of people with Live 7 issues, some of us are luckier. if the demo works fine, the full version should be the same. is the demo also at 7.02??

Suite or no suite:
I like operator (even though I have no clue how to use it), it seems capable of generating the kind of synth sounds I like. ( Lindstrøm, glass candy, junior boys, metro area, booka shade etc.) Not so sure about Electric, Tension and Analog, will I use them? Do you use them? Could I find free vsti`s that will do the job? What about sampler, is suite worth the extra money?

Thanks for taking your time to read this!

microjr

you can demo all the instruments. if you like organs and vintage sounds like that, Electric is pretty damn good. it's identical to Lounge Lizard by AAS, and Analog is also a synth Ableton bought the rights from AAS for.

Sampler is a great sample mangler, kinda weak for sample playback only. the sound library is nothing special.

the thing about Sampler and Operator is that they're written for Live so they run pretty light compared to alternatives. there's also some cool stuff users have created for those instruments, the presets are mediocre, IMO.

you can demo all of it.



for Logic, I don't know it. it's a better value but Live is a freaky fun to play with, session view is unique.

performance: something sounds not correct with ur setup mate.. u shouldnt get this big a CPU jump at all..

logic vs. live:
live is awesome for making electronic music and if you are an electronic musician id choose live over logic anyday

suite.. i dont use operator, soooometimes i do use tension and i use analogue a lot, so horses for courses. if i were to choose id keep Live 7 + analogue and none of the rest of the suite and spend the money on some nice plugins.

well, this is all what the demos are for, no one can tell you how you like to work.

I thought I'd work 100% linearly, but now I love session view for its supreme power as a compositional tool (not as a live performance tool).

You can easily get away with VSTs. Especially if you don't need to take advantage of Live's built in CPU-saving abilities and improved stability over cheap plugins.

My thought on buying stuff: if you aren't sure if you need it or not, you don't.



As for how powerful will Live be on your computer.... TRY IT OUT!!
No one here knows how many tracks you use, or how many plugins you like. So write a song and see. Push it to your limit, not our limit.

Tone Deft wrote: mine rated at 67%, runs like a champ with 7.02. the test in CPU intensive but was designed for Live 6. it only has 1 sample so it's no RAM intensive. you have more RAM than 99% of Live users. your machine will probably be fine there's no shortage of people with Live 7 issues, some of us are luckier. if the demo works fine, the full version should be the same. is the demo also at 7.02??

Yes, demo version is 7.0.2. I thought the demo I downloaded turns into the full version once I pay and get serial numbers?

Tone Deft wrote: for Logic, I don't know it. it's a better value but Live is a freaky fun to play with, session view is unique.

Thanks mate!

micro-jr wrote:Yes, demo version is 7.0.2. I thought the demo I downloaded turns into the full version once I pay and get serial numbers?

it probably does, I never took that route. sounds like you know what you're doing, you'll be fine.

seems that a lot of people also use both, Logic comes with a SICK amount of tools (I'm a PC user.)

sweetjesus wrote:performance: something sounds not correct with ur setup mate.. u shouldnt get this big a CPU jump at all..

Really? I got 47%. Did not see many other imac alu users in the test thread but the one i saw had the same CPU %.

sweetjesus wrote: logic vs. live:
live is awesome for making electronic music and if you are an electronic musician id choose live over logic anyday

suite.. i dont use operator, soooometimes i do use tension and i use analogue a lot, so horses for courses. if i were to choose id keep Live 7 + analogue and none of the rest of the suite and spend the money on some nice plugins.

Thanks, i see your point.

dude, you computer is great for running either/both logic and live. the test project is pretty heavy duty, if you could run all the tracks, you should be good, if you need more power, you'll need to make friends with freeze/renders. my pc couldn't run but 2 tracks on that test, my mbp 2.16 ran ten.

imo, live's arrange view is a quick, easy approach to linear recording. logic is a complex program, and no where as intuitive as live. so if you want to get to recording, i'd personally start with live, and if you feel you need something else later, get it. both programs will make quality music, they just go about it differently.

as far as the differences in the instruments, logic comes with a lot of cool stuff, at a good price, totally worth the cost, if you use it live's instruments are capable, i only played with them in the beta, i have enough stuff on my plate, so i didn't go with the suite... others here seem to feel it's a mixed bag, but there is cool free stuff out there, it gets talked about here a lot, so you can always find some free thing on the first couple of pages, and www.kvraudio.com has a database of plug ins, a little poking around in there, and you are sure to find something you like.

hth.

ps. GET LIVE!!! LIVE RULEZ!!!

sweetjesus could it be the internal soundcard he use?

thefool wrote:sweetjesus could it be the internal soundcard he use?

yeah it could, ur right...!

so don't get the suite, but spend the cash on a new interface and some vst's, and you will be all set

laird wrote:well, this is all what the demos are for, no one can tell you how you like to work.

I know, it is just so fecking frustrating not being able to save a project

laird wrote: I thought I'd work 100% linearly, but now I love session view for its supreme power as a compositional tool (not as a live performance tool).

I might have to rethink the working linear thing, seems like people enjoy session view.

laird wrote: My thought on buying stuff: if you aren't sure if you need it or not, you don't.

Well, i am not sure if I really need Live at all . My best stuff was made on Music Maker ( bought for 20$). My " best" stuff sucks though.

thefool wrote:so don't get the suite, but spend the cash on a new interface and some vst's, and you will be all set

Basic Live7 + soundcard + zebra2 = a new hobby?

micro-jr wrote:

thefool wrote:so don't get the suite, but spend the cash on a new interface and some vst's, and you will be all set

Basic Live7 + soundcard + zebra2 = a new hobby?

yes!