Ableton Live 8 user reviews ( 8/10) - 28 user reviews

Users reviews

• 07/27/12

  BeyondR's review "Consistent and powerful DAW"

  1 people found this review helpful

  Getting Started

  Ableton is one of the most popular daw’s right now, it’s being used by many famous artists and producers.
  
  Ableton is a software designed to create melodies, music, grooves, basslines, to record , midi editing, midi warping, etc, some dj’s are using it for mixing even live.
  
  Ableton has some really unique features like resampling, a completely new groove engine, a warping technique that is extremely handy on remixex and resampling.
  
  
  
  Basically Ableton is a huge resampler with many possibilities, it has a pretty design too.
  
  It’s pretty complex regarding the instruments that are build-in, but at the same time It’s very comfortable to work either on session view or arrangement view.

  Suitability/Performance

  The program has two main views, the arrangement view and sessions view, the sessions view is primarily used in remixex because it’s easier to handle and much faster for some people.
  
  
  
  Skrillex is one of the persons that uses ableton in creating his beats and music, Airbase is also a fan of ableton, and many other great music producers.
  
  Ableton Live is one of the daw’s that I found really handy, easy to use, and also a pleasure to work with, the great design, the unique features , they really make producing music to seem much more fun and endless regarding the possibilities of creating an unique sound, some great drums or just composing something completely original.
  
  
  
  The requirements for this software are:
  
  2 GB RAM (4 GB recommended on Windows Vista and Windows 7)
  
  
  
  2 GHz Pentium 4 or Celeron compatible CPU or faster
  
  
  
  Sound Card

  Overall Opinion

  You can also put your own Vst's and combine the build-in features with your own vst’s to make the next hit single.
  
  So without a doubt, you should give it a try and compose something with the brand new live 8 which is absolutely on a different levels from another daw’s that are even more expensive than live is but don't be fooled it's one of the greatest daw's right now and the value of price/quality is superb and I would make the same choice over and over again, check their web-site for the product
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• 04/01/12

  theaudioandvideoguy's review "pretty basic"

  Getting Started

  Ableton Live 8 really didn’t seem to much different to me than 7 did. I mean I runs great and did crash or anything just like 7 did, it ran great too. Just didn’t seem like Ableton made many changes with 8. Mainly the interface, I have always had issues with the interface and workflow of Ableton. Its not that its hard to understand just more out of sync to me. Just doesn’t make much since coming from all the other DAW programs on the market. They are all different you can pretty much still find your way around in them. But Abelton has presented some other issues for me.

  Suitability/Performance

  The program is very stable though, there hasn’t been any issues with Ableton ever for me and I remember using Ableton years ago on my Toshiba laptop and it still worked like a charm.I remember pushing it too the limit and mixing a tone of songs an using just about every effect Ableton has to offer. Still had no issues with it and it is very cpu light (meaning it wont get choppy and glitch on you). I wouldn’t recommend using to many other programs rewired in it. But I love to use Ableton rewired in fl studio now. Its starting to be my bread and butter because some of the instruments and presets that I have in Ableton will always be used in my music.

  Overall Opinion

  Overall, very solid program. You can get some good music made in Ableton Live 8 I just don’t really feel the need to use it anymore because my other programs can do so much more than this one can. But I will always hold on to it. I recommend this to a lot of beginners in music programs and mixing and mastering. Or maybe even the “Lite” version of it. Which is almost the same thing just a Little more watered down.
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• 09/24/11

  ericthegreat's review

  Getting Started

  I have been using ableton for a while now, so using 8 was a must upgrade. There are some difference between 8 and previous version of this software . But the set up and upgrade were easy and the manual was very clear. Even though I hate manuals this one wasn’t bad.

  Suitability/Performance

  Ableton 8 defies almost everything about what I assumed about this program. Unlike 6, 8 is about 30% more effective on the CPU than 6, while being able to handle so much more. This in of itself is hugely impressive because on a good day the batteries on my mac would only last 30mn using 6, with 8 while using more effects, my mac would last 45 to 1 hour operation time. Hard to believe but it's true. Ableton 8 has much more to offer than ever before, and it works more smoothly than 6, occasional glitches here and there, but in all manner of ways it is a huge upgrade from 6. It sounds better, has a very good limiter, a better compressor (that combines compressor 1 and 2 from the earlier versions), an easier tool like Slice To Midi that allows many users to finally do IDM/EDM music in the way it's meant to be done without having to do all the cut and paste that had to be done in 6 just to come close to doing decent to good IDM music. I definitely am eager to see how it works from video aspect. There are some improvements but I haven't yet gotten my hands wet in that dept.

  Overall Opinion

  Overall, the improvements that were made from previous versions to ableton 8 are a huge difference. A difference with stability and overall performance. They fixed a few bugs that the program had from version 6 that went into 7. But with Ableton 8 they stopped. Ableton 8 will surprise you!
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• 08/08/11

  polishdog90's review "Good for creative mixing"

  Getting Started

  There was no comparability issues on my Mac. It was a pretty simple put in the disc and install situation. If you've installed a program before you should have no trouble with this one. The general layout of the program is pretty easy to navigate as well. There was a little bit of a learning curve but that's usual for a new program. It took some messing around with the song block feature of the program to achieve results but once you get the hang of it it's simple.

  Suitability/Performance

  Firstly, I'm running this on a Macbook Pro OSX 10.6.8 with 2.4Ghz processor and 2 GBs of ram. I've never had any issues mixing or tracking with the software. I've only recorded 8 tracks at a time but everything went smoothly. I've mixed with somewhere around 30 tracks without any crashes. I've used several plug ins and they all worked fine. No complaints from me in the performance category.

  Overall Opinion

  I really like Ableton for writing music on the computer. The song block, looping, and live mixing make it really easy to have a creative flow. As for tracking and mixing a live band, I prefer Pro Tools or Logic. I just think the tracking and mixing layouts are nicer and the programs themselves sound better. Ableton is super nice for electronic music and live performance. You can easily splice a song and add/subtract parts in real time. This makes DJing exciting and easy. It also makes it really easy to write while recording. You just start a loop and keep adding things until your ready to move on to another part. It was a pretty good deal for the price but if I didn't make electronic music I would hardly use this program at all. Most of the time I end up slaving reason to pro tools for recording and production.
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• 12/30/09

  songboy's review

  Getting Started

  There were no compatibility issues running Ableton 8 on my Macbook. 
  
  I have browsed the manual here and there, but it is rather long and with the Ableton forums, great tutorials and google, you really don't need it at all. 
  
  If you have used a DAW software before, then the "arrangement" section shouldn't be to hard to figure out.  I also have Logic 9 and I prefer to use that.  I feel that Ableton's interface is a little inferior compared to Logic 9.  In Logic, the separation of the clips or tracks is very easy to see and therefore manipulate.  In Ableton, the background bleeds into every clip, making it a little hard to use.  When it comes to the "Session" view, things are very simple and extremely useful.  The only complaint I have is the lack of a "Floating Window" feature.  When all of the windows are opened up, you run out of screen space really quick. 
  
  The typical functions are easy enough to access.  Ableton is really special because of its arrangement view which is really original.  The functions of that aspect are also easy to access.

  Suitability/Performance

  The software works great on my man with one exception, it seems that one of my favorite plugins (GSi's Mr. Ray 73) occasionally generates severe latency.  It happens all of a sudden and I cannot figure out what causes it either.  The big problem is that after I close/remove the plugin, the latency still persists.  Even if I close that session and open up a new one, it is still there.  The only remedy is to shut ableton down entirely and relaunch it.  This is a big problem for me because I really need a good Rhodes plugin and the GSi is the best I have ever had.  I have contacted Ableton about this but have not had a reply yet.  If only they had a Midi reset feature, like Logic 9/Mainstage 2 has, it would not be an issue.  Hopefully they will fix this in an update.  I also notice that Ableton 8 crashes on me once in a great while when I am changing my Audio output preferences (built in output changed to Presonus Firebox).  It has only happened 3 times over the past 2 months, and it only happens when I first open up the project.  Besides those two hiccups, ableton functions fine. 
  
  With those two problems in the mix, I can only give ableton an 8 out of 10. 
  
  I have been using Ableton 8 for 2 months.

  Overall Opinion

  What I like the most is the amazing abilities Live can give a performing musician.  First off, they have added a looping device plugin which is absolutely spectacular.  I used to own a RC 50, but I sold it when I found out what ableton was capable of.  Due to the fact that it is computer based, there is a extremely small amount of latency, but other than that, it kills!!!!! the RC 50 in every aspect.  Of course, I should mention the sheer value of the "session view" which for me is priceless.  I can do the "one man band" thing with great ease due to this software.
  
  The only fallbacks for me are the ones I mentioned earlier.
  
  There really is nothing else out there that can give you this much bang for your buck.  I paid $229 with an artist account and upgrade discount.  It is worth every single penny. 
  
  Besides the little bit of latency that happens when running analog instruments (guitar and bass), the precision is great and the sound quality is just as good as Logic/mainstage or any other DAW I have used. 
  
  I have used Logic, Cakewalk Sonar and Cubase.  I prefer Logic for Recording/writing but Ableton is the only choice when it comes to playing Live.
  
  Yes, I would happily buy this again if I had to.
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• 11/07/12

  -Liam-'s review ( translated ) Improve this translation " Very well thought out"

  Getting Started

  Installation on Macbook ultra simple. We insert the CD, it installs and it works!
  
  Config is absent or almost all installs automatically.
  
  The manual is a real bible, quite complex but clear and really comprehensive. If something goes wrong, it contains the solution, being harder to find among the hundreds of pages.

  Suitability/Performance

  RAS in Macbook Pro 2011/2012.

  Overall Opinion

  I lutilise for almost 1 year. This is my second sequencer after quite tripotté Fruityloops.
  
  
  
  The +:
  
  - His real strength: the ergonomics and ease of use. I had Fruityloops (and not a pro level, far from it), and I have hardly struggled under Live. After a few hours, we arrive at the dip of the soft mode and have fun directly. The movie mode is great, it allows to compose freely as the ideas come from, in order (first chorus, then intro riff and a verse, etc.). Rather than having to write the chainson A to Z chronologically. Clip mode becomes a small mosaic of sounds which must then assemble in Session mode: really nice, and very intuitive.
  
  
  
  - The interface is very clear, very readable, except one or two windows a little stashed one is never lost. It is a small feat given the many info on the screen at the same time.
  
  
  
  - The sounds are very typical electro, in the classic version (not "Suite") are not without many millions. But given the substantial effect bank, they are bidouillables the almost infinite, which gives a depth of quite enormous possibilities.
  
  - The effects are really successful.
  
  
  
  The -:
  
  - Sound bank may be a bit much right level, and again.
  
  
  
  The price / quality ratio is good, after that is expensive to buy but we do not regret it saw the immense possibilities of the beast.
  
  
  
  I would do this choice without hesitation.
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• 06/14/12

  vincislex's review ( translated ) Improve this translation " Brilliant and intuitive"

  Getting Started

  The installation is done it without problem?
  
  Mac, no worries. Downloaded from Ableton. Instant. I took advantage of a discount point of -33% from Intro Live at Live 8.
  
  
  
  Have you encountered any incompatibilities?
  
  No!
  
  The general configuration is easy?
  
  Software "easy" in appearance but very comprehensive and powerful
  
  The manual is clear and sufficient? ..
  
  
  
  Downloaded from the website and in French. Complete, clear and very well translated. But it is a "manual" which explains each feature. Follow the tutorials is essential.

  Suitability/Performance

  What is the configuration of your computer?
  
  Mac Book Pro Dual Core + basic sound card Edirol UA-25
  
  The software runs he correctly on this configuration?
  
  Yep! For my use it's perfect = not dreaming of your armor pieces of virtual instruments on my config. But despite all that is rotating and the limits are broad, though. It depends on your needs.

  Overall Opinion

  How long you use it?
  
  2 years + 1 day. I made my weapons on Live Intro (light version) before I decided to upgrade to the full version. I am not disappointed. The differences between the two versions are really interesting ... and I slowly discovered the subtleties.
  
  What is so special that you love the most, least?
  
  More on:
  
  - Interface: While a single screen (it may disturb some). There is not a thousand windows. The sleek look and simple device that mimics no "physical" can easily take over any tool. Ultra efficient.
  
  - The "philosophy" nonlinear mode "Clip" which allows you to run loops in the environment ... I love and it fits well with my way of composing music.
  
  - The entire test, free for 30 days. It's starting to come, but Ableton allows everyone the opportunity to test 30 days any software before buying it (you can just not save or export) ... It costs nothing and it is not important to test if the software quietly for you, if your hardware holds up ... I would have loved to try Pro Tools (the leader) and I never found a demo ... Too bad for them ...
  
  - The "control surfaces". I bought an Akai MPD24 Launchpad and taking their full dimension here Live to drive. The "pre-mapping" in Live can really plug and play and work intuitively.
  
  
  
  The least:
  
  - Enough "typed" ... sound effects are very marked by defects "electro" and it is difficult at first to make a mix "simple" with conventional tools. Intro version is also very limited in setting tools ...
  
  - Automation is not the easiest solution that exists ... but it works.
  
  - File management: Wow! It's complicated (such as competition, for that matter) Live operates on a certain file organization ... It's not ultra-convenient ... but must get used to.
  
  
  
  Did you tried many other models before buying it? Several, yes ... and I flashed on Live Intro (smaller but still effective) before buying the full version. How would you rate the quality / price? Almost perfect. It's certainly not the cheapest software on the market ... but it is stable, well-designed, original and powerful. The many instruments / samples provided can touch full of musical styles without breaking the bank too. The "Shop" Ableton can add sounds, instruments to map what I find a good policy ... With experience, you do again this choice? I will not change from soft, so it sticks to my way of working. on the other hand, as with all others for that matter, you really take the time to learn his favorite software ... These are powerful tools and complete that one can understand a few clicks. The time invested in learning will be a plus for the future.
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• 04/28/12

  magic_pop_corn's review ( translated ) Improve this translation " Great for the Live!"

  Getting Started

  Easy installation,
  
  no problem recognizing the card and then turning,
  
  manual (paper) more than enough,
  
  The only incompatibility for now (I hope set!): UVI Workstation to run ...

  Suitability/Performance

  Excellent stability (if I except the only problem with UVI). I can run multiple plugs Native Komplete same time without latency, no problem. (If I open them on the fly during a game live, although there 1 or 2 seconds of hesitation, but Live it first opens the set with all the plugs, then everything is going well ;))

  Overall Opinion

  I use it for a few months: I am very happy!
  
  Before, I struggled to plant: it was a year I struggled with programming problems, and that I did not play very little music factory ...
  
  
  
  There, with Live, I have a working base rich enough (although far less than what may propose a customized workspace on Factory) available now! This is what I wanted and that plant does not offer me (even loading patches ready-made)
  
  
  
  Now, regarding the limits of Live, bin ... I load plant as a plug, and I ask him to do what Ableton Live can not do, and it bathes.
  
  
  
  What I really appreciate with Live is that it is not dedicated ELECTRO ... One can easily create a complex pattern in the window arrangement (with unusual time signatures and tempo changes audacious, when the electro runs in 4/4 turns and loops and loops on the same tempo before operating the change).
  
  
  
  The special feature I like most is the ease and speed to compose a set of work and to play something fun (and I speak instrumentalist: it can also make beautiful "mosaics" techno with electro-made loops).
  
  
  
  The feature that I like least: few options missing like the ability to create a shortcut to place a loop between two markers. Another option I would like, but there may be: the ability to write notes related to a scene or a track (like Cubase allows for example).
  
  
  
  Quality / price ratio: being a teacher, I took advantage of the tariff Education, so I can not complain!
  
  
  
  With experience, I will buy this software before purchasing plant. But having bought my first plant was discovered modular programming, a community of gold, and a soft cheaper and more comprehensive than Max for Live ;).
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• 03/30/12

  Sonograph's review ( translated ) Improve this translation " Lengthy installation ..."

  Getting Started

  I installed Live 8 on two of my computers (iMac + MacBook) and it took me about 4:30 to install the full app + instrument ... and that on each computer. While testing.
  
  Manual very clear!
  
  General config relatively clear and intuitive.

  Suitability/Performance

  I have not had time to test it on the bigger bike, an i7 iMac 16giga of Ram ... Of course no worries ...
  
  I have not tested yet on the MacBook

  Overall Opinion

  Live ... What is Live!
  
  Of course this is an excellent program ...
  
  I use it with an APC 20 and this is the best! I am considering switching to a 40 and APC power, therefore, control the effects of soft.
  
  Live is not cheap but worth the price.
  
  I will ever be the same choice
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• 01/23/12

  Whiterabbit06's review ( translated ) Improve this translation " Live + Electro = 20/20"

  Getting Started

  Installation is no problem.
  
  Everything is quick and clear .. the manual is provided.
  
  No compatibility issues for me.

  Suitability/Performance

  My PC: i7 2600 K
  
  16 GB of ram
  
  RME card babyface
  
  
  
  Live runs very well, however it puts a lot of time to open a project.
  
  I n addition UNEA machine equipped with a 2.4 ghz cpu when intel with 2 gb of ram .. and well it is an interminable time to open a project that is not necessarily very heavy.
  
  
  
  Live = gas plant

  Overall Opinion

  I used Cubase before and after finding one studio I was dropped with great pleasure!
  
  I turned my fesait live on a measurement loop 3 times and I must say that when I am forced to use live ca .. have been the REVELATION!
  
  How can we not have used it before?!
  
  Everything is pretty intuitive and the purchase of APC40 was almost mandatory, but wow! What up!
  
  
  
  What I like most is that for a loop-based sequencer it is really great! Like other ..
  
  Base effects are really pretty
  
  
  
  For the less I would say that the interface would benefit from a can ... I know .. modernized, and the synths are a core may sad.
  
  The audio edition I find it terrible.
  
  
  
  
  
  As a rule live coupled with the PCA 40 is the bomb!
  
  For those who swear by the loop is essential.
  
  It is expensive but certainly it is worth the price.
  
  It turns the mix super easy
  
  That difficult to hang at the beginning, for my part I have tested the demo quite a few times and each time I said "blah blah ..." .. But since the APC is the 40 foot! !
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