Ableton updates Live to v9.5

In this new version, Live’s Simpler sampling instrument has been completely overhauled with a new interface, warping and slicing capabilities, and new analog-modeled filters. Now Simpler lets you slice samples across the keyboard, play single hits, or warp long samples so that they always stay in time with your song.

Live 9.5 introduces new filters based on classic vintage hardware that will self-resonate, produce feedback, and distort pleasingly. Built in collaboration with Cytomic, these filters are now included in Simpler, Sampler, Operator, and Auto Filter.

Meters and waveforms have also been improved: mixer volume meters now show both peak and RMS levels, indicating both sudden changes in level, as well as perceived loudness. This makes controlling the track’s dynamics easier. The new waveforms show more visual detail of your audio samples, with smoother zooming and scrolling.

New instruments are also included, and Live 9 Suite owners can now enjoy three stunning new Max for Live synthesizers that offer a wide range of sound design possibilities within a streamlined set of controls. These include Bass, a monosynth designed for… bass sounds; Poli, a polyphonic synth that excels at strings, pads, and stabs; and Multi, a synth designed for immediate tweakability from Push (both the original and the new Push 2 version which has just been announced too).

More details on Ableton Live 9.5 available here.

Ableton also announces the availability in a near future of Link, a new technology aimed at letting you play in time with multiple instances of Live and a growing number of iOS apps. It syncs devices’ timing over a wireless network, so you can set up almost instantly and jam with others as freely as a live band: to set up, user will just have to switch on Link, connect to the same network and start jamming, and anyone can start and stop their part while others keep playing. And anyone can adjust the tempo and the rest will follow. No MIDI cables, no installation, just free-flowing sync.

Link will be available to Live users as a free update, and to the wider music-making community as a built-in feature of a growing number of iOS apps. App developers interested having Link built in are invited to contact Ableton at link-devs(at)ableton.com. More details available here.