New York based electronic musician AfroDJMac has been crushing it with his weekly releases of free Ableton Racks and companion videos. At the time of this post he’s up to week #21. Whether you are looking for fresh sounds or need some inspiration for creating your own racks I encourage you to swing by his site or subscribe to his feed. There is a lot of creativity and variety in these racks!
Nick’s Tutorials has released Operator Ambience Vol. 1. This is more than just a sound set and in addition to 20 Operator Patches the library also contains, 20 Live Clips, and 21 Videos.
I consider Ableton Operator (along with Ableton Sampler) to be required instruments for your rig. Operator is not only an expressive FM synth with a great user interface, it also can be used as a utility of sorts. For example, you can use it to create discrete frequencies to say surgically give a kick drum more oomph. If you are new to Operator, your going to want to check out Nick’s previous tutorial Sound Design in Ableton Live: Operator.
Back to Operator Ambience Vol. 1 - according to the web site:
“Unlike larger, bloated libraries that attempt to cover every need possible, this affordable set is all about providing a tightly focused, thematically consistent set of ambient and atmospheric sounds.”
I really love this idea of a smaller deep thematic set of sounds and went the same route with my “Sounds From a Distant Outpost” library. As always Nick’s videos are informative and inspiring and even if you know Operator fairly well, odds are you’ll pick up on some new tricks.
The Digital download Contains:
20 Operator patches that are completely open to reverse-engineering, tweaking, and learning
20 modifiable Live Clips corresponding with the patches which provide musical phrases and inspiration
1 substantive introductory video packed with Ableton Live tips as well as detailing common elements between all the patches
20 short videos detailing unique or noteworthy aspects of each patch, giving insight into their construction and suggestions for using them
The same open inbox policy for support that I provide with all of my products (limited by my schedule, of course!)
Sample Audio
Here are some samples of the sounds, but remember, these are all under Macro control so you can take these same sounds and get different results using the knowledge you’ll pick up in these videos.
Of course the idea here is you’ll take these core concepts to improve existing patches or create your own unique patches. Nick's tips on using velocity as a modulator throughout Operator alone are with the price of admission. This is an incredible value at $9.99 when you consider how much work Nick put into this package and I'm really glad I bought it. Highly recommended.
As Ableton Live matures, more and more training resources have become available. Many of these resources are online and some are free. I’ve put together a mindmap index of some of these resourse that will help you take your Live chops to the next level. If you have a fav and it’s not on the map, drop me a comment and I’ll add it to the map.
Ableton Colorado User Group in conjunction with DJNSM/Datamafia launches a Free Collective Patch Library on GitHub. The premise behind this site library is to create “an area where we can share, store, and expand our library using the basic building blocks of Ableton.“
The rules are simple: Original stuff please Nothing that requires wave files…[don't use FX that are exclusive to Suite]. Any patch config from the Ableton platfrom (Operator, Analog, Tension, M4L, etc) is welcome! Macro your patch and label the main 8 (or less) macro knobs. If you can't do it in 8 macros, turn it into multiple patches. When naming your knobs use logical names. One knob called "Tweak" is okay, but everything else should make sense (e.g. Filter Freq, wet/dry, distortion, etc) Yes! Max4Live patches are welcome!
Currently Marc the moderator adds patches to the library which users can download as one .zip file. This works well so far as there are no .wav files and these are patches within racks.
Update: See notes and photos from this event on my artist site.
I’ll be presenting at the upcoming Ableton Colorado User Group. Here are the details from the Meetup Page.
Our night is generally divided up into 3 segments. Beginner, Advanced, and End-Game. Each has a focus on Ableton and methods of the programming. At the same time there is much to take away if you are not a die-hard Ableton user or practitioner of another electronic music platform. BEGINNER : How to defy death using Session and Arrangement View Alternate Title : Lessons learned in Session and Arrangement View Marc (DJNSM) will lead the discussion on these 2 views. Experts and beginners are very welcome to contribute in asking and answering questions!
Basics of the 2 views
Similarities and differences
Advantages in the studio and performing
A method to production for studio to stage and back again
ADVANCED : Making your VSTs environmentally friendly in Ableton Alternate Title :Taming and Controlling VST with Ableton to extend your sound palette and make these settings manageable and increase patch recycling Mark Mosher (ModulateThis.com) shows how to painlessly extend Live’s range and palette with third party instruments.
Step-by-step methods for wrapping instruments
Performance and deconstruction of a song using instruments to illustrate quick, unique, and creative results
Coordination of these elements with Live’s standard modulation, automation, and re-sampling features.
END-GAME : Large scale deployment and integration of mind control devices Alternate Title : Did I say ‘Mind control device’? I meant Ableton and fail safe control. Original presenter Chase Dobson will be out of town as his back-line Ableton work on Mike Posner’s tour got extended to Europe and Asia (how cool is that?).
So we have David Henderson stepping in on Monome+Live+Launchpad. With Mike S. returning from the Gridfest there is a lot of noise about the Monome type applications and David is going to help ct through all the nonsense and get people dialed in on the Monome experience.
We will have Chase sharing his leanings, but not until he is in Colorado for break.
There has never been a better time to get started with Max for Live. In April, Ableton is offering Max for Live for free with purchases of Ableton Suite 8 and upgrades to Suite 8 from Live Lite and Live Intro. There is also a 50% discount on Max for Live available on upgrades to Suite 8 from Live 1-8 and Suite 7.
Granular synthesis is a technique that involves dividing a sample into very short pieces, and then playing the pieces back superimposed and crossfaded with one another. These pieces, or "grains," are usually under 50 milliseconds long and sound like short clicks when heard individually. But when layered together, grains can produce lush textures with rich modulation possibilities.
Using the Granulator
To use the Granulator, drag a sample onto its waveform display. You can then adjust the length of the grains and the density of their overlap with the Grain control. The playback position within the soundfile is set with the FilePos knob and can be modulated randomly or via the built-in LFO.
In addition to controls that influence the playback of the grains, there are also a number of "classical" synthesis parameters such as an ADSR envelope, two multimode filters and an FM oscillator that can dramatically alter the overall timbre.
One of my favorite things about this device was the waveform visualization which is missing from many commercial product of this sort.
ARE YOU IN?
If you were waiting on Suite this is sort of a no brainer. For those like me who already have Suite download edition, the upgrade path would be to buy the boxed edition at $149. That would give us Max for Live (normally $299), EIC ($129 if your purchase seperately), and a paper manual for $149 bucks.
Revision: I misread the upgrade price which Gary pointed out in the first comment. He said “As a registered user of Live 8 suite, you do NOT get Max for Live if you buy the box set. You get a 50% off coupon for Max. So you are looking at 149 + 150 = 300. So, in essence, you get a manual and a box for 50$ and pay full price for Max for Live.” I'll reach out to Ableton and see they'd be open to adding a download only 50% upgrade for existing Suite "Download Edition" users.
So, are the new updates in Ableton 8.2.2 (that are sure to yield some cool new devices), a fantastic looking new device by Robert Henke, and the upgrade deal enough for you to jump on to Max for Live?
Ableton has just released Live 8.2.2. It’s is a free update for all owners of Live/Suite 8, Live Intro, or Live Lite. You can download load it here.
What’s New in Ableton Live 8.2.2? First off there are enhancements and optimizations and bug fixes for Max for Live:
Please note that new Max for Live content requires both Live 8.2.2 and Max 5.1.8. You can download the latest version of Max here: http://cycling74.com/downloads/
Added bank names for Amp instant mapping, which in turn fixes a problem with the Axiom DirectLink control surface.
Fixed problems with the Mbox2 related to non-integer sample rates.
Added control surface support for Akai Professional LPD8.
From now on, betas will ask to check for updates only once a week, and starting a week after first run.
the "Peek" button on the Axiom Pro now works as a momentary control
Max for Live improvements and feature changes
(Note: Most of these changes require an update to the latest version of Max, which is available from http://cycling74.com/downloads/)
Devices inside Racks can now be accessed via the Max for Live API
Return tracks can now be observed via the Max for Live API
Live devices and parameters can now be much more easily mapped to controls in Max devices. Devices can safely be moved within a Live Set without breaking any existing mappings. Also, devices and Sets can be saved and loaded without breaking existing mappings. The following changes make this possible:
There is now a simple way to observe the selected parameter via the Max for Live API, using "live.path live_set view selected_parameter." This can be used, for example, to build a custom "map mode" to quickly map parameters in your Live Set to controls in a Max device.
Live objects like tracks, clips or parameters retain their identity (id nn) during operations like move, save/restore, cut/paste, delete/undo, the identity is global and can be communicated via Max's Send and Receive objects.
live.object, live.observer and live.remote~ are now able to remember their target objects when Live sets or presets are saved and restored or when objects are moved within the Live set.
Ableton protected samples can now be used in Max for Live device, via the Live.drop object
fixed a bug where clip slots would lose their id on moving a clip
fixed navigating and observing control surfaces via the LiveAPI
Repeatedly calling "goto control_surfaces" on a live.path object was producing a different id each time
Fixed a crash that occurred when deleting a Rack containing a Max for Live device, where a Remote~ was controlling one of the Macro knobs, and then Undoing the delete action
Navigating the Live Object Model is about two times faster
Fixed a crash that occurred when moving tracks that contained automated Max for Live devices
Fixed a crash that occurred when replacing one Max for Live device with another if certain modulations existed
If a native Ableton device has parameters that are mapped to a Max for Live device, the mappings will be preserved after hot-swapping the Ableton device
The Track/Chain Activator and Song Tempo are now accessible via the "selected_parameter" property and their path can be queried
"live_app" and "live_app view" can now be persistent in the Max for Live API
Mapping some mixer component on the APC40 (for example) through the Max for Live API wouldn't work without pressing the Pan or Send button on the APC40, which reset the component. This has been fixed.
"goto live_set tracks 2 devices" in a set with one track produced id -1, which is wrong. Now it produces id 0.
If the LOM id of the observer is persistent, the property of an observed LOM object is persistent, even if it is dynamically changed using a message.
Max for Live devices that control the Application objects (e.g. live_app (live_app view)) or which get information about the Live version and document name (e.g. get_major_version (focus_view)) will work when loading the Set, without requiring user interaction.
Bugfixes
Fixed a problem with nested Macro mappings when the range of a mapped ON/OFF switch, or of a selector switch (such as a filter type switch), is not at default values. In such a case, the right value would be displayed, but the wrong value would be used internally.
Note: with this fix, you will now hear what you see, although this may mean that previously saved Sets that contained the bug may sound different.
Deleting time in the Arrangment View could delete crossfades in certain cases.
When using an APC40 and Scratch Live, Scratch Live would sync to the APC but would not initially show the return tracks .
If the VST plug-ins folder contained shorcuts/aliases to files in another location on disk, the folder would be rescanned each time Live starts. This has been fixed.
When launching a scene with via Key/MIDI mapping or a control surface such as the APC40 while "Select on Launch" is enabled, the Master track became selected. This would result in the selected device switching to the device on the Master track. Now, launching a scene via remote control behaves the same as when launching with the mouse; the device selection doesn't change.
Fixed a crash that could occur when clicking the status bar, while it displays "Media files are missing", and just after having adjusted a Macro knob.
Fixed a crash that occurred when adding an audio clip, scrubbing in the clip detail view, and pressing Undo while the mouse was still down for scrubbing.
Fixed a crash that could occur when switching between certain audio interfaces on a Mac
updated Complex Pro libraries to prevent a potential crash
fixed Transport button behavior for the Akai MPK61 and 88
fixed a crash that could occur when opening very large Live Sets
fixed a crash that could occur when a clip referencing a sample was in the clipboard and when pressing the Edit button (in the File Manager or Clip View) to set the sample offline and then on again
Holding a note while recording a MIDI clip and stopping the transport while the note is held would result in a silent note during play back
If a clip was in Gate Mode, releasing the trigger key within the launch quantization period would still launch the clip
Fixed a bug that caused a clip in Gate launch mode to continue playing after clicking another clip for a very short time
Fixed a bug in how MIDI effect Racks handle latency. Now chains compensate properly against each other
---
Mark Mosher Electronic Music Artist & Synthesist, Boulder, CO
In late January I purchased Waldorf Largo and I’ve been using the hell out of it for work on my next album. It is now one of my most heavily used synths in my rig and I’ve crated a fairly large number of custom presets from INIT.
IMHO this is one of the finest virtual analog instruments on the market and the sonic capabilities are kind of mind blowing when you dig into the synth. Also, Largo is architecturally 98% the same as my Blofeld (look for a future post on how they compare) there was almost no learning curve for me.
I passed on Largo when it first released because I’m not a fan of the eLicenser technology and when I tried an earlier demo there were some oddities on Windows. The 1.5 update fixed these issues and added some great new features (see what’s new here) and once I tried this version I fell in love with the synth right away - so much so I decided to give in to the eLicenser dongle Regarding eLicenser, you don’t need a dongle if your only going to run on Largo one system, but I bit the bullet and bought the Steinberg USB Key so I could use Largo on my primary and backup systems. I also got the boxed edition so I could get the manual in paper form which ended up being a wise decision as the documentation is quite good.
One of the best new features in 1.5 is Largo’s new Chorus effect. It’s incredible how you can radically modulate it in-real-time without producing unwanted popping or stepping artifacts.This goes for almost every parameter in the synth by the way.
Waldorf describes the Chorus on the product page:
Largos new Chorus comes in three flavours. The one with two stages you already know from earlier versions, and now also with four and six stages to create lush pads and strings. Spread controls the behaviour of the four additional stages, when set to zero, all six stages run in sync with a fix offset creating the ensemble effect of old string machines. When set higher, the modulation is increasingly decorrelated to make the Chorus thicker and wider. But we didn't stop here. We've also added Feedback to make the Chorus effect even thicker. And together with the quite long delay time, you can now abuse the Chorus as an additional Comb filter (as if the Largo hadn't enough of them already).
I wrote a custom patch from INIT, then used Ableton Live automation clips to crank on chorus depth and speed during playback over a 2 bars.
Below is the resultant waveform after I resampled the output from Largo. Crazy!
I’ve written an entire song for the new album based on this waveform, variants of the waveform, plus live perofrmance playing the patch on keys while clips modulate parameters in real-time.
Sorry to be a tease – but you’ll have to wait to hear the audio till the album gets closer to release ;^)
I found this cool video via @Psicoff on Twitter. It's a video by Steve Fredom using a web cam as a Theremin.
Ableton Theremin - experimental electronic music made by translating hand gestures tracked by Quartz Composer and webcam, into OSC then Midi and sending on to Ableton to trigger Spectrasonics Omnisphere and RMX.
I'm doing similar spatial control with AudioCubes and Theremin (pitch-to-MIDI) into Live and simply love the possibiliites of openning this up to more people via built-in web cams.
BEGINNER : How to defy death using Session and Arrangement View 
ADVANCED : Making your VSTs environmentally friendly in Ableton 
END-GAME : Large scale deployment and integration of mind control devices 
