ABLETON RELEASES LIVE 6 AND SAMPLER
Oct 4, 2006 1:57 PM
Ableton has released Live 6 and Sampler. Like no other Ableton release, Live 6 has opened itself to new creative communities, offering QuickTime video support, a professional multisample library and customizable racks of instruments and effects. Live 6 also satisfies frequent user requests by delivering multicore support, enhanced project management tools and improved MIDI control.
With QuickTime video support, Live enters the world of post-production. Drag and drop movies directly into Live’s Arrangement View, and monitor the result on a video window or second screen. Then, align music to visuals and process the movie's audio signal within Live. It has never been easier to improvise, compose and warp music to picture.
The Essential Instrument Collection provides Live 6 users with a comprehensive library of multisampled instruments. The included instruments cover the musical spectrum, from orchestral strings, brasses and classic guitars to electric keyboards, harps and glockenspiels. Load and play the collection in Live's Simpler or in Sampler—Ableton's new optional multisample instrument.
Sampler is an advanced sound-design and sound-sculpting instrument available as an upgrade within Ableton Live 6. In addition to providing perfect host integration, Sampler offers fresh sound-design possibilities through its unique processing and modulation options. When combined with the Instrument and Effect Racks in Live 6, multiple Samplers provide unprecedented depth of control, automation and sonic possibilities. Each instance of Sampler can host any number of sample zones. Key and velocity ranges as well as crossfades can be defined using a graphical editor. Numerous playback and looping options can also be set up for each zone. Sampler helps with mapping and also helps find appropriate loop points. Most importantly, Sampler integrates perfectly with Live. Its GUI will be instantly familiar to users accustomed to Live's look and feel. Its short loading times and efficient handling of large-volume libraries provide the sensation of a lightweight yet powerful engine.
As with any Ableton instrument, users can modulate Sampler's controls with clip envelopes, stack Samplers, attach effects and save projects, including all samples used by Sampler to send to a colleague for collaboration. Sampler avoids RAM shortages and loading wait times by employing Live's disk-preloading technology. Sampler also imports common sample formats, including AKAI S1000, S3000, GigaStudio, EXS, SoundFont and (nonencrypted) Kontakt. Sampler can also access and edit Ableton's own Essential Instrument Collection shipping with each boxed version of Live 6.
Unique processing and modulation in Sampler:
*Modulation: A dedicated oscillator can modulate samples by frequency or amplitude, enabling selective harmonic or disharmonic enrichment of the original timbres.
*Morphing: Every voice is processed with a morphable multimode filter and polyphonic saturation stage. Each aspect of the original sample, including sample start and loop position as well as loop length, can be polyphonically modulated.
*More Modulation: Three LFOs, five multimode envelopes and various MIDI inputs serve as modulation sources.
*The ability to modulate not only post processing but also the sample playback characteristics extends the instrument’s functionality in the direction of wavetable and granular synthesis.
Instrument and Effect Racks offer a new level of depth to Live without sacrificing accessibility. Use Racks to create, save and control customized groupings of multiple instruments, effects and plug-ins. Then distribute your creations online. Use the Rack's included knobs to adjust any number of parameters with a single knob or fader. Live 6 comes with many preconfigured racks with both instruments and common processing tools like guitar and bass distortion, drum processing and mastering.
Live 6 also features a number of other exciting changes and improvements:
*Multicore and Multiprocessor support allow the computational workload from instruments and effects to be distributed to other processors or cores, speeding up system performance.
*Deep Freeze expands editing functionality with frozen tracks (temporary rendered files created to free system resources). Cut, copy, paste, duplicate and consolidate clips without having to refreeze. Automate mixer and clip envelopes, record frozen session view clips into the arrangement and drag frozen MIDI clips into audio tracks, all without missing a beat.
New and improved devices add to Live's palette of creative tools:
*EQ Eight has replaced EQ Four, with improvements turning it into both a sound-shaping and mastering tool.
*Add analog richness with the warm distortion of Dynamic Tube. Like many of Live's effects, it can be used for subtle coloration or drastic sonic manipulation.
*Saturator has been improved with the addition of a true analog saturation curve, a user-definable waveshaper and an optional second output saturator stage.
*Automate and play incoming MIDI notes with Note Length. This MIDI effect can generate new notes when incoming notes are released, emulating the release behavior of instruments like the piano or the harpsichord.
*Operator has been augmented with a set of 24dB filter modes, as well as new FM algorithms, giving users more sonic possibilities than ever.
Conveniently organize collections of Live Sets, Live Clips, presets, samples and movie files with Live 6's new Project Management Tools. Self-contain a project and pack it with lossless compression for archiving or transfer using Project Folders. Search for missing files and purge the disk of unused files with ease.
Live 6 is available for $599 (MSRP) from dealers worldwide and from the Ableton Webshop. Users who do not need the Essential Instrument Collection and Live 6 box can purchase a downloadable (serial only) version for $499 from the Ableton Webshop.
Sampler is available for $199 to Live 6 users via the Ableton Webshop at www.ableton.com/shop.
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