• A very short MIDI note at the beginning of a clip would not be audible. [6130]
• Recording via 'Resampling' would not properly compensate latency. [6124]
• Under certain conditions, it would be possible to get 2 Arranger tracks highlighted. [6144]
• Using the Launchpad as control surface and additionally for manual mappings would not always work properly.
• When installing Live Packs which have dependencies to other content, Live would show the corresponding message twice. [6153]
• Using a Rex file could crash Live. [6157]
• 'lock control surface' function would not properly work in user remote scripts. [6064]
• A particular Live set could not be loaded and would lead to a 'Invalid Product ID Error' message. [6165]
• In the Arranger, punch In/Out would delay notes by the 'punch in time' in beats. [6167]
• Using the pads of the Akai MPD18 would not work properly.
• Having a Live set with particular Drum Racks could increase the CPU usage of the main thread, which would result in very slow graphical updates. [6181]
• Installing a new Library from within a second running instance of Live could crash Live. [6171]
• Certain operations like sample crop/reverse/replace would remove the tempo envelope. [6179]
• Using Novation's Launchpad, when switching between Automap and Live control would not work properly.
• Under certain conditions, editing or creating parameter automation would not work properly. [6188]
• Playing a 32-bit audio file immediately after a 16-bit audio file could cause a click in the audio. [6152]
• Moving the last track out of a track group onto a closed group track in the Arranger could crash Live. [6193]
• In the Auto Pan device, switching shape to random would not show the 'Width' knob. [6192]
• Loading a Max device would crash if Pluggo was already active.
• It would not be possible to create a new Project in the File Browser if the root is set to 'Workspace'.
• Fine tuning of macro knobs would not work via key modifier. [6180]
• Starting clips via the Launchpad while changing parameters via mouse could crash Live. [6143]
• Moving the mouse over a certain Sampler preset could crash Live. [6207]
• Loading a Live set containing not yet authorized add-ons could crash Live. [6203]
• Under certain conditions, fade creation would not work properly. [6195]
• An Ableton preset of a third party plug-in would not change the On/Off mapping range. [5652]
• Receiving an invalid parameter index from Max could crash Live.
• Inverting a macro mapping range would not work properly. [6238]
• Under certain conditions, extracting an existing groove from a clip would crash Live. [6235]
• Having a Max device sending many blob changes during saving could crash Live.
• A malformed database file would interrupt user interactions like renaming files, saving presets, recording, etc. [6230]
• Having a particular Live set loaded and searching for media files could crash Live. [6241]
• On Mac OS X, under certain conditions, making Live the foreground window could lead to a crash.
• The context menu of a frozen clip would have enabled audio fades commands. [6253]
• In the Arranger, changing the mixer properties like volume, pan etc. would not show the changed value in the status bar. [3238]
• Having a multi selection of Arranger track and use the 'Show Automation' command would destroy the selection. [6243]
• Choosing a custom VST directory within the preferences would not keep this new directory until the next start of Live if the required rescan leads to a crash. [6190]
• On Mac OS X, duplicating a track with Fab Filter Twin 1+2 could crash Live. [6063]
• The Looper display would use the wrong colour in 'play' mode. [6234]
• Holding SHIFT + Space Bar would make the transport play button flicker. [6227]
• The area to click on an Arranger clip would be too small by a few pixels. [6261]
• Particular Live sets, especially with a lot of transient data, could not be loaded. [6263]
• Pasting 3 unstretched and crossfaded Arranger clips could crash Live [6289]

Instruments, Audio Effects, Midi Effects - but of course, this is not all of the cake. Imagine you can create user-interface elements however you please and also assign MIDI to that interface parts. This brings Ableton Live huge steps forward: the possibility to extend ableton to include a full featured audiovisual prototyping environment and to interface with the world: be it sensors, webservices or other Ableton Live installations.

1. Installation and Setup

Ableton Live Suite 8.1 (1.4GB download size!) and max/msp 5.1. are out in final versions as of today. As a happy Ableton and max/msp owner, the crossgrade was only 79€ for me (including VAT).

Right after Live starts up it has to be authorized, so all the extensions would be usable. After everything is set up, the following popup should be visible:

2. Overview

There are 3 different ways to include Max for Live patches into Ableton.

a) Instruments
Instruments would be a Synthesizer, a Sampler, etc.
Input: MIDI, Output: Audio

b) Audio Effects
Imagine any Audio Effect you can build here - let's say a Reverb for now.
Input: Audio, Output: Audio

c) MIDI Effects
Controlling and modifying the MIDI flow - like arpeggiators, mathematical functions, midi-sequencers, whatever.
Input: MIDI (or controller values), Output: MIDI

Of course, the whole bandwidth of max/msp is much more than only that. With Max for Live, now it is possible to use sensoric interfaces directly with Ableton Live: such as the i-cube, the arduino microcontroller board and so much else (for example the wireless MIDI Glove).

Interfacing to the "outside world" is also quite easy with max/msp: the netsend and netreceive objects let you connect via socket to e.g. a webservice, RSS-feed, whatever.
See also: Max for Live and twitter integration, the shoutcast~ and netsend~ objects for sending your audio stream around.

3. First Steps

In the screenshot above you see where the "Max Instrument" can be found in Ableton Live. In the right corner you can also see the first Instrument example I built: a sine wave oscillator.

a) Example: Sine Wave Oscillator Instrument with Signal Oscilloscope [download the patch]

This is a very basic patch: notein gets the MIDI note played, ddg.mono simplifies monosynth creation by dealing with last-note priority and note-on/note-off pairing, mtof (MIDI to frequency) translates the MIDI note to a frequency which is pushed to the cycle~ object (sine wave generator). The cycle~ then sends its audio-output to plugout~ which gets routed back to Ableton Live. Play the Sine Wave Oscillator as you would play any other instrument in Ableton Live: either via keyboard or via MIDI tracks.

b) Example: Simple Delay [download the patch]

This is also a rather simple patch. The incoming signal is delayed for a specific amount of time using the tapin~ and tapout~ objects. The tapin~ object is a continually updated buffer that stores the most recent signal it has received, and tapout~ accesses that buffer at one or more specific points in the past. The sound is mixed with its delayed version to create a sort of reflection.

What you can see in the screenshot below is how to implement images in patches that get loaded also to Ableton (using the fpic object) and which part is actually displayed in Live: everything below the black line is "invisible".
Test out the patch with the presets and also try to change the tapin~ and tapout~ values (use it as an audio effect on any soundfile. percussion or drums may be the best to hear the difference).

c) Example: 8-Step-MIDI-Repeat [download the patch]

The patch is also really simple: a line object counts from 1 to 9, resetting itself to 1 when it reaches 9 (=8 step), the select object checks for values between 1 and 8 and sends the according bang messages to the lights on top. the lights also trigger the int object, that saves values and outputs them on demand. this int objects are used to save the state of the checkboxes.
everytime an int object outputs a 1 (checkbox=checked), the select object on the right side sends the last notein event to a noteout object, causing the last note to be played again.

The difference between the two above screenshots is: hidden objects. Objects that you don't want to be visible in your Ableton Live surface you can hide with Object -> Hide on Lock (Apple+K).

Patch No.3 repeats your last played note in a step-sequencer style: however you checked your checkboxes, every time the light is active over a checked box, the last note will be played again. Test the 3 different presets and also the freestyle option (entering numbers on your own). Be careful with too low and negative numbers.

3. Conclusion

Max for Live is not only a very huge extension to Ableton Live (as stated above, a lot is possible now, from interfacing with hardware to webservices) but also finally a step in the right direction for the said to be lazy "ableton users": while the mainstream of ableton users use similar effects and instruments, this will change from now on. Instrument-directories such as on maxforlive.com feature lots of already available patches.
Another positive point is since max/msp is there much longer than Ableton Live and there is lots of educational content, tutorials etc. around. This could bring more people to look and learn about DSP and sound engineering als well as the physics behind audio.

Max for Live has still a few bugs - but what is there already is really something! Maybe one has to see it like this: in the end max/msp got a really cool sequencer ;)

4. Ressources

* ableton.com maxforlive product page
* cycling74 product page for max/msp
* maxforlive.com
* cycling74: the edit button has been pressed
* max 5 help and documentation

Technorati Tags: ableton, max msp, live, max for live, sound, review

• Updated manuals
• Updated Help Pages

Bugfixes:

• Surface controller support for the Oxygen 3rd generation
• Using the Axiom Pro as controller surface would not work properly with certain effects and instruments
• Under certain conditions, a volume automation would not work properly [6005]
• The mouse handling of certain Sampler parameters would not work properly [5961]

Most of all, 20% off Live 8 and Upgrades, some users even get free Upgrades, and 10 Free Downloadable Live Packs from Various Artists. Sadly for Ableton Suite owners there is no special discount or goodie - but for people owning Live 8 or 7 - or even the Lite versions - now it's a good time to Upgrade! The release for Max for Live was set on the 23rd November 2009 and a new stripped-down Ableton for starters is ready: Live Intro.

Changes from Live 8.0.5 to Live 8.0.8

Improvements:

• Updated manuals
• Updated Help Pages
• Control Surface support for Novation Launchpad
• Several improvements for the AxiomPro Controllers

Bugfixes:

• Using the double/halve tempo buttons of the Looper could introduce an audible offset [5857]
• Playing MIDI could crash Live when multi-core support is enabled [5608]
• If the slot button below a disabled Session clip has been removed, the disabled clip would not respect this and act as stop button [5872]
• In the Arranger, auto scrolling would not work properly when dragging tracks [5865]
• On Mac OS X, open the application menu would not close an open context menu [5768]
• On Mac OS X, using a Remote SL and loading a particular Live set with a Fab Filter Twin 2 would crash Live
• On Mac OS X, the Key stroke handling for AudioUnits using Cocoa views would not work properly
• On Mac OS X 10.6.x, starting Live with a template set that contains audio clips, and with another CoreAudio client running at the same time (e.g. iTunes), would freeze Live. Also, changing sample rates in Live would not work properly
• Replacing a Macro mapping with a Key mapping could crash Live [5913]
• Return track header selection would not work properly [5677]
• On Mac OS X, Audio Units, wrapped by Novation Automap, would not appear in the right folders [5752]
• Setting an MTC start offset to a negative value would not show the value properly [5456]
• Grabbing and moving the left edge of an Arranger loop while the loop start is out of the view would not behave properly [5216]
• In the Arranger, scrolling would not work properly when dragging or moving tracks [5139]
• Under certain conditions, the LFO of the Sampler would not work properly
• Switching banks via remote script would not be indicated in the status bar [5969]
• Switching on track-solo would not work properly in exclusive mode when switching via the APC controller [5838]
• Unsupported multi channel audio files would crash Live [5995]
• When exporting an video file, the resulting video file would grow on each export instead to be replaced [5996]
• On Mac OS X, when typing the name of an existing file, but without the extension, Live would overwrite the existing file without asking for confirmation

A Monome for the rest of us. The new Ableton Live Controller by Novation looks quite like the monome. Still, if it integrates in Ableton as well as the Akai APC 40, it can be a quite handy - and cheap: 150€ (199US$) is said to be the street price (to be released Nov '09).

Still since the APC40 uses a proprietary protocol, it is uncertain if the Launchpad will be usable for controlling other things than Ableton Live.

Here is the full Press Release Information from Ableton AG:

Ableton is very happy to announce Launchpad, a new dedicated controller for Ableton Live, co-developed by Novation and Ableton.
Launchpad features a multicolor, 64-button grid for launching clips, as well as dedicated scene-launch buttons. Despite the big grid, Launchpad is compact and portable: it'll fit in your bag for gigs and won't hog your desk space in the studio.
Launchpad doesn't just launch clips. In mixer mode the button grid offers a unique way to control Ableton Live's mixer. Two fully customizable user modes transform the grid into a drum pad controller, a DJ effect controller or anything else you can think of. These user modes make Launchpad the ideal hardware counterpart for Max for Live (coming soon).
Launchpad is Automap-enabled, and if 64 buttons aren't enough, you can link up to six Launchpads together.
Launchpad comes with a special Live 8 Launchpad Edition and 1GB of sound content. Launchpad will be on sale worldwide starting on November 1, 2009. Pricing is expected to be around USD 199 (MAP)/149 EUR (VAT not included).

Weitere Informationen, Videos und genaue Spezifikationen finden Sie auf:
http://www.ableton.com/nl398-launchpad

Changes from Live 8.0.4 to Live 8.0.5

Improvements:

• Updated manuals
• Updated Help Pages
• When using the APC40 Controller surface script, we check if the selection MIDI ports are the one from the APC40
• Improved graphic performance when using Live on Windows 7 RC 1
• On Mac OS X, Cocoa support for Audio Units
• Having an unfolded Live set file in the browser, now the tracks from that Live set can be inserted into the current set by double clicking too. In earlier versions it was only possible via drag'n drop.
• Controller surface support for the AKAI MPD-18, MPK-25, MPK-61 and MPK-88 controllers.
• Controller surface support for OpenLabs devices

Bugfixes:

• When record quantization is on, MIDI loop recording in the arranger would not behave properly [5603]
• The state of the tempo nudge up/down would be saved within a Live set by mistake [5421]
• Under certain conditions and depending on its settings, the Beat Repeat device would not work properly [5612]
• The display representation of the Axiom Pro's endless encoders would not update when the knobs itself are turned[5627]
• When having collapsed group tracks in the arranger, the 'Select All' command would not work properly and moving/copying the selection could even crash Live [5597]
• Using Live as ReWire master with several ReWire slaves at the same time could not behave properly when sending/receiving MIDI to/from these ReWire slaves [5517]
• Under certain conditions, drag and hover would 'unfold' the wrong track [5544]
• The Auto/Range parameter of the Spectrum device could not be saved within a preset [5637]
• A Live set from a Windows machine, saved on OS X 10.4.x would show a wrong icon [5579]
• After grouping tracks, the APC40 would not always show the respective track states [5620]
• The Looper could produce audio clicks when changing from play to overdub mode [5473]
• Moving grouped tracks in the arranger could crash Live [5639]
• When installing content packages, the progress dialog could show a too high number of processed items [5629]
• Using MIDI remote mappings in Live running as ReWire slave could crash the Live and the ReWire master [5642]
• Select on launch would not work when using the APC 40, when recording clips [5648]
• With low update rates, the Spectrum display would “wobble” even for constant signals [5643]
• Mapping a foot switch to step forward/backward would not work properly [5451]
• Under certain conditions, using the warper's transient beats mode could cause drop outs [5625]
• Under certain conditions, renaming a browser entry could crash Live [5641]
• Dragging a Live set into Live would not always updated the corresponding macro names [5500]
• Uploading a Live set without freezing necessary tracks would crash Live [5049]
• Using the APC40 would not properly display follow actions [5610]
• On Windows 7 RC 1, 'Show in Explorer' would not work properly
• Committing a groove would not respect a change of the 'Base' parameter [5662]
• using the absolute mouse mode, several edit boxes of the Sampler would not work properly [5654]
• In the Sampler, setting loop start or end would not work via Mouse click + Modifier [5653]
• Having a selection of a group track contain an audio and a MIDI track, arming the MIDI track could crash Live [5693]
• On Mac OS X, closing a particular Live set containing a FabFilter One plug-in would crash Live [5609]
• Having a device chain with an effect or instrument before a Spectrum device could crash when deleting the effect or instrument [5695]
• Under certain conditions, the extension of a track selection would not work properly [5639]
• Having a Live set containing many transient data could require a huge amount of memory during the opening of that Live set [5679]
• Using +/- keys to control the zoom factor while highlighting a selection area would not work properly [5536]
• When dragging devices from the browser into Session view, Live would not auto scroll to "out of sight" tracks [5710]
• In a clip view, moving the loop brace would be constrained by the left border of the view [5719]
• A Live set with devices locked to a particular controller surface would not work with that controller surface after reopening [5723]
• On Windows, when allowing several instances of Live, processing a share link or the unlocking of Live would still start a second instance [5523]
• Uninstalling a content package would fail when a sample contained in the package is currently active, like browser preview [5557]
• 'Gray' level meters would not become red on overload [2695]
• Copy/Duplicate a track with input routing 'Resampling' would create a track with default input routing [5726]
• On OS X, clicking into Live's video window could let the main window lose the focus
• In a drum rack, changing the content of a pad would not update the arrow color [5709]
• Reopening a set could show default name for a macro automation [5567]
• Setting the scale factor via arrow up/down would not work for certain values [5160]
• In some cases the Fade commands would be missing from context menus [5702]
• A deactivated clip would still appear in the Arranger overview [5746]
• Duplicate time or duplicate envelopes command would erase Live's global clipboard [5745]
• Flatten a frozen MIDI track could crash Live depending on the currently selected envelope [5773]
• Converting Simpler to Sampler while receiving parameter changes via MIDI controller would crash Live [5303]
• If activated, a second running instance of Live would always show the Bug Reporting dialog on startup [4588]
• Instant mappings for Multiband Dynamics and Vocoder would not work properly
• Turning a knob on the APC 40 while toggling the Macro map mode could crash Live [5810]
• Instant mappings for Collision would not work properly [5814]
• Under certain conditions, the Utility effect would not take a gain automation into account [5721]
• 'Fold' would not work properly in a Drum Rack with 128 chains [5784]
• Delay compensation would not work properly for devices before an External Audio Effect instance [5813]
• Rendering tracks containing an Overdrive could lead to different results depending on the Overdrive parameter settings [5822]
• Loading a Live set with a particular third party plug-in could crash Live when the plug-in instance could not be created [5795]
• The AKAI MPD XX REW/FF buttons would not work when properly [5737]
• Changing a track routing could make third party plugin window visible when it was hidden via Cmd/Ctrl+Alt+P [5799]
• On Mac OS X, switching on the APC 40 or the Remote SL after Live is already started could still not allow to use the controller until its MIDI port was closed and reopened [1795]
• On Mac OS X, exporting audio files could lead to Live hanging [5697]

Since there are lots of ALP Packages that could be installed on older Ableton versions, i compiled a list of Packages in the Web that will work as well with Ableton Live 8 (although sometimes it is stated they would only work with older versions) - sometimes a bit tweaking is required, but nothing more than moving some files around in the file browser of Ableton. Besides the obvious ressource, ableton.com, i compiled a list of free 3rd party package ressources, that will keep your sequencer experience interesting. For importing and recovering old Ableton Sets i wrote a specific article, though some of the compatibility Packages are also listed here. The steps described and the package recommendations are for Mac OSX as well as for Microsoft Windows. If you know of some more ressources not listed here, please drop a comment!

Packages from ableton.com

There are lots of Packages that are available straight from the ableton.com site. Although it is stated you need a specific Version of Live installed, it is not always true.

Other package Ressources (unsorted, to be verified)

* http://togeostudios.com/category/downloads/ableton-resources/
* http://puremagnetik.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=42&Itemid=174
* http://www.cosm.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70&Itemid=92
* http://www.groovepacks.com/live-packs
* http://www.thecovertoperators.org/Free-Downloads/
* http://www.technodisco.it/link_to.php?l=www.synthtopia.com/content/2008/07/15/free-drum-and-bass-sound-pack-for-ableton-live-7/

other ressources:

* http://www.squidoo.com/FreeAbletonLiveResources