Ableton Live 12 music production software review
Mike Flynn
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
With a major update to its MIDI editing capabilities, user interface and accessibility the popular DAW’s latest update is a big one
The latest iteration of Ableton’s Live music production software brings some major updates and some surprises too. Perhaps the biggest improvements come to the graphical user interface (GUI) which for the first time allows you to view the mixer when in ‘arrangement view’ (the default horizontal scrolling view) that can easily be toggled on and off. This also allows you to simultaneously view the individual track’s software instrument, MIDI clip notes and effects, all of which also have expandable views for easier editing.
The most innovative and unique addition in Live 12 is a whole host of ‘MIDI Tools’ that are located in the MIDI clip view and come under ‘Transformations’ and ‘Generators’ categories. These allow for deep editing as well as some generative functionality, that’s not facilitated by an AI. (See Ableton’s website for a full exploration of these elements.) Notable additions now include highly tweakable ‘quantization’ for subtle timing adjustments; note generation (including chord stacks and inversions), off-kilter rhythms, arpeggios, note strums, gestural shapes and improved editing of the ‘chance’ and ‘velocity’ parameters helping the simplest musical starting points to become fully blown songs.
New software instruments include the wonderful sounding new ‘Meld’ bi-timbral, MPE-capable synth that can create exciting textural and experimental tones with its two easy-to-use macro-oscillators. There’s also an amazing multi-band distortion effect aptly named ‘Roar’ that has three saturation stages and can be used in series, parallel, or even in mid/side and multiband configurations to add grit and punch to drums, bass or whatever needs spicing up.
There are some big accessibility improvements too, with visually impaired musicians benefitting from screen reader support and new keyboard shortcuts to allow nearly every part of Live to be accessed using intuitive key combinations. With many more innovative improvements added (see link below for the full list) this update makes Live even more feature packed and increasingly limitless.
The RRP of £179 to upgrade is sweetened by Ableton’s 20% discount promotion remaining until February 2025 – and if you just got Live 11 you may be entitled for a free upgrade – just check your account.
For the full run down of Live 12 visit www.ableton.com/en/live/
