Monday, March 30, 2009

Ableton Live, version 8

I have been beta testing Ableton Live 8. I really like it. The features that they have added and particularly the new effects, instruments and presets are great. All the Live version from 6 forward have had a lot of "meat", a lot to learn. I can't say I've learned it all intimately, not at all. But it is amazing as you start to work with the software and learn the features, how they are all useful to something that musicians actually do.

I am kind of a sucker for Live, because it was the first DAW software that I tried out. I tried ProTools, and I see how that is: it is a good computer based recording studio. But Live seems so much more of a composition, improvisation and performance tool all in one. As they are adding features, it is becoming easier and easier to compose really complex and full music.

Orchestral softsynths are something that I'm getting fonder of, in conjunction with my MIDI Guitron controller. I think I am going to start calling it something else, but we'll see... also, I have added a Korg nanoKontrol to that, in order to have more control over dynamics per tra. My next collection of tracks will likely feature a lot of that, weird improvised orchestral stuff.

Last.fm, Utenzil tracks

I listened to some of the music that has been put up for streaming on last.fm.

It sounds better than I remember it.
Listen to this.