Ableton has been long overdue for an update. Ableton 9 was released four years ago in March of 2013. Version 9.5 (released in 2015) brought many requested features, particularly for the new Push, without an updated GUI or new modules. The wait, as grueling as it’s been, has proven well worth it- Ableton 10 has everything we’ve dreamed of and more.
Community requests and original innovations were masterfully implemented in Live 10. There’s new a synthesizer called Wavetable, a wavetable-synthesis monster similar to the ever-popular Serum by Xfer records. Because you can easily stack instances of native Ableton plugins with minimal latency, Wavetable is poised to overtake Serum as the synth of choice for Ableton users.
In addition to Wavetable, Ableton 10 boasts some fantastic new audio effects. Echo is an analog/digital modeling delay with precise modulation. It seems like Echo will replace the Abelton Ping-Pong delay in our productions, offering much more control akin to the EchoBoy from Soundtoys. Drum Buss is another of the new audio effects, a streamlined channel strip for compressing, distorting, and shaping sounds. Pedal is the final of the three, a “stompbox”-inspired multiband processor. It can be used subtlety or to completely mangle sounds, whether it’s a guitar, voice, drum loop, or synth.
The new audio effects in Ableton (cred: Ableton.com)
Not only has the arsenal of modules been improved upon, there are many powerful editing and workflow updates in Ableton 10. Our favorite is the streamlined new automation controls. Now the automation of your project can all be easily toggled on/off with a button or with a hotkey. Fades are now shown by default so you can begin to scrub your mind clean of that hotkey as well. MIDI enthusiasts rejoice!- you can now edit multiple MIDI clips at the same time, start playback after the beginning of a MIDI clip, and “capture” the last thing you played, without pressing record. This enticing feature is for catching those moments when you forget to press the button. This will speed things up a lot for those working “in the box”.
It’s easy to say at this point that Ableton Live 10 is going to become the industry standard DAW, with its powerful new editing and processing tools.
Here are some awesome resources for learning more about the comprehensive capabilities of Live 10-
Save 20% on Live 9 and get a FREE UPGRADE to Live 10
What features are you most excited about in Ableton 10? Let us know in the comments below!
Important things happen in Pacific Northwest nightlife, and DMNW will send you alerts!
