Limitations Of Ableton Live For Recording, Can it be a stand alone software? Options

[bucko]

I am almost ready to lay down hard-earned cash for my studio setup. I like Ableton Live, I have a powerbook g4 1.67mhz, and was told at the local Guitar Center that you can do hard disk recording with Live. How versatile is Live for recording? I was going to get a MOTU Traveler and I'd have my MIDI hookups and I could record and playback with Live, and manipulate the samples in real tim with it as well.. BUT..

I may be missing something here. I probably need a MIDI controller/synth. I probably want to sample and record my acoustic instruments with my microphones, through the Traveler, into Live, and be able to manipulate the sounds with plug-ins, etc. What does Logic, or Digital Performer, have that Live doesn't have, or visa versa? There must be some limitations, I'm not aware of, because Live costs only $499 or less while Logic Pro costs over $800 and DP is higher than Live too.. Is there someone out there that could help me become the creative producer/musician at home that I know I can be? I have played the drums for years, and dabble in the guitar, and my trusty Rhodes electric piano, but I need to take the next step. HELP!!!

[mortalengines]

Live is pretty cool all the way around. Logic definitely has more plugins of VERY high quality (for the price you could arguably never have to buy another plug in). Live has good plugs but I still prefer the Live/Reaktor/Ozone/Pluggo thing I have going (this puts me somewhere around Logic in price -maybe higher but I am a good web shopper so not by much). DP is also an excellent app of professional quality. Live probably lends itself to well....playing live better than DP or Logic & is currently working hard to establish itself as a quality DAW like DP or Logic, but not 100% there yet. I am only beginning to hear of people using Live as their number one rig (as opposed to using it in conjunction with another app like PT or Logic).

[bucko]

I just went to the Apple store, and the resident Audio Expert claimed that Live would be too limited for recording. Of course he was SELLING Logic Pro, but he claimed that Live is more of a sample-based software and that I would be sorely dissapointed if I was to try to use it for recording say, a live acoustic drum set with mics plugged in and some other instruments through LIVE and wanted to utilize the recording aspects of the software.

I realize that Logic is a complete package but I am not sure that I want to buy Logic Pro if I can get Ableton running to do everything I want to with it, because I heard that Live is an easier interface to use during performance as well. What am I missing here, besides the fact that they want to sell me Logic? (With respect, realizing this is an excellent Audio recording package).

[MO7S]

i hate to say it. but i love both platforms.

logic has cleanliness (sound) working from within. And as far as input recording. logic is great.

abletons transparency makes for a faster workflow. and of course the algorithims speed up any process you might have time stretching stuff.

combined, ive been able to flourish ideas from ableton, into songs in logic.

but at the end of the day. im the guy who uses peak pro 5 for some serious audio cleansing. i record into logic. bounce out to peak, clean up and then port to either ableton, or logic, depending on the concept of the workflow.

This post has been edited by MO7S: Tue 7 Mar 2006, 02:16

[mortalengines]

I've been looking at Peak...when you say "clean up", do you mean like adjusting DC offset, noise reduction, etc.? What processes do you find Peak useful for (I've been bouncing tracks that needed it from my mac to Sound Forge to remove glitches, noise, making loops occasionally, but would like to keep my tracks in my Mac if I can). Do you master with Peak? Crossfade songs, etc?

[Arizona Mills]

Bucko,

I think the Apple store guy is just trying to sell you Logic. Either that or he doesn't know anything about Live.

I own both & love both. If you don't need Logic's virtual instrument plug-ins I think Live could do what you want. I work more with MIDI & not so much audio until the the final stages of whatever I'm working on, so I find I'm in Logic a bit more than Live.

You can record audio from a microphone into both programs (through an interface of course, Traveler is a nice one, I have an 828). If you want to timestrech that audio, it's going to be easier from Live. In Live you will need an audio editor which can be had for really cheap or even free(Audacity & Mozart come to mind). Live has MIDI capability too it's just not anywhere near as deep as Logic's MIDI.

Live comes with plenty of useful effects plug-ins too, but Logic has a nearly overwhelming amount. Live is really fun to use loops with, especially in session view. And Live is easier to learn. It only has 2 different views -- session & arrangement (arrangement is a timeline based view, Logic is based around it's arrange page). Session view awesome & Logic doesn't have anything like it.

Be sure to check the Ableton Live website & maybe try the demo:

http://www.ableton.com/

Good luck !

azmills

[Arizona Mills]

Bucko,

Something I forgot to add that you should know is that Live is currently a CPU hog on the Mac but the new MacIntels seem to have a bright future. Logic on the other hand is very CPU friendly (unless you're using multiple Space Designers & Sculptures {both wonderful by the way}).

This link to a similar question in the Live forum might help you too.

http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=35139

This post has been edited by Arizona Mills: Tue 7 Mar 2006, 06:28

[td3k]

Yes I'd agree, the "genius" in the Apple store has no clue what he is talking about. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the audio recording facilities in Live. In fact I personally find recording and editing audio tracks in Logic to be far more cumbersome. Opening an audio region into a seperate edit mode window, (to me) seems absolutely ridiculous and less than intuitive. I own both products, and ProTools, and I prefer both over Logic for audio tracking. As a matter of fact I tend to just use the Logic AU's in Live more than using actual Logic.

At the end of the day, it's really a matter of personal preference, but to say that Live is inadequite for audio purposes is a complete load of sh*t.
I personally find Live to have the fastest workflow for composition of songs and ideas.

Just my $.02

TD

[lancet]

As a matter of fact I tend to just use the Logic AU's in Live more than using actual Logic.

wow, can you tell me how to use Sculpture or ES2 in Live. That's great news.

thanks..

[td3k]

Ok. let me clarify my statement a little. I am able to use any Logic "Audio Unit", which in my case means, EXS and EVP. For me, esp. the EXS is very helpful. ( I am using ver. 6.4 ) So, I don't think that Sculpture or ES2 or Space Designer, or any of that are available, as those are specific to Logic. Only any AU plugs that Logic installs.

Don't get me wrong in my previous post either folks... Logic is a kick-ass prog. I just prefer Ableton, and I definitely wanted to rebute the Mac "Genius" who claims Live is insufficent for audio recording. ( That simply is not true. )

Topics like this can often spawn "sequencer wars" So...

Peace...