Product Review: Page (1) of 1 - 05/05/08

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ableton live 7 it slices and dices By Josh Falcon Alright all you Ableton users and those of you not lucky enough to have yet indulged, the Ableton Live 7 release is packed with some amazing new features.  Today's favorite is defined by Ableton as Slicing.  Have you ever had a great beat and you want to slice it up quickly so you could resample it or change the rhythm? Welcome to Slicing.  


It's simple, fast and highly effective.  Bring in your beat (or any sound for that matter) through the device browser or dragging and dropping right on an empty clip.  

Here is how the beat sounds - EX1.








You can create slices from warp markers, bars, or 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 or 1/32 notes, which makes extremely easy to cut our example beat up!  I chose 1/16th notes. 

Ableton then creates a new midi track with an ascending midi clip that triggers those 16th in time, and neatly maps it out for you on a Drum Rack -



Now this is not unheard of, Propellerheads Recyle can also achieve a similar task, which results in REX files (which by the way Ableton can now import without a problem).

The difference is you stay inside Live, it takes seconds to process, and you'll have a new beat rocking in no time.  Here are two versions I made from the original beat less than 2 minutes later after it was sliced.......quick, seamless, no loss of quality, imagine the possibilities. 



The first was a normal shuffling of the midi files while the second was tapped out on a keyboard then I manipulated some of the controls in the Drum Rack i.e. Start Offset and Loop Length.



I'll be back with a new Live 7 feature next week.  In the meantime it's well worth purchasing, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the new features.  For any live musician or DJ this latest evolution of Ableton is a must buy.  For Mac users, it is an excellent addition to anything you already might have.  Not only does it stand alone, but compliments other tools in your audio arsenal.  For Ableton owners, you already know that the upgrade is an obvious must have.


If you're not familiar with the Ableton software and/or samples, or if you haven't visited the site in a while, check it out at www.ABLETON.com. While there, be sure to check out their latest offerings ABLETON 7 and SESSION DRUMS



For rants, ramblings and general announcements - check out a chaotic blog in the BlogZone:
http://blogs.digitalmediaonlineinc.com/ninjacrayon/

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