Ableton have release the upcoming release of Live 11, the latest edition of one of the most popular DAWs on the market today.

With much-needed features such as comping and the addition of several new devices, Live 11 is a welcome update for Ableton users.

Set for release in early 2021, new users can also get a 20% discount on Live 10, complete with a free upgrade to Live 11 when it releases. There really isn’t a better time to jump on the Ableton bus.

SEE ALSO: What’s the difference between Compressor and Glue Compressor

How much is Ableton Live 11?

Download versions of Ableton Live 11 will cost €79/$99 USD for Live Intro, €349 EUR/$449 USD for Live Standard and €599/$749 USD for Live Suite.

Existing Ableton users will be able to log into their account to see upgrade pricing.

Ableton Live 11 NEW FEATURES

Ableton have added a video highlighting the main updates to Live these include comping where you can record multiple takes in lanes – a much needed feature for vocalists and people recording live instruments.

It also includes MPE, which allows you to use your MPE controller and edit MPE data for better hardware integration.

One of the coolest new features will sit well with bands who use Ableton in their sets. Live 11 will be able to follow the tempo of the band and keep up allowing for tighter performances and better creativity options.

One of my favourite features is the ability to store the state of Macros, meaning you can have your own “preset folder” in the Macro itself. You can now also randomise Macro values.

A huge gripe I had with the Macros in Live 10 was the fact that you HAD to have eight of them in view, and you couldn’t have any more. Not in Live 11. With the update you can now configure your Macros to control between one and 16 parameters, simplifying the look if you only want a one-knob control.

For those looking to gain new creative inspiration, you can now set note probabilities, meaning they won’t necessarily play each time, opening you up to new ideas and variations. Velocity probability can also be set in a similar manner.

New sounds are another great reason to consider the upgrade. Ableton has partnered with Spitfire Audio to include a whole wealth of new audio samples in Live 11 – as well as updating existing packs.

New devices in Ableton Live 11

New Instruments in Ableton Live 11

Live 11 will include six new instruments developed by Dillon Bastan, which are inspired by natural and physical processes to generate unique and “playful” sounds.

I am particularly excited about the Tree Tone instrument and the absolutely gorgeous sounds it is making in the demo.

There are also more conventional sounds added: an Upright Piano, Brass Quartet, and String Quartet.

Conclusion

Ableton have added a lot of much-needed improvements to their already smooth-running DAW. These improvements will make producers’ lives easier and allow for more creative freedom.

The added instruments are a welcome inclusion, especially the Inspired By Nature series, which is a really cool idea – if not a bit obscure for some mainstream producers.

MIDI compositions will be a lot more interesting with the new note and velocity probability features, and the streamlined Macros will make mixing and producing even smoother than before.

We recommend the current upgrade offers if you can afford it and love the sound of the new features. If nothing tickles your fancy here though, the upgrade price may be a bit too steep to justify it.

The post Ableton 11 to be released soon. Here’s what’s new… appeared first on Audio Ordeal.

Mastering your DAW of choice takes years of practice and use, but there are some shortcuts to help you become a power user.

Today’s guide will talk about the various ways you can become more efficient in your DAW which will save you time and more importantly, let you turn out more projects.

Another key thing here is that having a solid grasp of your DAW means that you will not spend as much time setting up and working through menus. This will help you by preventing ideas escaping as you are fiddling with settings.

1. Learn Shortcuts

Shortcuts are essential for any software but I would argue especially for creative applications. They allow you to get things done quickly and easily.

Every DAW has a range of shortcuts, and while some (like Ableton) aren’t changeable, others allow custom shortcuts.

Consider Reaper for example. Not only can you completely reset all shortcuts to your choosing, you can also chain shortcuts together to single hotkeys.

READ MORE: Ableton shortcuts guide – what are they and when to use?

Regardless of how your DAW approaches shortcuts, one of the best uses of your time is learning them.

In my time teaching people how to use DAWs, one of the main things I’ve seen is that those using shortcuts are seen as wizards by those who don’t. You can really speed up your workflow with them and editing becomes a super smooth process.

2. MIDI Control and Gaming Mouse

Following on from the shortcuts thread, having additional surfaces and controls is a great way to speed up your workflow.

Many professional sound engineers use hardware mapped to their DAW to help with mixing. This hardware normally comes with faders and other tactile controls to accurately dial in settings and commands.

If you have a MIDI keyboard or DJ controller, you will already be ahead, as both can be mapped to various controls and speed up your workflow.

If you are looking for a MIDI keyboard, consider getting one with additional knobs and pads on it so you can add shortcuts to them and speed up the process.

For more advanced control, nothing beats a dedicated mixing controller such as the Akai APC series for Ableton or a surface with motorised faders that react to automation, such as the Presonus Faderport.

Another great option is to get yourself a gaming mouse with additional controls on it. I use this religiously with various software and it makes editing a blast.

Grabbing a gaming mouse with 12-assignable buttons on the thumb may sound like a lot to learn, but it becomes second nature very fast.

Mice like these are fantastic for various tasks and many have several profiles on them so you can have different settings for each application.

For example, I have an editing profile in Reaper which allows me to run certain scripts to remove silence in podcast recordings. I also have one for writing which gives me features such as highlighting whole lines and making them bold and inserting hyperlinks.

Remember, unless you are an avid gamer, you won’t need to splash out for the most expensive options with a programmable mouse, but you should look for quality when buying MIDI controllers.

3. Spend time in the manual

I’m sorry, you probably didn’t want to hear this one, but it works. The problem with a lot of complex software is that there isn’t enough space on the screen to show all features at once.

As such, you may not even know some features exist or how to use them unless you familiarise yourself with the manual.

A good example of this was a previous article I wrote about Ableton’s Utility plugin which has a “hidden” Mid/Side mode“. A lot of readers had no idea it was there and I believe this is Ableton’s fault. It is a feature mentioned in the manual, but the effect appears so simple that most people would skim right over that part.

The lesson is, there are potentially dozens of features like this that you may not know about unless you browse through the manual and find the “secrets”.

The alternative to this is searching the web for articles with the (admittedly clickbait) titles such as “hidden features in Ableton” or “things you didn’t know in Logic Pro”.

4. Spend time setting up templates and custom macros

This can be a major time-saver. Pretty much every DAW allows some form of templates which you can save and load up for each project. This means you can have all the tracks you always start off with ready to go.

If you think about it, every time you start a blank project, you tend to do the same things, whether it be setting up the tracks and sends/receives, or having to add instruments manually.

READ MORE: How to make a super easy podcast editing template in REAPER

If, for instance, you always use Serum in your productions, why not create a default template with five or six instances already loaded, as well as tracks for drums and sidechain routing already dialled in?

Another thing to get on top of is custom macros. Different DAWs do it differently. In Ableton , for example, you can group effects into a rack which has eight assignable controls. In Reaper, you can save your FX into chains.

Remember most of your mixing will start with the same steps. Perhaps you have a high-pass filter above 20Hz then an EQ, then a compressor. You can (in most DAWs) set this up so it loads by default on every new track.

You could also see if your DAW lets you save custom tracks for different instruments. That way you could load up a vocal track with all the effects you need already in it.

Going further, if you use the same singer or instrument regularly, you could even save the same mixing setting within the rack so you don’t even have to mix it from scratch each time.

This can work great with albums, where you want the drums or the singer to sound the same each time.

5. Share your projects and learn from others

Another great trick is one that can be quite tricky. If you can find some friends who use the same DAW as you and share your tracks for them to play with. Not only does this generate endless remix potential, but you also get to see how other people use their DAW.

This is a really enlightening process as you see them achieve the same goals in different ways. It can also highlight some cool tricks which you never knew and gives you plenty of things to chat about.

Collaborating on tracks is another way to achieve this, one idea might be to each start a song and get halfway through then swap projects.

If you don’t have access to projects, there are plenty of templates online which you can use to practice mixing and tweaking, all the while, learning from someone else’s workflow.

The post How to become a power user of your favourite DAW appeared first on Audio Ordeal.

Today we are looking at what it is like to produce music on a PC running a Linux operating system.

Linux is fantastic for many things, and while some people swear by it, it still has a lot of catching up to do before it can compete with mainstream OSes like Windows and MacOS.

For those that don’t know, Linux is a family of open source operating systems based on the Linux kernel, which was first released in 1991, by Linus Torvalds.

READ MORE: Can You Produce Music on a Raspberry Pi?

All computers for day-to-day use run on an operating system, which includes the desktop environment and file systems. Most people will be on PC and MacOS, but thousands of views on this site have come from Linux users, showing that it is very much in use for many people.

Linux has been seen by many mainstream computer users as a bit of an underdog.

While it is free, it is presumed to be less user-friendly than Windows and MacOS (both are paid for either when you buy the computer or build it).

One of the biggest “scary” parts about Linux is the need to use the command line to do certain things, however modern Linux OSes are slowly moving towards fully-graphical interfaces.

To be clear, Linux isn’t a single OS. There are many which you may have heard of, such as Ubuntu, Raspbian, and Debian, and others which you might not have, such as the MacOS-like Elementary.

The Lowdown
Linux is definitely a viable option, particularly for the future, however the lack of VST support and additional work needed to get it running smoothly will leave most producers pining for a better solution.

If you do want to tinker with Linux audio, I recommend grabbing a Raspberry Pi and checking out this article.

Using Linux for music production pros:

Linux is lightweight

One of the biggest pros of using a Linux OS to make music is that it is lightweight.

Music production software can get heavy, particularly with lots of samples and audio being processed simultaneously. This uses lots of CPU power and fills up RAM.

Linux has advantages over Windows and MacOS because it is generally more lightweight. To run the basic operating system, you generally need less computing power, and the base operations take up less RAM.

If we look at when Windows 10 was launched, lots of older computers ground to a halt, because Windows 10 needed at least 2GB of RAM to run. For a cheap computer, this meant even turning it on could use the full amount of system RAM, or at least half.

Once working, a DAW in Linux will (hopefully) run much smoother than it would on the same computer running Windows, this includes better latency and potentially more tracks.

Linux is free

Another big advantage is that Linux OSes and apps are almost always free. It is a heaven for open-source software and so for people on a budget, it may be a good solution. It is worth noting that, as you’ll see in the cons section, the additional time needed to get things working may be worth more than the cost of Windows.

Future of Linux

A lot of the downsides of Linux are being fixed, even as we speak. With thousands of people all contributing to the code behind it, Linux is becoming more and more usable for the average person.

One key area that Linux always struggled with was gaming, yet the past few years have been great for Linux gamers as more and more support has come.

Now, players can even see triple-A video game titles available on Linux in game stores such as Steam.

Music production is not as well supported yet, but as the ecosystem continues to develop, Linux may see even greater improvements.

Using Linux for music production cons:

Linux is still hard for anyone who isn’t tech-savvy

There will be plenty of Linux die-hards that may dislike this, but at the end of the day, Linux is much less plug-and-play than Windows or MacOS.

Driver compatibility is something most producers rarely need to worry about as Windows and MacOS deal with a lot of it under the hood.

In Linux, there isn’t the same user-flow to get something up and running from scratch.

Take me for example, in high school I actually had Ubuntu Linux as my main OS on my school laptop, so I am fairly used to using it day-to-day. Yet even now, I still have to Google solutions to problems much more than I do with Windows.

Finding solutions for Linux on forums is also a bit of a nightmare for tech noobs as everyone contributing to them generally has an expectation that people have done their research first. As much as people say it has a thriving community, it can also be quite snobby and hard to break into.

Linux is the WORST for plugin support

If you’ve ever had the problem with plugins running on a Mac, or realise you can’t run a 64-bit VST on a 32-bit OS, then you are going to hate what Linux has in store for you.

In fact, if you move to Linux, you can say goodbye to all your VSTs, since they often won’t work.

There are exceptions to this, for example running REAPER in WINE (recursive backronym for Wine Is Not an Emulator) – which allows you to run Windows software outside Windows – does allow you to use 64-bit VSTs. However, these tricks are much harder than just having them work from scratch in Windows.

There are a bunch of Linux plugins available, but many don’t work in the same way as VSTs, some may work as separate programs, where you have to pipe the audio back into the DAW after processing.

DAW options are limited in Linux

While Linux does offer a bunch of options for music production DAWs, examples include REAPER and BitWig, you aren’t going to get the industry heavyweights such as Logic, Pro Tools, or Ableton Live.

That said, here’s a list of music production apps Linux does offer.

Sound cards may be “no-sound” cards

Most producers will use an audio interface or a sound card of some kind to get their music to their speakers. In this regard, be very careful of what you buy if you plan to use Linux.

There is a good chance, you will struggle to get one working, and that is if it will be supported at all.

Audio issues in Linux aren’t a case of running Windows troubleshooter

While in Windows, you can solve most problems with the built-in troubleshooters, fixing issues in Linux is a bit more of a pain. Expect to dive deeper into the OS than you feel comfortable, and spend much longer looking for a fix.

There is a high chance when things go wrong you’ll need to dive into the Terminal and type a bit of “code” and navigating the filesystems in Linux can be daunting for newbies (and more seasoned users).

To sum up

I really can’t recommend the hassle of using Linux as a music production OS, unless you are already a Linux fan wanting a hobby. It has so many ongoing issues and hurdles, that you are much better just paying the one off fee of convenience for a Windows licence.

As one redditor put it:

If you’re that hard up for money, your time would be better spent training rabid squirrels to gather aluminum shoehorns. Even if there were plenty of great software (there isn’t,) the whole trainwreck that is Linux audio is crippled by the never-functioning JACK (short for Jack Audio Connection Kit.) It never fucking works. It will crash all day every day, for any reason, or for no reason. Instead of wrestling with already-difficult problems like “should I use side-chain compression?” you’ll be asking yourself “what does ERROR%^{&%&^(_&^(%$$&%#%#} mean?”

/u/Singaya

The post Pros and Cons of using Linux for music production appeared first on Audio Ordeal.

THERE is a grey area when it comes to software piracy. Sure, a crack of the Waves Gold bundle is hard to dispute – it’s an expensive product and getting it for free is pirating. But what about software such as Reaper?

For those that don’t know, Reaper is a great DAW. It is very cheap (and many people claim it is free). It is somewhat unique because it has an “unlimited” trial license.

When I say this, I don’t mean that Cockos, the developers, say you can use it indefinitely for free, I mean, there is nothing stopping you from doing so.

Cockos don’t add in hardcore anti-piracy features and there is very little to stop someone “pirating” a copy.

You just download it from the website and once the trial period is over, you are simply expected to pay up. If you don’t, the only real consequence is the 5-second nag when you open up the software.

This has led to a large debate among users as to whether the DAW can be called free.

I have seen many people say it is and get shot down in Reaper Facebook groups and discussions.

There are two types of licence for Reaper. The first is for businesses and is more expensive. The second – which most people will fall under – is a personal licence.

The website says:

You may use the discounted license if:

• You are an individual, and REAPER is only for your personal use, or
• You are an individual or business using REAPER commercially, and yearly gross revenue does not exceed USD $20,000, or
• You are an educational or non-profit organization.

People with multiple computers have a lot of flexibility too, as the website says: “If you own multiple computers, you may install the same license key on all of them, as long as you only use REAPER on one computer at a time.”

The straightforward answer is, of course, that you must buy Reaper after the 60 days are up, even though they don’t enforce it.

The reason being that it is the terms of using the software and also to support the developers in the creation of a phenomenal DAW.

The barrier of needing a good income to support the cost of the software … when you need the software to generate income, is something which is a big driver of piracy

It does get a bit murky for some though, especially comparing using a copy of Reaper past its evaluation licence for free and using a cracked software alternative.

For me personally, learning music production and editing was a key part of my childhood hobbies and I didn’t have the spare cash to really spend on software.

For around three years, I used Reaper on its evaluation license without paying until I had left my parent’s home and got a job.

And this is where my personal opinion will be voiced. Pirating software, or using it beyond its evaluation period, is OK provided you go on to buy it.

I am a big advocate of long trial periods for software, particularly in the creative world where people can use it to get into hobbies and then careers.

If you are at school or working, you might not have the endless hours to rigorously evaluate a software before the trial is up. This is why I applaud Reaper’s long 60-day trial period.

But for other software, particularly those that cost hundreds of pounds, the investment is pretty big, and not one to take lightly.

Another instance where I downloaded a cracked software was Native Instruments Massive, which I wanted to play about with in a non-professional hobby capacity. I used it for a few months before I decided to spend hundreds of pounds on the Native Instruments Komplete bundle.

I have been using that suite of plugins for years now and they are worth every penny, but I wouldn’t have made the leap had I not been able to give a spare hour once or twice a week to messing about with Massive.

Much of the music industry is built from people who, as teenagers, used cracked software. The fact is, no amount of anti-piracy measures will rid the industry of it and I stand firmly behind Reaper’s blind-eye approach.

With Reaper not enforcing it, it means that the DAW gets a lot more people trying it out, then inevitably, loving it so much that they spend the small cost it is to use it officially.

So what do I ask of all of you? It’s simple. If you are making any professional money from your use of software, buy it. Your reputation is on the line and many producers at the top have been called out and shamed because they have used cracked versions of software.

If you have been using pirated software (or running the Reaper evaluation for years) then it is probably time to pay up. A film will cost you a few pounds and you get maybe two hours of fun from that. I guarantee you, the price of Reaper, on a cost per hour basis of your enjoyment, is better value than that of films.

Without money, the developers of software cannot fix bugs and roll out updates. If you ever want to complain about issues, you lose the right to if you haven’t paid the fee.

There are alternatives to paying the full price too. Serum, one of my favourite synths, is available on a pay monthly schedule where you have access to it as long as you pay that month’s price. Over the course of many months, you contribute to the full price and once it is paid off, you have it for good.

I like this method and it is by far the best for people like students and people in school. I really hope more software makers use this method in the future because it would allow the monolithic prices of some software options to become available to those who can’t front the cost.

The barrier of needing a good income to support the cost of the software … when you need the software to generate income, is something which is a big driver of piracy. Without accessible options, people who can’t afford it will either look elsewhere or look for a crack.

It is always worth contributing to the industry that you hope will support you into making a profitable career as a musician. If you spread the attitude that products have value, you help maintain that value for the music you go on to produce.

The post Is it OK to use Reaper DAW without ever paying? appeared first on Audio Ordeal.

Ableton Live released an update today including new features such as user wavetables, a channel EQ and sidechain track freezing. 

The 10.1 update is free to download for Live users and was announced via email.

Alongside much needed improvements to their Wavetable synth, to bring it on par with the likes of Xfer Serum, the Ableton team have touched on several significant improvements.

For many users, the absence of VST3 support has been a major frustration. 

This has been fixed in this latest update, bringing Ableton back up to the level of most other major DAWs.

The update is available on Ableton’s website and is quite a large download.

As you can see, you are redownloading the whole package as Ableton doesn’t update from within. 

So don’t expect to be using the new update immediately if you are using a slow internet connection.

Highlights

• Import wavetables
• Channel EQ
• Simple Delay and Ping-pong have merged into Delay
• New Automation shapes and features
• Resizeable arrangement overview
• Pinch zooms
• Better keyboard shortcuts
• Sidechain track freezing
• Exporting tracks with send routing
• VST3 (finally)

The post User wavetables and VST3 added to Ableton 10.1 appeared first on Audio Ordeal.