I just bought the "Juno 106 Ableton Pack” from AfroDJMac and wanted to turn you on to it.
It contains 22 unique Ableton Instrument racks, each one created with a unique preset from the Juno 106. I’ve added controls for 8 macros to each instrument, which allows them to be manipulated and twisted into new and ever changing sounds.
I’ve been a fan of the track “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye since I first heard the track on the radio. I was surfing around tonight and noticed and article on the Novation website which mentions the band’s use of Ableton Live and Launchpad. The article mentioned the viral video which I somehow missed – lol. It’s pretty cool so I’ve embedded it below. I then found a live performance video which shows them performing the same song live. For me it’s nice to see Ableton and Launchpad’s in the wild with charting bands. Also, bringing a bunch of Launcpads along is certainly carry-on ready for touring.
Puremagnetik just released a new sound library of high quality multisampled wooden marimba instruments called MalletPak One. This Micropak was created in collaboration with Richard Lainhart. In addition to being an award-winning composer, author, and filmmaker – Richard also spent a number of years as a jazz vibraphonist. Puremagnetik conducted a great interview on the trajectory of Richard’s musical journey which I linked to at the bottom of this post.
I met Richard for the first time earlier this month at Electro-Music 2011 and I also caught his wonderful live performance. When I read that he was involved with this Micropak I reached out to him for some additional information on this library. Richard was kind enough to send me some high-rez photos from the recording session (click the photos to enlarge).
According to Puremagnetik, the vibraphones were “recorded in a reflective room with a pair of Shure KSM32s in an ORTF configuration to capture the wide stereo field of the instrument..”
The Micropack contains a collection of 13 multisampled instruments in Ableton Live Pack, Kontakt, Renoise and Apple Logic formats. There are over 900 high quality samples under the hood and the samples include “multiple mallet types, hit variations and sophisticated velocity.” I’ve embedded the audio samples from Puremagetik’s Soundcloud set below.
I bought the Ableton Live format of the library and I’m really enjoying it. The source samples from Richard are fantastic and the collaboration with Purmagnetik has resulted in an excellent use of Ableton Live racks that I’ve come to expect from Puremagnetik. The macro knobs offer excellent performance articulations of the marimba. Some patches are programmed to take the sound into the synthetic realm with excellent use of AM and FM synthesis and Ableton effects.
Puremagnetik System B Micropaks
This is not the first time Richard has collaborated with Puremagnetik. They have also released two Micropak’s based on Richard’s work with the Buchla 200e modular analog synthesizer. The instruments in these libraries are based on a dense and complex master performance patch that was years in the making by Richard. Here is an excerpt from the interview Puremagnetik conducted with Richard that offers more detail:
The reason I got the Buchla in the first place was to have a flexible modular system that I could perform with, which the Buchla is ideal for because of its patch memory. So, since I've gotten it, I've been developing and adding to one master performance patch, which lets me change its configuration quickly in performance but still allows for the maximum degree of sonic variety. That's the patch you're referring to, and which by now, after a couple of years of work, has gotten pretty dense and complex. The Continuum interfaces with that patch via the Continuum Voltage Convertor, or CVC. The Continuum senses finger position on its surface in three dimensions - horizontal, vertical, and depth or pressure - and the CVC converts the data stream from the Continuum into a set of 12 separate control voltages of three dimensions of control for up to four separate voices. Most of the patches are set up so that the X dimension controls pitch, Y controls filtering, and Z controls amplitude, but there are some patches where the Y dimension controls oscillator waveshaping or timbre modulation,for example, or the Z dimension control modulation index. It all depends on the patch and what I want to be able to control in that particular sound, and the system has a lot of flexibility that way.
To put this in more concrete terms, checkout this fantastic video of Oraison, composed by Olivier Messiaen in 1937 for six Ondes Martenot, transcribed for Buchla 200e synthesizer and Haken Continuum Fingerboard controller and performed by Richard in 2009.
B-System Basses and Leads Features: A richly programmed library of Buchla leads & basses from the synth arsenal of Richard Lainhart.
• Over 1000 24-bit Buchla 200e samples
• 20 expertly programmed multisampled instruments
• 30 Ableton Live Clips with integrated Macros and effects
• 30 Apple SIAL loops
• Custom Kontakt KSP GUI and native Kontakt effects
B-System Percussives Features: A unique sonic adventure through 10 electronic drum kits and 40 rhythmic loops recorded from an original Buchla 200e modular synthesizer.
• Over 650 24-bit electronic percussion samples • 10 expertly programmed kit menus • 40 Ableton Live Clips with integrated Macros and effects • 40 Apple SIAL loops • Custom Kontakt KSP GUI and native Kontakt effects
Again, both of these Micropaks are simply excellent and highly recommended. I especially like the “Morphopox” instrument in Basses and Leads and the “Voltog” kit in Percussives.
Get the Micropaks Note that MalletPak One is the current Micropak so you need to be a subscriber to get this today. Subscribers pay $5.75 a month or $60 per year. B-System Micropaks are available to those with an “All Access Pass” or for a $12 fee for everyone else.
More on Richard’s Work Watch for a future “Music Monday” post featuring some of Richard’s Releases. Till then use the social links below to explore his work. I think we’ll also see some future collaborations between Richard and Puremagnetik in the future so watch for those Micrpaks as well.
Since May I’ve been working with the Novation UltraNova. The synth engine and touch encoders make this a fantastic performance synth. I especially love the VST/AU Editor which I’ve been using not only to tweak and create patches but also as a controllerism bridge between Ableton Live and the UltraNova hardware.
Checkout this video I just published on YouTube “Automating Novation UltraNovaSynth Parameters with Ableton Live Dummy Clips” (Watch embedded video in HD). Note the techniques shown in this video could be applied to other hardware synthesizers with plugin interfaces.
The video illustrates how you can use Ableton Live automation envelopes to modulate parameters on the Novation UltraNova. In the video I connect the UltraNova via USB and then configure Live's MIDI ports to see it as a controller. I then insert the UltraNova plugin editor (VST in my case as I'm on Windows) into a MIDI track. I press the "Configure" button on the device which allows me to add UltraNova parameters to the device simply by turning a knob in the editor interface.
Once this is completed you can create a dummy MIDI clip in an empty clip slot and draw modulation envelops for the parameters mapped.
The video really shows off how quickly the UltraNova video editor display updates the interface when being modulated. This and other UltraNova tips area available on http://www.modulatethis.com/synth-ultranova.
If you want a more detailed explanation of configuring the UltraNova for use in Live, checkout this post from May which I just updated with more info on recording and transmitting automation – “How to Configure Ableton Live to Work with Novation UltraNova”.
We're pleased to announce the release of Live 8.2.5, the latest Ableton Live 8 version. Live 8.2.5 is available as a free downloadable update to all owners of Live Lite 8, Live Intro, Live 8, and Suite 8.
Live 8.2.5 now officially supports Mac OS X 10.7 Lion - please make sure to check that all of your third-party plug-ins and audio/MIDI hardware are Lion-compatible before upgrading your OS.
Live 8.2.5 introduces significant improvements to MIDI sync, in addition to other feature changes and bugfixes.
Live 8.2.5 introduces compatibility with Mac OS X 10.7 Lion
Known issue: As of 10.7, Java is no longer installed by default on Mac OS X. In addition, there is a bug that can cause applications that require Java to crash. This affects Max for Live; when a user tries to open a M4L device that requires Java, first Max, and then Live, will crash. We have worked on a fix for this on our side, which is available in this latest build, but the fix is not yet available in Max. Cycling '74 will release a Max update shortly with the fix. For now, users with Max for Live should install Java separately if it is required by their devices, to avoid the crash.
Improvements and feature changes
MIDI sync has been improved when Live is a MIDI clock slave
Imported tracks (from the Live Browser) now route to Master if their original output routing can't be resolved, instead of "Sends Only."
The default for the Takeover mode in the MIDI Preferences is now Value Scaling instead of Pick-up.
We now prevent choosing the root of the system hard drive (or the Windows system folders on Windows machines) as the third-party plugin location. Doing that would crash Live on startup, because these folders contain files that are interpreted as third-party plugins.
Bugfixes
Live would freeze and crash on OS X Lion when sending MIDI data to any MIDI port.
Under certain conditions, quantizing transient markers could lead to overlapping warp markers, which would cause various problems when editing the warp marker or its segment BPM value.
Under certain conditions, the "Transient"-based Beats warp mode would play double attacks. With this bug fixed, it is possible that some clips sound different.
Excluding a plug-in from the scan process didn't work if Live crashed because of the first scanned plug-in, after enabling the VST plug-in source via Live's Preferences (Mac only).
Rendering a Live Set containing an EQ3 at sample rates below 44.1 KHz would result in an audio file containing pure silence.
Fixed a crash when loading a Live 7 Set with invalid clip color information in Live 8.
Detail view appeared empty after Hot-Swapping an unfolded Rack, because devices were scrolled out of view.
Infinitely long clips would be created if rewinding the global transport while making a new recording.
Track names could be incorrectly displayed when unfolding a Live set in the Live Browser. This only happened for "automatic names" that tracks get from the Instrument they contain. For Live Sets saved in earlier versions, names of tracks containing Racks, Max for Live devices or third-party plugins may still look wrong. Re-saving the Sets will fix the problem.
Some Operator presets could sound different when loading them, and then creating or moving a track.
The Frontier Design Tranzport was not getting updated when switching tracks.
The green zoom button was sometimes disabled when using Live with Mac OS X.
Resuming a clip in Session view while the track is armed but OVR is OFF could result in the clip not playing its notes.
Toggling OVR ON and OFF doesn't create an UNDO step anymore
Certain Library content wasn't usable for Live Intro users since version 8.2.
Enabling a clip loop via the loop switch or the Set Loop Length button would sometimes stop the clip.
Fixed a crash which could occur when hot-swapping a certain Drum Rack pad.
Eleven additional crashes were also fixed.
Mark Mosher Electronic Music Artist, Boulder, CO Synthesist | Composer | Keyboardist | Performer
New York based electronic musician AfroDJMac has been crushing it with his weekly releases of free Ableton Racks and companion videos. At the time of this post he’s up to week #21. Whether you are looking for fresh sounds or need some inspiration for creating your own racks I encourage you to swing by his site or subscribe to his feed. There is a lot of creativity and variety in these racks!
Nick’s Tutorials has released Operator Ambience Vol. 1. This is more than just a sound set and in addition to 20 Operator Patches the library also contains, 20 Live Clips, and 21 Videos.
I consider Ableton Operator (along with Ableton Sampler) to be required instruments for your rig. Operator is not only an expressive FM synth with a great user interface, it also can be used as a utility of sorts. For example, you can use it to create discrete frequencies to say surgically give a kick drum more oomph. If you are new to Operator, your going to want to check out Nick’s previous tutorial Sound Design in Ableton Live: Operator.
Back to Operator Ambience Vol. 1 - according to the web site:
“Unlike larger, bloated libraries that attempt to cover every need possible, this affordable set is all about providing a tightly focused, thematically consistent set of ambient and atmospheric sounds.”
I really love this idea of a smaller deep thematic set of sounds and went the same route with my “Sounds From a Distant Outpost” library. As always Nick’s videos are informative and inspiring and even if you know Operator fairly well, odds are you’ll pick up on some new tricks.
The Digital download Contains:
20 Operator patches that are completely open to reverse-engineering, tweaking, and learning
20 modifiable Live Clips corresponding with the patches which provide musical phrases and inspiration
1 substantive introductory video packed with Ableton Live tips as well as detailing common elements between all the patches
20 short videos detailing unique or noteworthy aspects of each patch, giving insight into their construction and suggestions for using them
The same open inbox policy for support that I provide with all of my products (limited by my schedule, of course!)
Sample Audio
Here are some samples of the sounds, but remember, these are all under Macro control so you can take these same sounds and get different results using the knowledge you’ll pick up in these videos.
Of course the idea here is you’ll take these core concepts to improve existing patches or create your own unique patches. Nick's tips on using velocity as a modulator throughout Operator alone are with the price of admission. This is an incredible value at $9.99 when you consider how much work Nick put into this package and I'm really glad I bought it. Highly recommended.
As Ableton Live matures, more and more training resources have become available. Many of these resources are online and some are free. I’ve put together a mindmap index of some of these resourse that will help you take your Live chops to the next level. If you have a fav and it’s not on the map, drop me a comment and I’ll add it to the map.
Ableton Colorado User Group in conjunction with DJNSM/Datamafia launches a Free Collective Patch Library on GitHub. The premise behind this site library is to create “an area where we can share, store, and expand our library using the basic building blocks of Ableton.“
The rules are simple: Original stuff please Nothing that requires wave files…[don't use FX that are exclusive to Suite]. Any patch config from the Ableton platfrom (Operator, Analog, Tension, M4L, etc) is welcome! Macro your patch and label the main 8 (or less) macro knobs. If you can't do it in 8 macros, turn it into multiple patches. When naming your knobs use logical names. One knob called "Tweak" is okay, but everything else should make sense (e.g. Filter Freq, wet/dry, distortion, etc) Yes! Max4Live patches are welcome!
Currently Marc the moderator adds patches to the library which users can download as one .zip file. This works well so far as there are no .wav files and these are patches within racks.
