(OK, maybe not the last point)
The Mac OS 10.5 install DVD was already inside my Macbook, the button was about to be pressed – I wasn’t going to put up with the most infuriating block to my music production workflow any longer. I had already decided upgrading to Snow Leopard was a horrible idea, if only for this one issue that would have my copy of Ableton Live 7 crashing.
Quite a few people on the Ableton Live forums had already put in their two cents about how the ‘complex’ sample warping mode would crash their Live session — unless they disabled their audio output altogether and re-enabled it once they altered their warping mode. Here’s the forum post on the Ableton Live forums.
Nico from the Ableton Live support team responded in SEPTEMBER :
I can confirm that Complex mode in older Live versions is incompatible with Snow Leopard. The Complex mode is based on zPlane’s “Elastique Efficient” algorithm (http://www.zplane.de). zPlane has already released a fix for it. There will most likely be a final update for Live 7 which includes this fix.
Live 8 is not affected, because it uses v2.1 of Elastique Efficient which works fine in SL.
Best,
Nico
Finally, yesterday, I had casually wandered into the backstage download area for Live and lo-and-behold 7.0.18 was available for download.
So no roll-back. No switching to other sequencing software. No crash-induced furniture flinging.
Now I’m back to writing music. Phew.
A few points to the Ableton Live team:
1. Not everyone can afford to or see a reason to upgrade to version 8.
Don’t leave them in the dark. It was beginning to appear that Ableton Live was forcing users to fork out for an upgrade to 8 by intentionally keeping vague about a SL fix for Ableton Live 7. You guys wouldn’t want to be accused of unethical business practices as a software company, look at Microsoft.
2. A development roadmap will keep your customer’s expectations in check.
We wouldn’t have to constantly harass guys like Nico with questions about WHEN bug-fixes are about to happen. Transparency keeps everyone happy and your customer support lines clear for more important issues.
3. Tell EVERYONE. FAST.
I found it hard to believe that Ableton Live didn’t send a a release to Peter Kirn over at Create Digital Music. He’s been such a great supporter of the Live software and he carries allot of credibility among digital musicians. Here’s his coverage of the Live 7.0.18 fixes.
4. Time is money.
I know for a fact that allot of semi-professional commercial music producers and audio engineers depends on Live to support themselves. As a graphic designer, Snow Leopard really improved my rate of production, and forcing users to hold back on such an important OS update reeks of slack.
But really, thank you for not closing the door on Version 7. It costs us ALLOT of money this side of Asia to be able to fork out to buy original software in the first place. Great to know that Ableton Live keep to their word.
]]>A Scolex project.
Production Notes:
The aural guide to urban origami. The perfect way to have a car and live in a city is to have foldable transportation.
“折り紙は楽しい”
Dual bassline layers. Primary layer celebrates an acid house pattern, while the secondary layer keeps pace with a sub/saw tone with a touch of high-velocity reverb — creating space.
As it breaks, the bassline shifts chords into a syncopated EBM-style but retaining the secondary layer. This creates a sense of tempo while retaining space.
132BPM. Very out of my typical BPM range. But allowed me to fill in the blanks with a series of re-modulated sounds. Fractals.
Casio SK1 sample. Looped with a tape-looper.
Breaks from Keith Hillebrandt‘s Useful Noise Vol. 2. The only sample release I’m proud to own.
Sequenced on Ableton Live 7.0.11 on my MacBook (2.2GHz/4GB).
Vember Audio Surge
Click to listen:
Don’t forget to leave some comments!
]]>Production Notes:
For the Scolex project.
I was walking around Pudu. For the most part, it was raining.
Moist Agoraphobes Chanting
Polyrhythm dub delay. And organic acid-style conversation.
Reverberated bassline. Modulated waveform sync / freqs. Denotes slippery pavement with a literal physical movement.
Percussion adds pace. Staggered particle sizes to give illusion of speed.
135BPM.
Sequenced on Ableton Live 7.0.11 on my MacBook (2.2GHz/4GB).
Click to listen:
Don’t forget to leave some comments!
]]>Production Notes:
A Seitch is community of Fremen, from Frank Herbert’s Dune
“Sand keeps the skin clean, and the mind.”
.
Dry sand-type atmospheric patches blended with low fidelity stabs and bulges. Bounced Surge patches controlled via PS2-USB-MIDI controller.
Bass-line depicts the movement of the Fremen people across the deserts of Dune. Rhythmic parts intended to capture an post-civilization ethnicity with organic overtones.
Completed overarching ambient themes first.
Custom bass patch from TalBassline.
Sequenced on Ableton Live 7.0.11 on my MacBook (2.2GHz/4GB).
Click to listen:
Don’t forget to leave some comments!
]]>Packed with home-brew software, a funky interface, and WIFI — the Nintendo DS has already staked itself deeply into the future of portable music-making.
Here’s a roundup of some of my favorite videos featuring the DS:
1.) Theremin, NDS, Keyboards, and one of the best songs off Daft Punk’s Discovery album. There’s something about THIS.
2.) The Korg DS-10 Synth on 4 NDSs synchronized with game cables. *DROOL!*
3.) Scratching on Protein on an NDS
4.) DStep V2 Step Sequencer on an NDS powering a Nord Micro Modular.
5.) DSMIdiWIFI. NDS + WIFI + Audio Sequencer = JAWESOME!
6.) Glitch-jammer rejoice! GlitchDS cellular sequencer producer some freaky 8-bit sounds.
Now I know what I want for Christmas!
For a comprehensive list of Nintendo DS Music applications, head down to Remain Calm’s very definitive list.
]]>I spent 5 minutes on hobnox.com‘s interesting Audiotool. If you’ve been having fun with Propellerheads Reason (which is a killer KILLER production software) you’re going to have allot of fun with this.
Here are some highlights:
- Beautifully Flash driven interface.
- A huge scalable workspace.
- Tonnes of beautifully rendered stompboxes.
- TR-808, TR-909, and TB-303 models.
- Each instrument and effects loads upon dragging onto the work surface (nice and efficient)
- AND you can record tracks.
For a web-app. This is damn cool, you can’t complain. However:
- Why not a more decent mixer … with faders?
- Can we have less Roland-fanservice. Throw in an Oberheim, or a Korg.
- Not a really super-accurate emulation (especially the filters).