Live 2.0 Released, Bundled with Sonomic Online Library Card

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Ableton has released LIVE version 2, a major upgrade of their award-winning sequencing instrument for Mac OS9, Mac OSX, and Windows. Inside the box, users will also find a free Sonomic Library Card.

Introduced in 2001 as an audio sequencer to be played like an instrument in live performance, LIVE was quickly embraced by studio musicians and post production professionals because of the swiftness and ease with which they could sketch out musical ideas. LIVE 2 offers enhancements to the performance and jamming features of the original software and also adds multitrack recording and editing with "Elastic Audio".

The bundled Sonomic Library Card will enable LIVE users to search, audition and download 10 samples or 5 sound effects from the Sonomic Online Library. Currently over 200,000 sounds large, the Sonomic Online Library features the complete and most-up-to-date collections from Zero G, Sound Ideas, Sampleheads, Q Up Arts, BBC, Universal SoundBank and many more. Once downloaded in standard .wav or .aiff formats, Sonomic sounds can be instantly stretched, warped and mangled in LIVE 2, the award winning sequencing instrument for Mac OS9, Mac OSX and Windows. The Library Card offers LIVE users virtually an unlimited sound palette to draw upon and furthers the sonic possibilities already inherent in LIVE 2. LIVE 2 is currently shipping with the Online Library Card enclosed in the box.

Elastic Audio refers to LIVE 2's ability to treat audio as being totally malleable with independent control over tempo and pitch. This feature allows tempo to be set at anytime during recording, performance or playback. In addition, users can drop in recordings, loops and complete songs that will play in sync, direct from disk. LIVE 2 makes it possible to synchronize loops and recordings of any length at any time. Also, time stretching is no longer limited to loops but can now be applied to any audio material; time stretching algorithms have been optimized to produce the best fidelity for rhythmic or melodic material.

Tap Tempo allows the user to tap tempo during recording and playback. Tempo changes are recordable and editable as a continuous curve. This increases flexibility and creative efficiency for looping, synchronizing, improvising and recording-the process has never been faster, easier or more fun. Multitrack recording and editing in LIVE 2 turns the Arranger view into a full blown multitrack recording and editing suite offering extensive real-time effects, dynamic parameter automation and unlimited undo. Recording can be initiated directly from the Arranger window.

Other new features of LIVE 2 include:

• Advanced automation handling
• DJ-like cross-fading
• Relative Session Mapping: assignable scene up/down and track launch buttons
• Tempo and Transport controls can be mapped to MIDI /Keys
• Presets to save and recall effect settings
• New effects: Gate; Redux

Pricing and Availability

LIVE 2 is now available online from www.ableton.com and from Ableton dealers worldwide for a MSRP of $399 USD (399 Euro), including the Sonomic Library Card. Upgrades from LIVE 1.5 are available online. The boxed version is $89 USD (89 Euro); the unboxed version is $69 USD (69 Euro).

For more information, visit their web site at www.ableton.com.