Ableton Live 9 Power!

Live 9 was previewed in October by Ableton, but right before their March 2013 release, they added a TON of unexpected and unpromoted new features, updates and upgrades. This book captures nearly all of them (with the exception of a few minor betas still being worked at this writing (waveform integration, for example), and detailed info on PUSH, which will eventually require a complete book on its own).PUSH is Ableton's new AKAI pro apc20/40 competitor (MIDI controller)-- PUSH was also just launched with this version, but I'm guessing most DJ's will stick with AKAI or their own MIDI controller -launcher until more feedback is in on PUSH. The demos I've seen of PUSH are pretty impressive for their niche, but since AKAI ranges between $200 for the 20 ( Akai APC20 Compact Ableton Controller ) and around 300 for the 40 here on Amazon ( Akai Pro APC40 Ableton Controller ), and the push is $600 ( Ableton Push Controller for Live 9 with 11 Touch-Sensitive Encoders ), many DJs will opt to keep their current MIDI package-- hundreds are now compatible with Ableton, until the learning curve on PUSH settles down.Read the Amazon reviews on PUSH on the above link-- they are mixed, showing some cool "instrument like" features missing from Akai, and other "oops, sample doesn't show up in the Live screen interface??". This book is independent of MIDI choice (but has numerous examples) and the advice works on all, but "workarounds" vary as I'm sure you know, and MANY are given in this fine guide, which is as much a reference as training manual.This book is a MUST HAVE regardless of your Ableton level. Here's why: If you're a seasoned pro, the new features are worth the price alone. Add to that the author's many tips and tricks, especially on loops and sampling (which this was originally intended to do) in composing/producing as well as DJ contexts, and this is a winning package. With full professional tracks, Live is not cheap-- upwards of $800 on most sites, and 749 here on Amazon at this writing ( Ableton Live 9 Suite Ableton Live 9 Suite Multi-Track Audio Recording with Sound Library ).More importantly, if you're relatively new to Live, or even just considering it, you MUST know what it will and won't do before investing (including a new launcher/controller if you need one) upwards of $1,000 plus on all the elements detailed above and add ons below. For example, you've got to clearly know the difference between MIDI signals used in sampling and looping vs. true synthesizers. The "real time" advantages of this software are unprecedented, especially in drums, beats and now sample integration (mathematically it is a digital signal processor, which is my field).BUT this thorough new book painstakingly takes you through what it is and isn't intended to do, and how you need to integrate other tools for a complete package, INCLUDING add-ons/ plug-ins, free and expensive. The Max community is a REAL plus with this version as far as free add ons. THIS BOOK could save you many hundreds or even thousands in integrating your studio-- read it BEFORE investing in new Live 9 features and add ons, or even before deciding on Ableton! There are over a dozen add ons by Ableton alone (yes, including an analog synth!), and you can go crazy to the extent of 5 grand plus building a complete studio around this worthwhile platform, IF you know its limits and strengths vs. your objectives.The author also is a complete, well rounded musician/performer and composer - producer, as well as DJ, which is a real plus for readers, because many of us come from different feature set needs. 9 adds numerous capabilities that you may or may not need including the ubiquitous "social media" (music media?) community stuff like Max (sharing your own custom Live 9 apps and instruments), new automation track shapes and curves, a new compressor, etc. Many of the connections from 8 were also subtly enhanced, and this author's practical tips cover 8 extensively as a base (many tips are backward compatible) including clips, envelopes, filter, pan, shifters, gates, and MANY new sampler techniques (which is the heart of this system in addition to loops).I'm a sound engineer who evaluates new compositions and circuits for patenting or copyrighting at payroy dot com, for reference of my point of view. I'm finding many more artists who are NOT DJ's opting to use this system due to the wealth of new plug ins. Composers love the fact that you can "instantly" hear sample integration and calculation without laborious pre mixing to try out more ideas. The DJ aspect of this system is being used more and more by composers-- an unexpected benefit of the real time DSP-- to create new compositions. This book is highly recommended even if you've never used Live, and are thinking of adding it to your studio to augment your other MIDI and synth tools. Probably needless to say due to its historical roots back to 01, if you're beat conscious (as in dance, African, drum, etc.) this is a must system to consider despite the pricy entry ticket.Library Picks reviews only for the benefit of Amazon shoppers and has nothing to do with Amazon, the authors, manufacturers or publishers of the items we review. We always buy the items we review for the sake of objectivity, and although we search for gems, are not shy about trashing an item if it's a waste of time or money for Amazon shoppers. If the reviewer identifies herself, her job or her field, it is only as a point of reference to help you gauge the background and any biases.

Jon Margulies has been writing about technology, and especially Ableton Live for awhile, and has put his experience to great use. The book explains most everything anyone but the most advanced tweakhead (perhaps a person like Mr. Margulies himself) would want to know about using the program. But the book's two biggest virtues are, first, that it's written by someone who genuinely wants to help you learn, rather than by someone who wants to show you how me he knows--the learning is always downplayed and made to appear as unintimidating as possible (which another reviewer has touched on as well). Secondly, it breaks the technical areas down into digestible chunks. Margulies can, and does, hold off on telling you everything about something the first time he explains it. A typical comment is that what he's about to tell you isn't quite the whole story, but it's enough for now and he'll get into the rest of it at some later point (which is always referenced, usually with a page number). Another good thing about the book is that often, after he brings up a topic that hasn't been mentioned for awhile, he'll do a very brief, seemingly casual little reminder of the subject. It really helps. Live, which I remember in its earlier iterations as a relatively simple program with a manual of under 100 pages, now has an official reference guide of over 600 pages and has grown, by almost any standard, to be a very complicated program, actually now a little harder to get into in my opinion than Pro Tools. I haven't read every Ableton Live guide that's out there, but compared to a lot of music tech manuals I have read, this is an outstandingly superior book. Even good companies, like Arturia, often put out really bad manuals. Ableton's official reference manual is a world better than, for example, Arturia's really awful little pseudo-instructional manual on the Arp 2600, but it's just not as well-organized or as helpfully explanatory as Margulies "Ableton Live 9 Power." It's a model for other music-tech writers to emulate. Many thanks, Jon!

I'm really enjoying this book. Ableton, for me anyway, is a darned hard piece of software to learn. I have a huge interest in making music (having come from Acid Pro), and this is slowly helping me get there. I would sometimes like some more, simple examples of how to do things, but using this book, and playing around has increased my knowledge a lot since I got this book. It's certainly the best book I looked at. I figure however, that there are so many ways of using this software that one book alone might not cover it. However, combine this with the Ableton manual and the wealth of instructional videos out there and you should do just fine.

This book is a great introduction to Ableton Live 9. There is a lot of information in the text and is pretty dry at times but you do learn from it. Very rarely does a concept not translate well through text. I'd say in the entire book it happened less than five times so that's impressive. For a subject that usually requires a more of a hands-on lessons approach to learn how to use a software, this text managed to conveyed the concepts well. I was highlighting a bunch while reading as there is just so much great information in it. If you are looking to learn about the basics of Ableton Live 9, this book is exactly what you are looking for.

Well written and logically organized. Overall, this is a very useful book. It would get 5 stars, but on some of the pages, the print was faded as though the printer was running out of ink. This made it a chore to read those sections.

I love this book! I have tried to learn Ableton Live using on-line videos from YouTube but this book clarifies and clears up several things I didn't know by doing just that. I found the videos skip steps which the person doing the video clearly knows, and I don't, whereas this book goes step-by-step. Highly recommended.

This is a really excellent book. I have been using Live for years, but have learned it in a kind of ad hoc way, by teaching myself. I was looking for a book to fill the gaps in my knowledge and to understand more fully everything that Live can do. This book did this superbly - very well written, clearly explained, and very thorough. Some great practical tips take this well beyond what's in the manual, and this is a much easier read as well. Great that it also includes an introduction to Push as well as the devices that come with Live Suite.

I'm a beginner and this book is great. I'm sure it's even better for the more advanced user.Ironically I've stopped using Ableton because it's more than I need and gone to Reaper; but I still commend this book.

Very in depth guide to ableton live 9. A good read for musicians making their own music on ableton and for the beginners starting out

Bought as a Christmas present for my son, who loves it. He writes his own electronic music tracks and has found the book to be very useful. Arrived on time and well packaged by Amazon, as always!

If you're looking for a comprehensive guide to Ableton Live 9, you can't go wrong with this. Extremely detailed and well structured.