$Page What's New in Ableton Live 12 $TargetName What's New in Ableton Live 12 LiveLesson.png This lesson will introduce you to the new features and devices in Live 12. *New Features and Devices* -> $Link Accessibility -> $Link Browser Filtering and Tags -> $Link CC Control -> $Link Keyboard Navigation -> $Link Keyboard Workflow -> $Link Meld -> $Link MIDI Note Editing Operations -> $Link MIDI Note Probability Groups -> $Link MIDI Tools -> $Link Max for Live MIDI Tools -> $Link Mixer in Arrangement View -> $Link Pitch and Time Utilities -> $Link Roar -> $Link Scale Awareness -> $Link Screen Reader Support -> $Link Sound Similarity Searching -> $Link Sound Similarity Swapping -> $Link Toggle Clip View Alongside Device View -> $Link Tuning Systems -> $Link UI View Styling -> $Link Additional Live Improvements You can open the Help menu and select Load Demo Set to open a song by Chuck Sutton entitled "Patience", which shows how various Live 12 features can be used. Note that some features are only available in certain editions of Live. You can compare the $Link various feature sets of Live editions to see what is included in each one. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page Accessibility $TargetName Accessibility Accessibility support has been improved on macOS and Windows; this includes many updates such as new themes with high-contrast variants, re-organization of Live's Preferences menu, as well as support for screen reader software and other assistive devices. In Live’s Options menu, there is a new Accessibility entry which contains commands corresponding to different accessibility preferences, such as "Speak Menu Commands" and "Speak Minimum and Maximum Slider Values". As part of the accessibility implementation, many improvements for keyboard navigation and keyboard workflows have also been added. You can find out more about these updates in the related subsections of this lesson. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page Browser Filtering and Tags $TargetName Browser Filtering and Tags BrowserFilters.png The browser now includes a set of *filters* which can be used to search and find specific content using descriptive tags. Relevant filters are displayed based on which category of the browser is selected. To search with all available filters, use the All label in the browser’s Library. You can search for content and tags in the following ways: -> Select filters and tags in a browser category. -> Use the browser's search bar (corresponding filter results will also be displayed). -> Search for specific tags in the search bar using the format: #[tag]. For example, if you are looking for samples tagged as "punchy" type "#punchy." Autocomplete suggestions for tags will be shown as you type. When viewing populated filter results, you can save the current search using the Add Label button to the right of the Results header in the browser content pane. Once saved, a custom category label is created in the browser's sidebar that contains the filter results. As new items are tagged, the content will also be updated in any relevant saved custom labels. You can use the toggle to the right of the filters to show/hide the Tags Editor. A collection of default tags is included for all of Live’s built-in content. The Tags Editor lists all tags in each filter, sorted alphabetically. You can create new user tags for any filter by clicking Add Tag... at the bottom of the Tags Editor. New Tag Groups can be created by clicking Add Group... in the Tags Editor. User created tags or tag groups can be deleted or renamed via their $ContextMenu context menus. Tags can be assigned to/removed from the selected item in the browser content pane by clicking the checkboxes next to the tag names in the Tags Editor. Note that tags have replaced folder groups within the browser’s category labels. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page CC Control $TargetName CC Control CCControl.png *CC Control* is a new utility device that can be used to send MIDI CC messages to hardware devices, or used in automation lanes on MIDI clips to send out MIDI CC data during a performance. There are default controls for mod wheel, pitch bend, and pressure data, as well as several additional custom controls that can be configured for individual MIDI messages. The custom controls also appear on Push for easy navigation. The Custom A button control can be used to send Sustain messages by default, or if set to another CC message, can toggle between sending minimum/maximum values to a MIDI device. If CC automation already exists for the same CC message chosen in the device, the data will be merged. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page Keyboard Navigation $TargetName Keyboard Navigation KeyboardNavigation.png Most of Live’s menus, views and controls can now be navigated using the computer keyboard. A new Navigate menu has been added to Live's menu bar which contains commands for moving keyboard focus to different areas of the UI, as well as the option to toggle the *Use Tab to Move Focus* functionality on or off. When on, the Tab key can be used to switch between different controls in a selected view. The following shortcuts related to this behavior are: -> *Tab* moves to the next control. -> *$ShiftMod + Tab* moves to the previous control. -> *$CommandMod + Tab (Windows) / $OptionMod + Tab (Mac)* moves to the next control in the same row. -> *$CommandMod + $ShiftMod + Tab (Windows) / $OptionMod + $ShiftMod + Tab (Mac)* moves to the previous control in the same row. When Use Tab to Move Focus is off, pressing the Tab key will switch between Session and Arrangement View, as in previous Live versions. The Use Tab to Move Focus option can also be enabled in Live's Display & Input Preferences, which also include the additional Navigation and Keyboard options: -> *Wrap Tab Navigation* - When this option is enabled, navigating with Tab will not stop at the last control in a focused view, but will navigate back to the first control. If the first control is selected, using $ShiftMod + Tab will navigate to the last control. -> *Move Clips with Arrow Keys* - This option is enabled by default, and lets you use the left and right arrow keys to move the time selection in Arrangement View. You can navigate to different areas of Live’s interface using the following shortcuts: -> *$OptionMod + 0* focus the Control Bar -> *$OptionMod + 1* focus Session View -> *$OptionMod + 2* focus Arrangement View -> *$OptionMod + 3* focus Clip View -> *$OptionMod + 4* focus Device View -> *$OptionMod + 5* focus the browser -> *$OptionMod + 6* focus Groove Pool -> *$OptionMod + 7* focus Help View If the Outline View in Focus option is enabled in Live's Display & Input Preferences, an outline will appear when navigating between views to indicate which current view is in focus. On Windows, the $OptionMod key now behaves as it does in other applications. Pressing $OptionMod without a corresponding shortcut key will focus the Global menu, which can then be navigated using the arrow keys or alphanumeric keys as expected. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page Keyboard Workflow $TargetName Keyboard Workflow KeyboardWorkflow.png Various keyboard shortcuts have been added and updated to make it easier to work and navigate in Live directly from a computer keyboard. Shortcuts that contain a single letter key, such as S to solo a track, can now be used even when the Computer MIDI Keyboard is enabled by adding $ShiftMod, e.g., $ShiftMod + S. The Delete key can be used to return radio buttons (for example, track volume buttons) to their default state. Tracks can be frozen using the new shortcut $CommandMod+ $OptionMod + $ShiftMod + F. Some shortcuts can now be momentarily latched. This means you can hold down the shortcut key and briefly toggle the shortcut action. After releasing the key, Live’s UI will return to its previous state. Momentary latching becomes available after holding down a shortcut key for about 500 ms. The following shortcut keys can be momentarily latched: -> *A* toggles Arrangement Automation Mode. -> *B* toggles Draw Mode. -> *S* toggles soloing or un-soloing the selected track. -> *Z* toggles zooming into the Arrangement selection. -> *F1 through F8* toggles the Track Activator switch on and off for the first eight tracks. -> *Tab* toggles between Arrangement and Session View. (Note that Tab only works in this way when it is not being used for navigation). $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page Meld $TargetName Meld Meld.png *Meld* is a powerful and versatile bi-timbral macro oscillator synthesizer that comes with Live 12 Suite. Meld’s deep sound-shaping capabilities can be used to create evolving textural sounds, rhythmic drones, harmonic effects, atonal sounds and more. Deep modulation and routing capabilities allow for playful and expressive performances with Push 3 and other MPE controllers, but Meld also provides expressive playfulness with non-MPE devices. Meld features two oscillator engines which can be layered to create a wide variety of sounds. Each engine offers unique shaping and tonal variations depending on the oscillator type. A diverse set of modulation routings are accessible in a fully mappable and expandable matrix. Meld also contains two LFOs: the first is an LFO waveform that is fed into a series of LFO Effects that can be used to finely tune the resulting modulation, and the second is an LFO that can be used for traditional LFO modulation. Filters are available for each oscillator engine, as well as individual panning, tone, and volume controls, which can be used to further refine each engine’s sound independently. There are Glissando and Portamento options for each engine, polyphonic or monophonic voicing, and a Drive control which can be used to add some saturation to the overall output. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page MIDI Note Editing Operations $TargetName MIDI Note Editing Operations MIDINoteEditingOperations.png New commands for editing MIDI notes have been added, making it quick and convenient to adjust notes directly in the MIDI Note Editor. *Split* divides a note into two or more parts. -> Split with mouse - Hold [E] and click on a note at the desired location or drag vertically across the note to split it. Press [CTRL][E] (Win) / [CMD][E] (Mac) to split a note or multiple notes into parts based on the current grid settings. -> Split with keyboard – If no note is selected, press [CTRL][E] (Win) / [CMD][E] (Mac) to split the note at the insert marker location or at the boundaries of the time selection. *Chop* divides selected notes into multiple parts based on the current grid settings or into equal parts. -> Chop with mouse – Hold [E][CTRL] (Win) / [E][ALT] (Mac) then click on a note and drag up to divide the note into equal parts. As you drag up the number of parts will increase by one, you can drag down to decrease parts by one. Adding the [Shift] key will increase the number of parts by a factor of two as you drag up. -> Chop with keyboard – Use the shortcut [CTRL][E] (Win) / [CMD][E] (Mac) to chop notes. While holding the shortcut keys, use the up and down arrow keys to divide notes into equal parts instead of grid steps. You can add the [Shift] key so the up and down arrow keys will divide notes by a power of two. *Join* creates a single note from all selected notes that have the same pitch. Any MPE envelope data will be preserved when notes are joined. Use the Join Notes Edit menu command, the context menu option in the MIDI Note Editor, or the shortcut [CTRL][J] (Win) / [CMD][J] (Mac) to join selected notes. *Span (Fit to Time Range)* extends selected notes so that their start and end times match the current time selection. For example, if you select multiple notes that have varying end times within a time selection of the first two bars of a four bar clip, using Span will adjust the notes so that they start at 1.1.1 and end at 3.1.1. Use the Fit to Time Range context menu option or the shortcut [CTRL][ALT][J] (Win) / [CMD][ALT][J] (Mac) to span notes. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page MIDI Note Probability Groups $TargetName MIDI Note Probability Groups ProbabilityGroups.png You can now assign a single Chance value to a group of notes so that either all notes play according to the set probability, or only one note out of the group plays at a time. There are a few different ways to group notes together: -> Use the Edit menu command Group Notes (Play All). -> Use the shortcut $CommandMod + G. -> Use the $ContextMenu context menu option “Group Notes (Play All)” or “Group Notes (Play One)” in the MIDI Note Editor. Once grouped, a single marker will be available for the set of grouped notes in the Chance editor. The marker will have a diamond handle opposed to a circle handle to visually signal that it affects grouped notes, not a single note. Right-clicking on a grouped note marker lets you pick from two options: -> *Play All* plays all notes together depending on the Chance amount. -> *Play One* plays only one note in the group at a time depending on the Chance amount. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page MIDI Tools $TargetName MIDI Tools Transformations.png You can now experiment with your compositional process using MIDI Tools, a set of MIDI note transformations and generators which can be used to automatically shape and create MIDI notes in creative and surprising ways. In Clip View, two new Tools tabs have been added, one containing transformation tools and the other generative tools. Transformation Tools: -> *Arpeggiate* splits up chords into smaller arpeggiated notes based on the chosen pattern settings. -> *Connect* fills empty gaps between successive notes or chords by adding connecting notes with specified density, length, rate, and pitch settings. -> *Ornament* adds short strokes (flam) or grace notes at the beginning of existing notes. -> *Quantize* applies quantization based on the chosen grid options. -> *Recombine* rearranges the properties of a series of notes so that the pitch, length, or velocity settings of one note in the series are applied to a different note. -> *Span* adjusts the length of note end times using legato, tenuto, or staccato timing. -> *Strum* applies an offset to note start times for all successive notes in a chord, starting at either the highest or lowest note. -> *Time Warp* stretches or compresses notes based on the speed curve as determined by two adjustable breakpoints. Generative Tools: -> *Rhythm* generates a rhythmic pattern of notes and velocity accents. -> *Seed* randomly generates notes using adjustable pitch, duration, and velocity ranges. -> *Shape* generates a sequence of notes with varying pitches based on drawn shapes or selected shape presets. -> *Stacks* generates between one and four chords based on various chord rules that can be further tweaked and inverted. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page Max for Live MIDI Tools $TargetName Max for Live MIDI Tools M4LMIDITool.png In addition to the new built-in MIDI Tools, it is also possible to create custom note transformations and generators with Max for Live. A set of default *Max for Live MIDI Tools* can be found in Clip View's Tool Tabs. When a Max for Live MIDI Tool is selected, an Edit button appears in the clip panel which you can use to open a Max patcher. For custom transformations and generators to show in Clip View, the .amxd files need to be saved to these User Library locations: -> Ableton/User Library/MIDI Tools/Transformations -> Ableton/User Library/MIDI Tools/Generators Note that Max for Live is only available in Live Suite or as a purchasable add-on to Live Standard. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page Mixer in Arrangement View $TargetName Mixer in Arrangement View MixerinArrangement.png The Session View mixer is now accessible in Arrangement View. You can click the Mixer view control at the bottom right corner of Live's window to expand or collapse the mixer in either Session or Arrangement View. Using the drop-down menu next to the toggle, you can select which areas of the mixer are displayed, e.g., I/O, Sends, Track Volume, etc. The mixer can also be opened by enabling its View menu option, or by using the shortcut $CommandMod + $OptionMod + M. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page Pitch and Time Utilities $TargetName Pitch and Time Utilities NoteTools.png In Clip View, the Notes panel has been renamed to Pitch and Time Utilities and has been divided into two sections: Pitch and Time, which contain controls for adjusting note pitch and timing, respectively. Pitch Tools: -> *Fit to Scale* moves notes to fit within the current clip scale. -> *Invert* flips the notes "upside-down" so that the highest note is swapped with the lowest note. -> *Transpose* adjusts the pitch transposition for notes in either semitones or scale degrees, if the clip has an active scale. -> *Add Interval* creates new notes at the given number of semitones or scale degrees as specified in the Interval Size parameter. Time Tools: -> *Double* stretches notes by a factor of 2. -> *Halve* compresses notes by a factor of 2. -> *Stretch Factor* compresses or stretches notes by a factor that can be set in the range from ÷10 to x10. -> *Set Length* determines the note length of notes. -> *Humanize* adds slight random variation to note start times. -> *Humanize Amount* sets the amount of randomized variation that is applied to note start times in a range from 0% to 100%. -> *Reverse* reverses notes horizontally around the center of the time selection. If no time is selected, all notes in the clip will be reversed. -> *Legato* lengthens or shortens each note so that it is just long enough to reach the beginning of the next note. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page Roar $TargetName Roar Roar.png *Roar* is a dynamic saturation audio effect that comes with Live 12 Suite. Roar can comfortably move from subtle and precise, mastering-grade warmth to wild and unpredictable sound mangling. Input signals can be routed into one of five different processing modes: Single, Serial, Parallel, Multiband, Mid/Side, and Feedback. Roar offers a selection of saturation shaper curves, varying from subtle to distorted, that can be shaped further using Amount and Bias controls. The filter frequency can be adjusted and applied before or after the shaper. There are two LFOs, an Envelope Follower, and a Noise generator for complex modulation possibilities, as well as an expansive Modulation Matrix for easy mappings for most of the device’s parameters. Feedback can be added to the output, as well as built-in compression with a sidechain high-pass filter. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page Scale Awareness $TargetName Scale Awareness ScaleMode.png Live 12 offers a new way of choosing and viewing scales, as well as the option of applying scales across MIDI effects and devices. You can now select or change a scale for clips using the *Scale Mode* controls in Live's Control Bar. The Scale Mode controls will also reflect any changes when clips with different scales are played, making it easy to see at a glance which scales are being used in a Set. In Clip View, when a scale is active, a new *Highlight Scale* option appears in the MIDI Note Editor. When enabled, the key tracks that belong to notes of the scale will be highlighted in a unique purple color that is used to signify scale awareness throughout Live. The built-in MIDI effects Arpeggiator, Chord, Pitch, Random, and Scale have new *Use Current Scale* toggles in their device title bars. When switched on, the clip's current scale will be applied and pitch-based device parameters can be adjusted in scale degrees as opposed to semitones. In the Meld device, it is also possible to enable scale awareness for the oscillators or filters. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page Screen Reader Support $TargetName Screen Reader Support Accessibility.png Live now supports *operating system accessibility features* on both macOS and Windows. This means that Live can work with screen reader software and Braille displays. While any screen reader software should work, we recommend VoiceOver (Mac) and NVDA (Win) for the best experience. The following Live features can be used with screen readers: -> Transport controls -> Browser search -> Arrangement View -> Session View -> Clip and Scene properties -> MIDI clip editing -> Native effects and instruments -> MIDI and Key mapping -> Working with grooves -> Tuning systems The following features are not supported for screen readers in Live 12: -> Browser filtering and tagging -> Audio warping -> Automation, modulation, and MPE editing -> Max for Live devices -> MIDI and audio metering Third-party devices are supported for screen reader use, but only to a certain extent. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page Sound Similarity Searching $TargetName Sound Similarity Searching SimilaritySearch.png *Sound Similarity Searching* can be used to find similar sounds based on a reference file for audio samples, instrument presets, and drum presets. This makes it quick and easy to find a specific sound you're looking for out of the many possible options in your collection. In the browser, you can right-click on an item and select *Show Similar Files* or click the button to the right of a selected browser item to run a sound similarity analysis. The results will then be populated in a list with the source item at the top and all relevant similar sounding items below in order from most to least similar. To the right of each result is a visual representation of how similar an item is compared to the reference sound. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page Sound Similarity Swapping $TargetName Sound Similarity Swapping SimilaritySwap.png In addition to searching for similar sounds, it is also possible to swap samples based on their similarity in the Simpler and Drum Rack devices using *Sample Similarity Swapping.* In Simpler, you can click the *Swap to Previous Similar Sample* or *Swap to Next Similar Sample* buttons at the bottom right corner of the Sample Display next to the Hot-Swap button to load and cycle through similar sounds. You can use the *Return to Reference* $ContextMenu context menu option to go back to the original sample, or the *Save as Similarity Reference* option to set the currently loaded sample as the new reference sound. In Drum Racks, the Show/Hide Sample Swap Buttons toggle at the right of the device's title bar can be switched on to display similarity swapping options for both the entire Rack and individual pads: -> *Swap All Pads to Previous Similar Sample* swaps all pads in the Rack to the previous similar sample. -> *Swap All Pads to Next Similar Sample* swaps all pads in the Rack to the next similar sample. -> *Swap to Previous Similar Sample* swaps an individual pad to the previous similar sample. -> *Swap to Next Similar Sample* swaps an individual pad the next similar sample. -> *Lock Pad for Similar Sample Swapping* locks an individual pad so that the sample is not updated when swapping out samples in the entire Rack. As in Simpler, you can go back to the original sample using the Return to Reference $ContextMenu context menu option, or set the currently loaded sample as the new reference sound using the Save as Similarity Reference option. The following keyboard shortcuts can be used for Drum Racks, Drum Rack pads, and Simpler: -> *Next Similar:* $CommandMod + right arrow key -> *Previous Similar:* $CommandMod + left arrow key -> *Make Similarity Reference:* $CommandMod + up arrow key -> *Return to Reference:* $CommandMod + down arrow key $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page Toggle Clip View Alongside Device View $TargetName Toggle Clip View Alongside Device View ClipDeviceView.png It is now possible to access Clip View and Device View at the same time for convenient editing. To open both views simultaneously, use the triangle buttons next to the Clip View and Device View Selectors in the bottom-right corner of the Live window, or use the keyboard shortcuts $CommandMod + $OptionMod + 3 for showing Clip View and $CommandMod + $OptionMod + 4 for showing Device View. When only one of the views is displayed, you can still switch between them using the $ShiftMod + Tab keyboard shortcut or by clicking on the respective view selector tab. When both are shown, $ShiftMod + Tab will move the focus between the two views. Holding $OptionMod and clicking on either the Clip View or Device View toggle will open both views at the same time. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page Tuning Systems $TargetName Tuning Systems TuningSystems.png Tuning systems can now be loaded into Live Sets by dragging and dropping a Scala file into the Tuning section of the browser. The Live 12 Core Library also includes a set of various tuning systems, which you can find in the new Tunings label in the browser. When a tuning system is loaded, the corresponding pitches will be played when using any of Live's built-in instruments, as well as any MPE-enabled plug-ins and external instruments, provided that the pitch bend range is set to 48 semitones. Note that non-MPE-enabled instruments or instruments with different pitch bend ranges will play out of tune. A loaded tuning system can be saved as an .ascl file by clicking the floppy disk icon in the Tuning section of the browser. The Bypass Tuning toggle in the I/O section of the mixer can be used to bypass a loaded tuning system for an individual MIDI track. It is also possible to configure a track tuning layout for external MIDI controllers using the Track Tuning MIDI Mapper chooser in the I/O section. When using tuning systems with different MIDI controller layouts, it is possible to see the corresponding input key for different notes in the Status Bar when hovering over notes in the piano roll. To learn more about pitch and tuning, visit $Link Ableton’s dedicated tuning website . $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page UI View Styling $TargetName UI View Styling ViewStyling.png Live’s UI has been modernized and streamlined, making it easier to view at a glance. -> New view controls for the browser, Session/Arrangement View, the mixer, and Info View have been added to the outer corners of Live's window and can be toggled to show/hide the corresponding views. -> The Preferences menu has been redesigned and no longer uses separated panels. -> New Live Themes have been added with specific options for warm/cool tones and high contrast. Live can also be set to follow your operating system's Light or Dark theme. -> When using a second window, the zoom level of Live’s first and second windows can be adjusted independently in the Display & Input Preferences. -> The borders around all of Live's views have been removed. -> The Clip Overview area, Beat-Time Ruler, and Time Ruler have been visually integrated into the main UI of Arrangement View. -> Scrollbars have been redesigned and will now appear as an element inside the scrolled area. Added a Show Scroll Bars option to the Look/Feel Preferences, which can be set to "Always" or "When Scrolling". When selecting the latter, scrollbars will only appear in the UI while scrolling or if the current scroll position changes through another action, such as changing the size of Live’s window. $Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Page Additional Live Improvements $TargetName Additional Live Improvements Live 12 also includes many updates to existing features and devices. To view all of the release notes for the current Live Beta, check out $Link this link . Please note that the release notes are only available in English. $Comment Status: Translate