Ableton
Encyclopedia
Ableton AG
is a Berlin
-based music software company that produces and distributes the production and performance suite Ableton Live
and a collection of related instruments and sample libraries.
and Bernd Roggendorf. After Behles' work on granular synthesis
features for Native Instruments
' Reaktor
, as well as earlier software using a Silicon Graphics
workstation at the Technical University of Berlin
, Live was first released as commercial software in 2001. Behles remains the chief executive officer of Ableton, while Henke remains in a role of technical leadership and focuses on Live's included effects and instruments. Ableton's office is located in the Prenzlauer Berg district of Berlin
, Germany
.
In March 2007, Ableton announced it was beginning a collaboration with Cycling '74
, producers of Max/MSP. This collaboration will not be directly based on Live or Max/MSP, rather will combine the two companies' strengths in a new product.
In January 2009 the Ableton/Cycling '74 product "Max for Live" was announced. "Max for Live" makes it possible to create Max/MSP patches directly inside of Live. The patches will act like other plug-ins in Live do, supporting preset saving, automation, and other features. It will be possible to create both customized hardware plug-ins and patches as well as actions within those plug-ins that control every aspect of Live, essentially anything that can be clicked with a mouse.
Ableton Live is currently in its eighth version. There are three versions of the software available for purchase: Ableton Live (the core software for music performance and creation), Ableton Suite (Ableton Live + all of Ableton's software instruments/effects) and Ableton Live Intro (an introductory version of Live with less track and effect slots). Ableton Live is designed to be used with a wide range of USB and MIDI controllers, as well as instruments and virtual instruments.
Ableton holds many music production sessions and seminars to learn to use their software.
Aktiengesellschaft
Aktiengesellschaft is a German term that refers to a corporation that is limited by shares, i.e. owned by shareholders, and may be traded on a stock market. The term is used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland...
is a Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
-based music software company that produces and distributes the production and performance suite Ableton Live
Ableton Live
Ableton Live is a loop-based software music sequencer and DAW for Mac OS and Windows by Ableton. The latest major release of Live, Version 8, was released in April 2009. In contrast to many other software sequencers, Live is designed to be an instrument for live performances as well as a tool for...
and a collection of related instruments and sample libraries.
History
Ableton was founded in 1999 by Gerhard Behles and Robert Henke of MonolakeMonolake
Monolake is an electronic music act based in Berlin. Originally consisting of members Gerhard Behles and Robert Henke, Monolake is now perpetuated by Henke while Behles focuses on running music software company Ableton, which they founded in 1999 together with Bernd Roggendorf...
and Bernd Roggendorf. After Behles' work on granular synthesis
Granular synthesis
Granular synthesis is a basic sound synthesis method that operates on the microsound time scale.It is based on the same principle as sampling. However, the samples are not played back conventionally, but are instead split into small pieces of around 1 to 50ms. These small pieces are called grains...
features for Native Instruments
Native Instruments
Native Instruments is a technology company that develops software and hardware for music production and DJing. The company has originally been identified mostly with software instruments, but has also expanded to various other music equipment segments in recent years.Current products of Native...
' Reaktor
Reaktor
Reaktor is a graphical modular software music studio of proprietary license developed by Native Instruments. It lets musicians and sound specialists design and build their own instruments, samplers, effects and sound design tools. It is supplied with many ready-to-use instruments and effects, from...
, as well as earlier software using a Silicon Graphics
Silicon Graphics
Silicon Graphics, Inc. was a manufacturer of high-performance computing solutions, including computer hardware and software, founded in 1981 by Jim Clark...
workstation at the Technical University of Berlin
Technical University of Berlin
The Technische Universität Berlin is a research university located in Berlin, Germany. Translating the name into English is discouraged by the university, however paraphrasing as Berlin Institute of Technology is recommended by the university if necessary .The TU Berlin was founded...
, Live was first released as commercial software in 2001. Behles remains the chief executive officer of Ableton, while Henke remains in a role of technical leadership and focuses on Live's included effects and instruments. Ableton's office is located in the Prenzlauer Berg district of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
In March 2007, Ableton announced it was beginning a collaboration with Cycling '74
Cycling '74
Cycling '74 is a San Francisco-based software development company and music label, specializing in Interactive Media. The company is best known for their work with the digital signal processing software environment Max...
, producers of Max/MSP. This collaboration will not be directly based on Live or Max/MSP, rather will combine the two companies' strengths in a new product.
In January 2009 the Ableton/Cycling '74 product "Max for Live" was announced. "Max for Live" makes it possible to create Max/MSP patches directly inside of Live. The patches will act like other plug-ins in Live do, supporting preset saving, automation, and other features. It will be possible to create both customized hardware plug-ins and patches as well as actions within those plug-ins that control every aspect of Live, essentially anything that can be clicked with a mouse.
Ableton Live is currently in its eighth version. There are three versions of the software available for purchase: Ableton Live (the core software for music performance and creation), Ableton Suite (Ableton Live + all of Ableton's software instruments/effects) and Ableton Live Intro (an introductory version of Live with less track and effect slots). Ableton Live is designed to be used with a wide range of USB and MIDI controllers, as well as instruments and virtual instruments.
Ableton holds many music production sessions and seminars to learn to use their software.
See also
- Ableton LiveAbleton LiveAbleton Live is a loop-based software music sequencer and DAW for Mac OS and Windows by Ableton. The latest major release of Live, Version 8, was released in April 2009. In contrast to many other software sequencers, Live is designed to be an instrument for live performances as well as a tool for...
- Ableton OperatorAbleton OperatorOperator is a software synthesizer included in Ableton Live. It is a frequency modulation synthesizer with 4 oscillators with individually assignable waveforms. It works only inside Ableton Live. Operator is unique in that each oscillator's waveform can be custom crafted through additive...
- Digital audio workstationDigital audio workstationA digital audio workstation is an electronic system designed solely or primarily for recording, editing and playing back digital audio. DAWs were originally tape-less, microprocessor-based systems such as the Synclavier and Fairlight CMI...
- :Category:Ableton Live users
Articles
- Behles, Gerhard. “Is Ableton Open Source?.” eContact! 11.3 — Logiciels audio « open source » / Open Source for Audio Application (September 2009). Montréal: CECCanadian Electroacoustic CommunityFounded in 1986, La Communauté électroacoustique canadienne / The Canadian Electroacoustic Community is Canada’s national electroacoustic / computer music / sonic arts organization and as such is dedicated to promoting this progressive art form in its broadest definition: from “pure” acousmatic...
. - http://www.ableton.com/about-ableton
- http://www.musicradar.com/computermusic/ableton-to-run-production-qa-at-bloc-festival-246103