Tag Archives: Ableton Live

Winter NAMM 2019: Akai Pro Force

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Wow! Winter NAMM 2019 is one week away and we’ve seen major new products everywhere.

The Akai Pro Force is a much-anticipated product — a standalone, Ableton Live-like workstation. Force is a clip-oriented production workstation with real-time pitch and time stretch. Force will include FX plug-ins from AIR Music Technology. Synth engines include TubeSynth, Bassline, Electric, and Hype. [Click image to enlarge.]

Here’s a dump of the features courtesy of Akai:

  • Standalone – no computer needed
  • Matrix of 8×8 RGB pads for triggering clips
  • 7-inch multi-touch screen
  • 1 push encoder wheel for navigation and selection
  • 1 crossfader A / B
  • 2 combo inputs Xlr / Mic Jack / instruments / line
  • 4 TRS outputs
  • MIDI In / Out / Thru minijack (minijack to 5-pin adapters included)
  • 4 configurable CV / Gate outputs
  • Remix, merge and produce with 6 different programs for complete audio / MIDI / CV sequencing
  • Performance modes including drum MPC, notes, smart note suite, chords and chord progression
  • MPC Sample Editor
  • Automatic detection of BPM, real-time time stretching and pitch modulation
  • 8 Q-Link touch-sensitive potentiometers with individual graphic OLED display
  • 4 powerful and fully customizable synthesis engines
  • 16 GB of internal memory (including more than 10 GB of sounds included)
  • SD card slot and 2 USB 3.0 ports compatible with USB storage devices or MIDI controllers
  • 2.5 “SATA connector internally (SSD or HDD) for an extension of the internal storage by the user
  • 1 Type-B USB port for connecting to a Mac / PC computer
  • 1 TRS headphone output
  • Weight and dimensions: 3.87 kg, 350 x 389 x 72.5 mm

Expected USA street price is $1,499 USD. The integrated display is a 7-inch, back-lit color touch screen.

Of course, the specs do not convey what it’s like to actually use the Force. [Oh, dear. This is already so cliched, I’m embarrassed.] Akai have deep experience with controller workflow, so the Force shouldn’t disappoint.

Akai intend to deliver Ableton Live controller capabilities in March 2019.

Copyright © 2019 Paul J. Drongowski

Ableton Live: 2 books, head2head

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I’m ramping up my Ableton Live skills. Being somewhat old fashioned, I like to have a good print manual or guide by my side. Recently, I had a chance to compare two books, both worthy of recommendation:

  • Ableton Live 9 Power! The Comprehensive Guide by Jon Margulies (publisher: Cengage Learning, 2014)
  • Ableton Live 9: Create, Produce, Perform by Keith Robinson (publisher: Focal Press, 2014)

Each book is quite comprehensive and a little bit behind the latest version 9 features. (The hazards of print.) I don’t think you can go wrong with either book, but here are a few comments that might guide your choice.

Both volumes go through the Session and Arrangement views, tracks, scenes, clips, automation and warping in great detail. These topics are bread and butter. Here, I favor the book by Keith Robinson. Keith better describes how Live fits into the composition or production process. This context provides a bit of “Why” not just “How.” One on-line reviewer didn’t like this approach, but I appreciate it. For example, I didn’t how or why I would want to translate my tracks from the linear Arrangement view back to the Session view. Now I get the to-and-fro of Live as a tool.

Both books give you the complete rundown (circa 2014) on Live’s instruments, chaining and audio effects. For these topics, I give the book by Jon Margulies the edge. Jon does a better job describing the individual controls. His treatment of MIDI effects, in particular, is more thorough.

Both books cover MIDI control. Neither book has anything to say about using a Novation Launchpad. Push (version 1) barely wins much more than a mention. Both volumes need to be updated for the Ableton Push 2.

Jon Margulies’ book has a short chapter on using Live for live performance. Much of this chapter is devoted to track preparation and warping, material which is better covered by Keith Robinson’s book. Just having a chapter on performance isn’t reason enough to shy away from Keith Robinson’s book even if you intend to use Live mainly for performance, however.

Keith’s book uses color screenshots throughout. It’s easier to understand certain kinds of figures when they are presented in color. Please consider scans of an Arrangement view taken from each book.

The difference is striking and doesn’t need further comment!

In the end, I decided to buy Ableton Live 9: Create, Produce, Perform by Keith Robinson. I definitely prefered the use of color illustrations and his exposition placing Live within the writing process.