Ableton Announces Live Version 2.0

Free Upgrade to the New Version available soon for all new users

Ableton, an innovative Berlin-based music software company, today announced LIVE 2.0, a major upgrade of their award-winning sequencing instrument for Mac OS 9, Mac OS X, and Windows. Users that buy or unlock LIVE 1.5 or 1.0 for the first time after November 1, 2002 will be eligible to receive a free (download) upgrade to LIVE 2.0.

Introduced in 2001 as an audio sequencer to be played like an instrument in live performances, 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 version 2.0 offers enhancements to the performance and jamming features of the original software and also adds multi-track recording and editing with “Elastic Audio”.

Elastic Audio refers to LIVE 2.0’s unique ability to render audio totally elastic. 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, which will play in sync, direct from disk. LIVE 2.0 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 for rhythmic and melodic material producing “cleaner” results.

Live 2.0 allows the user to tap tempo during recording and playback. Tempo changes are recordable and editable as a continuous curve. This increases flexibility and speed for looping, synchronizing, improvising and recording – the process has never been faster, easier and more fun.

Multi-track Recording and Editing in LIVE 2.0 turns the arranger view into a full blown multi-track 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 2.0 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 2.0 will be available online from http://www.ableton.com and from Ableton dealers worldwide in December 2002 for a MSRP of US$399.00 (Euro $399). Upgrades from LIVE 1.5 will be available online for US$89 (Euro 89) for a boxed version or US$69 (Euro $69) for a downloadable version.

About Ableton

Ableton’s function is to support creative people with modern software technology. Since the company started in 1999, more than twenty developers and business professionals have joined Ableton–many of them active musicians or DJs. Since the launch of LIVE in October 2001, the company has received outstanding press and customer feedback.