Ableton have announced that the latest version of their DAW software is now available as a public beta. Live 12.2 delivers a range of improvements along with updated devices for all editions, introduces an array of new features for the company’s Push hardware, and adds two new devices to the Move and Ableton’s Note iOS App.
Live 12.2
With the launch of the Live 12.2 public beta, Ableton users will be kitted out with the following new features:
- Bounce to New Track: It’s now possible to bounce clips or time selections on any MIDI or audio track, including all processing, to a new audio track with just a few clicks — or use Bounce Track in Place to convert the whole track to audio.
- New & Updated Devices: Auto Filter has been treated to an upgrade, and now includes a selection of new creative filter types including Vowel, DJ and Comb, along with a revamped modulation section, new mixing controls and real-time visualisation. Auto Filter is also now available to Move and Note users.
- Expressive Chords: a new MPE-enabled Max for Live device for Live 12 Intro, Standard and Suite that lets users explore interesting chords and progressions intuitively, one key or pad at a time.
- Roar: Live 12 Suite’s flexible saturation and modulation machine has gained a new Delay routing mode and Dispersion filter type, as well as an external audio and MIDI sidechain that makes it possible to ‘play’ the pitch of the feedback in Note mode.
- Meld: Meld has been kitted out with a Chord oscillator capable of triggering chords from a single MIDI note, with parameters provided for adjusting or modulating the chord shape and inversion. The synth also gets a new Scrambler LFO effect.
- Spectral Resonator & Resonators: Now support Live 12’s scale awareness and tuning systems.
Ableton have also redesigned Live’s Browser system with the aim of making it easier to find and organise content. Tags can be viewed, edited and assigned directly in the Browser thanks to a new Quick Tags view, while the Filter View has been simplified, with its hidden features made more discoverable. It’s also now possible to customise the look of any label and user folder in the sidebar with a range of new icons, and the Browser is capable of displaying multiple columns of metadata at once.
Push
The update to Live also includes some major new features for Push users. A new 16 Pitches layout has been added to the unit’s Drum Rack and Sliced Sampler modes, allowing users to create melodies that span multiple octaves from drum and one-shot samples, with the Push’s MPE-capable pads providing detailed expressive control. A Follow Actions function makes it possible to structure songs, perform Sets and experiment with new clip- and scene-sequencing methods, while Groove Pool and Tuning Systems access offers in-depth control over a session’s timing, feel and tonality. The update also brings Live’s External Audio Effect device to the Push, meaning users are able to integrate hardware processors into their Push Sets.
The full set of Push-related features are detailed here in Ableton’s release notes.
Availability
The public beta of Ableton Live 12.2 is available now, and is free for all Live 12 users. More information can be found on the Ableton website.
