Ableton Live 11 Standard (DOWNLOAD)

General

The contemporary world of music production would be unthinkable without Ableton Live in it. Arguably the most complete stage and studio production tool in existence, the interface sets you up with a traditional sequencer (otherwise known as a multi-track timeline), alongside performance-focussed clip-based real-time production. For instance, if the climax of a particular track needs to be stretched out for an epic, hair-raising finish during a show, then Live gives you the tools to do exactly that, on stage, and in the moment. As such, it's little wonder that this package is just as popular with DJs as it is with musicians. This software can also be teamed up with many of the widely available Ableton controllers for dynamic, tactile clip-triggering - hardware that can be played like a musical instrument.

What's new with Ableton Live 11 Standard?

While it's a little more stripped down than the Suite edition, Ableton Live 11 Standard still offers more than enough functions to keep any producer or performer busy for a few years or more. Comping has been added, where different takes can be recorded one after the other in a loop, so that the best take can be selected later. And one of the most essential new features has to be the added MPE, or MIDI Polyphonic Expression support. MPE finally overcomes the limits that have existed since MIDI was first introduced, and is able to apply the range of expression to a single note that could only previously be applied to the entire MIDI track - including pitch-bend.

More Fresh Functions

An audio-based tempo-follower has been added that also functions in real-time, so you can do things like loop a pattern at a tempo based on the speed of a real, human drummer. Note-chance and velocity-chance are also nice little tweaks, since they're able to inject more-human variations into what would otherwise feel like static patterns. Of course, new sound-packs and devices also come included, and for the techies, Max for Live is still present - a kind of modular system that can be used to build your very own custom devices!