Re: Ableton Live vs. hardware looper

[Per Boysen <per@boysen.se>]

On 03-11-21 17.02,  "Blair Willis" <blairwillis@liquidvision.us> wrote:

> 
> Can I get the live looping capability I'm hoping for using Ableton Live
> 3.0 and a midi foot controller, such as is available on the numerous
> hardware loopers such as the Boomerang, Electrix, Echoplex, etc.?

No. Abletoon Live can not offer you the most basic looping technique of all
- overdubbing while tweaking feedback (layering sound-on-sound).

> If 
> not, is there any software solution for Mac OS X that will do what I'm
> imagining?

As far as I know only plug-ins like the Lexicon PSP42 and others. PSP has
not gone AU yet but they are on their way.
 
> At minimum, I need foot control and instant loop start/playback.

Yes. Can be done in Ableton Live :-)

> I'm 
> hoping for midi sync with a sequencer (software and/or hardware based).

Yes. Can be done in Ableton Live :-)

> Ideally, I'd also like these features:
> - multiple track loop input/output/undo where I can lay down several
> loops and then remove/replace individual tracks.

Yes. Can be done in Ableton Live :-)

> -support for at least 2 simultaneous users, preferrably w/ separate
> foot controllers that can each be set to manipulate separate tracks on
> the same loop

Yes. Can be done in Ableton Live :-)

> -support for audiounit instruments and effects

Not yet. Only VST. But the built in effects are very good.
 
> I've been playing around with a demo of Ableton Live and just can't
> figure out if it has the capabilities I need.

Isn't the PDF manual included with the demo?

> to record input at a basic level, but I can't figure out how to get a
> loop to overdub. 

You can't do that in Live. Only by running a delay plug-in on a track, but
that's rather limiting.

> It mentions that "resampling" is not possible with
> the demo version, is that the feature I need to do what I want?

No. Not if you refer to "Consolidate" when you are saying "resample". From
the manual: "The Consolidate command replaces the material in the
Arrangement View selection with one new clip per track. This is very useful
for creating structure." So it's just a routine to glue small parts 
together
into a larger part (sound file, actually).

  I 
> don't want to drop a few hundred on this software and find out it's not
> what I need.

Read the PDF manual. It's all in there. I can send it to you if you did not
get it with the demo version. You can also go to the forum at
www.ableton.com and ask the more experienced users. Many good questions 
have
been posted and answered over there.

-- 
Best wishes

Per Boysen
www.boysen.se
www.looproom.com