andrew_khoury's Reviews

One of the best DAWs ever made.

Ableton Live is a one of the most intuitive DAWs to bless the music production field since its launch. The first release took place around 20 years ago, and as a musician for 2 decades, I have been a user of this software since Ableton 5. I’ve owned MacBooks ever since I was 10 years old and have used Ableton alongside other DAWs on Apple products.

When I first used this DAW it was very new for me, because I was used to working on Cubase back then, and the way other DAWs were designed, were far different than what Ableton gave in at first. With every major update, the guys at Ableton added more and more features. The design and colors of the software mostly changed after Ableton 9. I remember that each time we had to upgrade to the latest version, more Sample and Library packs were added to the roster, which in return helped me and others to dive deeper into sounds and sampling and come up with new ideas. Mostly at was at the 10th generation of this software where the Wavetable synth, and the echo effect became way better than its predecessors, along with the Press R to reverse the 0 to mute part shortcut which made life easier for producers. Shortcuts are everything for music creators.

Before Purchasing/Upgrading Ableton, I usually suggest that people try the lite version at first to see if it meets their expectations, because I won’t lie, not all upgrades were worth it, but the move from Live 9 to Live 10 was smooth, and the move from Live 10 to Live 11 was superb due to the many additions that were added to the DAW. What’s also beautiful about it is that it has the Push controller which makes the work and creative process much more fluid. You can still create amazing ideas with just a keyboard and a mouse, but the Push is something else, and mind you, it is not cheap! And Once you get to understand Ableton fully, the writing process turns into a walk in the park.

System Requirements for Ableton 11:

• OS X 10.13 or later 
• Intel® Core™ i5 processor 
• 8 GB RAM
• 1280x800 display resolution
• Core Audio compliant audio interface recommended
• Access to an internet connection for authorizing
• Approximately 3 GB disk space on the system drive for the basic installation
• Up to 76 GB disk space for additionally available sound content

I would suggest an i7 though with a minimum of 16 GBs RAM since the more loaded the session becomes, the more time it will take to load material.

3 versions sit on Ableton’s website. The Lite version, The Standard, and The Suite. And this mainly dictates much for users. If you’re new go for the lite version, if you’ve got the hang of it but are more of hobbyist, I would suggest the standard version, and if you know your way around the studio, and are working in the industry, then the Suite is a must.

The move to 11 was totally worth it especially with the new add-on features that were involved. Especially with Comping which made edits less of a hassle. The second one is the midi polyphonic expression which controlled pressure, pitchbend, and slide per note. The Macros, The Hybrid Reverb, Spectral Time, and other native plugins and effects expanded new horizons for producers and creators.


So far I don’t have any drawbacks towards the upgrade that I did. I enjoy writing on the latter, and as I stated earlier, the whole writing process is much more intuitive than other DAWs, and it helps a lot in terms of arrangement because all the loops or basslines are there and you can have a go at them in the vertical pane to see how they all blend in before taking to the horizontal pane and setting up your track with the basic structures that make a song.

In addition, the latest version works quite well, and I see it as a much more comfortable version than all its predecessors since a lot of features have changed, and more effects were added. I can assure that it’s also one of the best DAWs for live shows (since Logic Pro X after the 10.5 release has become somewhat similar), and in addition to Push, a synth, and an AKAI APC 40, you could totally give one hell of a show, and be able to control the way you feel your compositions will affect your audience.

In conclusion, I feel that if you aspire to go into music production, especially EDM music production, owning Ableton Live 11 is a must. You just need to understand how it works. Writing and Live playing will be a blast for you. I have never mixed on it though, and I can’t really give much on that part of the topic, but I have watched many producers on YouTube break down their ways of working with this DAW and it’s always a blast to see how others roam around it and create awesome content. I think an addition to having this software, an Behringer Xtouch comes in handy when it comes to working with faders and knobs, and it can also ease your automations and give them a more humane touch.

So as a final conclusion, I do recommend young talents to have the latest version and experiment and show the world what they want to say through the music that they create on Ableton

Hands Down!

If you don't own own one, then surely put it on your bucketlist!

One of the best Guitars ever!

I'm speechless when I want to share my opinion about this guitar! I was truly amazed when I got it even though I didn't have the chance to try it prior to getting it. Can't find the right words to explain how much this guitar is able to do it all!

Hands down!

This is by far one of the most amazing DELAY pedals i've used so far! TOne print is really something!

This is the best solid state head i've seen in quite a while!

What is there to say when it comes to this Head. This is the best one out there! The signature Orange Reverb is found in it as much as the power and gain this head has are unbelievable!

I really good guitar!

This guitar is plain heavy. Best used for groove, Death Metal, Deathcore and Metalcore.

Kickass

One of the best guitars I've used. Playing on this axe has been a pleasure throughout the years. It's aggressive, Its Mean, but it's a shredding machine!

Specs: Construction / Scale: Neck-Thru Body / 25.5 in (648 mm)

Body: Alder (w/ Flamed Maple Top M-1000FM only)

Neck / Fingerboard: 3-Pc. Maple / Rosewood

Nut Type / Width: FR Locking / 43 mm (1.693 in)

Neck Shape: Extra Thin U

Inlays: Shark tooth style inlays

Frets: 24 XJ

Binding: White and abalone binding on Neck and Headstock

Hardware: Black Nickel Hardware

Tuners: Grover nol locking

Bridge: Original Floyd Rose

Pickups: EMG 81 Active Set

Electronics: Vol / 3-way Switch / Tone

Finish: See-Thru Black

The neck is an extra thin U shape (think somewhere between a C and

Sick Controller

One of the best controllers i've used lately. Very Kickass for my Psytrance sets

GOoD

It's a good home amp! smooth sound emitted!

Great Effects Pedal

I am really impressed with Zoom's products