It was almost exactly three years ago that we were celebrating the relatively quick arrival of Ableton Live 11. Today, the company is unveiling Live 12, the next version of its popular digital audio workstation (DAW). In terms of release cycles, this is the shortest time between versions in recent memory, and it brings with it some exciting new features. The less fun news is that you won’t actually be able to get your hands on Live 12 until early next year, but there’s plenty to get excited about in the meantime.
Usually, the first thing people want to know is if there are any new instruments, and the answer is yes. Live 12 Suite comes with “Meld” which the company describes as a macro oscillator synth, and there’s also a new distortion effect called Roar. Other updates include a feature where Live 12 will create MIDI arrangements or transform existing ones via new tools in Live’s Clip view. There’s also an option to track the scale and key of what you’re workin
