New groove engine

Groove patterns can add life and swing to straight sequences. Live 8's new groove engine lets you apply groove patterns in real time, extract grooves from audio or MIDI sources, quantize audio and MIDI in real time. It also comes with a new groove library.

Groove patterns dynamically influence the timing and velocity/volume of audio and MIDI material. This can add life and swing to straight patterns, give a track more drive, or lend a piece an easy, laid-back feeling.

Live 8 enhances Live's existing groove power with some important new features:

• Apply groove patterns to any audio or MIDI clips in real time. Change the feel of the whole piece or just selected clips.
• Choose from an extensive library of groove patterns, captured from songs played by some of music's most original, expressive and soulful drummers.
• Extract groove patterns from any audio or MIDI source to build your own groove library from your favorite tracks.
• Quantize audio and MIDI in real time: non-destructive velocity and timing adjustments for rhythmic correction.
• Randomize audio and MIDI timing for a more human feel.

New warping engine

Live 8 introduces a new, more direct way of working with warping and some important Warp Mode enhancements. You can now warp audio events by adjusting the events themselves on the timeline. Beats Mode has been updated, and there's a completely new Complex Warp Mode. Plus you can slice audio files to MIDI tracks based on transients.

Live 8 is the next logical step in warping evolution with a new, more intuitive warping paradigm and some important Warp Mode enhancements.

• New, intuitive warping allows you to adjust events on the timeline instead of stretching and squeezing the timeline around the events.
• Transient handles: Live analyzes and assigns handles to the transients in audio files automatically.
• Slice by transient: slice audio to MIDI based on Live 8's new transient analysis.
• Enhanced Beats Warp Mode for improved warping of percussive material and new control options.
• Improved Complex Warp Mode using élastique Pro for warping complex, polyphonic material with fewer artifacts.

Looper

A much-requested feature, the Ableton Looper effect gives you classic sound-on-sound looping without the limitations of a hardware device. Looper is set up for remote operation, so you can record, overdub, undo and more without touching the computer.

Looper brings the creative power of classic sound-on-sound looping to Live, without the limitations of a hardware device. Inspired by some of our favorite sample/delay devices plus a good deal of Ableton wizardry, Looper provides plenty of scope in a super-simple interface.

• One-touch operation: Looper is set up for remote operation, so you can record, overdub, undo and more using a single footswitch (not included) and without touching the computer.
• Endless overdubs, tape-loop style for infinite improv jams.
• First loop sync: Live reads the tempo from the length of the first loop you record and automatically syncs up. This eliminates timing issues and lets you record without the click.
• Simple loop management: drag and drop a loop from Looper into a clip slot to make a clip; drag a clip back again to reload it into Looper.
• Multiple Looper sync lets you run as many Loopers as you want without any synchronization headaches.

New effects

Live 8 includes five powerful new effects: Vocoder, Multiband Dynamics, Overdrive, Limiter and Frequency Shifter. These effects cover all the well-known aspects of these devices, but really shine due to some innovative features and enhancements from the Ableton labs.

Live 8 includes five powerful new effects, each with a strong personality and serious "classic" potential. These effects add a special Ableton shine to the well-known aspects of these devices, giving you effects that are not only practical and easy to use but also inspiring.

Vocoder: the famous "singing robot" effect. Vocoder is classic vocoding plus advanced, intricate control for flexibility and rich sound design.

Multiband Dynamics: effective processing plus a refreshing approach to visualizing the dynamics involved lets you really see and hear what's going on.

Overdrive: models the circuits found in legendary stompboxes and forms a perfect complement to Saturator and Dynamic Tube.

Limiter: an effective brick-wall limiter that will keep your peaks in check.

Frequency Shifter: frequency shifting and ring modulation for flange effects, atonal harmonics and the sound of Fifties science fiction.

Workflow enhancements

Version 8 makes Live easier with a number of most-wanted enhancements and some deceptively simple detail work including real-time crossfades in the Arrangement View, enhanced MIDI editing, group tracks, a screen magnifier and more.

Version 8 makes Live easier with a number of most-wanted enhancements and some deceptively simple detail work.

Crossfades in Arrangement View: This much requested feature gives you real-time, non-destructive crossfades, neatly integrated into Live's familiar workflow.

The enhanced MIDI editor now features step recording, an insert marker and editing improvements.

Group tracks let you group selected tracks (e.g. a group for drum tracks or a group for all backing vocals). Each group works like a separate mix buss with its own effects and routing settings. You can also collapse grouped tracks to preserve screen real estate.

Multi-parameter manipulation: want to lower the volume of six different tracks? No need any more to adjust six different faders; just select all six tracks and adjust one volume control.

Magnify the user interface for optimal visibility on dark stages or hi-res screens. Zoom out for the big picture.

Browser waveform display: Audio and MIDI browser preview now with waveform display and scrubbing for more informed browsing and file selection.

Plug-in parameters: Improved configuration and control for plug-ins with numerous parameters.

And many more workflow improvements: Yes, that feature request you sent may well be in there somewhere...