Ableton Live 10 Brings New Devices, Improved Workflow & Max For Live Full Integration

Ableton has announced Live 10, a major update to the popular DAW.

Highlights of Live 10 include:

  • four new devices;
  • a completely redesigned sound library;
  • workflow improvements;
  • Push enhancements; and
  • full integration of Max for Live.

New Devices & Sounds in Live 10

Ableton Live 10 introduces a new instrument and three new effects:

  • Wavetable is Ableton’s new synth. Its vast sonic palette is created with a variety of waveforms derived from analog synths and a range of other instruments and sounds, as well as modeled analog filters, and deep, flexible modulation.
  • Echo delivers sounds from classic analog and digital textures to diffused soundscapes,wailing feedback and other experimental atmospheres.
  • Drum Buss is an all-in-one drum sculpting tool for adding warmth, adjusting transient response, injecting low end and more.
  • Pedal features three separate circuit-level models of overdrive, distortion and fuzz guitar pedals. Ableton says it’s not just for guitar, though – it excels at warming up vocals, driving synth sounds and smashing drums.

Live 10 Workflow Improvements

Live 10 offers a wide variety of workflow improvements:

  • Live’s interface has been updated to be cleaner and clearer with sharper graphics and refined colors. And a range of optimized themes improves visibility in all environments.
  • Capture recalls an idea after it has been played and turns it into a MIDI clip with feel and groove intact — a fast, intuitive way to turn spontaneous inspiration into music.
  • Multiple MIDI clip editing shows the content of two or more clips in one view for better control of the musical relationships in a song.
  • Arrangement View improvements such as nudging, time stretching, one-key zooming and drag-and-drop track duplication make editing faster and easier.
  • Browser Collections provide at-a-glance access to favorite or most-used musical elements.
  • Groups within groups improves Set organization even with lots of tracks and a detailed arrangement—multiple tracks and groups can be folded together for a simple overview.
  • Note chasing triggers MIDI notes even if playback starts in the middle—the note doesn’t need to be started from the beginning to hear pads or other sustained notes.
  • I/O Renaming lets producers easily select the right routing by labeling Live’s inputs and outputs to match the instruments and hardware in the studio.
  • Mixing improvements including improved gain range and Bass Mono feature in Utility, extended low frequency slopes on EQ Eight and Split Stereo Pan provide more detailed control when mixing.

Ableton Live 10 Brings A New Library Of Sounds

Live 10 brings a redesigned Core Library and all-new Packs:

  • The Core Library gets a sonic upgrade with ‘richer, more detailed sounds’. It has also been reorganized to make finding sounds easier.
  • Essential Instruments are four new Packs including synths, and multi-sampled electric keys and drums.
  • Curated Collections are carefully compiled Packs that capture the musical threads that tie together evolving styles and scenes — each containing instruments, clips and samples that share a common sonic theme.

Live 10 Enhancements For Push

Live 10 brings new functionality and new high-resolution visualizations to Push.

  • A new step sequencing layout allows simultaneous note sequencing and real-time playing.
  • Notes in a clip are displayed directly on Push for easier navigation and refinement.
  • Detailed views show the interfaces of key Ableton Devices including Wavetable, Echo, EQ Eight and Compressor.
  • Workflow improvements to layouts, building and extending patterns, track arming and more give beat makers a more fluid experience while in the creative process.

Max for Live Full Integration

Max for Live integration is updated in Live 10:

  • A fully integrated Max for Live means Max for Live devices now load faster, use less CPU and feel more like Live’s native devices.
  • New audio routing capabilities enable multi-channel audio routing for performances, installations and theaters using multi-channel speaker setups.
  • Updated Devices include sonically upgraded Drum Synths, improved modulation and mapping devices and more.
  • Advanced MIDI–hardware integration is possible now that Max for Live devices can send and receive SysEx, allowing deeper access to synthesizers—including full preset backup dumps, parameter control and more. Max for Live can also create custom control surfaces for custom hardware integration.

Here’s a playlist of videos demonstrating some of the highlights of Live 10:

Pricing and Availability

Ableton Live 10 will be available in the first quarter of 2018. A discount offer is running now until the release of Live 10: all Live 9 editions are 20% off the regular price. The purchase of any Live 9 edition automatically entitles customers to a free upgrade to its corresponding Live 10 edition upon release.

Ableton Live 10 will be available for purchase from Ableton.com and at local retailers.

Download versions of Ableton Live 10 cost:

  • 79 EUR / 99 USD / 69 GBP for Live Intro
  • 349 EUR / 449 USD / 319 GBP for Live Standard
  • 599 EUR / 749 USD / 539 GBP for Live Suite

Boxed versions of Ableton Live 10 cost

  • 99 EUR / 99 USD / 89 GBP for Live Intro
  • 399 EUR / 499 USD / 359 GBP for Live Standard
  • 649 EUR / 799 USD / 579 GBP Live Suite

Existing Ableton Live owners should log in to their accounts to check upgrade pricing.

More information, including a tour of Ableton Live 10 features, is available at the Ableton website.

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81 thoughts on “Ableton Live 10 Brings New Devices, Improved Workflow & Max For Live Full Integration”

  1. Looks like Push integration for Arrange mode is still pretty much MIA. But those new devices are on point and strengthen Ableton’s weaknesses. Still not convinced it’s worth the upgrade yet. But it’s a good comeback to Propellerheads’ announcement.

  2. It’s a good comeback just because they came back. Not really hurting the game with interface and UI improvements and stability. This is like an IOS update. I’m waiting for them to really go nuts even though they don’t have to cause they are Ableton. It’s feels like a maintenance update rather than any vast improvements.

  4. This all looks great, (minus the late to the game wavetable/granular synth). The only thing I really want is the ability for the metronome/sample preview to have separate level control and be routed to a buss for use in headphones/cue wedge and NOT IN THE MASTER BUSS OUT. Is it really too much to ask for to be able to send these things to myself and NOT the audience? I mean I get having them in the master buss for composition, but thats only half of Lives purpose. I shouldn’t have to build click tracks for my drummer in a program that has a native metronome.

    1. You are doing something incorrectly. I’ve run a metronome to separate outs for years, it’s been in there as long as I can remember. Simply press io, on the main fader choose “cue out:3/4”. Start the session and the metronome is only going out of 3/4 and not out of 1/2

  8. FIrst Qtr?!?!?! ugh

    like the synths
    like the midi improvements
    Max For Live flow seems like a small but positive thing
    like the play over sequence mode
    hopeful that new sounds are inspiring
    Capture mode seems like it could be really powerful or really lame

    still frustrated by arrangement mode clunkiness

    I dont see anything about the sound engine
    I know that’s a taste issue but in pretty much all cases unless I need PUSH or session view, I use logic which sounds better to me. especially when recording something like a singer songwriter…..somebody tell me its all in my mind, i can try to beleive it!!

        1. This. In 99% of the cases people are convinced Ableton sounds “weird” or “bad”, it turns out they didn’t understand the warp algorithms.

      1. I would bet a thousand bucks that in a double-blind test none of you “it’s not in your mind” people won’t be able to tell the difference.

    1. Yes yes yes please Ableton don’t make us wait longer for MPE!!! (Handling MPE data as well as making instruments MPE.)

      At this point it has become an essential addition to MIDI.

      Also it would make my squishy seaboard so happy.

      1. That’s why I think you will never see it come to Ableton. It’s only ROLI and LinnStrument owners asking for it. Its such a small group theirs bigger fish to fry.

        1. I’d settle for polyphonic aftertouch support… after all, Push is capable of it but Live just won’t do anything with the data.

    2. might consider staying with live if i get mpe, per note pitchbend editting. the other gripe i had was editting multiple notes from different tracks at once and they fixed that in this upgrade

  10. Nice, and good on Ableton for doing this ahead of Loop. Now the event won’t be everyone waiting for the Live 10 announcement. The Max integration is great news for everyone and opens the door to many very interesting possibilities. The Suite upgrade price is very reasonable and is in alignment with what’s new (though it seems to be download only even though I bought the boxed version originally). Even a nice discount for pre-orders.

    Edit – If you pre-order it will skip the payment part after you select how you want to pay. This is normal and just means you’re guaranteed the discounted upgrade price. Was a little confusing to me.

    Congrats Ableton! Can’t wait to play with this! Thank you for not changing your licensing, it’s very appreciated.

  11. I currently have version 9 suite, on the Live 10 buy page it shows my upgrade options, “Upgrade to Suite” €199 with discount, normal price €249. Am I reading that correct, it could be €249 for the upgrade?

    3. It’s free when you have Suite.

      “Full and upgrade versions of Ableton Live 9 Standard and Suite include a free upgrade to their respective editions of Live 10 – to be issued upon its release. Those purchasing Live 9 Intro with or without Push will receive a new L10 Intro license upon its release.”

      1. It’s free for those that purchase Live 9 Suite _after_ the announcement of Live 10. Those of us that purchased prior to the announcement have an upgrade price to pay. A price that is more than fair: without discounts, it’s about 60% off the full price.

    1. Oh come on. Not so fast and how can this have priority ? VST3 was only released 10 years ago and it’s only on the top of the list of their users.

      1. Don’t forget that the 199$ price tag is for this upgrade AND all the updates in the next couple of years. The latter come with additional features if I recall my earlier experience

  14. First of all. Does it support Vst 3? Got lost in reading and lost the overview. And Nope, I have bought too many plugins . So what Live 10 offers this time is not worth 200 euros to me. I am upgraded already. Don`T need Live 10

        1. You realize that for that you would have to put a computer inside the Push, which would most likely make it cost around the price of MPC X?

  17. This : Advanced MIDI–hardware integration is possible now that Max for Live devices can send and receive SysEx, allowing deeper access to synthesizers—including full preset backup dumps, parameter control and more. Max for Live can also create custom control surfaces for custom hardware integration

    1. I’m most excited about this as well. If the Max4Live community or Ableton builds a device that can compete with Midiquest or Sounddiver for saving and recalling hardware patches that would be amazing. The built-in Max 4 live is a big deal. As a suite owner I will upgrade for this alone. I do however wish there was more multi sampling options and workflow improvements. I would have liked to see more built-in features that compete with Main Stage’s AutoSampler, soundlibs SAMPLIT 2 or Tom Cosms External Resampler https://gum.co/gjVM , making Ableton an all in one solution. The less reasons I have to get out of Ableton the better!

      1. No problem. Can’t say I blame you – Ableton doesn’t really go out of their way to explain it that way:

        “Max technology is now fully integrated into Live. No additional download or set up is required to create with and customize Max For Live devices. ”

        …sounds to me like it’s in all versions, but it’s not. I think this will confuse a lot of people over the next few days.

    1. Wow, ridiculous. I still can’t quite grasp the concept of all-in-one music production ecosystem that costs $449 yet doesn’t come bundled with a single damn synth!

      I hope they have included a couple more petabytes of loops, though – now this is what can teach you electronic music, not some strange tool where you have to tweak parameters to come up with your sounds.

    1. same. this is the only reason i still use pro tools in addition to live. i think ableton made a video where it appears their romanticized philosophy of “commiting” is more important than offering practical tracking functions for the “indecisive” music maker. so yeah, i wouldnt count on this feature being added

  21. Hmmm 180 quid upgrade for suite users for a couple of new add ons and a couple of enhancements ???
    Is it just me that feels a little deflated ? I won’t be upgrading at that price that’s for sure

  22. I was a little bit nervous that the Live 10 announcement would make me regret buying Bitwig, but I’m not feeling too regretful after reading the details. If M4L was included in the standard edition, I’d definitely have some buyer’s remorse.

    (That’s not to throw shade at the UI changes and new devices; it’s just not enough for me to justify coughing up a few hundred bucks to switch.)

  23. No matter how you dress this up its a pretty bland update (and an almost non existent update for Live Standard owners)

    In my opinion Bitwig Studio WAS live 10 – all the ideas, invention, forward thinking (MPE, VST3, in clip edition, CV ect) was with the team that left Ableton top set up Bitwig
    …this new Live update is just tweaks and small improvements, probably welcome if you are a die-hard Live users, but in my opinion no imagination, no real progress since the Bitwig guys left the Ableton team om mass with a different vision for the direction of Live….one I prefer.

    (PS- a wavetable synth that cant load wavetables, seriously!)

  24. They still haven’t figured out a better way to midi map VSTs? We have been asking for years for a way to save/recall VST mappings. I am so sick of having to remap them every time I load up a new song.

    Also, Ableton… you haven’t set up a way to arrange VST parameters into custom banks for push/push2? Just putting all the parameters into numbered pages of 8 sequential parameters is not useful, nor is it really working. I’m so dissapointed that you haven’t done anything about this.

    Thank you for finally adding breakpoint snap to grid. You should have done this a decade ago, it’s been such an obvious necessity it’s mind boggling that it’s taken you this long to get around to it. I don’t mean to be ungrateful, but $300 just to fix some of the nonsense that I have been putting up with as a paying customer for over a decade is simply not enough. You guys need to step up your game.

  25. Their mixer gui still sucks and no lists of plugins per track like… you know… all the other daw’s… i guess it will never have a proper mixing view…

  26. For everyone saying there aren’t enough new features to justify the upgrade: In many ways you’re right. Ableton lost a chunk of their developers when they left to start BitWig. So the past few years they’ve had to hire and train new people, not a small task on a project as complex as Live. They’ve still managed to deliver a lot. We’ve enjoyed tons of free updates to 9, got Push, and it’s a very usable DAW. Live 10 isn’t the total rewrite we were hoping for but they are showing that they listen to their users, and there still lots of interesting new features to play with. Things will get better for Ableton as the developers gain more experience.

    I look at this as a very reasonable investment in a tool I use for fun. Beyond Push 1 and 2 it’s been a long time since I’ve purchased anything from them. If I spent the cost of the Live Suite upgrade on BitWig’s yearly update plan it’d only cover a year of updates with a little left over. Somehow I bet Ableton will give us much more than a year of updates. A pretty good deal in my opinion and I’m glad to support them vs the alternatives.

    1. The Bitwig people left Ableton at least 5 years ago, considering that it first showed up in 2012, and Ableton’s headcount is at least several times larger. This update seems reasonable enough, but your defense is a little funny to me compared to the critique of Bitwig — not to pit them against each other because the pricing model and difference in company sizes makes it apples to oranges as far as I’m concerned.

  30. I wonder how many people claiming they won’t update actually do. My guess the majority actually do. I’m pleased with most of what 10 has to offer, even if it is fairly conservative, but I am disappointed they did not seem to include MPE.

    I hope more flexible routing akin to eurorack is considered in the future. That is the one quality of Bitwig that pulled me away from Live enough to consider it.

  31. I like the workflow improvements but they really ought to have built a touch enabled interface and allow the undocking of the windows and/or a tabbed mode – I still really hate the way that you can have the piano roll dragged up or down but not fullscreen especially with the muliple midi clip editing, it really needa to be able to go full screen or undockead and on a second monitor. Those aren’t monumental things but would be reeeeealy effective

  33. Disappointed still no poly aftertouch or MPE , aren’t they embarrassed their software doesnt support their hardware Push2 ? or that their cutting edge Loop artists can’t use their MPE controllers easily in Live ? ( The elephant in the room at Loop events )

    As a Standard user with no Max4Live , there is very little reason to update & it seems overly expensive : my account shows £160 upgrade price . I remember previous & more substantial upgrades @£90 so this seems excessive in itself ,& if I add Max4live or go for the Suite I might as well be considering Bitwig .. & whilst the subscription model is concerning I see a lot more development from a Bitwig year than an Ableton year.

    4 years ? for this , & the second item in the main video is a new distortion ! ( probably Suite only , not that I care enough to research )
    Sysex is welcome , but I guess old hardware owners have long since found workarounds to integrate , including shelling out for VST editors that already deal with this.

    Feels like diminishing returns & for ever higher price , 7> 8 was BIG (&buggy) , 8>9 couple of things , 9>10 meh .

  34. I expected a little more in 4 years. Love the new stuff for sure, the main things I like from bigwig are better audio editing with multiple audio events within a single clip (but love ableton’s new audio editing in arrangement view) and showing devices in the mixer view ala logic. And I was kind of expecting they would introduce a companion hardware for push (bit like ni ) or push 3
    Do respect they keep their software simple and lean.And will update nonetheless

  35. I use Ableton onstage because, as far as I’m aware, it’s the only piece of software which allows me to use multiple backing tracks with sequenced MIDI tracks and live performance parts, whilst also allowing me to send MIDI data externally for triggering visuals in Resolume and to send DMX data (via plugins) to control lights and a smoke machine.

    I find the interface incredibly frustrating and have wasted many hours trying to get around its oversights and awful quirks. I’ve long since stopped bothering to give feedback to the company because they’re not interested in hearing it. I try to avoid the forums because in my experience they’re full of fanboys who attack anyone who dares to suggest the software isn’t 100 percent perfect. I had little hope that version 10 would fix any of the many issues and annoyances I have with it, and indeed it seems to be a very underwhelming update which is grossly overpriced for what it is.

    Consequently I have no loyalty to Ableton whatsoever, and as soon as another company produces a piece of software which fulfils all of my onstage requirements with a less awful interface I will jump ship immediately.

  37. They are only copying imagelines FL Studio and this now since years….
    Live 10 Workflow Improvements all copied from FL Studio great work…

  39. About time they updated the push poly sequencer, the existing one is shocking. Iv almost threw my push device out of the window many a time trying to use it. It looks as though they have copied the novation circuit design which is fine because it works well.

  41. I raised a feature request regarding Ableton 10 and the close integration of Max4Live:
    With regard to Ableton 10 and Max4 Live being integrated into the Ableton engine – It would be very useful if now – whenever MIDI data is received into M4L – that metadata indicating the exact clip and clip note-position any MIDI note originates from. Currently if one wants to know which note in a clip being played a MIDI event encountered in M4L comes from – one has to go through a complex and imprecise fudge-type algorithm involving note timings. I would like to make an M4L patch which does a sophisticated type of note-reharmonisation algorithm which depends closely on which exact note in a clip is being played – so for example if there are two notes with the same pitch in a melodic clip it isn’t necessarily he case that my reharmonisation algorithm will harmonise both notes in the same way when encountered. But after a long try i gave up because all algorithmic attempts in M4L to “guess” which exact note in a clip a MIDI event belonged to failed.
    If Ableton were to redesign the way M4L reports MIDI events to include – where applicable metadata for the originating note in the clip – a link directly to the clip etc – it would make life a lot simpler.

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