Now Ableton has launched a new firmware update for Move, which looks to be its most significant update yet. Ableton Move v1.5 Major Update Adds Sample Slicing, Auto-Filter Device & Enhances MIDI I/O.
When Move launched, one of the most common complaints from potential users was its lack of automatic sample slicing. Although Move allows users to sample using its audio input, onboard mic or internal routing – and lets users manually spread a recording across different pads – at launch it lacked the ability to automatically slice a loop to be triggered across different Drum Rack pads, in the way Live allows.
With the 1.5 update, Move now offers that option to slice a sample into equal regions, with the amount of slices set by the user. Users can then adjust the individual slice points in order to fine tune the process.
Move 1.5 also significantly enhances the device’s MIDI capabilities. Move can now simultaneously send and receive MIDI across its four tracks, which can each be configured with its own MIDI in and out settings. Move can also now receive MIDI clock settings from external devices.
It’s worth noting that Move uses its USB port for MIDI I/O, and doesn’t have conventional MIDI input and output ports.
Live’s newly overhauled Auto-Filter device also comes to Move 1.5, along with a range of presets. The update also adds some refinements to how Move functions when controlling Live, along with a variety of bug fixes.
These new updates join several other enhancements to the Move workflow that have been added since launch. These include the ability to sample using the device’s USB port, as well as improvements to the arpeggitor and quantize modes.
The 1.5 firmware is currently in public beta, head to the Ableton beta program site to find out how to join.
Ableton Live 12.2 is now available in public beta.
Ableton has just unveiled its latest Live update, v12.2, out in public Beta as of today.
The latest update brings meaningful improvements to all editions of Live 12, along with a host of new features for Push, and a new Max device for Move and Note.
Explore new and updated devices
Auto Filter has been completely redesigned with creative new filter types, real-time visualization, and a revamped modulation section. Auto Filter also comes to Move and Note for the first time. Expressive Chords, an MPE-enabled Max for Live device for all editions of Live and Push, lets you play interesting progressions intuitively, one key or pad at a time.
The new Auto Filter brings enhancements to every part of its toolset. Perhaps most significantly, it expands the range of filter types on offer, with additional emphasis on creative filtering.
The existing options – low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, notch, and a Morph filter – are now joined by a comb filter, vowel filter, resampling filter and bi-directional DJ-style filter mode. The Morph filter gains additional slope options, and the notch mode is joined by a notch + LP mode.
There are improvements to the analogue-emulating filter circuits too. Auto Filter now features a clean SVF model, Sallen-Key inspired MS2 and Ladder-style PRD modes, and a new DFM mode that, according to Ableton, “internally feeds back more of its distortion, resulting in a broad range of tones from subtle filter sweeps to warm drive.”
The LFO has been upgraded with a variety of new tools including additional waveshapes and wave morphing, and the sidechain functionality has gained an EQ and mono mode. At the end of the chain, Auto Filter now has an output loudness control to compensate for fluctuations in volume, plus a soft clipping option and global dry/wet. The device also now has a real-time spectrum visualiser built into its UI.
Auto Filter isn’t the only element of Live to gain new features in v12.2. The DAW gains a new keyboard-based workflow for editing automation and modulation, which promises to aid Ableton’s commitment to accessibility as well as potentially speed up the workflow of users up on their keyboard shortcuts.
Bounce to New Track
Live 12.2 now lets you bounce clips or time selections on any MIDI or audio track, including all processing, which means users can now both bounce a track in place – rendering the existing track to audio – or bounce audio down to a new track without overwriting the existing track.
Browse and search more easily
The browser – which was significantly overhauled for Live 12 – also receives a number of refinements. These include a redesign of the tagging system, with a new layout for the filter view, plus quick tags that can be edited from a sound’s preview tab. Users can also now assign custom icons to labels in the library.
There are also numerous updates for existing Live devices. Live 12 newcomers Meld and Roar both gain refinements, with the Meld gaining a new Chord oscillator and Scrambler LFO effect, and the Roar adds a new routing mode and filter type, plus an external audio and MIDI sidechain.
Live’s Resonators and Spectral Resonator can now make use of the Scale Awareness functionality. Finally, Live’s much-loved FM synth Operator now has an increased voice count of up to 32 voices.
Live 12.2 also brings major new creative features to Push.
What’s new for Push?
It’s not just Live itself that’s seeing improvements with v12.2 – the standalone version of Ableton’s Push controller gains an OS update as well, which addresses one of the most significant missing features from its workflow – Follow Actions.
Follow Actions are tools used in Live to automate the behaviour of its clip launcher. At their most basic, they can be used to make clips play one after another, but they can also be set up to do more interesting things, such as randomise the playback of clips and scenes or add automated fills and breaks.
While Push is entirely focused on the clip launching workflow, until now users haven’t been able to set up Follow Actions on the device, which is a significant hole in its toolset. As of the latest beta updates – Live 12.2 and Push 2.2b9 – users can now set and edit these from the hardware itself. This has the potential to vastly improve Push’s functionality both as a tool for live performance and for studio creativity.
Push also gains a new Expressive 16 Pitches mode, which matches the functionality of Ableton’s compact Move hardware, and offers an easy way to play samples in Drum Rack sounds melodically. There’s also a new MPE-ready Expressive Chord Max device designed specifically for playing single-finger chords using Push (or any other controller).
And in addition to Expressive Chords and the updates to Auto Filter, Meld, and Roar, Push can also now access more of Live’s native functionality, including the ability to bounce tracks to audio directly from the device, access the Groove Pool and load tuning systems.
For a full list of what’s new in Live and each version of Push, read the release notes. If you own a Live 12 license, you can sign up for the Ableton beta program* to try the new features now.
Once the beta testing period is over, Live 12.2 will be free for all owners of a Live 12 license.
Ableton Live 12 is available for purchase from Ableton.com and, in some countries, through local retailers.
Ableton Live 12 costs $99 / €79 /£69 for Intro, $439 / €279 / £259 for Standard and $749 / €599 /£ 539 for Suite.
Owners of previous versions of Live can log in to their accounts to check upgrade pricing.
Ableton Move is a standalone groovebox and Live controller that makes a portable and affordable alternative to Push, the company’s MPE-equipped flagship instrument.
Since its launch in late 2024, Move has received a handful of firmware updates that have improved its MIDI sync capabilities and fixed some minor workflow issues, but the latest marks its most significant update yet.
Move’s 1.3.0 update allows users to sample using its USB-C port, letting you record audio directly to Move from a smartphone, tablet, computer, or any device acting as a USB host that supports audio over USB.
This opens up an array of possibilities for Move users: Ableton suggests playing a song from your phone and sampling to one of Move’s drum pads, or sampling a synth app from A tablet into its Melodic Sampler. Devices with a USB-C port should work without any fuss, but phones or tablets with a Lightning connection will require the use of an adapter, as Lightning to USB-C cables aren’t supported. Find out more info here.
Another welcome improvement bundled with Move’s 1.3.0 update is the ability to send out polyphonic aftertouch from its 32 pressure-sensitive pads through the device’s MIDI out port when controlling external instruments and gear.
Find the full list of improvements below, or check out the release notes over at Ableton website.
You can now solo tracks by pressing and holding the Shift and Mute buttons simultaneously and then pressing a track button.
Longer entries in the browser, such as sample or preset names, now scroll on the display so that the full name is visible.
When used as an audio interface, Move now defaults to outputting its internal microphone and line-in. Move’s main output can still be selected in Setup; however, doing so will disable Move’s speaker when a USB-C cable is connected.
Move now sends out polyphonic aftertouch when set to MIDI Out, which lets you play expressively when using external MIDI controllers.
A wider selection of presets is now used when creating a new Set.
Uploads to Ableton Cloud are now faster.
Triggered one shot samples and long release note phases now stop when playback stops and when clips are retriggered. Additionally, an “All Sound Off” MIDI message (CC 120) is sent to the MIDI output.
