Ableton Suite 8 Vs. Ableton live 8 + Reason 5

[recession proof]

Which combo do you think I should invest in. I want to produce and dj. Obviously it's a very subjective matter, but from your experiences what are your opinions.

thanks.

[hurlingdervish]

my 2 cents
if you are going to produce and dj, then just get the suite
heres why:
Splitting your attention between two DAWS is fine and dandy, especially if you already know one, but if you throw in DJing to practice with as well it may end up to be too much on your plate. You might shift attention to check out and learn a new little doo dad in one program and then do the same in the other program, meanwhile you haven't accomplish jack shit.

[paravrais]

Ableton Live and Reason, you get basically nothing extra for the extra price you pay for suite and reason 5 is gonna be the absolute tits. Though I have to agree with the above poster and say that if you don't already know a DAW then it's gonna be best to just buy one for now.

[recession proof]

I have been using cracked versions of both DAWS for 6 months, (just testing out how I like producing, im gonna make a purchase now) so I know them pretty well. But that is a good point about splitting my attention too much. I would just like to produce in one program and dj in another, or do both in one program. Do you prefer Ableton's instruments or Reasons?

[gnome]

Ableton Live and Reason, you get basically nothing extra for the extra price you pay for suite

Have you explored operator? and analog? They are magnificently powerful!

[paravrais]

I have been using cracked versions of both DAWS for 6 months, (just testing out how I like producing, im gonna make a purchase now) so I know them pretty well. But that is a good point about splitting my attention too much. I would just like to produce in one program and dj in another, or do both in one program. Do you prefer Ableton's instruments or Reasons?

I personally use reason rewired into ableton for producing because then you get the amazing synths, great layout, great automation system and all the clever shit you can do with a combinator combined with abletons knack for working with audio, great drum sampler, effects (and debatably better rendering engine).

It would be a waste to buy ableton and then only use it for DJ'ing. In all this time you have been experimenting with the two programs have you never rewired?? Open ableton first, then open reason. Delete the mixer and create a thor(for example, could be anything) now route that to 3 and 4 on the master out box at the very top of the reason rack. Now create an audio track in ableton, set its input to reason, select the ins as 3/4 then switch 'monitor' to 'in' and whatever you play/record in reasons track for that instrument will play through that audio channel before it reaches abletons master channel. Now you can use abletons superior mixing/mastering plug ins to make the reason instruments sound top notch without having to do anything too fiddly to combine the two and you can have each daw open in seperate windows, running independently but together.

It makes sense :p

[paravrais]

Ableton Live and Reason, you get basically nothing extra for the extra price you pay for suite

Have you explored operator? and analog? They are magnificently powerful!

Analog is a bit shit, lets be fair XD operator is a beast but it's nothing compared to reasons synths. The only really great things you get in ableton stock is the drum sampler and the 'sampler' device but you get them with live don't you??

[gnome]

Ableton Live and Reason, you get basically nothing extra for the extra price you pay for suite

Have you explored operator? and analog? They are magnificently powerful!

Analog is a bit shit, lets be fair XD operator is a beast but it's nothing compared to reasons synths. The only really great things you get in ableton stock is the drum sampler and the 'sampler' device but you get them with live don't you??

Personally I love analog. theres a lot happening under that hood.

I 'm not sure if it comes with live

[recession proof]

Yes I have used the rewire feature plenty of times. My only gripe with it is automating Reasons synths inside Ableton. I can't map my keyboards knobs to reason's synths while I rewire with ableton. I love how you can set up a instrument rack with ableton and map stuff to my controller's knobs. You can do the same in combinator, but not really while they are rewired. I know you can go to the clip in ableton and select midi control to automate reasons synths but it is not as fun as messing with the knobs on a keyboard.

[hurlingdervish]

Analog is a bit shit, lets be fair XD operator is a beast but it's nothing compared to reasons synths. The only really great things you get in ableton stock is the drum sampler and the 'sampler' device but you get them with live don't you??

[/quote]
analog is nowhere near shit. the engine that runs it is higher quality than majority of synths out there, the only problem is it can be a bit unpredictable, because thats the way it was designed. can be easily controlled if you work with it enough and/or sample it. but if you know reason synths better...its your call
sampler is part of the suite, drum racks are not

[abZ]

Do you get drumracks with the stock setup? I can't live without it myself. Let me put it to you this way I have both reason and ableton suite and I don't use reason at all anymore. I don't need it, I have live! Make up your own mind tho please.

[jsills]

ive been rocking live by itself for a while and dont NEED anything else per se....but Reason 5 looks sick and i do think having different equipement leads you to think differently, work differently and ultimately come up with a different composition than you may have otherwise. im def getting it when my funds are correct.

Operator is str8 beast but i need to play around with analog a bit more to form an opinion

[paradigm_x]

Id get ableton and another synth or two myself (albino, massive, battery for drums).

Def wouldn't split over two daws myself, youll end up using one or the other and feel like youve wasted money.

Never liked reason myself, and its a closed system.

With Ableton, you can also get a load of free synths, fx to play with while you decide. Bootsy, TAL, Synth1 are all great (legally) free vsts.

imo.

[paravrais]

Analog is a bit shit, lets be fair XD operator is a beast but it's nothing compared to reasons synths. The only really great things you get in ableton stock is the drum sampler and the 'sampler' device but you get them with live don't you??

analog is nowhere near shit. the engine that runs it is higher quality than majority of synths out there, the only problem is it can be a bit unpredictable, because thats the way it was designed. can be easily controlled if you work with it enough and/or sample it. but if you know reason synths better...its your call
sampler is part of the suite, drum racks are not[/quote]

Four waveforms and no triangle in there! It lost me as soon as I realised that. Also no portamento and very limiting lfo controls

What it can do it does produce well but it is VERY limited as a synth.

[gnome]

Id get ableton and another synth or two myself (albino, massive, battery for drums).
Never liked reason myself, and its a closed system.

Great way to put it

[recession proof]

Actually one of the reasons why I want to use Reason (no pun intended) is that it is a closed system. VST's to me are like smokes. Once you get one you get addicted and want another one just to achieve a particular sound without fully exploring the cababilities of your other synths. Reason may not have every feature, but its closed "offnesss" forces me to think of new and creative ways to rewire stuff to achieve new sounds and fx without dropping another hundred bucks on a VST or VSTi. Thats why if I only got ableton suite I want to force myself to only use that program without VSTs. In addition, Kong looks like the sample pack killer. Why scour the internet for new drum packs when I can make and sample my own right with Kong?

Now my new question is (and I no its very subjective), do you prefer ableton's synths like analog, operator, and sampler or Reason's synths like thor, malstrom, and NN-XT.

[bustadoug]

Actually one of the reasons why I want to use Reason (no pun intended) is that it is a closed system. VST's to me are like smokes. Once you get one you get addicted and want another one just to achieve a particular sound without fully exploring the cababilities of your other synths. Reason may not have every feature, but its closed "offnesss" forces me to think of new and creative ways to rewire stuff to achieve new sounds and fx without dropping another hundred bucks on a VST or VSTi. Thats why if I only got ableton suite I want to force myself to only use that program without VSTs. In addition, Kong looks like the sample pack killer. Why scour the internet for new drum packs when I can make and sample my own right with Kong?

Now my new question is (and I no its very subjective), do you prefer ableton's synths like analog, operator, and sampler or Reason's synths like thor, malstrom, and NN-XT.

reason synths are def more powerful(combinator) but vst is the advantage for me, along with audio editing. if you go ableton you can get reason later and use it as a vst

but i havent looked into reason 5 yet

[abZ]

Actually one of the reasons why I want to use Reason (no pun intended) is that it is a closed system. VST's to me are like smokes. Once you get one you get addicted and want another one just to achieve a particular sound without fully exploring the cababilities of your other synths. Reason may not have every feature, but its closed "offnesss" forces me to think of new and creative ways to rewire stuff to achieve new sounds and fx without dropping another hundred bucks on a VST or VSTi. Thats why if I only got ableton suite I want to force myself to only use that program without VSTs. In addition, Kong looks like the sample pack killer. Why scour the internet for new drum packs when I can make and sample my own right with Kong?

Now my new question is (and I no its very subjective), do you prefer ableton's synths like analog, operator, and sampler or Reason's synths like thor, malstrom, and NN-XT.

reason synths are def more powerful(combinator) but vst is the advantage for me, along with audio editing. if you go ableton you can get reason later and use it as a vst

but i havent looked into reason 5 yet

Personally I think Reasons synths are jokes. Combinator < racks also imo

[paravrais]

Actually one of the reasons why I want to use Reason (no pun intended) is that it is a closed system. VST's to me are like smokes. Once you get one you get addicted and want another one just to achieve a particular sound without fully exploring the cababilities of your other synths. Reason may not have every feature, but its closed "offnesss" forces me to think of new and creative ways to rewire stuff to achieve new sounds and fx without dropping another hundred bucks on a VST or VSTi. Thats why if I only got ableton suite I want to force myself to only use that program without VSTs. In addition, Kong looks like the sample pack killer. Why scour the internet for new drum packs when I can make and sample my own right with Kong?

Now my new question is (and I no its very subjective), do you prefer ableton's synths like analog, operator, and sampler or Reason's synths like thor, malstrom, and NN-XT.

Yes mate. Great way to look at it! The reason Synths blow the ableton ones out of the water and are much better than a lot of the top rated corporate ones people tend to rave about. Also with the new features in reason 5 for dealing with audio resampling is going to be an absolute dream for you.
Or put it this way. If you just got ableton you would find yourself quickly straying to find other vsts to make your tracks with but with reason you will already have everything you need.