Hot off the launch of Ableton Live 12, we have another update and even more new features to sink our teeth into.

Earlier this year, we got to celebrate the release of a brand new version of Ableton Live. With Ableton Live 12, the beloved DAW added a storm of new features, instruments, tools, and workflows for their biggest offering yet.

Ableton Live 12 has finally dropped – here’s how to use it

Now, we’re already being treated to even more features. Ableton are now testing Ableton Live 12.1 in a public beta, bringing a number of significant new tools, features, and improvements to existing elements.

Live 12 users can join Ableton’s beta program to try the free update now, whilst it is in beta testing.

Drum Sampler – compact one-shot sampler with built-in effects

This is a brand new drum sampler, added in Live 12.1. Ableton describe it as a “small but mighty device”, saying:

This new Drum sampler presents all essential sampling controls for immediate manipulation – and pairs them with time stretch and looping modes, FM and ring modulation, and the ability to layer a sub oscillator or noise, add punch, or crush sounds with an 8-Bit mode.

Auto Shift – real-time pitch tracking and correction device

This is another brand new device for Live 12.1. It’s an advanced tool for adjusting and correcting the pitch of vocals. Ableton say:

Select a scale, or define your own, to keep every note in tune with your track. Play and make harmonies from any monophonic signal using Auto Shift’s MIDI sidechain. Add vibrato, and modulate your sound using MPE or the device’s LFO.

Auto-tagging for all your samples

We all know how hard it can be to scour through potentially thousands of sound samples. Ableton are here to save your workflow with automatic filing of samples and VST3 plugins. They say:

You can now search your entire user library faster with filters – and there’s no need to tag the samples yourself. Live 12.1 automatically assigns new tags to any sample in your library less than a minute long.

Improved Limiter and Saturator

Upgrades to two of Ableton’s existing effects expand users’ control over their sounds with some serious changes. Ableton write:

Limiter gets a complete overhaul – with a smoother release curve making for less distortion, better metering with the improved UI, and the addition of Mid/Side routing, True Peak, Soft Clip, and Maximise modes.

Along with a more focused front panel, Saturator sees the addition of a Bass Shaper curve ideal for love end processing. Drive 808 kicks and sub basses as hard as you like and let Saturator keep the frequencies in check.

MIDI improvements

Upgrades to how MIDI is sorted make it easier to edit and arrange your MIDI notation. Ableton say:

You can now filter and select MIDI notes by time, pitch, velocity, chance, duration or by a number of other dimensions using a new toolbar in the MIDI Editor. 12.1 also introduces two new MPE-specific MIDI transformations – Glissando and LFO – allowing you to create curves for the MPE parameters of selected notes.

Create more intuitively on Push

Ableton are bringing a bunch of updates to their Push controllers. Live 12.1 adds new function to the latest versions of Push. Ableton write:

With Push 2 and 3 you can now design sounds with more detail and control by mapping Macros, and experiment with a range of different sounds using Macro Variations. Push 3 now also lets you add groove instantly to all the MIDI clips in your Set with a single twist of an encoder.

The new update brings Live 12’s filtering system to the browser on Push 2 and 3, as well as auto-tagging for samples on Push 3 standalone. Plus, you can now save Default Sets and Template Sets on Push 2 and 3, and organise your Sets by moving tracks and scenes.

Check out the release notes for full details on Live 12.1 and updates to Push.