New Liven!



https://sonicware.jp/pages/liven-texturelab

It also seems to do straight up sampling (stretching a sample across a keyboard).
EDIT: I didn't see a USB or SD etc, just analog audio input. Probably it has something like that, to transfer samples and update firmware, tho?

My goodness, this sounds great to me. Love those pads it makes.

Take my money!
I’m a Liven *****.

On the Lofi-12 its all done through the audio input or MIDI only, dont be surprised if this is the same.

I haven't heard the same samples thru each, so "fwiw", but I like the sound of tgis better than Tempera, and the previous granular modules. Nice sounds for the launch vid!

Cool. I'm actually fine with that - if it's only going to have one option (live record or files) I'll take live record. If by MIDI, you mean you can transfer audio files using the DIN port as a 3200 baud modem, or whatever it works out to... that's clever, and it would be better than no file transfer, if that's the scenario.

On the Lo-fi 12 its just the case that firmware is sent as MIDI sysex, and you can backup and reload patterns and samples that were previously created directly on the device via the same MIDI method too. You still need to sample to the device in the first place (or use other peoples files that were created in that way originally)

This is pretty exciting given the sound samples, that it actually samples from a line in, and the usual price point of Liven's gear. It's actually turning into an interesting year for hardware samplers!

I'd guess it'll use the MIDI Sample Dump Standard, which is a defined method for using sysex to transfer sample data. SDS was a big deal in the '80s and especially '90s when it was the best way to edit samples on a computer then transfer them to a sampler for additional processing and playback, but fell by the wayside as software samplers took over.

Or they might use their own sysex-based version, which amounts to the same method.

Interesting...

Only one track though. Would have liked to have seen at least another track, in line with the Liven series, to play different sounds off each other.

6 seconds sample time... Could maybe squeeze two or even three different sounds in there, then use parameter lock to sort of simulate multi track...

Still kind of tricky through with just one track...

Maybe they could update it to allow mapping of different samples across different sections of the keyboard, or something along those lines...

Or just keep it a synth! Thinking out loud here...

What's the logic of their product development?

They launch a sampler with an updated hardware platform and a better OLED screen (SmplTrek).

Then the follow it by launching two more products with related features, on their older platform with a 3 character LED.

They update the firmware on the SmplTrek, which is capable of all this, but segment certain features only to the two products on their older hardware platform.

Would they not be better off having all this as a bigger volume of sales of one single product on their newly developed hardware platform, at a lower unit price?

Does the updated firmware on sampltrek do granular? I hadn’t heard that but maybe I missed it.

It absolutely does not, but I think he’s implying it could, or should?

This thing is pretty deep

“Shift”, “function”…..is still the narrative, once he starts talking. Ok they ditched the overlays, that’s a start, but I think they haven’t learned this approach is a barrier for them.

I smell a troll.

Seems pretty clear they have their LIVEN line: affordable linkable tabletop/portable devices, in the same manner of the Korga Volca or Roland AIRA. Then they have other singular devices.

Not uncommon at all for products or even art and music coming from the same source to have common elements. In fact it's pretty much the norm, and has been for thousands of years.

Sometimes you can even taste them along with their scent. Akin to living downwind from a pig farm.

This new box from Sonicware is priced around the same as the MicroFreak. The SmplTrek, using a different platform, is priced about 50% higher.

The Microfreak has the functionality of both, of these things, a longer life on the market and from what I can is selling bigger volumes.

Sonicware spends effort putting out these new boxes, but their sales on them are not much and drop off a cliff pretty quickly. So that’s wasted marketing expense.

This two platform program maybe works for a giant company like a Roland, but I think Sonicware would be better served by committing to the SmplTrek platform and driving the features though it in the long term.

Ordered. I love granular stuff.

This isn't true at all. Smpltrek is also a 2x2 audio interface and 10 track sequencer/looper/full-on sampler. I have both and will likely get the Texture Lab. That said, I have a feeling they are maybe building to a ELZ_2 with all of the Liven and Smpltrek features or a larger Smpltrek Pro with bigger pads.

Why don’t you contact sonicware and see if u can be a strategic consultant for them? Your brilliant analyses are wasted here :-)

How do u like your sampletrek? I am tempted to get one for making stuff when leaned back in bed but I am a bit concerned with how small the screen is. It looks like you can hold it and use it like a gameboy or something? Handheld?

Love it! Especially with the latest firmware. I feel like it is a couple of workflow updates away from being a full on portable DAW/performance brain for my purposes. For now I do a lot of quick sketches and it's ideal for that. There have been many updates since I got it and it's gone from being a bit limited but cool to almost ableton live in a box. The Sonicware team pay attention to the community's requests and have thoroughly impressed me with their Arturia like update commitment.

I mostly use it on a desk, but definitely take it with for occaisions when I'm in a waiting room or whatever, great as a handhead, my spouse calls it a gameboy, definitely can be held and used like that. I'm 41, no glasses, and have no issues at all with the screen size, zero.

I've considered getting one of those wireless midi setups for it to lean more into full handheld instead of dragging my longest midi cable around when I walk around my small home studio space - but it has been great for that. I got some cheap okay rechargeable batteries from lidl so I always have a fresh set to rotate in.

Highly recommended overall.

Awesome. Thank you. One other question. Have you been able to find a generic case that fits it?

sounds interesting though the liven selection of modules has 2 things that annoy me a bit

1. does not ship with a power supply. - EXTRA $39 plus P+P
2. moving data/samples is via midi SyEx dump (it's 2023 a product?.. )
USB ??? -- nah it'll be fine...

re usb - there is none .. so can't be powered via usb either...