Stem Separation, Splice integration and everything else you need to know

Ableton Live 12.3 is here, with the latest version of the popular DAW bringing a number of new features including Stem Separation in Live Suite, Splice integration and more.

It’s worth noting that if you’re already an Ableton Live user, the update to version 12.3 is totally free. Otherwise, the three tiers of Live – Intro, Standard and Suite – are available at a limited-time price of £52, £194 and £404, respectively.

So what else is new in Ableton Live 12.3? Chief among the new features is Stem Separation, available in Ableton Live’s Suite tier. With it, you can instantly split elements from an audio clip – vocals, drums and bass, for example – and then reshape them however you choose.

There’s now the ability to bounce entire groups in place or to a new audio track – meaning faster ways to resample, or create transitional effects and microedits, for example. Another use case might be to paste bounced group audio to quickly create variations of your ideas without breaking your creative flow.

So many producers use Splice for their samples nowadays, and now Splice is integrated directly into Ableton Live’s Live Browser. This means you can now audition samples from Splice’s library without ever switching windows, and even use the Search with Sound feature to locate samples that work with your existing sonic elements.

Ableton Live 12.3 also features an updated Auto Pan-Tremolo device for easier access to tremolo effects, as well as deeper modulation and rhythmic control. Also featured in Ableton Live 12.3 Suite and for Live 12 Standard users with Max for Live is Generators by Iftah, a new pack of MIDI tools including Sting, which has been adapted from the well-loved acid bassline pattern generator.

Meanwhile, the Sequencers pack – first introduced in Live 12.1 – now supports reproducible arrangements, while Expressive Chords – introduced in 12.2, adds a Chord Edit mode, allowing you to transpose selected chords or enter your own using the Learn function.

Ableton Push updates

Alongside updates in Ableton Live 12.3, Ableton Push now features an XYZ layout, meaning its pad grid becomes a control surface for “movement and expression”, meaning you can slide to shape instruments and effects. Push Standalone now lets you split stems, and supports class-compliant audio interfaces for “expanded recording and performance setups”.

Ableton Move 1.8: updates

Push isn’t the only hardware instrument to receive an update; Ableton Move – a portable groovebox which scored 8/10 in our review last year – now adds Live’s new Auto Pan-Tremolo effect as well as a range of presets, and two new hybrid Drum Kits with a “hyperpop edge”, provided by British-born Aussie producer Kučka.

Pricing & availability

Until 2 December – so essential over Black Friday weekend – you can save up to 25% on Ableton Live, as well as its Push and Move hardware instruments.

So for a limited time, you can get Ableton Live 12.3 Intro for £52 instead of £69, Standard for £194 instead of £259, and Suite for £404 instead of £539.

Learn more at Ableton.

Sam is the Associate News Editor for Guitar.com and MusicTech. Thoroughly immersed in music culture for the majority of his life, Sam has played guitar for 20 years, studied music technology and production at university, and also written for the likes of MusicRadar, Guitar World, Total Guitar and Metal Hammer.