If music were politics, Peter Kirn would be either Woodward or Bernstein, and CDM (Create Digital Music) would be the paper that broke the Watergate-sized story about the Ableton 9.1 Beta. This is not to imply that there was some scandal involved (though we're always up for a good story if you know something), but just that there was news, CDM got it first, and that's the kind of thing they give out Pulitzers for in the journalism game.

According to Mr Kirn's assessment of the now available beta, 9.1 brings with it something that Ableton users have been begging for—nay, screaming for—since who knows when: dual monitor support. Apparently people use more than one screen these days. Who knew?

What other update goodness comes in the package? Well, we could just send you to the Ableton site, but here again, Kirn's homework will treat you much better than a boring old link:

  • Export is faster, thanks to multi-core support.
  • Clip names are readable in the Disco skin.
  • Warp markers save with clips when you check “Create Analysis File.”
  • There are a range of fixes and “optimizations” to presets, in both internal Devices and Max for Live – found some interesting weirdness there, so this is good news.
  • You can see which parameters are automated on Push. And there are lots of additional sequencing details to Push, not only the melodic and automation settings we discussed before.
  • You can use the first encoder on Push to switch between Scales. (I like this, especially, as I’d complained to Ableton that I wanted to be able to switch modes when playing. I expect it wasn’t just me who said that – holla, mode nerds! Speaking of which…)
  • Now the Minor Pentatonic Scale is actually a minor pentatonic scale. (Don’t make me come over there and go all Music Theory on you, Ableton!)

And, yes we would like to see Peter go over there and get all Music Theory. We love a good Music Theory-ing.

Let's see. What else would you like to know? Oh yeah, you'd like to know how to get it. Well that's easy. You're just going to have to fork over some information on the Ableton site in exchange for your shiny new download. But hey, that's more than you usually get.

It's worth mentioning that you can install this thing alongside your current (read: stable) version of Ableton so as to monkey around with the new stuff while still getting your projects done on time with the old. Awfully considerate of them.

Stop back when you've got your hot little hands on it and let us know what you think.

Source: CDM