Cool well this movie that came from! Thanks for checking out the video. Hopefully you’ll subscribe. I have more videos for the AMB and more to come! Have an awesome day
Is that when yours is slated to be shipped? One thing I gotta say regarding sonicware’s shipping, I don’t know how they do it but they get stuff sent out so damn fast you’ll have it a couple days after it ships it’s insane all the way from Japan to the United States in like two or three business days
THANK YOU for this video. I preordered this yesterday, I have zero knowledge on how any instrument or music device works. On this unit alone with all the buttons and dials … I was very nervous and doubting I’d be able to do anything with it. But making ambient tracks has always been a dream of mine. And I’m starting my journey on buying instruments Someone showed me this product and I instantly jumped on it. This will be my first, then im gonna get a synthesizer, and a drum machine. This video, showed me so much, so again thank you!! Honestly you alleviated so much doubt and worry and kept me on the path of music making.
So am I hearing - you love it and can’t wait to buy one for yourself 🤣😂🤣😂 It’s not for everyone, and they take time to “learn” they sound cool if you take your time and learn it.
@@Cap10NRGMusic Haha I actually did (seriously!) consider one but took my foot of my GAS pedal, by re-listening if it really would add something. Guess I stick to cycles, samples, microfreak and cosmos and terra to do the ambient bit (and some handpans and other non-electronic instruments ;) But hey can imagine it would be a welcome addition for someone...
@LemniscatoLemniscato I’m in really it’s just a bank of sounds… Sounds being pushed through filters. I was actually thinking of building a library for the MPC to do ambient music with.
@@Cap10NRGMusic Sounds like a cunning plan! I'm not familiar to the MPC (actually: too much menu aka complicated workflow diving for my maggot brain I am afraid) but sort of get the idea ;)
Sonicware Liven does have a free PDF for this synth. The PDF is very well done and explains everything about the functions of this synth. I may purchase this as experimental music is my forte. I think this synth would work well with my 1010 Music Granular Lemondrop, and my Yamaha WX-11 wind synth. I have created many soundscapes with my Lemondrop, especially ring modulated tones using the granular engine. I basically use my looper pedal to create the soundscapes I like and then burn them to CD. The Texture Lab is another great example of Granular synthesis that would do very well in my small home studio. And YES, you can sample on these synths. Well done video my friend!😎
Thank you very glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, it’s awesome though. I love the ambience zero. It takes a little getting used to when you’re so, for a lack of a better word, formulaic in your music production I guess. For me, it was a lot harder to make music with this at first
Wow. This was pretty informative and kind of parallels the way I explore a new keyboard. Admittedly (and shamefully ), I abhor reading manuals unless I really have to and instead, rely on a machine’s intuitive interface. I ordered one on 9/11 and have since scanned through the available PDF, but I’d much rather fiddle with knobs rather than read 🤣🙄 That said, how long did it take for to get it from the date of purchase? I did get a purchase confirmation, but no shipped email as of 9/25. Yeah, I’m antsy. Great video, btw!
Thank you, really glad you liked the video! I was in the first batch of people to actually order it. If I recall properly, it was about a month and a half before I saw mine. That’s nothing man. I ordered an ELZ_1 play from these guys, and it was supposed to be a recreation of the original, which they added a bunch of new features to which I am really grateful for their great features! However, it took a year almost to the day from when I ordered it to when I received it. So my money was gone for a year with nothing in my hands. I was getting a little frustrated and almost ready to cancel the order, but then they came through. The weirdest part was that based on the order number the one that was shipped last was the one right before me so I was one away from being shipped. I end up having to wait an additional month and change for my synth to ship. And believe me when I got that thing I was very excited with it. I still am I love that Synth, however, it was extremely frustrating waiting for that to get here. Sometimes I feel like I’m just not cut out for these kickstart programs lol. Hopefully you’ll get it very soon and get to partake of the fun. That is the ambient zero. In the meantime, if you’re so inclined and I was a great time to take a look at the manual. There are some things about it that I kind of Different compared to other synthesizers, especially if you haven’t used any of the liven series before.
2:51 (re getting ambient sample to play): you need to set the note length, play mode and whether you want the whole sample to play out by default or require you to hold a key for the desired duration. Funct+ oblong buttons 8 and 9 for the play settings. Func+oblong button 15 to toggle tied notes. Func+step9 to change note resolution.
I forgot to mention something else about the noise layer: In the noise settings (func+2nd white/grey key) you can alter the crossfade between plays of the noise sample. The noise sample can be up to 8 seconds long and you can let it layout in full then loop or loop much earlier on.
17:04 What do I want the next Liven to be? I really want - need - the next Liven to be a drum synth in the same vein as Korg's Volca Drum, Elektron's Model Cycles or Erica Synth's LXR02. I already own the Volca and the LXR but it'd be great to have a drum synth with the Liven form factor/workflow alongside all my other Livens.
That's a really good idea! There's enough room in the Liven to model lots of percussion. Obvious kick, snare, hats, and toms could be modeled with parameters to morph between them all. But also bells, metallic sounds, wood blocks, and resonant sounds like from the Mutable Instruments Rings or Elements would be a nice engine to have too. Configurable choke groups, roll, and retrigger would be essential as well.
I'm going to order one the only thing that strikes me odd about the design is having the power plug into the top of the synth instead of from the side or back. Not sure if that's common with some synths but just seems like its more prone to be in the way when your reaching back and forth for the knobs.
Hey there! That’s on all the livens - they do it so the can be lined up without the plugs gettin in your way. You’ll enjoy it though - it’s pretty sweet!
What are you intending to use for your drums? Are you using a DAW or are you going to use a different sonicware device? Or something totally different , just curious. I’m kind of thinking of doing something with the ambient zero and the 808 for 808 day, which is coming up on Thursday.
@@Cap10NRGMusic l’m going to try my mpc live first. I want to experiment with the timing of some ambient patterns since it is difficult to stay on the beat. I will then try to play these patterns on my drums l really enjoy ambient sounds and to play drums to it is the ultimate for me.
Thanks for the review. I'd love it if it had a drum track. If the noise layer has a sampler, I wonder if it could be used for drums, maybe with a Chop Mode.
I would not be surprised if- they do this on the lofi 12. I’ll pass that along though!! Thanks for checking out the video! If you haven’t subbed - please do, it’d really help me out!
6:44 (re your problem sequencing the drone): By default, the note length/resolution of the drone layer is set to 1note=1bar/16steps. Change the note length if you want the notes to be faster/slower than that (I believe note resolution ranges from 1/32 all the way down to 1 note = 8 measures).
@@dinogoldie9716 yeah that’s what I’ve been doing. The only problem then in my opinion is that now I lose time, apparently I’m greedy lol I wanted to be the lung pattern but I also want control over the lung pattern so I want more than 64 steps, but I want them to playfor a while so I can get some variation in there. Sounds like the answer is probably going to be to duplicate the patterns to a separate slot and then play both patterns and sequence or as many patterns as I need.
@@Cap10NRGMusic You can also use "dice" (shift+knob8) to change the probability of individual steps sounding. Sadly there's no pitch randomiser though. You can also use the "Random step" feature (func+ steps 12 & 13) to chop up your pattern.
@dinogoldie9716 right probability would be helpful. I know that’s there but that’s also we’re having more notes to be probable with lol would come in. It is definitely a cool device though it definitely sounds nice and and is very capable of making beautiful music. I just need to kind of get used to it I suppose. And it’s different in the way than the other live devices in that way. None of them are said to 1/1 they are all initiated as 1/16…
I got mine last week and no batteries I put work in it. I have 4 other livens so these batteries work fine in them. The ambient 0 does turn on with power supply. How many of you have defective units? They told me I can ship it back but they haven’t got back to me on how long it will take to send replacement.
@@b1ist3rs interesting I honestly haven’t tried batteries in it yet. I will now that you mentioned this. I use the power supply all the time because I use it in the studio.
17:04 The other Liven I'd like to see is a reissue of the Liven Bass & Beats but with two wavetable monosynth tracks and no crappy PCM drums. That would be perfect for Bass music leads and bass.
With the popularity of the basin beats, I’m surprised they haven’t put it into a smpl trek format like the Lofi 12 XT and given it eight tracks that you can decide what you want on. Also, they could throw in a good sampler that you could put real drums on instead of the PCM type drums that would be pretty awesome and it would be the synthesizer in this format.
Thank you for this presentation! It's a pity, that the buttons are so clicky. I generally don't like that (of course all persanal preferences), but especially in combination with creating Ambient, it bothers.
Yeah, I got to say for having devices like the simple trek and a Lofi 12 XT with such awesome pads on them that are so nice to use and don’t make a lot of noise… And then going back to use these buttons that are just very loud… I just wish they would’ve kind of went to silicon buttons all the way around.
I agree but I do like to learn new things so we’ll see what happens. I’ve actually got plans for it tonight. Hopefully I’ll have time to get it done because tomorrow is 808 day.
Excellent review! If it can play deep lush organic ambient drones that can play well with other synths, then im interested, otherwise it's just another cheap "pre-recorded-sounding" toy. It seems like they have been stuck on low bit samples, or cheap filters giving a "70's casio" sound... errr. It's going to be hard to compare this fairly to a used hydra for a similar price.
Well as far as being pre-recorded I would not call it that - it sounds good. The sample is definitely lofi - the filters sound good also I mean the issue with it for me primarily, is I just don't make the right kind of music for such a device. I have seen and heard some good music made with this device. I just need more time with it... But - I have to ask, where can I get a used Hydra for $240??? I would have snapped faster than you can say hydra hahahaha. Seriously These are two different devices. This is basically a groove box for textures, sonic soundscapes that type of thing - with 4 voices it has some potential. I just feel like it needs a "friend" from the Sonicware line of products to make it shine. Let me give the SMPLTrek a spin with it and see where I land... ;) Thanks for the comments and feedback!! I hope to see you around the comments section! Have a great night
@@Cap10NRGMusichmmm I personally didn't find the samples sounding too lofi and decently of quality, even without the headphones. Just playing with the filters making low fidelity sounds.
I love the song mode of the smpltrek, but I wish there was a album mode of putting together a song list mode. It would be great for putting together a yoga music playlist.
![Ambient Ø Beginner's Guide [#1 Basic Operations & Playing Techniques (without using the sequencer)]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3glp_V_lfTQ/mqdefault.jpg)
![Ambient Ø Beginner's Guide [#1 Basic Operations & Playing Techniques (without using the sequencer)]](/img/tr.png)
This one actually interest me
Cool well this movie that came from! Thanks for checking out the video. Hopefully you’ll subscribe. I have more videos for the AMB and more to come! Have an awesome day
September cant come quick enough
Is that when yours is slated to be shipped? One thing I gotta say regarding sonicware’s shipping, I don’t know how they do it but they get stuff sent out so damn fast you’ll have it a couple days after it ships it’s insane all the way from Japan to the United States in like two or three business days
@@Cap10NRGMusic yeah I am 4th phase I believe. It's pre order so happy to wait. Lots of amazing gear just now and TH-cam is making me buy 😂
I just waited a full year for my ELZ-1 play. That thing was 100% worth the wait! It’s basically an OP one field, for $600. It sounds so good.
@@Cap10NRGMusic I have to go watch a video and now I want one 🤣
I’m in the same boat, I’m pretty excited for this.
THANK YOU for this video. I preordered this yesterday, I have zero knowledge on how any instrument or music device works. On this unit alone with all the buttons and dials … I was very nervous and doubting I’d be able to do anything with it. But making ambient tracks has always been a dream of mine. And I’m starting my journey on buying instruments Someone showed me this product and I instantly jumped on it. This will be my first, then im gonna get a synthesizer, and a drum machine.
This video, showed me so much, so again thank you!! Honestly you alleviated so much doubt and worry and kept me on the path of music making.
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy your Ambient 0!!
You better watch some synthesis basics videos before
Mmmm... Vacuum cleaner meets a dying accordeon in a blue box with clickety buttons.
So am I hearing - you love it and can’t wait to buy one for yourself 🤣😂🤣😂
It’s not for everyone, and they take time to “learn” they sound cool if you take your time and learn it.
@@Cap10NRGMusic Haha I actually did (seriously!) consider one but took my foot of my GAS pedal, by re-listening if it really would add something. Guess I stick to cycles, samples, microfreak and cosmos and terra to do the ambient bit (and some handpans and other non-electronic instruments ;) But hey can imagine it would be a welcome addition for someone...
@LemniscatoLemniscato I’m in really it’s just a bank of sounds… Sounds being pushed through filters. I was actually thinking of building a library for the MPC to do ambient music with.
@@Cap10NRGMusic Sounds like a cunning plan! I'm not familiar to the MPC (actually: too much menu aka complicated workflow diving for my maggot brain I am afraid) but sort of get the idea ;)
Sonicware Liven does have a free PDF for this synth. The PDF is very well done and explains everything about the functions of this synth. I may purchase this as experimental music is my forte. I think this synth would work well with my 1010 Music Granular Lemondrop, and my Yamaha WX-11 wind synth. I have created many soundscapes with my Lemondrop, especially ring modulated tones using the granular engine. I basically use my looper pedal to create the soundscapes I like and then burn them to CD. The Texture Lab is another great example of Granular synthesis that would do very well in my small home studio. And YES, you can sample on these synths. Well done video my friend!😎
Thank you very glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, it’s awesome though. I love the ambience zero. It takes a little getting used to when you’re so, for a lack of a better word, formulaic in your music production I guess. For me, it was a lot harder to make music with this at first
Wow. This was pretty informative and kind of parallels the way I explore a new keyboard. Admittedly (and shamefully ), I abhor reading manuals unless I really have to and instead, rely on a machine’s intuitive interface. I ordered one on 9/11 and have since scanned through the available PDF, but I’d much rather fiddle with knobs rather than read 🤣🙄
That said, how long did it take for to get it from the date of purchase? I did get a purchase confirmation, but no shipped email as of 9/25. Yeah, I’m antsy.
Great video, btw!
Thank you, really glad you liked the video! I was in the first batch of people to actually order it. If I recall properly, it was about a month and a half before I saw mine. That’s nothing man. I ordered an ELZ_1 play from these guys, and it was supposed to be a recreation of the original, which they added a bunch of new features to which I am really grateful for their great features! However, it took a year almost to the day from when I ordered it to when I received it. So my money was gone for a year with nothing in my hands. I was getting a little frustrated and almost ready to cancel the order, but then they came through. The weirdest part was that based on the order number the one that was shipped last was the one right before me so I was one away from being shipped. I end up having to wait an additional month and change for my synth to ship. And believe me when I got that thing I was very excited with it. I still am I love that Synth, however, it was extremely frustrating waiting for that to get here. Sometimes I feel like I’m just not cut out for these kickstart programs lol. Hopefully you’ll get it very soon and get to partake of the fun. That is the ambient zero. In the meantime, if you’re so inclined and I was a great time to take a look at the manual. There are some things about it that I kind of Different compared to other synthesizers, especially if you haven’t used any of the liven series before.
YES!!! Great excuse for new gear. “No honey, I bought this for you, not me” - genius😂
@@jodo985 mums the word!! 🤣🤣
2:51 (re getting ambient sample to play): you need to set the note length, play mode and whether you want the whole sample to play out by default or require you to hold a key for the desired duration. Funct+ oblong buttons 8 and 9 for the play settings. Func+oblong button 15 to toggle tied notes. Func+step9 to change note resolution.
@@dinogoldie9716 good tip!!
I forgot to mention something else about the noise layer: In the noise settings (func+2nd white/grey key) you can alter the crossfade between plays of the noise sample. The noise sample can be up to 8 seconds long and you can let it layout in full then loop or loop much earlier on.
17:04 What do I want the next Liven to be? I really want - need - the next Liven to be a drum synth in the same vein as Korg's Volca Drum, Elektron's Model Cycles or Erica Synth's LXR02. I already own the Volca and the LXR but it'd be great to have a drum synth with the Liven form factor/workflow alongside all my other Livens.
That's a really good idea! There's enough room in the Liven to model lots of percussion. Obvious kick, snare, hats, and toms could be modeled with parameters to morph between them all. But also bells, metallic sounds, wood blocks, and resonant sounds like from the Mutable Instruments Rings or Elements would be a nice engine to have too. Configurable choke groups, roll, and retrigger would be essential as well.
@@dinogoldie9716 I’m kind of surprised they haven’t done strictly a drum machines set up yet actually funny you say that
@@boriscat1999 Agreed. warping drum sounds would be awesome. A Liven Physical modelling resonator would be the tits too.
Excellent explanation and nice tool, I'll get one too for relaxation, thanks for the video 🙏
Thanks! More coming soon -I appreciate the feedback!
I'm going to order one the only thing that strikes me odd about the design is having the power plug into the top of the synth instead of from the side or back. Not sure if that's common with some synths but just seems like its more prone to be in the way when your reaching back and forth for the knobs.
Hey there! That’s on all the livens - they do it so the can be lined up without the plugs gettin in your way. You’ll enjoy it though - it’s pretty sweet!
I just received mine two days ago my intention is to add drums to the ambient patterns l create using midi and one of my groove boxes.
What are you intending to use for your drums? Are you using a DAW or are you going to use a different sonicware device? Or something totally different , just curious. I’m kind of thinking of doing something with the ambient zero and the 808 for 808 day, which is coming up on Thursday.
@@Cap10NRGMusic l’m going to try my mpc live first. I want to experiment with the timing of some ambient patterns since it is difficult to stay on the beat. I will then try to play these patterns on my drums l really enjoy ambient sounds and to play drums to it is the ultimate for me.
Thanks for the review. I'd love it if it had a drum track. If the noise layer has a sampler, I wonder if it could be used for drums, maybe with a Chop Mode.
I would not be surprised if- they do this on the lofi 12. I’ll pass that along though!! Thanks for checking out the video! If you haven’t subbed - please do, it’d really help me out!
6:44 (re your problem sequencing the drone): By default, the note length/resolution of the drone layer is set to 1note=1bar/16steps. Change the note length if you want the notes to be faster/slower than that (I believe note resolution ranges from 1/32 all the way down to 1 note = 8 measures).
@@dinogoldie9716 yeah that’s what I’ve been doing. The only problem then in my opinion is that now I lose time, apparently I’m greedy lol I wanted to be the lung pattern but I also want control over the lung pattern so I want more than 64 steps, but I want them to playfor a while so I can get some variation in there. Sounds like the answer is probably going to be to duplicate the patterns to a separate slot and then play both patterns and sequence or as many patterns as I need.
@@Cap10NRGMusic You can also use "dice" (shift+knob8) to change the probability of individual steps sounding. Sadly there's no pitch randomiser though. You can also use the "Random step" feature (func+ steps 12 & 13) to chop up your pattern.
@dinogoldie9716 right probability would be helpful. I know that’s there but that’s also we’re having more notes to be probable with lol would come in. It is definitely a cool device though it definitely sounds nice and and is very capable of making beautiful music. I just need to kind of get used to it I suppose. And it’s different in the way than the other live devices in that way. None of them are said to 1/1 they are all initiated as 1/16…
I got mine last week and no batteries I put work in it. I have 4 other livens so these batteries work fine in them. The ambient 0 does turn on with power supply. How many of you have defective units? They told me I can ship it back but they haven’t got back to me on how long it will take to send replacement.
@@b1ist3rs interesting I honestly haven’t tried batteries in it yet. I will now that you mentioned this. I use the power supply all the time because I use it in the studio.
17:04 The other Liven I'd like to see is a reissue of the Liven Bass & Beats but with two wavetable monosynth tracks and no crappy PCM drums. That would be perfect for Bass music leads and bass.
With the popularity of the basin beats, I’m surprised they haven’t put it into a smpl trek format like the Lofi 12 XT and given it eight tracks that you can decide what you want on. Also, they could throw in a good sampler that you could put real drums on instead of the PCM type drums that would be pretty awesome and it would be the synthesizer in this format.
You should attach/place your mic to something besides your desk.
It’s actually on a RODE microphone arm.
Thank you for this presentation! It's a pity, that the buttons are so clicky. I generally don't like that (of course all persanal preferences), but especially in combination with creating Ambient, it bothers.
Yeah, I got to say for having devices like the simple trek and a Lofi 12 XT with such awesome pads on them that are so nice to use and don’t make a lot of noise… And then going back to use these buttons that are just very loud… I just wish they would’ve kind of went to silicon buttons all the way around.
I think it's not the kind of thing you're into..
I agree but I do like to learn new things so we’ll see what happens. I’ve actually got plans for it tonight. Hopefully I’ll have time to get it done because tomorrow is 808 day.
Well didn’t get there last night :( but hey whatcha gonna do…
Excellent review!
If it can play deep lush organic ambient drones that can play well with other synths, then im interested, otherwise it's just another cheap "pre-recorded-sounding" toy.
It seems like they have been stuck on low bit samples, or cheap filters giving a "70's casio" sound... errr.
It's going to be hard to compare this fairly to a used hydra for a similar price.
Well as far as being pre-recorded I would not call it that - it sounds good. The sample is definitely lofi - the filters sound good also I mean the issue with it for me primarily, is I just don't make the right kind of music for such a device. I have seen and heard some good music made with this device. I just need more time with it... But - I have to ask, where can I get a used Hydra for $240??? I would have snapped faster than you can say hydra hahahaha. Seriously These are two different devices. This is basically a groove box for textures, sonic soundscapes that type of thing - with 4 voices it has some potential. I just feel like it needs a "friend" from the Sonicware line of products to make it shine. Let me give the SMPLTrek a spin with it and see where I land... ;)
Thanks for the comments and feedback!! I hope to see you around the comments section! Have a great night
@@Cap10NRGMusichmmm I personally didn't find the samples sounding too lofi and decently of quality, even without the headphones. Just playing with the filters making low fidelity sounds.
I love the song mode of the smpltrek, but I wish there was a album mode of putting together a song list mode. It would be great for putting together a yoga music playlist.
@@ruscular oh that would be cool! 😎
What hydra are you seeing for $240 lmao