Black Friday: pimp my Live with the best add-ons

Ableton Live 12.3 is out of beta; it’s time to liven up your Live setup (plus Ableton Move and Push and Novation Circuit Tracks). Black Friday deals have these at the lowest prices you’ll see all year, so if you’re stocking up for winter or holiday breaks, we’ve got you. These are tools to solve some problems, add some inspiration, and even just make your Live setup look better.

Ableton Live Suite now has a rent-to-own, installment payment option

It’s not a subscription. And Ableton is still offering their existing “buy now” licenses and upgrades. But if you don’t want to pay for the flagship Ableton Live Suite all at once, you now have the option of a rent-to-own plan. That could be a way for more folks to take advantage of Suite features like full Max for Live support. Here’s how it works.

Peter Kirn - September 30, 2025

The Blaster Beam, a massive instrument invented by Captain Kirk’s nephew

Its size is epic, as if a sci-fi prop itself. Its otherworldly sound is chilling in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. And The Blaster Beam is the unique handiwork of Captain Kirk’s own nephew — okay, Craig Huxley, who played that character on the original series. Meet The Blaster Beam. If any of us wins the lottery, there will be signs.

Peter Kirn - September 17, 2025

El Jaguar: re-amped Colombian Picó sound systems as instrument

Peter Kirn - May 22, 2025

Three speculative designs on white pedestals with a white background. A quipu-powered drum machine with knotted pieces of rope, a viola da gamba with a hollow body and amplification, and a skull-and-bone horn.

Imagining an alternate history of music instruments, quipu to skulls

Peter Kirn - November 20, 2024

Tour Superbooth with Afrorack – featuring the show’s best instruments

Peter Kirn - May 22, 2024

Landscape’s Ferrous, an electro-mechanical resonator for strings

Peter Kirn - May 16, 2024

D16’s Drumazon 2 review: a must-have 909-inspired drum machine plug-in

Peter Kirn - November 2, 2023

Khabat Abas of Kurdistan-Iraq talking about cellos, bombshells, silenced stories of women

Peter Kirn - March 8, 2023

CDM Newswire

brings together the latest breaking news on music, technology, gear, and live visuals. Got a project, found a news tip, or want to share your product? Submit to us directly.

Submit to CDM NEWSWIRE