A plugin with similar functionality to Ableton Live Session View: MuLab 9

This is not completely new and it has been already shortly mentioned in this forum but considering that there are still users asking for such a functionality I think it is worth to mention it again.

There is a Plugin working well in Cubase 13 (at least on my system) which brings a functionality similar to “Ableton Live Session View” within Cubase (or within any daw): MuLab 9 from Mutools.

For Cubase user it is important to know that MuLab exists as stand-alone app and also as plugin.
At the moment the MuLab 9 Plugin is in itself a VST2 plugin.
But it works (at least on my system) without being bridged.
According to the developper it will become “Quite probably” a VST 3 plugin.

The daw-part of MuLab is called Composer.
I write Daw-part because MuLab can be a lot of other things!

The Composer has two ways to arrange music: the Time Line and The Live Matrix.
The Time Line is similar to the Time Line in the Project Window of Cubase.

The Live Matrix is similar to the Session View of Ableton Live.
https://www.mutools.com/info/M9/docs/mulab/composer-live-matrix.html

There you have Tracks, Live Scenes and Live Clips.
Tracks can be hybrid.
Live Clips and Live Scenes can be launched on the fly.
The Clips can be Audio Clips, Sequence Clips and Automation Clips.

At the moment there is definitely less control over Clips than in “Ableton Live Session View” but nevertherless the control possibilities are quite impressing.

And as already mentioned it works well as a Plugin in Cubase :slight_smile:
You can also sync the Plugin to Cubase or you can let it have its own tempo, which is to me BTW an interesting feature!

I still do not have worked deeply with the plugin but my first impressions are quite positive.
I do not find it too complicated to work with and for my taste rather intuitive (of course YMMV)

You can download a demo on Mutools website.

Two more things for any one trying on Windows
. I had at first some problem installing the plugin because I tried to install it in the ususal folder (Windows) for vst2 plugins.
I then got write permission errors and Cubase added the plugin to the blocklist.
It seems to have to do with Windows’ UAC mechanism.
After installing the plugin in another folder (BTW it’s just about copying the MuLab plugin folder, there is no installation) like:
C:\VstPlugins\MuTools\ there was no problem any more and Cubase recognise the plugin

. Also in the MuLab plugin folder there is a dll called “REX Shared Library.dll”
Cubase added it to the blocklist.
I asked the developper and he answered “don’t worry about it”

Conclusion: MuLab 9 brings really a great Session View feeling in Cubase :slight_smile:

Disclaimer:
I have no affiliation to Mutools, I just happen to be interested in a solution to have a Session View kind of working within Cubase

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