Ableton Push 2

AdamJay · Post by **AdamJay** » Fri Nov 06, 2015 9:38 am

For me it isn't so much about getting away from the screen, but getting away from the mouse.
Elektron instruments have screens that you glue you right in, and this looks no different in that regard.
The other interface improvements they made over Push 1 really polish it up and turn it into the kind of elegant instrument I've always wanted to interact with.

Like Lebowski's rug, this really ties the room together.
Rytm, A4, Overbridge, Duet 2, my Genelecs, and Push 2.
I <3 the Future.

Smais · Post by **Smais** » Fri Nov 06, 2015 10:10 am

AdamJay wrote:For me it isn't so much about getting away from the screen, but getting away from the mouse

I had never thought of it so simply but this is pretty much it for me too. I actually quite like screens.

sackley · Post by **sackley** » Fri Nov 06, 2015 6:29 pm

Smais wrote:
AdamJay wrote:For me it isn't so much about getting away from the screen, but getting away from the mouse
I had never thought of it so simply but this is pretty much it for me too. I actually quite like screens.

+1

Thinking I'll wait until a potential sale. Either black friday (in germany? haha) or the holiday sale they usually do.

dkcg · Post by **dkcg** » Fri Nov 06, 2015 7:16 pm

sackley wrote:
Smais wrote:
AdamJay wrote:For me it isn't so much about getting away from the screen, but getting away from the mouse
I had never thought of it so simply but this is pretty much it for me too. I actually quite like screens.
+1

Thinking I'll wait until a potential sale. Either black friday (in germany? haha) or the holiday sale they usually do.

May have to wait until next year, I doubt they'll have a sale on something that just came out. Maybe when the Push3 comes out?

Mine should be here next week.

Cozmic023 · Post by **Cozmic023** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 6:54 am

I've just put my pre-order in for a Push-2 via the Ableton shop. Gonna trade in my Push-1, got £150 off the asking price of £499.

Ok i could of sold it on fleabay, and got £175-£200 for it. But with fees / postage ect. I thought sod it, it's gonna go to a good cause. And someone with gain from it.

For me the screen on the Push-2 looks amazing, and the pads are more sensitive. Which is great for me. As Push-1 pads were a bit hit and miss for me, either too sensitive & sticking notes or having to bash the pads just to get notes in.

Ended up using a modified Akai LPD8 to do the drums, and controlled everything else from push.

Hopefully things will work out? And this Push-2 along with the new features in Ableton, should keep me happy till the next GAS episode.

Cheers
Lee

Bonobo · Post by **Bonobo** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 8:28 am

This looks like it'd work really well with a modular.

Noodle around, record to audio in ableton, convert to simpler.

You could just build up a track doing that and then it'd be very easy to add variation by slicing and other editing in simpler.

I have push 1 and I'm tempted!

sackley · Post by **sackley** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 9:16 am

dkcg wrote:
sackley wrote:
Smais wrote:
AdamJay wrote:For me it isn't so much about getting away from the screen, but getting away from the mouse
I had never thought of it so simply but this is pretty much it for me too. I actually quite like screens.
+1

Thinking I'll wait until a potential sale. Either black friday (in germany? haha) or the holiday sale they usually do.
May have to wait until next year, I doubt they'll have a sale on something that just came out. Maybe when the Push3 comes out?

Mine should be here next week.

Maybe, I got Push and Live 9 Suite on sale the same year it came out, though that was released in March. We'll see. Worst case scenario is they stop taking trade ins and don't do a sale.

Can't wait to hear your and other peoples thoughts when they get it!

dude · Post by **dude** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 9:44 am

push 2 is out for delivery here.

Leverkusen · Post by **Leverkusen** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 10:13 am

sackley wrote:
dkcg wrote:
sackley wrote:
Smais wrote:
AdamJay wrote:For me it isn't so much about getting away from the screen, but getting away from the mouse
I had never thought of it so simply but this is pretty much it for me too. I actually quite like screens.
+1

Thinking I'll wait until a potential sale. Either black friday (in germany? haha) or the holiday sale they usually do.
May have to wait until next year, I doubt they'll have a sale on something that just came out. Maybe when the Push3 comes out?

Mine should be here next week.
Maybe, I got Push and Live 9 Suite on sale the same year it came out, though that was released in March. We'll see. Worst case scenario is they stop taking trade ins and don't do a sale.

Can't wait to hear your and other peoples thoughts when they get it!

Uhh, don't even think about this! They are offering the trade-in option until spring 2016. I would get quite disgruntled if they drop it ahead of time and would not stop to talk bad about them till the end of my life. I really hope they do not because I need more time for such a decision. It is great and probably much better that the current one. But it is a lot if money just for an update and quite a resale price drop for the MK I too.

sackley · Post by **sackley** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 4:46 pm

Leverkusen wrote:Uhh, don't even think about this! They are offering the trade-in option until spring 2016. I would get quite disgruntled if they drop it ahead of time and would not stop to talk bad about them till the end of my life. I really hope they do not because I need more time for such a decision. It is great and probably much better that the current one. But it is a lot if money just for an update and quite a resale price drop for the MK I too.

It's highly unlikely that would actually happen - don't mind my comment, haha!

Still, I think a holiday sale isn't out of the question.... it's a new product, and sales figures can only help. Though their margins would take a hit for a trade in discount plus a holiday discount... we'll just have to wait and see.

dude · Post by **dude** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 5:22 pm

first impressions here are good-ish. it is certainly made well. i have no live performance setup in mind so using two connections doesn't make or break anything for me. it feels quite beefy. i think it still doesn't get beyond glorified midi controller (that is what it is) so it doesn't completely change the ableton game workflow. the sampling/waveform is pretty but i am still scratching my head as to all functions. i need to go through the tutorials as i know there must be (i sure hope so) about a million things i am missing.

i will hold off on actual judgment until i am feeling like i understand a much greater percentage of it's full potential than i do currently.

until then, it looks nice. it feels nice. it works as a freaky midi controller for drum input, keyboard input. weird sequencer. you can completely add tracks/devices by hand. you may or may not be able to or feel comfortable getting some time away from the mouse.

IT IS MUCH BIGGER THAN I SOMEHOW EXPECTED. the specs clearly mention its full dimensions.

over the years i have stumbled upon so many keyboard shortcuts that it freaks my fingers out to move away from the computer keyboard. not sure if i will get more comfortable with that or not. a keyboard shortcut feels the same to me as a double-button-press on a controller so i don't see how having to relearn all my shortcuts is going to be that awesome.

it physically feels like nice hardware. will be interesting to see over time how it evolves. definitely not a need to use the software. probably will be helpful once i customize my stuff more. more later.

dkcg · Post by **dkcg** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 7:16 pm

Cozmic023 wrote:I've just put my pre-order in for a Push-2 via the Ableton shop. Gonna trade in my Push-1, got £150 off the asking price of £499.

Ok i could of sold it on fleabay, and got £175-£200 for it. But with fees / postage ect. I thought sod it, it's gonna go to a good cause. And someone with gain from it.

These were my thoughts exactly. I know I could make a few more bucks if I sold it myself, but I'd rather have disadvantaged kids have access to something this cool and thought provoking. Something kids need now.

I'm hoping that I can soon replace my Machinedrum and Octatrack with ableton and push2 comepletely.

AdamJay · Post by **AdamJay** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 9:46 pm

Bonobo wrote:This looks like it'd work really well with a modular.

Noodle around, record to audio in ableton, convert to simpler.

http://createdigitalmusic.com/2015/11/a ... -it-works/

AdamJay · Post by **AdamJay** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 9:48 pm

I was mostly curious about the workflow of programming Ableton's Analog and Operator synths from the Push 2 interface, and how that compares to an Elektron workflow.

This video tells me that it is kind of Elektron-ish, really.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWTavM26SrM

You have a basic menu system for parameter pages. Having to page to the right and left in order to select parameter groups within the synth device is similar to Monomachine's EDIT button. Once you get there, you have access to 8 parameters per page (again, like Monomachine).

Aside from that, the sequencer gives speedy access to step automation (p-locks), and nudge (micro-timing). Drum Racks provide for "Performance" style macros. While they may require grabbing the mouse to setup, seeing as how Elektron's A4/AR Performance assignments are more easily made by mouse in Overbridge, I view neither as having an advantage here.

My plan is to swap my Monomachine out for Push 2. Push 2 running Analog + Operator + FX plays in mind like a Monomachine Mk3 (hooray micro-timing and polyrhythms!) w/ Overbridge.
It appears that it would sit comfortably between Rytm and A4 in a hybrid Elektron Analog / DAW configuration.
On top of that, it gives me the few Octatrack style functions I would actually use without having to spring for an Octatrack.

Now my curiosity is aimed at the Push 2 workflow with 3rd party synths like NI Monark, TAL-101, Discovery Pro. These are all wonderful software emulations that only further benefit from a mouse free, intuitive interface such as Push 2.

dude · Post by **dude** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 11:36 pm

round 2 of impression and it is definitely powerful. i wish there was a manual.

right now i give it 95% future status

turns live into an easy-peasy mpc but with the native live workflow. and does a lot more than that i'm guessing.

drowld · Post by **drowld** » Sun Nov 08, 2015 8:11 am

dude wrote:round 2 of impression and it is definitely powerful. i wish there was a manual.

right now i give it 95% future status

turns live into an easy-peasy mpc but with the native live workflow. and does a lot more than that i'm guessing.

Glad to hear. Can't wait myself

Any owner of push 2 can support my ableton request feature on the forum ?
Would be killer to be able to do create vst parameters banks and naming them for easier push access

here's the link :
https://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=218162

I did it too in the beta section

udbhav · Post by **udbhav** » Sun Nov 08, 2015 11:59 am

dude wrote:round 2 of impression and it is definitely powerful. i wish there was a manual.

right now i give it 95% future status

turns live into an easy-peasy mpc but with the native live workflow. and does a lot more than that i'm guessing.

Link to Push 2 section of Ableton's manual: https://www.ableton.com/en/manual/using-push-2/

dude · Post by **dude** » Sun Nov 08, 2015 12:50 pm

udbhav wrote:
dude wrote:round 2 of impression and it is definitely powerful. i wish there was a manual.

right now i give it 95% future status

turns live into an easy-peasy mpc but with the native live workflow. and does a lot more than that i'm guessing.
Link to Push 2 section of Ableton's manual: https://www.ableton.com/en/manual/using-push-2/

aww thanks for that. i only saw a pdf for the first vers. sorry for my stupidity and thank you for your kindness!

trickness · Post by **trickness** » Sun Nov 08, 2015 7:30 pm

Just got mine yesterday, feels like a huge improvement from Push 1. Loving push 2 here!

Sinamsis · Post by **Sinamsis** » Sun Nov 08, 2015 8:50 pm

This thread has reaffirmed my need to delve deeper into my Push 1. I really underutilize it, and lately, barely even use it. May reconsider the Push 2 if I really get into the Push 1. It always felt a little awkward to me (just my style), but maybe I'm missing something. I also have been wanting to experiment with the Push and Numerology as a way to sequence the modular. Anyone know if the Push 2 is compatible with Numerology?

As an aside I notice that they dropped the weight of the Push 2, but still kept it hefty. I have to say that I actually like how heavy the Push 1 is; it feels sturdy. I'm glad the 2 is on the heavier end. I don't, however, particularly care for the new finish. I really like the old one's finish.

kev · Post by **kev** » Mon Nov 09, 2015 5:30 pm

I took the plunge as well. I have to admit that I've been really productive lately ignoring my hardware and using just ableton on my laptop. I'm hoping that the push will add a bit of the fun factor I get with hardware while still keeping me productive. Being predominantly a sample based music maker, I'm really looking forward to exploring my collection of ripped vinyl with the new simpler.

For those on the fence, musicians friend is having a 15% off veterans day sale. You have to call in to have it apply to the push but it does apply. Coupon expires on the 11th.

oisin · Post by **oisin** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 4:56 am

i sold my push 1 shortly after i got it - wasn't into the workflow and there was alot of janky-ness that annoyed me.

have users of push 1 noticed big changes with this update too? used 1's are dirt cheap right now - maybe worth taking another stab at it..

thetechnobear · Post by **thetechnobear** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 5:42 am

Sinamsis wrote:I also have been wanting to experiment with the Push and Numerology as a way to sequence the modular. Anyone know if the Push 2 is compatible with Numerology?

I should be getting my Push 2 today

but no, it won't be compatible with Numerology... as the way the display is accessed is completely different, how incompatible and how difficult it is going to be for third parties to integrate the display is something Im going to be investigating over next few days...
I'll then have a chat with Jim@Five12. (he said he has no current plans to get a push2)

if Numerology is your main interest, id advise get a cheap used Push 1 for now (the push 1 is still a fantastic device!), until the Push 2 situation becomes clearer.... as of now, we don't know if its weeks or months before developers are going to be able to drive the display.
(its completely undocumented, and ableton have not said if its going to publicly disclose this ... and then they haven't in the past)

Funky40 · Post by **Funky40** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 7:08 am

i wonder how good of a choice a push2 + live is for just recording Modular snippets, loops and single hits,
assigning these samples to tracks, ...i know, the samples over simpler,
and work from there ?

how good is the push2 at cutting samples ? ....zooming in and out,
setting your start and end points.
to me these things are about refinement of the control.......Machine studio failed here for me for example.
it was not fluffy enough.
how good is push2 on this ? really fluffy ?

dude · Post by **dude** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 11:54 am

i would say it is at least 65% fluffy but maybe up to 80 or 90% depending on your workflow.

to me it feels like an instrument that gives physical presence to live.

MOD WIGGLER

MOD WIGGLER

Ableton Push 2