Ableton Push Overview
When Ableton released a 64 pad USB hardware controller instead of the conventional MIDI control surface for session view launcher and music creation many people saw this as a self-destructive tactic. It was difficult to be convinced that anything positive could come from it especially considering how popular and successful some of the traditional MIDI control surface had already been. Imagine our surprise when the Ableton Push actually managed to introduce something incredible in the music production industry. It helped us understand just how brilliant live production software can get when supported with an equally great controller like the Ableton Push. There have been so many live controllers before but never had we witnessed one deliver the kind of performance Push has. It has transformed the live music production arena. Push has uniquely unified software and hardware into a single all-purpose controller unit that every musician needs.
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Ableton goes further to explain how the Ableton Push can function independently to meet all your music control needs. In fact, the manufacturer is confident enough to tell you that you can even close your laptop and entirely rely on this instrument to make your music. No more looking like you’re going through the social media behind that laptop while producing!
Ableton is making both the software and hardware of this instrument. Every time a company is committed to making both of these two you are almost always guaranteed of an impeccable device. This is just because integration is likely to be off the charts and with a well-integrated device maneuvering through the various functions is effortless. But is the Ableton Push good enough for you? Is it worth the over $600 asking price? How does it compete with other MIDI controllers out there? Let’s look at its various features and see how it stands out.
Hardware
The moment you see and touch the Ableton Push, you will realize that there are very few live music controllers out there that feel like this well-crafted device. The hardware production of this controllers has been inspired by the Akai APC40 and the Novation’s Launchpad. The instrument measures 14.5 by 11.5 inches weighing 6.6 pounds. From its weight, you can already guess that it is quite heavy especially if you compare it to other computing devices such as the Launchpad. If you are used to lighter controllers, the Ableton Push may feel cumbersome in its initial stages.
Majority of the functions in this device can be accessed from the top surface. This gives you easy and convenient access to all the necessary buttons and functions. Only a few connectivity options (which are rarely used) are at the back. At the center stage of the controller is an 8 by 8 grid of white pads. These pads are made of rubber while on the right, and the left side is harder black buttons that feel like plastic. On top of the white rubber pads, you’ll come across nine rotary controllers, a pair of small button rows and an LCD. There is a touch strip on the left side just between the black controls and the center pads. In summary, the overall layout and finishing of the controller are amazing. It is soft to touch and feels great. The surface makes you feel like you are going through your tablet or phone.
What you don’t know about the white pads until you start using them is that they are pressure-sensitive. How hard you press them will affect the sound produced. This can hence make versatile music productions. The pads are also firm and mashable with limited traveling.
The black buttons meanwhile are a bit looser and function like “Click” buttons. The rotaries are smooth in motion and can be twisted endlessly without breaking! Only one rotary has a notched action, and this is included to make it easier for you to set fixed values. They also touch sensitive at the top adding extra functionality. The rear ports include a USB port, two jacks (1/4 inch) for pedals, power button and a 6 DC input with an adapter.
If you are well versed with mass-produced controllers using the Ableton Controller will immediately help you understand why this is not your typical live-music controller. It is a well-thought piece of art crafted simplistically but with extensive functions. Combine these two, and you end up with an instrument that’s brilliant enough to compete with some other niche controllers like Monome and Livid devices. We also can’t forget to point out that the hardware production has been made in partnership with Akai, a renowned music instrument manufacturing company that doesn’t compromise on quality.
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How the Ableton Push works
Push has two main views, Session and Arrange. The Ableton push is more focused on the Session view which allows you to utilize the instrument fully. From the Session option, you can create clips of music and then go ahead to play or trigger them in a musical fashion.
To use the Ableton Push all you have to do is connect it to your PC through a USB (you don’t need any special drivers) and then open Ableton Live. This will immediately trigger the pads to display vibrant colors while the LCD screen will be asking whether you want to make a new song. Click yes and Push will be turned into a drum-machine mode. In this mode, the white pads will be divided into various functions. The 4 by 4 pads at the bottom left represent drum, the ones on the right work as clip-length controllers while the remaining ones above will become your step-sequencers.
The outer black buttons have various functions including delete, quantize, and the most important is the undo option. The top right black buttons are here to spice up your melodies. With these buttons, you can change the focus between tracks, clips, devices, etc. making your production lively. My favorite part about these black controls is how all the useful buttons let you know they are usable by lighting up. This is very helpful as it can also help you better your performance in a way you hadn’t thought about! Meanwhile, any buttons that are not useful at that point will remain dim.
Ableton Push’s can also change from a step sequencer to a rotational input. What does this mean? Well, when this happens the pads virtually turn into piano keys and the best part is that you can configure the keys into your personal preferences! With the scale button, you can also change the musical keys to minor or major or many other exotic scales available. The rid can also be customized to represent the selected notes or to deliver all the available notes chromatically. This is a beneficial option because it allows both the pros and newbies to easily use the grid as an instrument.
Another exciting mode of the controller is the clip launcher. This is almost similar to the functions of the Novation’s Launcher. Here, one pad works as the audio clip or MIDI that plays once pressed. Different scenes can also be set out efficiently using the black buttons on the left side. If you usually work with large projects, then this controller is ideal for you. Why? The shift button when pressed and held allows you to zoom out with every pad representing the 8 by 8 projects. At this point, you can select and jump into different parts of each session. With this feature, you can work on hundreds of clips seamlessly! This is something that initially, we had to rely on multiple devices but with the Ableton Push they have been made possible in a single device, and this has been achieved without making the entire instrument complicated.
Ableton Push Specs
- 64 pressure sensitive pads
- Touch strip (scrolling and pitch blend) controllers
- Ableton Live 10 Intro software
- Two ¼-inches pedal inputs (record start, loop control and sustain)
- Hardware Requirements: At least 4GB RAM for both PC and Mac
- OS Requirements: Windows 7 or later or OS10.7 or later
- Dimensions: 11.96” by 14.88” by 1.65.”
- Weight 6.0 lbs
Cons
Every device usually comes with its tradeoffs and Ableton Push is no different. The biggest one as far as we can see is the limited number of audio controls. The push was focused more on MIDI controls, and hence functions such as recording audios on loop, fly and similarly creating tracks may not be as easy as you would want. It is, however, still possible to do it using the User mode but you are likely to find it less intuitive.
The verdict on the Ableton Push
Everything said we remain convinced that Push is an incredibly fun device that will make your workflow more entertaining. Playing melodies and rhythms will feel more expressive. There is also room for experimental functions and of course, happy accidents! With the controller, you can quickly end up building insane clips and music even when you had no intentions of doing so. If you want Live to feel like dedicated hardware, then you need not look any further. If you want to put down your musical ideas as fast they come to you when producing then this is the device you are looking for. Ableton Push is the device that will push your creativity to its unimaginable limits, and this is precisely what every musician needs.
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