Helpful Push information.

Discuss Push with other users.
[erm]
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Helpful Push information.

Post by [erm] » Mon Jun 08, 2015 1:57 pm

I wanted to start and sticky a thread where people can share useful tips for those using Ableton Push. Tutorials, guides, helpful videos, links to anything else you think other Push users would benefit from. I know this stuff always generates some discussion, but please try and keep it limited to providing useful information for other Push users. Thanks!

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Airyck
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Re: Helpful Push information.

Post by Airyck » Thu Jun 11, 2015 2:54 pm

From the easy to miss features thread:

Accent

- activate Accent while in Note mode and all playing you do will be at a higher velocity in real time (not only in Step Sequencer mode)

Delete

- hold Delete + touch an encoder to delete automation controlled by that encoder
- hold Delete + Automation button to delete all automation in a clip
- hold Delete + press a clip to delete that clip (Session mode)
- hold Delete + select a device or track with Push’s Selection Control buttons to delete
- hold Delete + press a drum rack pad or a note in instrument mode to delete all the notes in that pitch from the clip (not in Melodic Step Sequencer mode)

Duplicate

- hold Duplicate + select a track with Push’s Selection Control buttons to duplicate
- hold Duplicate + press a clip to duplicate that clip (Session mode, it only works if there is an empty slot right below the clip you want to duplicate)

Mute/Solo

- hold Mute + pressing a step to deactivate it without deleting it (Drum/Melodic Step Sequencer mode)
- hold Mute + insert a new step to insert a muted step (Drum/Melodic Step Sequencer mode)
- hold Mute or Solo + Drum Rack pad to mute or solo that pad (Drum Step Sequencer mode)

Select

- hold Select + Drum Rack pad to select its notes without triggering the pad (Drum Step Sequencer mode)
- hold Select + a clip to select the clip without launching it (Session mode)
- hold Select + Drum Rack pad, while still holding the pad release the Select button and you can adjust Nudge, Note Length and Velocity for all steps corresponding to that pad (Drum Step Sequencer mode)
- hold Select + Drum Rack pad, while still holding the pad release the Select button and press Mute to deactivate all steps of the corresponding pad (Drum Step Sequencer mode)
- hold Select + a playing clip will show the time remaining on the playing clip until you let go Select (Session mode/Clip mode)

Session

- hold Session while in Note mode to switch temporarily to Session mode (allowing you to launch clips then release the Session button to jump straight back into Note mode)
--> Many of the buttons on Push function this way, namely the Accent button, the Scale button and all of the Encoder mode buttons. If pressed quickly, they will toggle on/off. If held down, they function momentarily.

Shift

- hold Shift + touch strip or Octave keys to move Drum Rack pads by single rows (Drum Step Sequencer mode)
- hold Shift while in Scales mode allows you to access a number of additional note layout options
- hold Shift + Automation button to re-enable all automation that you have manually overridden
- hold Shift + Stop (below Master button) to stop all clips (Note/Session mode)
- hold Shift + hitting Up or Down arrow keys/Octave Up and Down buttons to move eight scenes up or down (Session mode)
- hold Shift + hitting Left or Right arrow keys to move eight tracks at a time (Session mode)
- hold Shift while in Session mode and the pad grid zooms out to reveal an overview of your Session View (in the Session Overview, each pad represents an eight-scene-by-eight-track block of clips)
- hold Shift while in Session mode and each scene launch button represents a block of 64 scenes
- hold Shift + Add Effect to add a new device (instrument or midi effect) to the LEFT of the currently selected device (use In and Out buttons to select the device)
- hold Shift + Master volume knob to adjust Pre-Cue volume
- hold Shift + Tempo knob to set the tempo in increments of .1 BPM
- hold Shift + Undo to Redo
- hold Shift + Play/Stop return Live’s transport to 1.1.1 without starting playback
- hold Shift + track selection control buttons to arm multiple tracks (Note/Session mode)
- hold Shift + selection control buttons to move quickly through the browser (Browser mode)
- hold Shift + encoder to fine adjust a parameter, depending on the mode (Clip/Device/Track) sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, just try

User

- hold User button to adjust the sensitivity of Push’s velocity response and other settings (note: this didn't work in 9.0, the DVD version, if you don't get the menue update to the latest Live version)

Additional tips

- In Session mode, pressing Stop turns all Select Control switches that contain clips to red stop buttons (Track mode, additional infos here: viewtopic.php?p=1547117#p1547117)

- Since Live 9.1 you can select a single segment in the two Step Sequencer modes to edit it while the whole loop is playing (check this article for a detailed explanation: https://www.ableton.com/en/articles/push-loop-playhead/). Keep in mind anyway that you could also duplicate the clip with the loop, go to Session mode, select the clip which is not playing (hold Select + press clip), go back to Step Sequencer mode an edit the clip while the duplicated one is playing.
Ableton Live 10 Suite / Push 2 / Max 8 /

Airyck
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Re: Helpful Push information.

Post by Airyck » Thu Jun 11, 2015 3:09 pm

Very useful and Popular control scripts for Ableton Push

PXT Live
FEATURES

Three primary Matrix Modes:


•Note Mode – Polyphonic (8 Note Lanes at a time) and Monophonic (1 Note Lane at a time) Step-Sequencing with Per-Step Automation, Scale quantization, easy Mute/Solo/Delete/Select/Quantize functions and a variety of Velocity options including Randomized Velocities. Also includes Capture functionality that allows you to capture Notes from Clips and assign them to the Matrix for playing and editing (including the ability to Erase Notes).
•Clip Play Mode – Polyphonic (8 Clips at a time) and Monophonic (1 Clip at a time) Clip Chopping and Loop Control. Also includes Monophonic Per-Step Automation and the ability to play Clips chromatically with or without Legato.
•Accessory Mode – Provides access to Session Control (similar to Push’s Session Mode), allows the color of Clips to be selected as well as the ability to trigger user-defined actions via our powerful ClyphX script.


Seven primary Encoder Modes:


•Global Mode - Provides control over global settings such as Arrangement Loop and Locators.
•Drum Rack Mode - Provides control over the Mixer of the selected Drum Rack Pad.
•Track Mode – Similar to Push’s Track Mode, but also includes a Sub-Mode for adjusting Track Routing/Monitoring/Crossfade settings and also provides an Output Meter.
•Clip Mode – Similar to Push’s Clip Mode, but provides dedicated control over Clip Start/End (without having to turn loop off) and a Sub-Mode for editing Note Events in MIDI clips that can work in conjunction with the Matrix Note Modes.
•Device Mode – A more conventional style of Instant Mapping (similar to the APC40’s Device Control) with Device Navigation.
•Learn Mode – Allows you to learn Device Parameters that will apply to whichever Track is selected.
•Rename Mode – Allows you to name/rename various items in Live directly from the controller.


General Features


•The Touch Strip provides control over the last selected/adjusted Parameter.
•For controls/modes that control single items (Tracks, Clips and Devices), Locking functions are accessible.
•Most of the Parameter Control via the Encoders allows for Resetting Parameter values.
•Utilizes Push’s User Mode and does not interfere with the default Push functionality at all.
•Shares a lot in common with the default Push functionality (similar ways of doing things and some of the same functions), so the learning curve should be minimal.
•Includes a UserPreferences file that allows you to customize many of the behaviors and functions of PXT-Live to suit your particular needs.
•In addition to the typical User Manual, a Control Reference is included in both *.pdf and Live lesson formats.
PXT Live Plus
FEATURES

Six New Matrix Modes:


•Drum Mode – Provides a dedicated interface for Drum Racks or Impulse with 16 Level Pads, Cycle Pads, Last Pads and the ability for Note Repeat to control Device Parameters.
•Capture Mode - Similar to PXT-Live’s Capture Sub-Mode, but allows Chords (in addition to single Notes) to be captured to/played from the Pads.
•Chord Mode - Provides easy access to 16 Chord Types as well as their associated Inversions.
•STC Mode - Provides easy access to the 7 Scale Tone Chords (triads and/or 7ths) for Major and Minor scales as well as their associated Inversions along with the ability to add Power Chords.
•User Mode - Allows you set up the Matrix to send out any Notes you choose on virtually any MIDI channel you choose and to use LED colors that you choose. This functionality allows you to set up different sections of the Matrix to play different instruments as well as apply MIDI effects (such as Chord or Scale) to different sections of the Matrix.
•Meters Mode - Sets up the Matrix to function as Output Meters for the 8 Tracks currently being controlled.



New Encoder Mode:


•MIDI Mode - Sets up the Encoders to send common MIDI messages that are useful for controlling MIDI instruments.



New Capabilities:


•Touch Strip – The Touch Strip now has a variety of options. It can control the last selected/adjusted Parameter (as it does in PXT-Live), control the Crossfader, nudge the Tempo, function as a Pitch Bend strip or function as a Mod Wheel strip.
•Accessory Mode - Can now also send keystrokes to do things such as save Sets or load Clips from the Browser.
Last edited by Airyck on Thu Jun 11, 2015 8:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ableton Live 10 Suite / Push 2 / Max 8 /

Airyck
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Re: Helpful Push information.

Post by Airyck » Thu Jun 11, 2015 3:32 pm

Max for Live devices that completely take control of the Ableton Push control and modify the way it functions.

Push Chop


Image





Time and Timbre



Image





Spectro PS-8


Image





Polygome64 Push

Polygome64 is a monome program made by Stretta, this a port of that program for use with Ableton Push.

I believe this is the version that was updated so that it wouldn't break at every update of Ableton Live.
Last edited by Airyck on Fri Jun 12, 2015 9:50 pm, edited 8 times in total.
Ableton Live 10 Suite / Push 2 / Max 8 /

Airyck
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Re: Helpful Push information.

Post by Airyck » Thu Jun 11, 2015 4:13 pm

Drum Synths that come with Max for Live Essentials Edited and Re-mapped to be completely controllable from the Push controller.

Push Ready Drum Synths
Last edited by Airyck on Thu Jun 11, 2015 8:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ableton Live 10 Suite / Push 2 / Max 8 /

Airyck
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Re: Helpful Push information.

Post by Airyck » Thu Jun 11, 2015 8:34 pm

Community Mapping

All of the Ableton Live devices were remapped and made available on the Push controller. A much more complete version of control than the default mappings.
This is an easy to install hack that gives you a ton more control.

Original thread here:
viewtopic.php?f=55&t=198946
The project:
As a prospective user of Push, I marveled at its potential and then got frustrated at all the little things that kept it from being perfect for what I'd like to do with it. My biggest gripe was always the way the parameters of Lives own devices were arranged in Push and how there seemed to be nothing that could be done about it. And then I started to wonder: maybe there IS something that could be done about it….
The result of this endeavor is the file you can download now. After we (I got shortly a big chunk of the Live community involved - thanks guys, great work! :-)), figured out how to change the settings, we decided to save all you guys some work and just make our favorite mapping and then just share it … and here it is: :)

Download:


-Goto: http://filepi.com/i/i2Ibe91
-Version V1.1 now available at
http://filepi.com/i/b5EbYM0
(Only Sampler mapping has changed with all the envelope slopes and Reverse)
-Download the .zip file and unzip it.

Thanks go to Stray(Metastatic) for all the useful information he provided for achieving this goal. To shadx312 for further information, as well as syncr and Valiumdupeuple for preliminary testing.
Most of the mapping and the initial start of the project was done by TomViolenz and most of the testing by tedlogan.

We hope you will enjoy this as much as we will!
Tom and Ted :-)

Important:
This will give you a much enhanced mapping of your Live devices in Push! But because you are overwriting the _Generic version of the necessary file, this will affect ALL MIDI remote surfaces you use.
If you just use Push, this may not matter to you. But if you already use others, you should check if this changes functionality you need for those!
If you don't like the new mapping, just reverse it by the steps described below.


Installation:
1: Shut down Live
2: Go to your program directory, right click on the Live 9 icon and choose "Show Package Content"
3: Go to: Contents/App-Resources/MIDI Remote Scripts/_Generic and rename the Devices.pyc file in it to defaultDevices.pyc
4: Drop the Devices.py file from this download into this folder
5: Restart Live (The new mappings should now be in place)

Note: If you use several different versions of Live 9, you will have to repeat this procedure for each of them, if you wish to use this mapping with all of them. (But you can of course just choose one)

Optional
6: Go back to the same location. You'll now see that Live has compiled your Devices.py into Devices.pyc, while leaving the Devices.py intact.
You can now rename this Devices.py file to customDevices.py
In this way you always have a copy of it in case Ableton overwrites the Devices.pyc when it up-dates.

Reversal:
7: Shut down Live
8: Go to your program directory, right click on the Live 9 icon and choose "Show Package Content"
9: Go to: Contents/App-Resources/MIDI Remote Scripts/_Generic and rename the Devices.pyc file in it to customDevices.pyc
10: Rename the file defaultDevices.pyc that you named in step 3 to Devices.pyc
11: Restart Live (The default mappings should now be in place again)


Adapting your new mapping to your needs:
You can adapt the supplied community mapping to your specific need quite easily. How this is achieved is explained here in metastatiks second post:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=198704&start=75

If you have any questions or suggestions you can also post here in this very thread.

Disclaimer: Everything you do with the community mapping, you do on your own risk, we are not liable for any damage that may occur!

To the Ableton employee reading this:
This community mapping of Lives devices in Push enhances in our opinion their and its usefulness immensely. Every user of this mapping is already a paying customer for at least one of your products (Push). So please don't do anything on purpose to break this method.
In case you find that this mapping is indeed better than the default mapping you supplied, feel free to use it for future up-dates as you wish, no need to ask!


Notes for some of the device mappings:

EQ8: We tried to have every conceivable combination mapped. The first banks are dedicated to Stereo processing, while the later ones are for Mid/Side and Left/Right. Unfortunately it is not possible to assign the switch between Stereo and Mid/Side-Left/Right. You will need to use the mouse for that. BandListen is also not assignable.

Glue Compressor: It was note possible to assign the "listen to side chain only" toggle in Glue like we could in Lives compressor.

Analog/Operator/Sampler:
We made extensive mappings with all useful combinations of parameters we could think of. General controls are usually on the first banks, while relational controls (e.g. all Attacks of all available envelopes) are in the later banks.

Operator: Because of a bug in Live, we were not able to assign all Shaper/Drive parameters (For some reason the API outputs them as identical names...).

Sampler:This is not a bug, and it is therefore much harder to understand how one could think that it is useful to make ALL the controls of the LFOs 2 and 3, as well as the Aux Envelope available, but NOT their modulation targets or even the modulation amounts!!! Hopefully this will be changed in the future!

Known issues:
Some small devices don't display the correct bank names (you can access them though, they are just named Bank1….etc.). We don't understand yet why.
Another issue I discovered is that the "Analog" envelope amount for the Filter is not mapped in the community mapping. I will upload an updated version including it soon. I made a sloppy version for myself but will make one that I think is a little more logical soon.
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Re: Helpful Push information.

Post by Tarekith » Fri Jun 12, 2015 5:32 am

Thanks for posting all these Airyck.
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sigabort
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Re: Helpful Push information.

Post by sigabort » Wed Jun 17, 2015 5:18 pm

Gridlock

http://sigabort.co/gridlock

Has various features - a fully fledged monome/arc emulator, several different types of MIDI mapable control types sliders, keypads, drumpads etc - free versions available and paid versions with additional functionality...

More Live integration and sequencer controls coming in the next couple of months...

jestermgee
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Re: Helpful Push information.

Post by jestermgee » Wed Aug 19, 2015 2:32 am

Couple of tips:

If you experience audio dropouts or hiccups when using Push (such as switching tracks for instance) disable "Reduce Latency When Monitoring" in the Options menu (not Prefs, just in the Options)

If you find that tracking automation to Arrangement also causes the selected track to record a sequence (because of the fact Push "Auto-Arms a selected track") place Push in Session mode when recording automation to arrangement to unlock the auto arm.

[erm]
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Re: Helpful Push information.

Post by [erm] » Thu Nov 05, 2015 7:25 am

https://www.ableton.com/en/manual/using-push-2/

Note that it's not a seperate manual, but it's own chapter in the manual. Saw a few people were having issues finding this though, so figured I'd link it for you. WEll worth a read.

Also, here are all of the new Push 2 tutorial videos Ableton created:

https://www.ableton.com/en/help/learn-push/

Hope that helps get people up to speed, or answers any questions prospective buyers might have.
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starving student
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Re: Helpful Push information.

Post by starving student » Mon Mar 14, 2016 4:50 pm

are all of these max devices compatible with push 2?

mylkoa
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Re: Helpful Push information.

Post by mylkoa » Tue Mar 29, 2016 12:33 pm

Not sure if Tarekith wanted to keep this thread to tutorial material, but since other people are posting stuff about M4L devices and customized scripts/programs, like PXT - I thought I would add something about Push and a Plug called Artillery2 by Sugar Bytes.

Artillery2 is an audio effect that's made for "punching-in" various audio FX. I have also heard these types of FX described as "playable FX", and if you have never used FX like this, or if you haven't tried playing them in real-time, then I highly recommend it! You can get some great sounds, and it's a lot of fun. It's the opposite of point-and-click music design - more like "playing" an instrument.

In any case, this particular type of audio effect is special, because it's designed to have a separate MIDI track to control it. This poses a problem if Push is your only controller, because if you click on the track that has the Artillery on it, then you switch the unit's focus to that track, and you can't use the MIDI note keyboard to trigger the FX on/off while simultaneously modifying the parameters of the FX in real-time... which I find is critical... at least to tweak the FX so they sound "right" with the loop you are working with.

But there is a solution - Push User Mode. If you enter User Mode, you can record arm (dark red light) the MIDI track that's sending notes to Artillery, but you can click on the different track that has the actual Artillery in it, thereby allowing you to open the VST-pane and do real-time parameter tweaking, while using the pads on your Push to turn the FX on and off. The biggest downside is that Push goes dark, and if you record MIDI note clips of yourself playing the FX keys, you won't see them on the Push until you exit User Mode, and highlight the track controlling Artillery. Nonetheless, it works pretty good, if you are limited to just the Push controller.

Note, this is in reference to Artillery used as an effect on an Audio track... things are a little different if you place Artillery as an effect on a MIDI track...

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Re: Helpful Push information.

Post by [jur] » Tue Mar 29, 2016 4:11 pm

Ableton Forum Moderator

sowhoso
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Re: Helpful Push information.

Post by sowhoso » Thu Jul 28, 2016 6:26 pm

there are some good Push 2 video tutorials out there. this one is not free, but def cheap and is the most thorough I've seen so far:

https://www.groove3.com/ableton-live-tu ... -Explained

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