Push 2 - will it kick start my creative juices ?

[lovelight]

its much more easy to understand than push 1, its so logic and now you really can play without the computer screen, so in that perspective it may spark your creativity, and i guess thats you wanna hear, to have an good excuse to buy Push 2 :)

[irrelevance]

If you're in the habit of not finishing tracks nothing you buy will change that i'm afraid *EDIT (well not gear anyway...https://makingmusic.ableton.com ) Get used to completing stuff and then augment your creative flow with new purchases

[Chris Hill]

This is quite an old thread, but I feel enough empathy with the OP's question to post a reply. Who knows, maybe someone will even read it...

I have agonised for a long time over whether to buy a Push 2. Last night I finally caved in and ordered one online via Amazon. I suspect it may have been the Chardonnay I was drinking that finally pushed me over the edge. Whatevs. This morning I went back online and cancelled the order. Why? Because in the sober light of day I realised that, after the initial spark of interest and enthusiasm, the Push 2 would simply join all the other expensive pieces of equipment which were supposed to help me break my 30-year creative block, and which are now scattered around the house gathering dust. I know I can write when I want to because I have done so in the past and what I have written has been generally well received. It's just that for a long time now I just haven't had the real urge to properly finish something - that's if I even manage to start in the first place. If I really wanted to write something I know I'd use whatever resources wree already available, even banging a pair of spoons on a tin can. The latest shiny piece of technology really wouldn't be necessary at all.

From everything I've seen, Push 2 is undoubtedly a clever and beautiful piece of design, and some people are doing fantastic things with it. But I think the OP, if he's still undecided, should really have a close and honest look at his motivation (or lack of) before deciding whether or not to buy. Just like I did today.

[tedlogan]

This is quite an old thread, but I feel enough empathy with the OP's question to post a reply. Who knows, maybe someone will even read it...

I have agonised for a long time over whether to buy a Push 2. Last night I finally caved in and ordered one online via Amazon. I suspect it may have been the Chardonnay I was drinking that finally pushed me over the edge. Whatevs. This morning I went back online and cancelled the order. Why? Because in the sober light of day I realised that, after the initial spark of interest and enthusiasm, the Push 2 would simply join all the other expensive pieces of equipment which were supposed to help me break my 30-year creative block, and which are now scattered around the house gathering dust. I know I can write when I want to because I have done so in the past and what I have written has been generally well received. It's just that for a long time now I just haven't had the real urge to properly finish something - that's if I even manage to start in the first place. If I really wanted to write something I know I'd use whatever resources wree already available, even banging a pair of spoons on a tin can. The latest shiny piece of technology really wouldn't be necessary at all.

From everything I've seen, Push 2 is undoubtedly a clever and beautiful piece of design, and some people are doing fantastic things with it. But I think the OP, if he's still undecided, should really have a close and honest look at his motivation (or lack of) before deciding whether or not to buy. Just like I did today.

You probably made the right choice.

I am more than happy I bought Push 2, but I must add that I was (and still am) on a creative streak before I upgraded - Push 2 just happened to come along at the right time for me, like a booster. This creative streak has been snowballing over the last 2 years because:

I think one should try to have something to do with music every day, even if you're not inspired. Many will disagree with me, but in my experience, nothing much happens at all if you don't do this. Whether it be building your own racks/patches/instruments/sound design, or organising, or practising some playing of an instrument or controller, or recording sounds outside. - anything. It's the only way to stay motivated and inspired in the long run. Fire up Push, load up your racks and start playing or sequencing. Just do it. Automate stuff. Use the note sequencer with loops per note. Load all kinds of stuff into drumracks. At first it'll be a real drag. But the more you do it, the better you become with it all, and the easier it becomes to very quickly get what's in your head into the DAW. That is when the real fun starts. Like an athlete or a fine artist, or a sculptor or an origami enthusiast - none of them will ever get anywhere without consistently working on their craft.

Sure - if one cannot be bothered with all this daily, the muse will still strike now and again , but you won't have the discipline nor the inclination to do anything about it because you're used to doing nothing, or very little. I was there for about 8 years. So depressing. Every day that gnawing in the back of my head "I know I can make music, I'll do it tomorrow" which never comes.

And try and keep gear/software purchases to a minimum, and build or learn a focused set of sounds/instruments. Limits are, also in my experience, absolutely essential if you wanna actually make anything.

This is, at least how it works for me. Some thrive even with buying every single thing that comes out.

This is not aimed at you specifically, btw, I just started typing some related thoughts, and then the post got out of hand!

Anyway, to the original OP question - will it kickstart one's creative juices. It totally can, but this really depends on the person.