How Push COULD BE a legitimate performance instrument
Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2018 9:10 pm
Push is an extremely flexible writing and recording instrument. Its abilities to play harmony and melody (even at the same time)
makes for unique musical possibilities. Push also makes some music infinitely easier to play.
However, there are serious shortcomings when Push is used in a live performance setting.
There’s either no way, or no easy way, to control its various ”performance” parameters inside its own DAW.
Requiring button presses isn’t feasible in the middle of a song/piece.
A truly “no button” operation is needed for actual performance.
Ideally, Ableton Live should be able to send out commands to Push within a track or a clip.
This way we could automate/launch different setups required for specific pieces/sections of music.
(Or even, dare I say, “footswitch”)
The need to change key and apply scales of different note amounts (5-8 & 12 notes) is obvious to most musicians.
Additionally, switching the root note (highlighted pad) is like changing your fingering position on an instrument.
If Ableton were to include a MIDI DEVICE/EFFECT that allows commands to be sent to Push, using envelopes and/or automation lanes,
it could become a fully functional instrument.
Other nitpicks:
Overlapping of the same note, on a different pad, gets cuts off (sends note off).
It takes two hands to switch the ribbon controller from pitch bend to modulation.
The Scale Layout does not have 5ths (violin tuning).
ps - I hope Ableton would want to FULLY support their own hardware so that Push could actually
be used (scened?) onstage, as a legit instrument, and not just hidden away in the studio.
pss - ClyphX Pro uses scripts and offers most Push commands via the ‘Session Clip Title’ or ‘Arrange Locator Name’.
Its very slow and cumbersome (PIA) but I have found it useful for some Push commands (and its the only game in town - )
makes for unique musical possibilities. Push also makes some music infinitely easier to play.
However, there are serious shortcomings when Push is used in a live performance setting.
There’s either no way, or no easy way, to control its various ”performance” parameters inside its own DAW.
Requiring button presses isn’t feasible in the middle of a song/piece.
A truly “no button” operation is needed for actual performance.
Ideally, Ableton Live should be able to send out commands to Push within a track or a clip.
This way we could automate/launch different setups required for specific pieces/sections of music.
(Or even, dare I say, “footswitch”)
The need to change key and apply scales of different note amounts (5-8 & 12 notes) is obvious to most musicians.
Additionally, switching the root note (highlighted pad) is like changing your fingering position on an instrument.
If Ableton were to include a MIDI DEVICE/EFFECT that allows commands to be sent to Push, using envelopes and/or automation lanes,
it could become a fully functional instrument.
Other nitpicks:
Overlapping of the same note, on a different pad, gets cuts off (sends note off).
It takes two hands to switch the ribbon controller from pitch bend to modulation.
The Scale Layout does not have 5ths (violin tuning).
ps - I hope Ableton would want to FULLY support their own hardware so that Push could actually
be used (scened?) onstage, as a legit instrument, and not just hidden away in the studio.
pss - ClyphX Pro uses scripts and offers most Push commands via the ‘Session Clip Title’ or ‘Arrange Locator Name’.
Its very slow and cumbersome (PIA) but I have found it useful for some Push commands (and its the only game in town - )