Resisting the Push

tedlogan · Post by **tedlogan** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:37 pm

Hello everyone

Long time lurker/Ableton Live user here. First off, thanks for all the very useful info over the years!

Anyway - I'm having a really hard time trying to convince myself not to buy Push. I definitely don't need it as my current setup is an APC40, a Vestax Pad One, a Korg MikroControl 37, and some guitars. I love this setup. Never have I had so much fun making music.

But the Push....it looks so beautiful in action! I've watched all the videos I could find so far, and I'm in love with the idea of a single controller helping me create music from scratch with no mouse or keyboard use. It could even supplement the APC - the old controller could remain the dedicated clip launcher and mixer, and the Push could do the rest. Do i need it though? Nope. I can already do all that from scratch stuff with my fairly compact above-mentioned setup. I don't gig so portability is not an issue, it's purely a hobby.

I've actually worked a LOT of overtime this month so I already have the money to buy it next quarter hehe..guess my mind's made up.

Why bother typing all this? Have I answered my own question? Not quite - I'm interested in other people's views/plans to buy or not buy the Push controller, and their setups.

Cheers

yur2die4 · Post by **yur2die4** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:48 pm

I was sold at browsing from the device, and control of individual drum rack pads.

Being able to delete clips, and the assortment of other little conveniences just seal the deal!

I like improvising. From nothing. So it is right up my alley

eddiex · Post by **eddiex** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:49 pm

yeah man, it looks cool! but i, like you, am pretty comfortable with my set up. plus push is expensive. i think, unless i come into a whole lot of disposable cash, i will just stick with my current set.

Matt_Quinn · Post by **Matt_Quinn** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:54 pm

I'm in almost the exact same spot. The only things Push has over the APC40 that excite me are the multicolored pads, and an LCD screen. I kind of just wish they'd release an updated APC with those colored pads, touch faders, and 1 LCD screen above the device control area.

sporkles · Post by **sporkles** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 8:11 pm

I've tried quite a number of controllers over the years, and I guess that was a relatively integral part of bringing me to where I am now, which is this: no controller is going to make me write better music. I've made some attempts at mouseless music making with the LPC script and Launchpad, but I've come to the conclusion that what I really need is a more ergonomic mouse. I'm going to order one of Evoluent's vertical mice over x-mas. The mouse is only your enemy if you're hell-bent on "performing" your way from idea to finished product.

The bottom line is: if you do get a Push, you're going to have to learn a completely new workflow. In my opinion, the important question is: what's more important to you as a (hobbyist) musician: the goal or the process? If you love flashy looking equipment and having fun messing around making music, go for it. If you want to finish songs and be efficient, you're probably best off using a method that you're comfortable with - unless you can immediately see that Push would be an asset and an improvement to your workflow (which seems unlikely, given that you're here, asking this very question).

I think the Push should be sold with a complimentary mirror, so that buyers could always remind themselves how cool they look pressing buttons.

eddiex · Post by **eddiex** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 8:25 pm

sporkles wrote:
I think the Push should be sold with a complimentary mirror, so that buyers could always remind themselves how cool they look pressing buttons.

that's comedy right there!

tedlogan · Post by **tedlogan** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:51 pm

sporkles wrote:I've tried quite a number of controllers over the years, and I guess that was a relatively integral part of bringing me to where I am now, which is this: no controller is going to make me write better music. I've made some attempts at mouseless music making with the LPC script and Launchpad, but I've come to the conclusion that what I really need is a more ergonomic mouse. I'm going to order one of Evoluent's vertical mice over x-mas. The mouse is only your enemy if you're hell-bent on "performing" your way from idea to finished product.

The bottom line is: if you do get a Push, you're going to have to learn a completely new workflow. In my opinion, the important question is: what's more important to you as a (hobbyist) musician: the goal or the process? If you love flashy looking equipment and having fun messing around making music, go for it. If you want to finish songs and be efficient, you're probably best off using a method that you're comfortable with - unless you can immediately see that Push would be an asset and an improvement to your workflow (which seems unlikely, given that you're here, asking this very question).

I think the Push should be sold with a complimentary mirror, so that buyers could always remind themselves how cool they look pressing buttons.

hahaha. The mirror is a splendid idea.

Both are equally important to me - the goal and the process. I'm not really asking for anyone to convince or dissuade me from purchasing the Push though - I merely want people's opinions out of simple curiosity. I do like lots of flashy lights on gear yes haha, and I'm very aware of how equipment has no real improvement in my music's quality. I'm mainly a guitarist, but I've been recording/arranging tracks since about 1990ish - my first audio software being the DOS-based Fast tracker hahaha. Man them days....

So since I've slowly worked up from Fast tracker to Impulse tracker to Modplug tracker to Fruity loops and then Ableton live, gear has become relatively very cheap. So I think I'm lucky having seen for example how laborious it used to be to just to do a simple volume fade, to controlling this in real time with midi gear straight into any DAW. Hence I'm almost giddy with how awesome music creation/recording has become - away with the tedium and in with immediate results.

By the way, I have no method for recording really - it's different most times. A mixture of experimentation, luck, improv and randomness. I like learning new things, so the Push would not interrupt a non-existing workflow. Once again, I probably misrepresented my view on this initially: I don't want or need to know whether I should get it - I'm just curious what other people think.

Forgot to mention that these days yes - I have become hellbent at performing most of the production

botstein · Post by **botstein** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:55 pm

Is the little metal case reflective enough to be the mirror?

ttilberg · Post by **ttilberg** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 10:05 pm

I'm not going to lie, I'm looking forward to looking at myself pushing pretty lit up buttons with it.

I do like how it runs step sequencing, and native device integration... And the pretty lit up buttons.

Also, seeing that quote in your sig above was awesome. My first thought was "What? I didn't post in this thread yet?! oohhh yeaaaahhhh

"

H20nly · Post by **H20nly** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 11:01 pm

tedlogan wrote:thanks for all the very useful info over the years!

you're welcome. i do my best.

Push pushes the boundaries of my wallet so, when push comes to shove, i push my wallet back in my pocket as it pertains to Push.

yur2die4 · Post by **yur2die4** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 11:20 pm

Also, I've always been a big fan of using buttons for chromatic instruments. I use my LP in User 1 mode a lot.

Push will feel really good to play! Unique instruments sometimes force one to play exotic melodies

:)

I don't know if Push will beat my Lauchpad for portability though. I use a 17" laptop case. LP fits snug. Some days I chill at a very quiet coffee shop and stare out the window with headphones plinkering around.

I'm pretty excited to find out haha

Tarekith · Post by **Tarekith** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 11:21 pm

I want to try one, just to see what it's like. I'm not sure it'll be for me, I didn't really get on with the Maschine way of working either. Still, worth giving a go to see what the differences are, and it's strengths too. Not sure I'd want to lose the APCs faders for live use, but perhaps if I could think up something simple with Push I'd consider it.

beats me · Post by **beats me** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 1:22 am

yur2die4 wrote:Some days I chill at a very quiet coffee shop and stare out the window with headphones plinkering around.

This behavior is made fun of quite heavily. I’m not doing that, but explain to me what it is about that environment that is conducive to working on music because I don’t get it.

yur2die4 · Post by **yur2die4** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 3:16 am

Home for me just isn't very ideal. Everything about my home atmosphere degrades focus. I still live with my parents :/. They watch the tv all the time. Walls are paper thin. My room isn't too big. Yet I have a bunch of music toys. And even my own self control when it comes to focusing is terrible.

The Launchpad isn't quite a keyboard. So it is nice that it doesn't look as musical haha. I just explore playing it. The snow inspired a 'slight random velocity' electric piano-sounding session

(w/ some smooth fm padding)

Evengy · Post by **Evengy** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 9:10 am

don´t know if i really need it. i have a keyboard and a roland hd-3 for playing drums in the future. the controller looks really nice but i don´t wanna use an apc 40, push and maybe a third controller for more direct access (live performance). i wanna use max. 2 so the push with more endless knobs would be awesome

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