Using Push Without a Monitor

[cementdrums]

I'd be interested to know if the Push controller could conceivably be used for performance and music creation without a computer monitor. I was thinking of using it in conjunction with a Mac mini for portability.

[edenmartin]

yes, that's the point of Push.

[infernal.machine]

You're gonna minimize your need for a monitor, but you won't be able to eliminate it completely.

It's all how you have things set up.

[#1thelark]

Push + Surface pro, that could work maybe...

[panten]

Battery life on the surface pro is abysmal apparently. Might just last an entire set though, if you're lucky.

[#1thelark]

Battery life on the surface pro is abysmal apparently. Might just last an entire set though, if you're lucky.

The PA would need electricity as well, so batterylife won't matter if you can plug it in. The macmini does not have a battery at all

[jestermgee]

From what I have seen it should allow a greater access to things in live and editing functions but I guess it depends on how you would need it to replace a monitor.

For someone playing at a gig (which I don't) I would assume your content would already be pre-loaded and ready to go, you just need some control over how it plays back. Push should be able to handle this with your laptop out of sight (not sure about loading other sets though)

For production work I think it will assist but even if you could do a lot of production with it I would still see the mouse and monitor used to do small tweaks, add new instruments and effects etc.

It still amazes me that people want to use a computer and software to play every instrument under the sun but they also want a single control to do everything and would rather look at a small LCD display than a full screen. I can see the appeal of pretending you are not using a PC but trying to do everything on a controller seems limiting.

[yur2die4]

I sometimes like to turn out the lights and just vibe off of shit.

[humnumb]

I'd be interested to know if the Push controller could conceivably be used for performance and music creation without a computer monitor. I was thinking of using it in conjunction with a Mac mini for portability.

Nope. You will still need to look at the computer monitor and use a mouse. There's a lot that Push won't be able to do by itself like loading samples/clips from the browser, opening/closing plugins, slicing to drum racks...etc. And the LCD display won't show waveforms so no sample editing from the controller either.

[beats me]

No monitor at all? Exactly how are you going to get started right after you boot up the computer?

And if it glitches or crashes

[wildaudio]

This is exactly what I'm planing to do - live - as on stage I don't want or need to look like I'm checking e-mail...and it'll save space in my setup for more "instruments"

>and it is possible, if...

you have your set all worked out, and set ableton to open it by default (found in Preferences / File Folder ... 1st option at the top)

Then, have Ableton loaded when you shut down OSX, and tick the option - "reload windows when log back in".

Done!

ps. even if someone kick out the power cord to your rig (it's happened to me), when it boots back up, everything starts off exactly where you were...(which is SOOO not possible on any windows box)

[tedlogan]

From what I have seen it should allow a greater access to things in live and editing functions but I guess it depends on how you would need it to replace a monitor.

For someone playing at a gig (which I don't) I would assume your content would already be pre-loaded and ready to go, you just need some control over how it plays back. Push should be able to handle this with your laptop out of sight (not sure about loading other sets though)

For production work I think it will assist but even if you could do a lot of production with it I would still see the mouse and monitor used to do small tweaks, add new instruments and effects etc.

It still amazes me that people want to use a computer and software to play every instrument under the sun but they also want a single control to do everything and would rather look at a small LCD display than a full screen. I can see the appeal of pretending you are not using a PC but trying to do everything on a controller seems limiting.

Yes it is odd, but at the same time - the limitation can lead to greater creativity, which it does in my case.

I just use Push to jam and produce. I do build my racks/instruments in advance using mouse and keyboard. This will include setting up my VST in banks to control from Push. I love making my own presets on the controller once I've got my own presets ready to tweak in 16 banks x 8 parameters. Once I've got a handful setup, I go to town with Push, adding tracks, instruments, effects, playing melodies, entering notes in note step sequencer, tap out drumbeats, etc never looking at my screen.

I don't use samples except ones i record myself with Push, but they really need to add sample browsing/clip for many people's workflow. Currently you can only load samples into drumrack cells. It'd be great to be able to also load samples into Sampler, for example.

TL;DR - I setup racks in advance. I have a blast creating a song with Push never looking at the PC screen. Finalise the track using the PC screen and mouse.

[TomViolenz]

I just use Push to jam and produce. I do build my racks/instruments in advance using mouse and keyboard. This will include setting up my VST in banks to control from Push. I love making my own presets on the controller once I've got my own presets ready to tweak in 16 banks x 8 parameters. Once I've got a handful setup, I go to town with Push, adding tracks, instruments, effects, playing melodies, entering notes in note step sequencer, tap out drumbeats, etc never looking at my screen.

The bolded part got me curious: How do you control 16 banks from Push? I thought it was limited to 8 accessible by the buttons underneath?!

I don't use samples except ones i record myself
with Push, but they really need to add sample browsing/clip for many people's workflow. Currently you can only load samples into drumrack cells. It'd be great to be able to also load samples into Sampler, for example.

Everyone who wants this workflow should look into using Sampler as 128s! It takes some time to set it up, but then you will have your favorite samples all at your finger tips.
From 9.1 on you will even be able to step-sequence the sample selector!

As for the OP: I think it's totally doable, if you set it up before hand or just in general build your workflow around what can be done on Push (Which is A LOT), instead of the other way around.

[tedlogan]

TomV, I just do it the usual (and still as of this moment) clunky way - I load up my VST of choice, then click configure - and then manually add each parameter I'd like to be able to tweak from Push.16 banks yes, not 8. It'll show 6 - 7 banks at a time, depending where you are, with the buttons furthest to the edge of the LCD turning into scroll selectors. So a max of 128 parameters can be configured for any given VST. It took me about 6 or 7 times of doing this to click them in the order I want them to show up in the banks.

I'll check out your Sampler suggestion, once I start screwing around with samples a bit more, makes sense. Thanks!

[TomViolenz]

TomV, I just do it the usual (and still as of this moment) clunky way - I load up my VST of choice, then click configure - and then manually add each parameter I'd like to be able to tweak from Push.16 banks yes, not 8. It'll show 6 - 7 banks at a time, depending where you are, with the buttons furthest to the edge of the LCD turning into scroll selectors. So a max of 128 parameters can be configured for any given VST. It took me about 6 or 7 times of doing this to click them in the order I want them to show up in the banks.

I'll check out your Sampler suggestion, once I start screwing around with samples a bit more, makes sense. Thanks!

Ah interesting, I thought they would just use the shift button, somehow giving you a second "bank" of 8 banks directly accessible by the buttons underneath. (I don't have Push yet...Still saving up for it.)

As for the 128s: Do it! It totally revolutionized my workflow,...and that's already without Push!!!