Un-equal pad sensitivity in NOTE mode

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psychicfriend
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 4:35 am

Un-equal pad sensitivity in NOTE mode

Post by psychicfriend » Sun Mar 31, 2013 6:42 am

I'm having a problem that two of my pads in note mode play distinctly softer than the others.
The problem is less pronounced if I crank the global sensitivity setting to Log 5, but otherwise it's like having a bad hammer on a piano keyboard.

Has anyone else seen this?
Anybody know if there is a per-pad sensitivity setting in Note mode?

I am aware there's a per-pad setting for drum racks, but these pads don't fall in the rack sector of the grid.

TIA,

- W74

BobTheDog
Posts: 126
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2005 12:04 pm

Re: Un-equal pad sensitivity in NOTE mode

Post by BobTheDog » Sun Mar 31, 2013 9:23 am

Yep I have this problem, mine are the two keys above the centre cutout bit, so from the bottom 4 across then 5 up and 5 across then 5 up.

My guess is faulty pads :(

jsn
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Location: JKPG SWEDEN

Re: Un-equal pad sensitivity in NOTE mode

Post by jsn » Sun Mar 31, 2013 9:36 am

Hi, The per-pad velocity setting in Seq mode (via Select + Pad being held then Vel adjusted) is ONLY affecting the triggered NOTES which are a part of the current sequence pattern by the respective pad and NOT that pad's own sensitivity to -physically- applied velocity. So in this regard, the drum pads in Seq Note mode do not have a per-pad sensitivity setting either. The only pad sensitivity setting (at this time) is the one you will find in User menu. On my KORG PAD Kontrol one is offered a per-pad Vel curve setting so perhaps it won't be an impossibility that this is internally implemented inside the PUSH yet currently out of our control
Live Suite 9.5 (32-bit), MFL 6.1.3 (416a295), Win7HP

psychicfriend
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 4:35 am

Re: Un-equal pad sensitivity in NOTE mode

Post by psychicfriend » Sun Mar 31, 2013 5:10 pm

BobTheDog wrote:Yep I have this problem, mine are the two keys above the centre cutout bit, so from the bottom 4 across then 5 up and 5 across then 5 up.

My guess is faulty pads :(
My two bad pads are [row,column] = [4,7] and [8,5], where the lower-left pad is numbered [1,1] (as opposed to [0,0] for the C programmers).

I suspect you're right it's the pads.

edmosis
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Apr 01, 2013 12:41 pm

Re: Un-equal pad sensitivity in NOTE mode

Post by edmosis » Mon Apr 01, 2013 12:42 pm

I also have several pads with unequal sensiti :cry: vity.

Disfigurine
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2010 9:30 pm

Re: Un-equal pad sensitivity in NOTE mode

Post by Disfigurine » Wed Apr 03, 2013 10:51 pm

any updates on this issue?

edmosis
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Apr 01, 2013 12:41 pm

Re: Un-equal pad sensitivity in NOTE mode

Post by edmosis » Sat Apr 13, 2013 3:01 am

I have been going back and forth with Ableton support for a couple of weeks on this issue now and can report the results of working with them.

They sent me a calibration test, I ran it and sent them the results. Their response was that they couldn't find any major difference in the calibration of the pads. I am not really sure what the test is measuring but the pad sensitivity on my unit is most certainly and reproducibly greatly uneven regardless of what their calibration test reports.

They said that the pads may break in over time but I have been banging, jostling them and trying reseat them and it has not helped at all.

They also said they might update the firmware at some point to improve pad sensitivity but they make no promises there.

They said that I can return the unit for a refund but they will not repair it or provide a replacement unit. Furthermore, I would be responsible for the shipping charges.

My advice to anyone buying the Push is to definitely not buy it directly from Ableton but instead to by it from a retailer that will take it back if there is a problem.

Overall this has not been a good outcome and it doesn't reflect well on Ableton's commitment to stand behind their products. Hopefully I will have better luck next time but I have learned my lesson and I won't be the first in line to buy anything new from Ableton.

SuburbanThug
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Re: Un-equal pad sensitivity in NOTE mode

Post by SuburbanThug » Sat Apr 13, 2013 5:54 am

The first couple days I was using my Push I thought the pads were unequally sensitive. I adjusted my playing style a little bit and now have no trouble playing chords (sometimes four pads at a time with one hand) with equal distribution. Stiffen your fingers where the pads seem insensitive. See if anything changes. After a day I wasn't even paying attention to how my fingers were hitting the pads, my muscle memory had already adjusted.

humnumb
Posts: 636
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 2:27 pm

Re: Un-equal pad sensitivity in NOTE mode

Post by humnumb » Sat Apr 13, 2013 6:16 am

SuburbanThug wrote:Stiffen your fingers where the pads seem insensitive. See if anything changes.
Not sure that's too smart. You shouldn't have to risk suffering from carpal tunnel just so you can adjust your playing to compensate for the uneven sensitivity of Push's pads. Should customers risk bodily harm and injury just because someone (Ableton or Akai?) decided to cut costs and failed to implement necessarily quality control protocols?

SuburbanThug
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Re: Un-equal pad sensitivity in NOTE mode

Post by SuburbanThug » Sat Apr 13, 2013 6:20 am

The pads are equal sensitivity. What's not equal is his weight distribution in his fingers. I guess you don't know much about playing actual instruments. Tapping away at your keyboard seems to be your speciality.

featherodd
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:35 am

Re: Un-equal pad sensitivity in NOTE mode

Post by featherodd » Sat Apr 13, 2013 9:49 am

Dang, I've got the same issue. Pads 4 & 5 of the top row are both far far "stiffer" than the rest of the pads by a large margin. It's actually impossible to even hit 100% velocity on either of these pads :cry: Any suggestions?

SuburbanThug
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Re: Un-equal pad sensitivity in NOTE mode

Post by SuburbanThug » Sat Apr 13, 2013 3:57 pm

File a ticket and get the calibration test. Hold the user button and try other curves and sensitivity. It should have equal temperament so don't be afraid to return that sucker if it doesn't.

featherodd
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:35 am

Re: Un-equal pad sensitivity in NOTE mode

Post by featherodd » Sat Apr 13, 2013 9:21 pm

Thanks. Just filed a ticket through the contact forum (Technical Support?). Tried all the different Log curves and the gamut a range of pad sensitivity of sensitivity values. Definitely got three bunk pads. At least for the time being, I don't use them that frequently since they're on the top two rows. I guess these QC issues are why Ableton didn't added velocity sensitivity to the step sequencer :mrgreen:

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