Ableton Push: Questions & Answers

[coleb]

Perhaps I misunderstand, but I thought there were externals (such as this one) that allowed you to send/receive directly via MIDI ports in M4L hence bypassing any filtering that would typically happen on the track level.

Anyhow, Sysex.py defines the applicable message and it is employed in Push.py in _on_note_repeat_mode_changed.

Wow, I was not aware of this device. Thank you so much! I made a max4live patch last night to convert the pads to CC messages, but kept running into problems because max4live could only access midi data once it has been filtered through live. If this works, it really will allow for awesome design of custom control surface scripts for Push. Going to dive in tonight!

[metastatik]

Just to be clear, I’ve never used the external I mentioned, I’ve just heard of it and it sounds like it does the job. It’s OS X-only though. For Windows users, a relatively simple Java-based external would suffice. There’s some discussion about that here. Note, however, I don’t find the author’s notes about SysEx messages to be true.

so for testing would python hackage be needed, or just the employment of that external

I would think you'd just need the external. Due to the lack of a MIDI implementation chart for the controller though, it certainly helps to have the Python source on hand so that you can see how certain things are done (such as setting the AT mode).

[Stoodio]

My APC absolutely does this, and you have just given me one potential reason to replace the APC with a Push (assuming Push doesn't have that god awful noise). I could not effing believe it the first time I plugged it in and heard that horrible noise.

Oh wow, then I'll have to test out the Push in Guitar Center's quiet room first. Makes the Livid Base more tempting... http://lividinstruments.com/hardware_base.php

I have an APC40 and experienced the high pitch hiss, and now have just unboxed the Push and it has a different noise in the form of a hum. Can not really hear a hiss, but when in the Note mode page when all those gorgeous LEDs are lit up the thing sounds like it has some sort of ground loop hum. Turn it to Session mode page where the LEDs are not all lit up and the hum goes away. Could be my Dell laptop soundcard, but I am thinking that others will report this as well

[Machinate]

Could be my Dell laptop soundcard, but I am thinking that others will report this as well

I only have about 1.5 hours of testing on it, but I didn't hear a single bit of hum. This was with an external audio interface.

[Machinate]

Just to be clear, I’ve never used the external I mentioned, I’ve just heard of it and it sounds like it does the job. It’s OS X-only though. For Windows users, a relatively simple Java-based external would suffice. There’s some discussion about that here. Note, however, I don’t find the author’s notes about SysEx messages to be true.

so for testing would python hackage be needed, or just the employment of that external

I would think you'd just need the external. Due to the lack of a MIDI implementation chart for the controller though, it certainly helps to have the Python source on hand so that you can see how certain things are done (such as setting the AT mode).

Good to know. Kinda wish I'd gotten into the Python stuff earlier on.

[SuburbanThug]

If you are experiencing a hum untangle your wires

[Bimmlu]

What is the 9th knob along the top?

Master Volume, or Cue volume if you hold shift.

- this sounds dangerous, master volume seems to be too easy to mess with accidentally, not to mention that (at least for me) cue volume is much more useful while browsing sounds, is there any possibility of reversing this behaviour? i.e. make the 9th knob act on cue volume "normally" and master volume with shift pressed, it sounds much safer and more useful

"cue volume is much more useful while browsing sounds"

Yepp, totally with you on this one.. Any news on a solution?

[UltimateOutsider]

I'm having trouble finding a firm answer on this:

• Does Push allow for zooming and scrolling of the timeline with hardware knobs on the device?
• If so, is this an out-of-the-box feature, or something you can enable with mapping/scripts?
• If not, is there any way to map scroll and zoom to a typical MIDI rotary control? My keyboard controller has two assignable knobs that I would gladly devote to Zoom/Scroll if it were a viable option.

[Stoodio]

Could be my Dell laptop soundcard, but I am thinking that others will report this as well

I only have about 1.5 hours of testing on it, but I didn't hear a single bit of hum. This was with an external audio interface.

I should have done more troubleshooting before posting. It seems that using another usb interface has made this a non issue. Back to making music

[aioffermann]

Any official (Ableton_David, Jesse) word on when and if we will get any of these features? Or if we already have them?

1. Per note pitch shift on step sequencer (in other words: switch a step over to a different drum rack cell from the step-editing menu where you can change velocity, nudge and duration)
2. Step sequencing without a drum rack
3. Turn filters on and off (reverb filter, sampler filter...)
4. Copy/paste drum rack cells

[lo.key]

1. Per note pitch shift on step sequencer (in other words: switch a step over to a different drum rack cell from the step-editing menu where you can change velocity, nudge and duration)

the first one just requires adding pitch plugins to the drum cells

[aioffermann]

1. Per note pitch shift on step sequencer (in other words: switch a step over to a different drum rack cell from the step-editing menu where you can change velocity, nudge and duration)

the first one just requires adding pitch plugins to the drum cells

Nope. Then the entire sequence's pitch would be shifted, not just the one step.

[lo.key]

??? you can automate the pitch plugins you know...

[aioffermann]

??? you can automate the pitch plugins you know...

On a per step basis from the pitch hardware?? Going to look into this right about now.

[lo.key]

well not in a 'stepwise' manner, but using the existing clip automation recording...