Thanks to all who participated and hope this helps others.
Original Query
I was almost completely sold on the forthcoming Push controller until I saw this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnP1RM78 ... ata_player
It seems pretty comprehensive and is what I've been trying to do with my MPD32 since I got it.
The Maschine is really enticing, not only for the amazingly sensitive jelly pads but for that mouseless workflow that humbnumb/emptysea keeps banging on about. (unfortunately the more someone seems to go on about something the more I resent their viewpoint. Pigheadedness on my part)
The answer to my questions related to the Maschine Plugin for Live might just tip me in it's favour.
- Can the Plugin instance of Maschine within Live still record from any Audio source and assign to Pads in realtime while the audio is playing back?
- How many instances of Maschine are people able to run before things start to turn sluggish? is there a need to run multiple instances?
My comp specs:
i7-2600 @3.40GHz, Win7 64-Bit, 16Gig RAM
cheers
There are pros and cons to choosing either controller. This is a list of things UNIQUE to each.
Maschine
ProsCons
- Fully hands on workflow (but see below)
- Excellent sampling workflow from the hardware.
- Great integration with it's own Libraries.
- 8 Gig Library.
Push
- Fully hands on workflow? = limited arrangement capability.
- Limited Octaves when wishing to play melodies/harmonies etc.
- Will have to work destructively (i.e. baking your MIDI to Audio) when making the switch to a full DAW for further editing. Presuming you want to keep automation etc.
- Can't be modified in the same way Push can.
ProsCons
- Works really well for sketching out ideas and variations to build a song.
- Is integrated into Live so your automation and MIDI notes are already in the clips.
- Is highly moddable, meaning missing features can be fixed with user scripts. Looking at Stray and the amazing PXT-Live.
- Access to several octaves for pad work is a joy to me. I always felt so hindered by 16 pads and haven't used my keyboard since getting Push.
- Touch Sensitive Encoders are a joy to use. Only recording Automation when you touch the encoder is a really nice touch.
This isn't meant to be a definitive list of features, they are just the ones that seem so glaring to me and are supposed to highlight the differences between the controllers.
- The Live API seems unfortunately hobbled and as a result there is a limit to what can be controlled through user scripts. Having said this there is still a LOT that you can control.
- There are currently a lot of inconsistencies and workflow holes on the software side. e.g. the Delete button can't delete loops in the Drum Rack, you can only delete ALL MIDI notes on a pad in the clip or the whole clip itself. & why can't we hold Duplicate to copy/paste a clip into any slot we want?
- Lack of sample chopping workflow from the controller is a bit of a missed trick imho.
- Lack of 64 Drum Rack pads or with default Push.
- Browsing could be SO much better on Push. Preview of samples should be automatic while scrolling through them.
Here is a list of the things I personally feel is missing from Push MKI
- Sample Recording/Chopping workflow. <-click
- Arrangement Record Workflow & Tools Similar to PXT-Live.
- Browser Sample/Instrument Preview.
- Browse & Insert MIDI Clips from hardware.
- Assign other parameters to the Touch Strip.
- 64Pad DrumRack Mode
- Monophonic Melodic Step Sequencer. <-click
- Per Step Automation for Effects on Audio Tracks.
- Control over more than 16 Bars (drumRack) & 8 Bars (Melodic) Step Sequencing.
- Much better use of existing buttons:
- in Session View, hold Duplicate & Click a pad to select a clip.. click another pad to copy to that pad.
- in DrumRack, hold Delete & press a Loop Length Control button or a range to delete only MIDI notes within that range.
- Accent Button, press to access a Mode (similar to pressing Scales) which brings up a page of controls for customising Accent Mode. This mode is quite in depth and requires more explanation than this but any user of PXT-Live will understand what I mean.
- Realtime Swing mode per track, using the dedicated Swing button.
- Integration of the fantastic Parameter Mapping changes made by TomViolenz & co <-click