Ableton joy

Other Gear
#1

Hey dudes,


Just wanted to share my joy at the mo…

So, I got my OP-1 last August or so; it was a huge revelation, because I was just finding DAWs overwhelming at the time.

I bought a push 2 last May, and barely used it (Like, literally used it twice or something) due to performance priorities shifting to more loop pedal based acoustic (with lots of fun effects) using my boomerang + sidecar setup (really great pedals)…

Anyways, I finally - just very recently - got around to busting out my push 2, after purchasing suite, and going all legit…

I had one of those moments that lately are quite rare: Just jamming, and feeling like your gear is working WITH you… Taped my cheap & shitty acoustic guitar mic to the desk, set fixed loop length, and did some drumming on the desk with my hands, then proceeded to convert to drum rack, mangle, convert drums to midi, mangle, etc… Without having to think about track limitations… It’s funny, just as the OP-1 was a huge relief to get away from a DAW, delving back into a DAW - especially one as cool as ableton w/ push - has been such a huge joy.

I’m really stoked, and grateful to have 2 excellent tools, that fulfil different needs. OP-1 for very fun, and useful, inspiring, but limited (mostly in a good way) workflow, all in a VERY compact package, and ableton + push for a far more open ended setup, allowing me to break free of (many of) the limitations of the OP-1…

Just thinking out loud, really… Enjoy your wknd xo
#2

Try to combine both. There are two workflows that work for me:

  1. use the op1 as a rough sketchbook. Import the tracks into live and chop them up with Push 2.
  2. there is also op1 control Script with which you can use the op1 as a remote for live, but the op1 syncs also very well while connected via USB and can be used as a keyboard or just via the audio out as synth (and at the same time syncing via USB)
#3
Try to combine both. There are two workflows that work for me: 1. use the op1 as a rough sketchbook. Import the tracks into live and chop them up with Push 2. 2. there is also op1 control Script with which you can use the op1 as a remote for live, but the op1 syncs also very well while connected via USB and can be used as a keyboard or just via the audio out as synth (and at the same time syncing via USB)

Thanks, mate!

I hadn’t tried the controller function, as push is cool, and I have apc40 mkii also… Not sure if the op1 control could offer which I can already do as far as a controller does? But I will certainly let add my Opie to the mix, once I get her repaired.

#4
I switched from years of ProTools to Ableton about a year ago and it's the best thing I've ever done. Using the DAW is actually fun - and I loved using protools, it was just sooooooo slow and manual. Ableton sounds a bit crapper but is infinitely more fun.

How do you like the Push compared to APC? I watched about every "vs" youtube vid and still can't decide...!

Also the Push will prob make me finally ditch maschine.
#5

@millbastard

Yeah, I feel you re: ableton vs pro tools.

I learned pro tools back on pro tools 5 or so… (it was os9…) Learned all the short cuts etc. Was really fast with it… (Still manual crossfades, when Cubase was doing it automatically since forever ago, wtf!?) Started on a digi001! Digidesign, wtf. Haven’t​ heard that in so long… Anyway, my point being that when I tried ableton back around 10 years(?) ago, I was frustrated with learning a new saw (very different from pro tools)… So I didn’t cotton to it…

I initially got push, & wanted to DJ with it, specifically sound system, ie live vocals to instrumental tracks. Tried Traktor, and it’s really cool, but a bit limiting for my personality, and creative ambition… Push 2 has no faders, so for all its goodness, kinda fails hard at DJing… Got the APC for the faders, and knobs. APC feels like a you in comparison… But still feels good. A bunch of custom mappings later, and the APC is doing well… The crossover is annoying, ie both units can clip launch well, but I was thinking of using only APC for DJing, and keeping push in the studio… Now I’m looking at using both for the sound system. Works well so far, but ableton has some annoying default behaviours to focus on the clip/track that is launched. Often a fine behaviour, but for instance if you’re jamming on an instrument on push 2 ( w/ scale mode being quite epic)… Then you launch a clip on a seperate track on APC, push switches to that track… You can disable that behaviour, but I actually do want ableton to focus on the clip I launched most recently on the monitor, so I can view the clip to see where my loop points are.

In hindsight, push + something like Behringer bcf 2000 + something with copious knobs would likely work well for my needs…

Tl;dr - unless you need faders, get push over APC… use it for a month or so, then make decision on what extra controller you may wanna add based on your needs / workflow.

Info overload, but wasn’t sure what you wanted to know.

#6

dude, great advice! that’s exactly what I wanted to know. one last thing, did u have a push 1 at first? they go so cheap now, not sure if the extra $500 for the push 2 is worth it…

#7
dude, great advice! that's exactly what I wanted to know. one last thing, did u have a push 1 at first? they go so cheap now, not sure if the extra $500 for the push 2 is worth it...

My pleasure.

No, I never owned or used a push 1.

I hear some people really happy to stay on push 1, as many of the push 2 features are on the 1…

One thing to checkout is some people are talking about velocity problems on the push 2… Haven’t figured out what it is, but some people seem very upset about it…

I enjoy the screen on my push 2… The less I have to look at the monitor, the better.

Also, I think the push 1 has no rubber feet (can add yourself to push 1, easily)…

Not sure of other differences in a shootout, but you got me curious now.

It’s worth considering, that unless ableton release push 3 and live 10(x?) Soon, then they will be pushing the push 2 (pun intended), and applying greater value to push 2 owners more and more. One would think…

Hard to predict…

#8

Ableton could do something unexpected, like release a companion device to push 2… Something that fills the gap, instead of leaping to push 3… Sorta like Maschine jam typa Thang, but hopefully cooler.

#9

Hmmm, dunno what pxt is, and this thread is outdated, but at this point in time push 1 had some functionality that push 2 did not… The plot thickens…

https://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=219665

Now to look at what the hell pxt is…

#10

OP-1 and Push is fine, but the missing piece here is a Moog!

#11
Hmmm, dunno what pxt is, and this thread is outdated, but at this point in time push 1 had some functionality that push 2 did not... The plot thickens...

https://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=219665

Now to look at what the hell pxt is…

PXT-Live is a user script that extend and/or modify the functions of Push 1. Never tried it myself but it seems pretty powerful. Doesn’t work with Push 2 though. See http://www.nativekontrol.com/PXT-Live.html