Push 3 Users Thread

I’ve been meaning to experiment with gpt4 to see if I can get it to write custom Ableton midi control templates. I think it it will work after feeding it the documentation.

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Great News! Thanks for posting this.

Definitely has midi sync issues in standalone and pretty noticeable latency using Push 3 to control external hardware. I ran the tests with no USB hub and switched to mono after touch, sample rate at 44100, and tried every buffer size. Using either Push 3’s midi external and nothing else plugged in, or a single USB (no hub) to either my Edge, S2400 or Korg Prologue, and I get pretty much the same result. An almost half beat lag on sync, and noticeable latency on pressing pads to trigger any of these instruments. When Push 3 is the slave , no major sync issues and my S2400 has no latency if also is used to trigger midi. Only the midi external output is set to both Remote and Sync, all other Push ins/outs are turned off.

Final test, open the test project in Ableton DAW, no change to any settings, everything syncs as expected, no latency. All using Push 3 as the hardware still.

Submitted this to Centrecode. Seems weird I get this on SA and others don’t tbh. Using the latest beta.

Those NUC computers dont actually have much in common with the stuff that the Push uses. Rather, its ‘Compute Elements’ that power the Push, eg this stuff:

https://www.asus.com/ea/displays-desktops/nucs/nuc-elements/nuc-13-compute-element/techspec/

Could get an i7 update in the future? That should pretty solid for most use cases. Tbh out of the all issues I’ve had with my Push 3, CPU slowdown hasn’t been one of them.

Maybe. Its hard to predict because Ableton have to check things like thermal and power characteristics to make sure its going to work appropriately within the Push 3 chassis.

For example Ableton went with an 11th generation compute element for the initial Push 3 version, and as per my link above 13th gen ones now already exist these days.

We’ll only get complete clarity when Ableton reveal stuff themselves.

Hi all, I’ve got a question for those using the Push 3 in controller mode. How do you browse your 3rd party vst presets using the Push? I primarily use Arturia Pigments and U-he Diva in conjunction with the stock Ableton synths. (I have Suite 11 for reference). I can access the VST3 of each synth without a problem but there are no presets to choose from within Ableton, and thus inaccessible from the Push. I always have to transition to the computer for that.

I found this page on the Ableton help page and I understand I need presets in the .vstpreset format in order for Ableton (and the Push) to recognize them. However, I can’t find that format presets on my Mac for either of the synths I mentioned. I tried googling to find a file converter program but had no luck.

There has got to be a way to browse 3rd party VSTs from the Push 3 that I’m missing. Or is it really just dependent upon the creators of the vst using the .vstpreset file format?

As I recall (not near a computer at the moment), Ableton will create a .vstpreset for you. You just have to hit the little floppy disk icon on the device (NOT the floppy of the group it might be in). Edit: Ableton will use a default name for the resulting .vstpreset; you will then have to rename it to match the patch you chose in the vst.

Unfortunately, that means if you want ALL your presets in this format, it’s labor intensive without some unknown to me third party tool.

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Does Push 3 Standalone stream long audio files from the 256gb SSD drive or from the 8gb RAM?

In other words, if I’m putting a live set together and using the P3 SA for audio playback, is there an 8gb or 256gb limit?

Open the vst pick the preset you wish to save. Save the vst as ableton has mentioned. Then you can recall the vst with that preset. Not the greatest solution but it’s all we have for now.

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Seems like the variations device pretty much solves my issues with using dummy clips, I had initially tried performer but that’s aimed at a slightly different use-case.

Very clever how it ties changes to clip names, I suppose I could quibble a bit and say that I’d prefer an option to select the particular parameters to be captured on a per variation basis rather than having to exclude those that aren’t for all variations - probably I will need multiple variation devices if I want to e.g. independently control device step length and clock division without affecting other parameters. It’s going to get really annoying on channels with multiple devices and chains making sure that it doesn’t inadvertently capture and recall something it isn’t supposed to. Would also be nice to be able to assign a macro to scroll and select variations, as some of the rack variations max devices can do.

Still, it’s progress, and I can see why these choices were made - I guess to get my perfect solution I’d need to hack it or write my own if my Max chops were up to it … which they aren’t.

Thank you so much! That’s very helpful to know and clears things up for me. I’ll probably just settle for preset browsing on the Mac and then slowly save presets I like over time.

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That is what I do, too. Glad I could help!

If you look at your link regarding VST presets and Push you will see a method that is less time-consuming than saving each preset separately.

It says

VST 2 plug-in presets (Push 2 only)
A number of VSTs expose one bank of presets to Live by default. The easiest way to verify this is to take a look at the plug-in device in Live’s Device View. If the plug-in preset list is accessible (not greyed out), its content will also appear on the Push display when entering Hotswap mode via the Browse button.

If this list is active, but contains no presets, it might first be necessary to add presets to the custom bank which is exposed to Live. This is done in various ways by the plug-in manufacturers. For example, in Massive, FM8 and other Native Instrument devices, this is achieved by adding presets to the PC Programs bank.

The keyword is Program Change banks. Let’s take U-he Diva as an example, as far as I know you can prepare a bank for PC and then select presets on the Push accordingly.

Like this:

MIDI Programs
Local also contains a special folder called MIDI Programs. If you put a bunch of presets (up to 128) into this folder, they will all be loaded into memory when the first instance of Diva starts.
Note: Changes only take affect after restarting your host. MIDI Program patches can’t be added, removed or renamed on the fly.
Individual MIDI Programs patches are selected via MIDI Program Change messages. As they are accessed in alphabetical order, it’s a good idea to put a number at the beginning of each name e.g. ‘000 rest-of-name’ to ‘127 rest-of-name’ or similar.
Banks: MIDI Programs can contain up to 127 sub-folders (of 128 patches each), switchable via MIDI Bank Select messages. The MIDI bank select message is CC#0 (Diva only interprets the MSB) – send this value, then a Program Change."

So: right-click on “MIDI Programs” in Diva’s browser and select “Open in Explorer” (Mac: “Reveal in Finder”) - put your presets in there and reload Diva.

somewhat more detailed :

That’s what I do with most synths. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be PC banks, as mentioned above, it’s enough if they are displayed as a plugin preset list in Live.

Have fun.

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What is the latest software version of Push Standalone? I just got an update for Push 1.2 and firmware 1.4.0 and was wondering if this might just be released because I can’t find any info about it. Cheers

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It’s an update alright! :muscle:t2:

IMG_6504

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I know next to nothing about M4L. Looking through the patch notes, what does this mean in terms of device availability?

Max for Live Devices that observe the values of controls without getting them will now work with push 3?

I have used a Midi Fighter and the PC12 from Faderfox with the Push 3. Both add so much to the system. I also tried the KNTRL9 and the Nanokontrol, which I did not like so much for this usecase. Knobs over Faders for me, I guess…

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Check ableton center code to access Push beta, I find it more stable.

As for Live beta, it seems you need too ask for an invite, which I don’t have received yet, personally. I don’t mind much, still have much to learn with what I have already.

I haven’t got a push 3 yet but I can’t find anything on if this is possible (it’s not possible with push2 at least as far as I’ve tried…)

Is there a way to input midi notes on a step from a midi keyboard?
Similar to in elektron boxes you can hold a trig and press midi notes on your keyboard.
When I press midi keys I do see the notes lighting up on my push2, but if I hold a step and play the keys I want in my chord it doesn’t save those keys to the step :frowning:

Seems like a crazy thing to not be able to do so I’m assuming I’m missing something lol