Push 3 Users Thread

Wow, an Ableton tattoo on her arm–that’s a serious level of dedication!

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I’m still on the fence about getting the standalone and wanted to ask, can the controller version of push work, in terms of workflow, just the same as the standalone? If not does someone know what the differences are?

Actually I would say Controller has more options than Standalone right now, just because as long it can work in Live, you can interact with it on Push.

In Standalone, M4L is not fully there, so there’s some things that will be missing if you rely on M4L.

Additionally, some parameters and routings are only available in Live, but no on Push Standalone.

Otherwise, workflow is the same.

Standalone just has the option to be portable, and how much that matters to you is what should make that worth it.

*EDIT: Just so nobody is confused… Stand-alone can of course be run in Controller mode.

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Right, this is my current workflow. Use a drum rack, and if I want a polymeter/polyrhythm, break out that cell into its own track.

Hoping the M4L geniuses out there (Ableton included) get those sequencers working on Push standalone!

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Definitely hope so too! M4L sequencers have introduced so many different ways for creating rhythmic content. some inspired by modular tools.

The M4L community is pretty active. There’s always something that makes it all possible. Not to forget @Ess tools too.

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(edited after reading Ableton’s Push 3 USB power FAQ, linked below and elsewhere in this thread. Bottom line, the battery in P3S will still drain, allegedly more slowly, when plugged into 15 MW USB-C power).

I thought Ableton confirmed that there is still some battery drain in this mode, and so it will eventually run out of juice if only connected via USB. Power supply required. And that the only time you can get away with only USB is if using a 60-65W powerbank, which is far more than you are going to get from a connection to a laptop.

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I had not read that carefully, I guess. I will go reread the battery/USB power FAQ they posted.

Thanks.

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Well I think they were originally guilty of not making it clear, or issuing misleading info about it.

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Looks like the USB power FAQ is still worded vaguely and not as explicit as it could be.

https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/articles/9109387410716-Push-USB-power-FAQ

Thanks!

I’m still waiting on the cable but really not sure what a MBP usb power output is. @dzyndzel has managed to get things working with his M chip MBP though but I really doubt that a new cable is going to fix my issue. I still suspect it’s a P3C hardware problem to be honest but that table would potentially be Abletons go to in not replacing mine under warranty. Guess I’ll cross that bridge when I finally get to it.

Anyone know if there’s a way to preview the midi note as it’s entered into the melodic sequencer? Appreciate how you do this in Live but on push?

IMO, it is. Support wanted to send me a replacement cable and call it a day, but I had to pursue them that I had hardware faults. If my unit wasn’t powering off USB-C power adapters or working with other PD capable cables, I knew the issue was the USB hardware on the P3C. Moreover, on my original unit, the USB connection to Ableton wasn’t even working and I documented this in detail with several cables and power sources over video.

As for the power output on MBP USB-C, it should be 15W as far as I am aware. I don’t remember who it was in this thread, but when I saw someone with an M1 MacBook Air powering their Push 3 over USB I knew there was no way in hell the MacBook Pro wouldn’t be able to do the same.

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Just checking, have you tried using Melodic Sequencer + 32 Notes Layout?

Or do you not want the note grid layout?

Just wanted the full melodic sequencer and manually tap the note in or re-tap to remove.

Unfortunately, not possible.

I’m hoping this is something they could enable, much like how clip editor has the preview button, so every note selected, or moved in clip view plays the note.

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thanks… i’ve been thinking about this some more and at the moment I don’t feel that i want/need something portable, i plan to simply setup in my small office/studio, along with a couple of other things. but that being said I would really like to be able to not have to use the computer screen, maybe even having the laptop closed.

I’m assuming that given it works pretty much as the standalone, without being able to unplug from the computer, i could work in that mode, and if I did want to use some vsts, which a small number seems likely, then I could either make macro instrument racks or even design a few m4l devices which wrap around those that i do want. only moving the screen when moving into arrangement view.

does that seem resonable?

if this workflow really works out and i feel the need to want to unplug even more or more around with the push, then it’s always possible to upgrade to standalone in the future.

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I’m fairly certain Thunderbolt 3/4 outputs to 15W so that should be fine. I do have it in writing from them that my 30 day return period is effectively renewed once the replacement cable is received so I should have the time. I’m just not in the mood to be arsed about with if the cable doesn’t work and I can see other folks like your good self enjoying life as it should be with their P3s!

Absolutely…. You can get pretty far without needing to look at the computer screen.

The reason this thread is the length it is, is because there’s lots of workarounds needed for different things that you would normally do in Live, but even with workarounds, I love not needing to look at the screen.

Switching to arrangement view later is how I’m using mine now too.
I am restricting myself, using only Live devices since that’s all I can use in Standalone (plus M4L), until I need to do things in arrangement view.

By the time you feel you want to upgrade, or if you want to upgrade, hopefully they’ll have the kits available. I think someone else here mentioned they might be out later this year?

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Ah, thats changed a fair bit since I last looked at it. I’d agree, despite the lengths they have gone to now to describe a bunch of different scenarios, they still arent being explicit about what the implications are when the standalone version only receives 15W. I mean there are clues such as ’ Is the power supply recommended in Control Mode? It’s recommended to connect to the included Push power supply whenever a power outlet is available. This will prevent the Push battery from draining.’ and ‘USB-C from a computer cannot charge the Push (standalone) battery. However, it does supply power for running Push, which allows the battery charge to last longer.’. But they dont go on to then explicitly state what happens when the battery has eventually drained.

And when talking about these issues on forums/messageboards I think we could sometimes end up talking at cross purposes because some people are talking about the controller version rather than the standalone version. So people with controller versions will talk about 15W being enough, without digging into the implications of the standalone version eventually draining its battery in this configuration, even when its in controller mode.

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