Qwerty. I’ll keep going for a few weeks and if it sticks I’ll buy a controller. But then again if it sticks that much I’ll just buy the MPC.
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My favourite setup (so far) is Ableton Live with at least one Elektron box, which is for me at the moment a Digitakt. I’m mega into sampling and wanted an intuitive hardware drum machine to play alongside Ableton Live clips, so this works out great for me. I’m not into the Push at all - had two Push 2 units and sold them both, but maybe you will love it. There’s no way (as far as I know) to manipulate warp markers on the Push 2, which is a major part of my creative process, so in the end I was using the mouse as well. Still, it’s a well-made device with a lot of functionality.
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I mean I think using a mouse and keyboard absolutely sucks. If there is no tightly integrated hardware for the software, making music on it would be awful for me. I’d use hardware. Before ableton existed we had mpc’s.
the reason I don’t have an Akai force right now, as without the warpmarker manipulation via the knobs what would be the point… I do love push 2 though even though it doesn’t have warpmarker tech either but it’s more integrated than the force… if Ableton come out with a stand alone push 3 that allows you to do whatever you want with the warpmarkers too it’s a wrap!!
mpc ableton export is very nice though
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I’ve been thinking it’s actually the mousing around that absolutely sucks (no muscle memory), and that one of those clicky mechanical keyboards might be kind of nice. If I had space for an external qwerty for my laptop, I’d spend the $100-150 to get one.
I used Live Lite for a few years because I was kind of obsessed with a making a mockery of the limitations (8 tracks isn’t much hardship when you can fill each one with a drum rack that holds 128 samples…)
At the end of last year I made the jump to Suite (for M4L) and decided to doubledown with a Push 2. Genuinely it’s the best decision I’ve made in as long as I can remember. Thanks to Live and various Max For Live devices I’ve arrived at the point where I literally don’t want to do anything other than manipulate samples (which is where I got on a couple of decades and change ago). I more or less decided today that I’m going to sell my Moog Grandmother and probably my Sirin as well as a few other things as my focus is entirely on sample manipulation so there’s really no point in hanging on to relatively valuable synths I don’t need/use… I may end up getting a Digitakt though, but that will only compliment my Ableton setup.
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If you want to…then 
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This thread…
All my hardware is being sold (apart from the Digitakt but I don’t know why not) and I’m now ITB with Ableton. Not going for a Push, will get some Faderfox controllers for live performance otherwise the mouse is too fast to give up.
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Can’t go wrong with Ableton. The Push+Ableton will at least keep you close to the idea of performing and tweaking on the go. I think Stephen Bodzin and others have a great approach to a hybrid setup that allows performance and composition. Its always a journey.
Just remember that if you have ADD adding Ableton isnt going to help because the options are infinite. Ableton tutors like All You Need is Live and Bound to Divide are great as they exclusively use the instruments and effects that come with Ableton Suite rather than needing to purchase anything vst.
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The thing I realised once I finally bought suite is the immense array of effects and instruments Live has. Add in all the M4L devices and the free packs and the amount I’ve saved on plugins is pretty absurd. I’ve found some of the Ableton performance videos really inspiring in terms of how to use the Push 2 in a live, improvised context. Nothing like the music I make, but Rachel Collier’s live (Live) looping setup is incredibly powerful and yet very intuitive too.
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Hi!
Sounds perhaps odd, but grab a book or something and make a break before selling and buying. That only wastes money and does not make music.
I bet you are able to beat every imaginable synth genre with your stuff!
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Fuck it and minimize to Renoise with mechanical keyboard 
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I like the way you think. It’s nuts how good the renoise sound engine sounds like.
It’s crazy how being obsessed with keyboard clacking and writing rhythms is like
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I ended up getting a Launchpad Mini because you just can’t trigger multiple clips at the same time with a keyboard and mouse. It’s pretty perfect for launching clips and recording into the piano roll, although it’s a little small for any real live drumming.
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Put the gear in the box out the way and venture on with your idea!
When the gear is out and about it is easy to want to get rid of it, sell it, and remove it from your thoughts and considerations.
Out of sight = out of mind.
If you need the dosh then cash in. If not store away.
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I did it and its really awesome. Especially when you factor in how powerful the M1 Macs are as a future upgrade. I still have hardware but I sold a lot of it and made thousands of dollars. Thats money I can use to go on vacation or do things that get me out of the studio and inspire me to make more music.
Ableton is so insanely powerful and with the push you get all the automation youd get from hardware. Plus it really makes you choose your hardware pieces a lot more wisely when you realize that you really don’t need that many of them.
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This is a cool video, but I think the biggest mistake people make with Push is trying to avoid using the keyboard and mouse. Its ok to use the mouse sometimes, especially for editing MIDI. the Push really shines for finger drumming and playing melodies and of course, the automation.
I think him trying to do it all without touching the mouse hampered his experience, IMO.
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I’m sure you’ve seen them already but incase not: All You Need is Live (AudioReakt site for techno templates) and Yan Cook are best techno/Ableton channels I’ve found on YouTube. (For me at least). Both also use hardware too.