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Ableton Push 3

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Re: Ableton Push 3

#301

Post by jtode »

Gordonjcp wrote: post #211
jtode wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Musician here, most of us (the ones that aren't also programmers) just have to pay up the arse every time for every thing. I've been teaching myself keys the last few years and had been planning to one day get myself a big $6k stage keyboard, when I felt that I had sufficiently developed to warrant it. I have since tried out Zynthian, and my conclusion was that with a pianoteq license and a good controller, I can hav…

> I have since tried out Zynthian, and my conclusion was that with a pianoteq license and a good controller, I can have way more functionality and sounds and every thing for a small fraction of the price of that Nord. Yes, but also buy yourself a big old 90s ROMpler workstation for a couple of hundred quid, and keep it around for when you need something, I don't know, just *different*. Or if you need to do an impromp…

Zynthian runs on a Raspberry Pi, and with a HifiBerry sound card (If you understand Midi or are willing to learn about storing snapshots and setting channels, you can set it up to be just as convenient (more convenient actually). It rewards the curious more than others, as in all nice things.

My plan - I genuinely did budget myself $6k, I have several times that much in guitar gear so I do take this seriously - is to build several dedicated ones, both for redundancy and to make sure they are extremely robust. Since I can code I'm even thinking orchestration of redundant raid-like units via a digital mixer. This will all cost a small fraction of a Nord Stage 3 and if anyone steals it, I mean, good luck to em lol

Re: Ableton Push 3

#302

Post by cageface »

bodge5000 wrote: post #264
cageface wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find grid based systems like Ableton great for getting short loops together but making the jump to a finished track is a lot harder. I have folders full of sketches I've built up in years of using it but very few things I'd call finished.

Funny enough I always found the opposite, I find Renoise great for making short loops but putting them together into a full track to be a pain, and then visa-versa with Ableton and software like it. The OP-1 is where I've found this to be especially the case, incredibly easy to make a loop on but never managed to make a full song on it, aside from using mutes/effects on a single loop to stretch it out into a full tra…

I found the OP 1 especially difficult for this. I never got used to the tape recording workflow. It's a pity because I really liked it otherwise.

Re: Ableton Push 3

#303

Post by jtode »

mtalantikite wrote: post #177
moojd wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nords are for gigging artists that want every feature accessable via physical controls on the device with minimal setup. If you are willing to bring your laptop on stage there are probably better cheaper options. That being said used Electro's can be affordable and they are really fun devices to own. There is also a nice small community of people hacking on them. My current hobby project is reverse engineering the el…

I had considered going the route of a nice midi controller and software, but ultimately when I wake up in the morning and sit down to practice I don't want to be on the computer with the seemingly infinite potential for distraction. I bought a Nord Grand a couple years ago and I'm really glad that I did. The action feels great and the sounds are good enough (although I really would love a new grand piano sample). My…

I assume you can buy more sounds for the Nord? I have read up extensively on the Stage 3 but not the piano. Currently making do with a Korg B2 for that.

Anyways, everyone seems to have misread my pianoteq comment as me intending to use a laptop; not the case.

Zynthian is a raspberry Pi project that collects up basically everything Linux has available for music and puts it in a small box suitable for pedalboard, rack, on top of your Nord, etc. It works beautifully and with a hifiberry sound card is the equal of anything, sonically.

It also implements pianoteq as an engine, so with a pianoteq license, it really does do everything the Stage does, minus the keyboard natch, and quite a lot more besides (DSP with stereo in out, mod devices, puredata). So you could have a bunch more piano sounds in a small device that is also a full box of toys for not too much.

They are also weeks/days away from releasing a new hardware version that looks really great, the bdfl has been posting stuff in the discourse.

Things are progressing in Linux, folks. Good times.

Re: Ableton Push 3

#304

Post by readlikeasloth »

vemv wrote: post #21

I own a Push 1 and 2, although at hobbyist level. The standalone Push 3 seems a great step forward. macOS has increasingly become user-hostile when it comes to audio (and other pro) users. For instance I have an expensive sound card that became useless with after a minor OS upgrade. I never got to troubleshoot it or find an official solution. That was incredibly discouraging - enough to move on to other hobbies. And…

Same here. Tried to connect an old Midiman Midi interface to a recent MacOs. Oh boy. Someone built a driver and I´m grateful for that but it was quite something to get the thing working. It seemed to me a waste to buy a new piece of hardware for some antique technology like Midi, just because the driver of the old interface was not working any more. I don´t mind dealing with pain caused by computers in my day job. But in my free time as a musician all those technological hassles are a hindrance of creativity.

Re: Ableton Push 3

#305

Post by thomasfl »

Jagerbizzle wrote: post #205
dubcanada wrote: post #197

This thread is super hackernews-y, people complaining about the performance of the PC that runs it compared to equally priced specs, some comments about source code and APIs, some comments about copying a open source product, a few about when AI can make music?? Doesn't really seem to be much talk about the actual product, I must say I haven't owned either, but it looks super cool! The video was very well done showca…

I bought one. I'm a hobbyist that's been using Ableton in a hobbyist manner since 2005 or so. As a software developer that works remotely, I have extremely limited desire to sit in front of my computer when work is over, and thus I end up using my music gear (which is unfortunately all crammed in my home office) much less than I'd like to. The appeal of a product like this is that I can take it into a different room…

As a software developer myself, I prefer using an iPhone to create music rather than a laptop. With plugins it is possible to make stuff like this with Garageband for iPhone https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cqd9naFOh1I/

Re: Ableton Push 3

#306

Post by arvinsim »

Jagerbizzle wrote: post #205
dubcanada wrote: post #197

This thread is super hackernews-y, people complaining about the performance of the PC that runs it compared to equally priced specs, some comments about source code and APIs, some comments about copying a open source product, a few about when AI can make music?? Doesn't really seem to be much talk about the actual product, I must say I haven't owned either, but it looks super cool! The video was very well done showca…

I bought one. I'm a hobbyist that's been using Ableton in a hobbyist manner since 2005 or so. As a software developer that works remotely, I have extremely limited desire to sit in front of my computer when work is over, and thus I end up using my music gear (which is unfortunately all crammed in my home office) much less than I'd like to. The appeal of a product like this is that I can take it into a different room…

I have the same workspace for work and making music. But I can totally understand the desire to make them separate.

For some reason, it just seems that I am forcing myself to make music. If I take a mini MIDI keyboard and make music somewhere else, it's much easier to do.

Re: Ableton Push 3

#307

Post by arvinsim »

nr2x wrote: post #163
vemv wrote: post #21

I own a Push 1 and 2, although at hobbyist level. The standalone Push 3 seems a great step forward. macOS has increasingly become user-hostile when it comes to audio (and other pro) users. For instance I have an expensive sound card that became useless with after a minor OS upgrade. I never got to troubleshoot it or find an official solution. That was incredibly discouraging - enough to move on to other hobbies. And…

The biggest issue with Mac is they manage to break device drivers every 12 months like clockwork. On the other hand, Logic Pro is an absolute steal at the price they charge, and it’s gotten some huge (and free) updates.

If they decide to go subscription, the value proposition will be different
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