Push 2: Viability as the main Synth & Drum instrument

[Libertine Lush]

Hi everyone,

I've never used Ableton or Push, but since Push 2 looks so promising, I have a few questions about it's viability as the principal instrument in a setup.

For Push 2 to be truly worthwhile to me, its instruments (those provided in Ableton Live Suite) need to be mostly beyond reproach, by the open minded, not the partisans and luddites. I love and prefer a minimal setup, so if its synths and drums are well regarded, it would allow me to forgo other hardware.

1) How are its synths, especially Analog (as I prefer analog sounds, though I'm definitely not an analog partisan), compared to the best virtual analog synths (Monark, Diva, Roland ACB, Nord, etc)? Ableton Live 9.5 adds new analog filter emulations (Korg, Moog Prodigy, etc.). How well do those filters augment the quality of the synths?

I am not in the cohort who believes there's any qualitative difference between analog hardware and the best virtual analog. I have a Sub 37 and NI's Monark; I've heard comparison tests of Monark vs. Moog, Roland JP-08 vs. Jupiter 8, etc. and I can't pretend there's a difference. My question comes from this perspective.

2) If Live's instruments just aren't exceptional, I'm still open to using other software synths. How is integration of other software instruments? For example, is there auto mapping of parameters? If not, is it no more time consuming to map them than in other DAWs? Does the Push 2 screen show the name of the 3rd party parameter (filter, resonance, etc)?

3) How do the drum sounds compare to other well regarded options out there? Especially Maschine and Analog Rytm, as I have the former and I'm considering the latter.

4) I'm used to a step sequencer that can't, naturally, smoothly record automation (filter sweeps, etc). In realtime and step sequencing mode, can you smoothly record sustained automation (adjusting parameters over time) on the Push 2?


Thank you for any help and perspectives on this.

 

[krushing]

Hi everyone,

I've never used Ableton or Push, but since Push 2 looks so promising, I have a few questions about it's viability as the principal instrument in a setup.

For Push 2 to be truly worthwhile to me, its instruments (those provided in Ableton Live Suite) need to be mostly beyond reproach, by the open minded, not the partisans and luddites. I love and prefer a minimal setup, so if its synths and drums are well regarded, it would allow me to forgo other hardware.

1) How are its synths, especially Analog (as I prefer analog sounds, though I'm definitely not an analog partisan), compared to the best virtual analog synths (Monark, Diva, Roland ACB, Nord, etc)? Ableton Live 9.5 adds new analog filter emulations (Korg, Moog Prodigy, etc.). How well do those filters augment the quality of the synths?

They're usable, not among the top tier, but ok. But they're not tied to Push in any way, and one of the important updates (which also applies to Push 1, which is what I have) was that you can now easily browse 3rd party fx & instruments (they could of course always be used with Push, but inserting them from within Push's interface was tricky). So there's no need to restrict yourself to Live's own instruments. Use your Monark with Push.

2) If Live's instruments just aren't exceptional, I'm still open to using other software synths. How is integration of other software instruments? For example, is there auto mapping of parameters? If not, is it no more time consuming to map them than in other DAWs? Does the Push 2 screen show the name of the 3rd party parameter (filter, resonance, etc)?

Yes, there's auto map, or rather the parameters just show up on Push's screen when you load a plugin. Not sure if the order in which they appear can be affected, but 90% of the time it's been just fine for me (and usually the "problem" is along the lines of cutoff and resonance being on different pages, so not a big deal). Sometimes the parameter names - if they're originally more cryptic or complex than, say, "cutoff" - can appear as abbreviations like "FltEnvAmt" but even this might be fixed on the Push 2 with its high-res screen.

3) How do the drum sounds compare to other well regarded options out there? Especially Maschine and Analog Rytm, as I have the former and I'm considering the latter.

I guess it's somewhat similar than with the instruments - the readymade kits & sounds are rarely exceptional, but since all the gazillion processing options - or just using custom samples, or both - are right at your fingertips, I don't consider it much of a problem. I usually start with the Analog Rytm, but often end up adding a few tracks of Drum Racks just as well.

4) I'm used to a step sequencer that can't, naturally, smoothly record automation (filter sweeps, etc). In realtime and step sequencing mode, can you smoothly record sustained automation (adjusting parameters over time) on the Push 2?

Well, it just records automation in Live - so yes, your knob sweeps will be smooth. The realtime & step seq "mode" aren't really separated in any way, you can switch between the two at a button's press while keeping the rec on & automating parameters all the while.

 

[Libertine Lush]

Thanks, krushing, for the comprehensive info. It all sounds as good as I had hoped. It now seems Push 2 can truly serve as the centerpiece for all my sounds.