It’s always interesting (to me, anyway) when software companies start designing and selling their own hardware. You always get a sense that they sat in their studio, shaking their heads at what manufacturers are doing and yelling “Fine! We’ll do it ourselves!”. When the Push came out, the general consensus seemed to be that it did way more than it let on, and provided a definitive surface with which to work in Ableton Live 9.
Since then, Ableton have been working hard to improve Push integration and provide new features in Live 9, which brings us right up to some pretty big news about not just one product from the Berlin-based company, but three, with the hefty Live 9.5 update, a brand new Push 2 controller and the wireless sync via Ableton Link.
What’s new?
Ableton Live 9.5
There’s a host of new features and updates to the core Ableton Live software. Improved sampling via the Simpler helps you pull in your live recordings that much easier. There’s some swanky new smoother waveforms as well. Ableton have rebuilt analogue-modelled filters into their racks to make it sound even meatier. Finally, there are even more samples in the library and new instrument racks to play with.
Push 2
While the original Push was never going to be the perfect controller for everyone, it was certainly a great start from a company that was used to making software. There’s the usual ‘lighter, thinner’ improvements, but the buttons are lower profile, more like chiclet keyboards. Ableton have crammed in a full colour display, and if Maschine is anything to go by, it’ll be super useful for at-a-glance use. The hardware is also actually built by Ableton this time, rather than with AKAI as a hardware partner.
Ableton Link
A new system designed by Ableton to sync multiple devices – including smart ones and laptops – over a shared wifi connection. Link is designed for electronic musicians to easily jam together using multiple Ableton Live sessions and supported 3rd party software, of which there’s already a hefty number signed up to integrate.
Check the press release to properly masticate on the info.
The new Push and Live 9.5 are here, and introducing Link
Berlin, Germany, November 2nd, 2015
Ableton has announced the immediate release of the new Push, alongside Live 9.5 – a free update for all Live 9 users. It’s also inviting owners of the original Push to take part in a unique trade-in that offers a big saving on the new version. Plus, Ableton is introducing Link, a new technology that lets you play in time with multiple instances of Live and a growing number of iOS apps.
The new Push
Like the original Push, the new version brings hands-on creation of melody and harmony, beats and song structure. Now designed and engineered entirely by Ableton, Push has a new level of playability that puts even more elements of song creation at your fingertips.
Here’s how:
- Large multicolor display: Push’s crisp and colorful new display adapts to show what you need and keep you in the creative flow. Library navigation, sample waveforms, effects parameters and mixer levels are instantly visible on the display and tweakable via the touch-sensitive encoders.
- Sampling workflows: Push now has fast and flexible sampling workflows that let you slice samples across the pads and play back single hits and timestretched samples. Create looping instruments on the fly, chop up drum kits from recordings, or play longer rhythmic samples back in tempo – all without taking your hands off Push.
- More musical and expressive pads: Push’s new pads have been carefully redesigned to feel just right for musicians of all kinds. Softer, smoother and more responsive, they provide the perfect playing experience for creating beats and melodies.
Push Trade-In
Ableton is launching a unique trade-in initiative in which owners of the original Push can return their used unit and save up to 30% on the new one. Returned Push units will be refurbished and given to music education projects for young people – along with copies of Live – for free.
Ableton is continuing to improve how Live works with the original Push: the free Live 9.5 update brings additional functionality to the original unit, including new features and workflow improvements.
Live 9.5
This free update for Ableton Live 9 is now available for all Live 9 users. Here’s what’s new and improved in Live 9.5:
- Redesigned Simpler: Live’s powerful yet easy-to-use sampling instrument has been completely overhauled with a new interface, warping and slicing capabilities, and new analog-modeled filters. Now Simpler lets you slice samples across the keyboard, play single hits, or warp long samples so that they always stay in time with your song.
- Great-sounding analog-modeled filters: Live 9.5 introduces new filters based on classic vintage hardware that will self-resonate, produce feedback, and distort beautifully. Built in collaboration with Cytomic, these filters are now included in Simpler, Sampler, Operator and Auto Filter.
- Improved meters and waveforms: Mixer volume meters now show both peak and RMS levels, indicating both sudden changes in level as well as perceived loudness. This makes controlling your track’s dynamics easier. Plus, new waveforms show more visual detail of your audio samples, with smoother zooming and scrolling.
- Inspiring new instruments: Live 9 Suite owners can enjoy three stunning new Max for Live synthesizers that offer a wide range of sound design possibilities within a streamlined set of controls. These include Bass, a monosynth designed for bass sounds; Poli, a polyphonic synth that excels at strings, pads and stabs; and Multi, a synth designed for immediate tweakability from Push.
Link
Coming soon, Link is a new technology that lets you play in time with multiple instances of Live and a growing number of iOS apps. It syncs devices’ timing over a wireless network, so you can set up almost instantly and jam with others as freely as a live band.
How Link works. To set up, just switch on Link, connect to the same network and start jamming. Anyone can start and stop their part while others keep playing. And anyone can adjust the tempo and the rest will follow. No MIDI cables, no installation, just free-flowing sync that works.
With Live and beyond. Link will soon be available to Live users as a free update, and to the wider music-making community as a built-in feature of a growing number of iOS apps. If you’re an app developer who’s interested in joining the band of music-making apps that have Link built in, contact link-devs@ableton.com.
Pricing and availability
- The new Push is available to buy immediately from Ableton.com or your local music store, priced at EUR 699 / USD 799.
- Owners of the original Push can take advantage of the trade-in offer and order a new Push straight away. To check participating countries, head to the Ableton site.
- Live 9.5 is now available as a free download for Live 9 users.
- Link will soon be available in another free update to Live 9 and a growing number of iOS apps.
My take
I don’t claim to be an expert in music production, though I do strive to a greater understanding (and jealousy) of the art. I’ve dabbled in various DAWs over the years, but always found myself frustrated at having ideas but not being able to create them. Ableton was always the application that felt the most intuitive, with Maschine being a recent discovery that clicked: It’s only recently that I’ve really gotten behind the idea of integrating drums into a DJ set, but the likes of Chris Liebing on Maschine and Richie Hawtin using Live and Push certainly piqued my interest. My views were fully cemented not too long ago when I had a chance to integrate Maschine into my setup, and after seeing Richie Hawtin’s incredible set at this year’s Tomorrowland I want to try the Push and Ableton more than ever.
For a company that seems to have distanced itself from DJ performances, there sure are a lot of pictures of turntables and mixers on the product pages. With the introduction of Live 9.5 and the revamped sampling system, it does feel like Ableton are certainly trying to push the arts of DJing and producing further together. I wouldn’t hold your breath for too many DJ-specific features appearing any time soon, but it does feel like there’s more for us DJs to get excited about.
The big story, in my opinion, is Ableton Link. While it’s clearly very early days, there’s so much potential for both collaborative performance as well as implications for DJ software. So far, we’ve been pretty much relying on MIDI, which is a 40-odd year old technology which can be less-than-accurate for device sync. If Link can become a viable protocol built into something like Serato (I can’t imagine Native Instruments using it unless it’s open and they can add it to all their software), then we could see musicians easily rocking up and having a jam session with DJs. From what I can work out, it’s currently limited to wifi connections only, meaning no communication across apps on one device. I’d love to see this becoming a plug n play version of something like Propellerhead ReWire. It’ll also be interesting to see how well Link will cope with latency, since matching beat phrasing is such an important part of electronic music (intentional groove aside).
It’s also nice to see a story about social responsibility, so the Push Trade-In scheme is heartwarming and hopefully should not only encourage upgrades to the new hardware, but means that budding producers in disadvantaged areas will get to play with free hardware and software.
Your take
What do you think of this Ableton update? Are you excited about the potential for Link, or just glad to see an updated Push controller?
Both Push 2 and Ableton Live 9.5 are available now, with Link still on the horizon!