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Ableton Push Manual

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1 Introduction
Ableton Push is an expressive instrument for music-making that lets
you create and edit melodies, harmonies, beats, and samples, as well
as entire songs. As a standalone instrument, Push lets you stay focused
on song creation in or out of the studio. You can seamlessly send your
Live Sets to Push and vice versa.
Push also functions as a hub where you can control and record a wide
range of acoustic and electronic instruments simultaneously. On stage,
Push serves as a powerful instrument for real-time playing, step
sequencing, and clip launching, with or without a computer.
You can use this manual to get familiar with Push's fundamental
workflows, or as a general reference for Push's features and controls.
There are also a number of videos that can help you get started with
Push available here:
https://www.ableton.com/learn-push/
1.1 What's in the Box?
Push comes with a power supply, USB-C cable, getting started guide,
safety and warranty information booklet, and decorative poster.
To view the complete Tech Specs for Push, feel free to refer to this
page:
https://www.ableton.com/push/tech-specs/
1.2 Hardware Overview
1.2.1 Controls

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Summary of Contents for Ableton Push

  • Page 1 You can seamlessly send your Live Sets to Push and vice versa. Push also functions as a hub where you can control and record a wide range of acoustic and electronic instruments simultaneously. On stage, Push serves as a powerful instrument for real-time playing, step sequencing, and clip launching, with or without a computer.
  • Page 2 Controls 1.2.2 Connections Connections 1. Audio Output: 2 x 6.35 mm balanced audio outputs.
  • Page 3 SSD hard drive, which allows you to use Push as a standalone instrument. The second does not come with those components, so Push must be connected to a computer to make music using Live. An upgrade kit containing the necessary components to use Push standalone will be available in late 2023 from the Ableton Web Shop, so you can upgrade your Push later as needed.
  • Page 4 2 Setup Push can be used either on its own in Standalone Mode, or it can be connected to a computer in Control Mode. After plugging in the included power supply, turn Push on via the yellow button on the back.
  • Page 5 Press the Setup button: The Setup Button. In the Status tab you can see whether Push is currently set to Standalone Mode or Control Mode. Press the highlighted upper display button to switch to Control Mode, then open Live on your computer if it...

  • Page 6: Setup Menu

    Control Live Option. Push will be automatically detected as a Control Surface in Live. Note that Push is supported on Live 11.3 or later. 2.2 Setup Menu You can access various hardware settings, connect to Wi-Fi, update the software for Push, and more in the Setup menu.
  • Page 7 Status tab. Under the Standalone/Control Mode entry, you can view the battery level. If Push is charging, this will also be reflected in the battery icon. Generally, the battery will last for about 2.5 hours of music making.
  • Page 8 musical ideas. In Scene Workflow (which is the default), musical ideas are organized and navigated in scenes. In Clip Workflow, only the currently selected clip is in focus. In Scene Workflow: Duplicate creates a new scene containing all of the currently playing clips, and seamlessly switches to playing them back.
  • Page 9 When set to On, only one track can be record-armed at a time. When set to Off, multiple tracks can be armed. You can switch on Link synchronization so that Push can connect and stay in time with other Link-enabled devices.
  • Page 10 per-note pitch bend will always be on. When set to Off, per-note pitch bend will always be off. By default the pads are configured to enable MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) data. If you only want to send aftertouch messages for each note, so that varying finger pressure is registered for each pad, use Poly Aftertouch.

  • Page 11: Sensitivity Tab

    2.2.3 Sensitivity Tab The Sensitivity Tab. You can adjust the sensitivity settings for incoming note velocity to achieve various responses to different finger pressures using the corresponding encoders. Threshold — determines how much force is needed to trigger a pad. At low amounts a lighter touch triggers the pad, while at higher amounts more force is required.

  • Page 12: Audio Tab

    2.2.4 Audio Tab The Audio Tab. In the Audio tab, you can adjust the settings for Push’s built-in audio interface. You can select a sample rate between 44,100 and 96,000 Hz, as well as a buffer size between 128 and 2048 samples.
  • Page 13 Cue Out, which are routed to both your headphones and speakers. You can use the encoder above Outputs to change how the digital outputs in Live are routed to Push’s analog outputs. This lets you access outputs 3 and 4 for cueing or create an external effects loop.
  • Page 14 In the MIDI tab, you can access the available Input and Output settings for connected MIDI devices: Track – allows Push to send or receive MIDI notes and MIDI CC messages. Remote – allows remote control access for a MIDI controller.
  • Page 15 The voltage range is 0-10 V, the effective resolution is 12 bits, and the frequency range is DC-20kHz. When using CV, Pedal 1 represents outputs 5 and 6 on Push, while Pedal 2 represents outputs 7 and 8. 2.2.7 Wi-Fi Tab The Wi-Fi Tab.

  • Page 16: Software Tab

    2.2.8.1 Send Stats & Reports If you enable this option, crash reports (from standalone use only) and statistics data will be sent back to Ableton. This data is anonymous and does not contain any personal information regarding your license or...
  • Page 17 Enter this URL into a browser on your computer or phone, making sure you are connected to the same Wi-Fi network as Push. On Push, a six-digit code will be displayed; enter this code on the web page to continue the authorization process.
  • Page 18 Enter the Code Displayed on Push. After entering the code, you will be redirected to ableton.com where you can sign into your User Account and then choose the Live license you want to authorize.
  • Page 19 2.2.8.3 Updating Push’s Software In Standalone Mode, Push runs on a specific software to which features and updates are added periodically. The software also includes firmware for the hardware. If a software update is available, an asterisk...
  • Page 20 build. You can press the display button above Update to download the latest software. Make sure the power supply is connected when updating. Available Firmware Update. A progress bar will be displayed as the update is installed. If needed, you can cancel the process using the highlighted lower display button on the right before the update finishes.
  • Page 21 Enter this URL into a browser on your computer or phone, making sure you are connected to the same Wi-Fi network as Push, to access two legal documents: Third Party Licensing Information, and End User License Agreement and Third Party URLs and Logos.
  • Page 22 Mode. After opening the URL, press the display button under Done. A six-digit code will be shown on Push’s display that you can enter on the web page, which initiates the download of the reports. The download includes the most recently generated crash reports.

  • Page 23: Audio Connectivity

    Select Push in the Audio Input or Audio Output Device Chooser. 3.1.1 Connecting Speakers and Headphones You can connect your studio monitors to Push using the Out 1 and 2 ports. Use Out 1 for the left speaker and Out 2 for the right.

  • Page 24: Hardware Connectivity

    Push’s display. When Push is first switched on, the volume of the main output is selected by default. Use the Volume Encoder to Adjust the Main Output. You can cycle through the other volume options by pressing the encoder. You can tap the Volume encoder to see which volume option it is currently set to.
  • Page 25 You can use the Pedal 1 and 2 ports to connect footswitch pedals to Push. These ports can also be used to send CV data out to modular gear. Pedal 1 gives you hands-free control of Push’s recording functionality. A single tap of the footswitch will toggle the Record button, thus switching between recording/overdubbing and playback of the current clip.
  • Page 26 3.3 Using Link on Push Ableton Link is a technology that keeps devices in time over a wired or wireless network. Link is built into Push, Live and Note, as well as a growing number of iOS applications. Any Link-enabled software can play in time with any other Link-enabled software simply by joining the same network.

  • Page 27: Using The Browser

    In most cases, Link will work without issues as soon as it is enabled and will provide reliable synchronization under all conditions. If you run into any issues, we recommend checking out this Link Troubleshooting FAQ. 4 Building A Live Set You can create an entire Set, from adding tracks and devices to setting the tempo and meter, directly on the hardware.
  • Page 28 In the display, you will see a menu for adding devices and tracks. You can then use the jog wheel or Session D-pad to navigate through menus and make selections. Browse Mode. If you select Device, you will see all of the available content in your license, including Pack content, your User Library, and the Current Project folder (which will contain any recorded samples that are in the Set).
  • Page 29 Add MIDI Track Menu. In a Track menu, you can use the same navigation options mentioned above: use the jog wheel or Session D-pad to navigate and select devices and use the jog wheel to navigate between menus and submenus. As you navigate through submenus, you can also use the leftmost encoder to switch between previous submenus.
  • Page 30 Use the Encoder to Navigate Between Submenus. You can leave Browse Mode by pressing the display button above the X on the left side of the display. By default, sound preview for devices is switched off, but you can enable this by pressing the second upper display button from the left.
  • Page 31 Core Library and official Live Packs as you scroll through the list of presets. 4.1.1 Collections As in Live, you can organize presets, samples, and Sets in different labels by using the Collections library on Push. You can press the display button above Favorites to add or remove...
  • Page 32 highlighted devices to the Favorites label. Add Devices to the Favorites Label. To access the other Collection labels, use the encoder above the Favorites display button.
  • Page 33 Use the Encoder to Select Labels. You can view all of the Collections labels in the Devices menu.
  • Page 34 Collections. Favorites Label. 4.2 Working with Devices and Tracks Select a device in Browse Mode using the jog wheel or Session D-pad and add it to a track. A Loaded Device. Press the display button above the device’s name to view all of the available parameter tabs for that device.
  • Page 35 Device Parameter Tabs. You can then access the individual tabs using the corresponding lower display buttons. To add additional devices to the track, press the Add button again to go back to Browse Mode. On MIDI tracks, MIDI effects will be inserted before an instrument or Instrument/Drum Rack and audio effects after.

  • Page 36: Hot-Swap Mode

    position and release the display button. Move an Effect to a New Position. 4.2.1 Hot-Swap Mode To switch out devices on a track, press the Swap button to enter Hot- Swap Mode. Hot-Swap Mode. In the display, what you will see depends on which browser category the original device came from.

  • Page 37: Track Options

    navigate through and select devices. Unlike Browse Mode, however, selecting a device does not automatically close Swap Mode and go back to the Device View. This means you can continue selecting and trying out sounds until you find what you’re looking for.In addition to using the jog wheel and Session D-pad, you can also use the Load Next and Load Previous buttons to automatically switch between devices without having to individually select them first.
  • Page 38 Rename lets you rename the track. You can group tracks by holding the Select button and then pressing the lower display button for each track that you want to group. Then hold the Shift button and press one of the lower display buttons from the selected tracks, and select Group.
  • Page 39 4.3 Working with Racks Instrument, Drum, and Effect Racks allow for multiple chains of devices to be contained within a single device. On Push’s display, Racks have special icons that distinguish them from individual devices. A MIDI Effect Rack, Instrument Rack, and Audio Effect Rack.
  • Page 40 A Drum Rack. To expand an Instrument Rack and reveal its devices, select it using the corresponding upper display button and then press the button again. This will unfold the Rack and display the devices in the currently selected chain. When a Rack is unfolded, an underline appears that extends to the end of the enclosed devices.
  • Page 41 Each Encoder Affects its Corresponding Parameter. If an Instrument Rack contains multiple chains, you can hold the display button above the Rack and all chains will be shown at the bottom of the display.
  • Page 42 Multiple Chains in an Instrument Rack. You can then select a chain using its corresponding lower display button to access its individual parameters. 4.4 Tempo and Meter You can use the Swing and Tempo encoder to adjust the swing amount and tempo for your Set.
  • Page 43 The Swing and Tempo Encoder. You can tap the encoder to see if it is currently set to Swing or Tempo, then press the encoder to change between Swing and Tempo.When Tempo is selected, turning the encoder adjusts the tempo in increments of one BPM.
  • Page 44 Adjust the Swing Amount. Set the Tempo. You can also set the tempo by repeatedly pressing the Tap Tempo...
  • Page 45 button at your desired tempo. The Tap Tempo Button. Press and hold the Metronome button to access the metronome and time signature settings for your Set.
  • Page 46 The Metronome Button. The Metronome and Time Signature Settings. You can choose the count-in length for the metronome using the corresponding encoder. The sound of the metronome can be set to Classic, Click, or Wood. The Rhythm parameter sets the beat division at which the metronome ticks.
  • Page 47 Sets are saved inside Project folders, along with all of the various components of the Set: clips, device presets, samples, etc. When you first turn on Push, a new empty Set will be loaded by default. An Empty Set. You can also create a new Set by pressing the Sets button, and then...
  • Page 48 Create a New Set. Alternatively, you can hold the Session button underneath the Session D-pad and then press the New button to create a new Set. The Session Button and the New Button. 5.1.1 Saving Sets...
  • Page 49 Press the Save button to save the current Set directly to Push’s hard drive when in Standalone Mode. The Save Button. When you save a new Live Set, a Project folder is created that contains the Set and any referenced user samples. The Set/Project folder will be named automatically.
  • Page 50 Shift button and press Save. This allows you to create new variations of a Set, without taking up much space on Push’s hard drive, as the samples will only be stored in one Project folder for all variations.
  • Page 51 The Duplicate Button. 5.1.4 Viewing and Opening Sets Press the Sets button to access your saved Sets from Standalone Mode. Note that if you are in Control Mode, you will see recently opened Sets from Live and any demo Sets included in Packs when you press this button.
  • Page 52 The Sets Button. You can navigate through Sets in the same way as navigating devices when in Browse Mode. Saved Sets. You can scroll through Sets using the jog wheel, or navigate through them one at a time via the Session D-pad.
  • Page 53 The Jog Wheel. Highlight the Set you would like to open and press the jog wheel or the center button of the Session D-pad to load it. 5.1.5 Sorting Sets By default, the most recently modified Set is shown at the top of the list.
  • Page 54 Sets Sorted by Name. 5.2 Saving Device Presets You can save any custom presets to your User Library on Push to easily access them again in other Sets. Press the Device button to enter Device View. The Device Button.
  • Page 55 Any successive presets created in the same device have an additional “-1” suffix added to their name. To access your User Library on Push: 1. Press the Add button at the right of the display to enter Browse Mode.
  • Page 56 2. In the display, you will see the option to add devices and tracks. Press the jog wheel or the center button of the Session D-pad to select Device. Push’s Browse Mode. 3. Use the jog wheel or Session D-pad to navigate to the User Library.
  • Page 57 The User Library. 5.3 Deleting and Renaming Content Content that you create and store on Push can be deleted or renamed. Highlight the device or Set you would like to modify in Browse Mode or the Set Library, and then nudge the jog wheel to the right to show that item’s context menu.
  • Page 58 pressing the jog wheel, or cancel the process by pressing the display button above the X shown in the upper left corner of the display. Confirm or Cancel Deleting a File. When you select Rename, you can navigate through the available text characters using the jog wheel or Session D-pad.
  • Page 59 Packs. Access Your Packs. You will then see a list of all Packs that are currently installed on Push, as well as any additional Packs that can be downloaded. To install a Pack, first use the jog wheel or Session D-pad to navigate to and select Available Packs.
  • Page 60 The Available Packs page shows you all Packs that are included as part of your authorized Live license. The Available Packs Page. To download a Pack, select it with the jog wheel or Session D-pad. While it’s downloading, you can press the jog wheel or Session D-pad again to pause the download if needed.
  • Page 61 5.5.1 Pairing Push with Live Make sure that both Push is in Standalone Mode and connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer. By default, the Show Push option in Live’s Library Preferences will be set to On.
  • Page 62 Show Push Option in Live’s Preferences. You will see a new Push label in the Places section of Live’s browser.
  • Page 63 The Push Label in Live’s Browser. When you click on the label, you will see any available Push units within range. The Push name for the device is also shown. If there are multiple Push units in range, you can find the specific “Push xxx-xxx” name in the Status Tab of Push’s Setup menu;...
  • Page 64 The Connect Button. On Push, a six-digit code will be displayed; enter this code in the dialog window that appears in Live, and then press OK to continue the pairing process. Alternatively, you can press Cancel to exit the process.
  • Page 65 Once you’ve successfully paired Push with Live, all of your saved Sets from Standalone Mode and your User Library will appear in Live’s browser. As long as Push is paired with Live, you can view any new Sets or changes that you make to existing Sets in Standalone Mode in Live’s browser by switching away from the Push label in Places and then back again to refresh the list of files.
  • Page 66 Live’s Browser Showing All User Folders From Push. You can unpair Push and your computer by right-clicking on the Push label in Places and selecting Disconnect.
  • Page 67 Disconnect to Unpair Push from Live. 5.5.2 Open Sets from Push in Live To download and open a Set from Push, unfold the Projects folder located within the Push label. Next, unfold an individual Project folder to show its contents, and then double-click on the .als file that you...
  • Page 68 Set has been opened in Live, it is a separate copy from what is stored on Push. This means that when you change and then save the Set in Live, those updates do not get automatically saved to the Set on Push,...
  • Page 69 To transfer Sets to Push, drag and drop the entire local Project folder (not just the .als file) onto the Projects folder within the Push label in Live’s browser. You can also drag and drop Project folders directly onto the Push label in Places.

  • Page 70: Managing Files

    User Library on Push. 5.5.4 Managing Files It is also possible to manage files in the Push label using Live, just as you would with your local files in Live’s browser. You can: Move a file by dragging and dropping it.

  • Page 71: Playing And Programming Beats

    Push’s 8x8 pad grid can be used in different layouts for playing and step sequencing beats, as well as adjusting your drum sounds and rhythms. To create beats using Push, first make sure you are in Note Mode by pressing the Note button. The Note Button.
  • Page 72 The Add Button. Select Device by pressing the jog wheel or the center button of the Session D-pad. Use Browse Mode to Select Device. Use the jog wheel or Session D-pad to navigate to the Drums category, and then press the jog wheel or the center button of the Session D-pad to select it.
  • Page 73 A Loaded Drum Kit. When working with a Drum Rack, Push’s 8x8 pad grid can be configured in three different layouts: Loop Selector, 16 Velocities, and 64 Pads. You can press the Layout button to select and cycle between these options.
  • Page 74 When the Loop Selector layout is enabled, the pads are divided into three sections, allowing you to simultaneously play, step sequence, and adjust the length of your clip. The Loop Selector Layout. The 16 Drum Rack pads are laid out on the bottom left side of the pad grid, in a 4x4 arrangement, allowing for real-time playing.
  • Page 75 White — this pad is selected. Dark blue — this pad is soloed. Darker version of the track’s color— this pad is muted. When working with Drum Racks that contain a larger number of pads, use the touch strip or Octave Up/Down buttons to move up/down by 16 pads.
  • Page 76 move by single rows in the Drum Rack. The Shift Button. To add steps to a sequence, select a Drum Rack pad and then press the pads in the sequencer where you want the steps to go. As soon as a step is added to the sequencer, playback will begin.
  • Page 77 Select a Drum Rack Pad Then Add Steps in the Sequencer. You can build up a pattern by selecting different Drum Rack pads and adding steps to the sequence. To add steps to the sequencer without triggering the Drum Rack pad’s sound, hold Select and then press the pad you want to sequence.
  • Page 78 The Clip Button. Clip View. In Clip View, you can also press and hold a pad or group of pads within a step to bring up various editing controls, such as Nudge, Length, Velocity, etc. in the display, which you can adjust using the encoders. You can use the loop length controls on the bottom right side of the pad grid to set the length of the loop, as well as specify which part of...
  • Page 79 the loop you can see and edit in the Drum step sequencer. Each loop length pad corresponds to a page of steps, and the length of a page depends on the step resolution. When working at the default 16th note resolution, two pages of steps are available at a time, for a total of two bars.
  • Page 80 The 16 Velocities layout is similar to the Loop Selector layout in that you can sequence steps using the Drum Rack pads and sequencer, however the loop length controls at the bottom right of the pad grid are replaced with velocity pads. Press the Layout button to switch to the 16 Velocities layout.
  • Page 81 Holding the Layout button gives you momentary access to the loop length controls so that you can set or adjust the clip’s loop length as needed. You can also lock the loop length controls in place by holding Shift and pressing the Layout button. To unlock the loop length pads, press the Layout button again.
  • Page 82 The 64 Pads Layout. Note: when moving between 64 Pads mode and the Loop Selector or 16 Velocities layouts, the 16 pads available for step sequencing will not change automatically. You may still need to use the touch strip or Octave Up/Down buttons in order to see the specific 16 pads you want.
  • Page 83 you can load or replace the sound of only the selected pad. The selected pad will flash on the grid to indicate it is selected for swapping. In Hot-Swap Mode, the device category that the original sample is from will automatically be selected. For example, if you press a Drum Rack pad containing a kick sample, you will see the Kick category after pressing Swap.
  • Page 84 Press the Drum Rack’s Lower Display Button to Access Individual Pads. 6.4.1 Additional Pad Options To copy the devices from one Drum Rack pad to another, hold the Duplicate button and press the pad you’d like to copy; then, while still holding Duplicate, press the destination pad to paste the copied devices.
  • Page 85 Use the Encoders to Assign a Choke Group or Transpose. When working with drums, Push’s pads can be colored individually. To change a pad’s color, hold Shift and tap the pad. Then tap one of the...
  • Page 86 Note: your custom pad colors will be saved and reloaded with your Live Set, but will not be visible within Live, they only appear on Push’s pad grid.
  • Page 87 6.5 Step Sequencing Beats You can tap a pad to select it and enable it for step sequencing in either the Loop Selector or 16 Velocities layouts. To sequence notes, tap the pads in the step sequencer area to place notes from the selected Drum Rack pad in the clip wherever you want them.
  • Page 89 Scenes Buttons. During playback, the currently playing step is indicated by the moving green pad in the step sequencer. When Record is enabled, the moving pad will be red. Tapping a step that has been added to the sequencer will delete it. You can press and hold the Mute button while tapping a step to mute it.
  • Page 90 Mute and Solo Buttons. You can also adjust the velocity and micro-timing of individual notes, as described in the section on automating in a step sequencer. To delete the entire sequenced pattern, press the Delete button. To delete all the steps that belong to a specific Drum Rack pad, hold the Delete button and then press that pad.
  • Page 91 6.6 Playing Expressive Beats Live 11.3.2 now includes MPE Drum Kits specifically designed to take full advantage of Push’s MPE-enabled pad grid. The MPE-Analog Kit and MPE-Synth Lab Kit are part of the Core Library, and you can also find MPE Kits in the Session Drums Club and Session Drums Studio Packs.
  • Page 92 Go to the Drums folder and select MPE Kits. Here you will see all of the Drum Racks that feature MPE mappings. MPE Kits in the Session Drums Club Pack. Select and load your preferred preset. You will see that the pad grid has a certain color scheme specific to the Drum Rack’s contents.
  • Page 93 7 Playing and Programming Melodies and Harmonies Push’s pads have been designed to capture the nuances of expressive playing. This means you can easily add variation and feel to your melodies and harmonies using MPE or aftertouch.
  • Page 94 C Major Scale on the Pads. You can switch between octaves using the Octave Up and Octave Down buttons.
  • Page 95 Octave Buttons. To play triads, try out the following shape anywhere on the grid:...
  • Page 96 C Major Chord. 7.1 Playing in Other Keys You can press the Scale button to switch to a different key and scale.
  • Page 97 The Scale Button. You will see the available keys and scales in the display. Use the upper and lower display buttons to select the key. Use the encoders or the Session D-pad to select a scale. Scale Menu. The leftmost encoder changes the layout of the pad grid:...
  • Page 98 Scale options are saved with the Set and are defaulted to whenever the Set is loaded. 7.2 Playing Expressive Melodies and Harmonies There are three different expression options for Push’s pads: MPE, Poly Aftertouch, and Mono Aftertouch, which can be selected in the Expression tab of the Setup menu.
  • Page 99 access three expressive dimensions for each individual pad: pressure, slide and per-note pitch bend. Pressure – refers to the amount of finger pressure that is received after the initial note is struck; this is also commonly referred to as “aftertouch.” You can play and hold a note on a pad, then change the amount of finger pressure to affect the sound.

  • Page 100: Step Sequencing Melodies And Harmonies

    Explore and combine these three dimensions when playing pads to create a wide range of expressive and unique sounds. There are also many MPE-capable instruments and effects in the Core Library that you can use to take full advantage of the expressive pads. For example, Drift, a new subtractive synthesizer introduced in Live 11.3, has multiple modulation routings that can receive pressure, slide and per-note pitch bend data.
  • Page 101 Melodic Sequencer. When using the Melodic Sequencer, you can place notes on all eight rows of pads. You can adjust the loop length and access additional step sequencing options via the loop length controls. When the In Key scale option is selected, each row of pads corresponds to one of the available pitches in the set key.
  • Page 103 Scenes Buttons. Pressing a pad in a column will add a note to the corresponding step, and also start playback if transport isn’t already running. The step sequencer moves from left to right during playback. When a clip is playing, a moving column of green pads acts as a playhead and moves across steps and pages as they are played.
  • Page 104 moving column of pads is red. Each step can play more than one note. You can press pads within the column to add additional notes to the step. Selected notes are represented by a lighter version of the clip’s color. You can delete a note by pressing its corresponding pad.
  • Page 105 Notes in a Sequence in Clip View. In Clip View, you can also press and hold a pad or group of pads within a step to bring up various editing controls, such as Nudge, Length, Velocity, etc. in the display, which you can adjust using the encoders. Edit Options When Holding Pads in a Step.
  • Page 106 button again. The locked/unlocked state will be stored for each track. Each loop length pad corresponds to a page of steps, and the length of a page depends on the step resolution. In the Melodic Sequencer, one page of eight steps is available at a time, for a total of two beats. To change the loop length, hold one of the loop length pads and then tap on the other one where you would like the loop to end.
  • Page 107 The Page Left/Right Buttons. To then turn auto-follow back on, reselect the loop by pressing the first and last loop length pads that you want included in the clip. (Note that single-tapping a page that is outside of the current loop will immediately set the loop to that page.) You can also turn auto-follow back on by holding either the Page Left or Page Right button.
  • Page 108 Red – this page is currently recording. To copy a page of steps, hold Duplicate and press the loop length pad for the page you want to duplicate, then press the loop length pad for the destination page. Note that this will not remove any existing steps in the destination page, but will add the copied ones on top.
  • Page 109 If the pad grid layout is currently set to the Melodic Sequencer, press the Layout button to switch to the Melodic Sequencer + 32 Notes layout. If the pad grid is set to the 64 Notes layout, press the Layout button twice.
  • Page 110 holding Shift to move between notes in the scale. As in the 64 Notes layout, the notes in the bottom half of the pad grid can be set to a specific key or scale using the In Key or Chromatic modes.

  • Page 111: Recording Midi

    Record button, you can use Push to freely explore different creative avenues. When working in Note Mode, MIDI tracks are automatically armed for recording.

  • Page 112: Real-Time Recording

    circle icon will appear next to the track’s name to indicate that the track is armed. An Armed MIDI Track. 8.1 Real-time Recording You can record notes in an armed track in real-time by pressing the Record button and then playing the pads.
  • Page 113 The Record Button. If you want to record with a click track, press the Metronome button. The button will pulse when the metronome is activated. You can adjust the metronome volume by pressing the Volume encoder and selecting the Cue Volume option.
  • Page 114 The Metronome Button. Press the Record button to begin recording. If you’ve enabled a recording count-in in the metronome settings, you’ll see a count-in bar move across the top of the display and flash in time with the tempo. Count-In Bar. The Record button will flash during count-in and then turn solid red as recording starts.
  • Page 115 Now any notes that you play on the pads will be recorded to the selected clip. Pressing Record again will stop recording but will continue playing back the clip. Pressing Record a third time will enable overdub mode, allowing you to record more notes into the clip while it plays back.
  • Page 116 Drum Sequencer when using the 16 Velocities layout. Pressing New stops playback of the currently selected clip and prepares an empty clip slot so that you can record a new clip on the track. By default (i.e. when using Scene Workflow mode), pressing New creates a new scene with duplicates of all playing clips from other tracks and, if the transport is running, continues playing them back...
  • Page 117 Record, New or Play/Stop buttons. When Fixed Length is on, an empty clip of the selected length will be created and recording will start at the beginning of the clip, in accordance with Push’s global launch quantization. If Phrase Sync is...
  • Page 118 Push treats the chosen length as a musical phrase, and will begin recording from the position in the clip that corresponds to that position within a phrase of that length. For example, with a fixed length of 4 bars and Phrase Sync on, starting a recording when transport is at bar 7 will create an empty four bar clip and begin recording at the third bar of that clip.
  • Page 119 Varying your finger pressure on the pad will change the volume of the repeated notes. Note that Push will store the Repeat button’s state and setting for each track. If you press and release Repeat quickly, the button will stay on. If...
  • Page 120 you press and hold, the button will turn off when released, allowing for momentary control of repeated notes. You can use the Swing and Tempo encoder to control the amount of swing applied to the repeated notes. Tap the encoder to check if Swing is selected or to check the current amount of swing applied.
  • Page 121 The Capture Button. Once you press the button, the captured material will be saved in a new MIDI clip and immediately played back. Push will detect and adjust the song tempo, set appropriate loop boundaries, and place the played notes on the grid. You can then make further edits to the captured...
  • Page 122 Clip View. 8.5 Quantizing Pressing Push’s Quantize button will snap notes to the grid in the selected clip. The Quantize Button. Press and hold Quantize button to access and change the quantization options:...
  • Page 123 Live, pressing Record on Push will toggle Arrangement Recording on and off. While Arrangement Recording is on, all of your actions on Push are recorded into the Arrangement View. You can also trigger Arrangement Recording while Live’s Session View is in focus by holding Shift and pressing Record.
  • Page 124 MIDI clip is selected. The Clip Button. When working with an audio track, if no clip is selected, Push will prompt you to load a sample. You Can Load a Sample into an Empty Clip Slot in an Audio Track.
  • Page 125 Drum Rack pads in the clip. Note that the pad colors are only visible on Push and not in Live (even if using Push in Control Mode).
  • Page 126 During playback, the display follows the clip’s song position and scrolls automatically. A bar showing the playback progress also appears under the track name for tracks which contain playing clips. Playback Progress Bar. For both MIDI and audio clips, the second upper display button toggles Loop on or off and exposes loop parameters for editing.
  • Page 127 Warp Mode, as well as adjust the Gain and Transpose parameters. Hold Shift while adjusting Transpose to adjust in cents rather than in whole semitones. (Note: When using Push in Control Mode, the Transpose button on Push will adjust the Pitch parameter in Live’s Clip View.)
  • Page 128 9.2 Sequencing Layouts When using the Drum or Melodic Sequencer, the display in Clip View will show a semi-transparent white box to indicate the sequenceable area. This represents the area on the pads where you can add, delete or adjust notes. Clip View’s Sequenceable Area.
  • Page 129 You can edit MIDI clips as well as individual notes directly on Push using the encoders, upper display buttons and jog wheel. You can also access Note Edit mode to make adjustments to individual MIDI notes. To edit a MIDI clip, select a MIDI track using lower display buttons, then press the Clip button to enter Clip View.
  • Page 130 By default, Clip View will display Loop and Crop editing parameters that affect the entire MIDI clip. Clip View. Pressing the second upper display button activates or deactivates the Loop parameter, which determines whether or not the clip will loop when the track is played.
  • Page 131 which determine the region that will play (once) when the clip is launched. You can also use these markers to adjust the size of the clip. Use the corresponding encoders to set the desired clip size, then press the third upper display button to crop the portions of the clip that are outside of the Start and End points.
  • Page 132 In Note Edit mode, one note is always highlighted and ready for editing, as indicated by a white border and pulse animation. A Highlighted Note. You can then edit the highlighted note’s parameters by adjusting the corresponding encoders: Position — moves a note backwards or forwards by sixteenths of a bar. Nudge —...
  • Page 133 Vel Range — sets a range from which a velocity value is randomly selected when a note is played. Probability — determines whether a note will be played based on the selected probability percentage. Turn the jog wheel to highlight different notes. You will move through the notes sequentially based on where they are in the clip.
  • Page 134 them all at once. Note that if you highlight another note but don’t add it to the selection, adjustments made with encoders will apply to the highlighted note as well. To quickly select all notes, press the Select All upper display button. To deselect all notes, press the Deselect All button.
  • Page 135 Hold a Step in Clip Mode to View Note Parameters. You may notice that the parameters are slightly different when editing steps than when editing notes individually. To adjust these parameters for multiple steps at the same time, press and hold all of the steps you’d like to adjust, and then tweak the encoders.

  • Page 136: Recording Audio

    Use an instrument, line, or microphone cable to connect your instrument or microphone to an Input port on Push. If an instrument can be recorded in stereo, use In 1 for the left channel and In 2 for the right...
  • Page 137 channel. Recorded audio files have a bit depth of 24-bit and are in the WAV format. The default sampling rate is 44,100 Hz, which can be changed in the Audio Tab of the Setup menu if needed. 10.1.1 Arming (Record-enabling) Tracks An audio track must be armed in order to have audio recorded into it.
  • Page 138 10.1.2 Choosing the Input for a Track To select the input channel for your track, press the Mix button. The Mix Button. Two modes can be accessed via the Mix button. The first is the Global Mix Mode. This shows the volume, pan, and return send settings for each track.

  • Page 139: Track Monitoring

    2 or 1 / 2 if you are using both inputs for a stereo instrument. When an ADAT extender is connected, you can also use channels 9-16. If you are using Push in Control Mode with an external audio interface, the inputs shown will be based on what is available for that interface.

  • Page 140: Input Gain

    For optimal recordings, you’ll want to record the loudest possible signal without any clipping or distortion. To do this, pay close attention to how the incoming audio sounds and check the input meter levels on Push. If you’re unsure whether or not the signal is clipping or distorted, you can give yourself more headroom by lowering the reference level, which is set using the Preamp Type options in the Audio tab of the Setup menu.

  • Page 141: Recording Audio Clips

    Note that phantom power for condenser microphones is not supported. If you are using a stereo instrument, use both inputs on Push and select the Link 1 & 2 option in the Audio tab using the corresponding upper display button.
  • Page 142 You can add the Tuner audio effect to your device chain on the audio track to view the incoming notes and tune your instrument accordingly. Tuner now has an updated device visualization specifically optimized for Push. Use Tuner to View Incoming Notes. 10.3 Warping Audio Clips Clip View you can edit clips as well as warp them.
  • Page 143 The Clip Button. When an audio clip is selected, you will see the Loop and Warp parameters by default. An Audio Clip in Clip View. You can press the Loop display button to loop or unloop a clip. When a clip is looped, you can set the Loop Position, Loop Length, and Start Offset using the corresponding encoders.
  • Page 144 tempo, irrespective of the current Set’s tempo. This is useful for samples that have no inherent rhythmic structure such as percussion hits, atmospheres, sound effects, spoken word, etc. When Warp is on, the sample can be “time-stretched” so that it is played back in time with the Set’s tempo.
  • Page 145 Re-Pitch Mode – this adjusts the playback rate to create the desired amount of stretching. Complex Mode – this mode is specifically designed to accommodate composite signals that combine the characteristics covered by other Warp Modes; it works well for warping entire songs, which usually contain beats, tones and textures.
  • Page 146 recorded audio tempo automatically matches the Set’s tempo. This is useful when sampling from an external source, as the recorded tempo may not match the Set’s tempo. After warping, the loop settings for the clip will be preserved. When you’re finished editing, press the display button above Done to get back to the clip’s loop parameters.
  • Page 147 This option works best for recorded breakbeats or beatboxing clips. Note that the Audio to MIDI options are not available in the Live Intro edition. 11 Working with Samples You can play samples on Push’s pads in a variety of ways using the...
  • Page 148 Simpler instrument, which contains detailed but easy-to-use sample parameters accessible in three different modes. Navigate to Browse Mode to add an empty Simpler instrument to a MIDI track. An Empty Simpler Device. You can enter Hot-Swap Mode to browse the available Simpler presets and samples from the Core Library.
  • Page 149 Simpler’s Main Parameter Bank for a Sample. If you have selected a preset and do not see the waveform in the display, the Simpler device may be inside of an Instrument Rack. Simpler’s Main Parameter Bank for a Preset. You can expand the device list to view Simpler and edit the sample’s waveform.
  • Page 150 samples. It features an ADSR envelope and supports looping, allowing you to play the looped sample for as long as a note is held down. Classic Mode is polyphonic by default, and the pad grid uses the same layout in this mode as is used when playing other pitched instruments. One-Shot Playback Mode is exclusively for monophonic playback, and is optimized for use with one-shot drum hits or short sampled phrases.
  • Page 151 The Start control sets the absolute position in the sample from which playback could start, while the End control sets where playback could end; these parameters define the region of the sample that can be worked with. S Start and Length are represented in percentages of the total sample length enabled by Start and End.
  • Page 152 should be based on the length of the sample, but if something sounds off, you can use the ÷2 or ×2 buttons to double or halve the playback speed, respectively. Crop removes the portions of the sample that are outside of the Start and End points, while Reverse plays the entire sample backwards.
  • Page 153 volume after a pad is hit, while Fade Out specifies the amount of time it takes for the sample to fade to silence. You can use these parameters to shape the volume of the sample. The Transpose encoder allows you to transpose the sample up or down by up to 48 semitones (four octaves).
  • Page 154 Legato Playback Settings. Now, as you play the pads legato, the sample will transpose without changing playback position. For best results, make sure Warp is on (in the Warp parameter bank). Using Complex Pro tends to produce the best results when transposing, but you can try out the other Warp Modes to hear how...
  • Page 155 created. Higher numbers result in more slices, up to a maximum of 64 slices. Beat – Slices are placed at musical beat divisions. The Division encoder selects the beat division at which Simpler will slice the sample region. Region – Slices are placed at equal time divisions. The Regions encoder selects the number of evenly spaced slices that will be created.
  • Page 156 Up to 64 Slices Can Be Created. By default, the pad grid uses the 64 Slices layout when in Slicing Mode. You can press the Layout button to cycle between the 64 Slices, Loop Selector, and 16 Velocities layouts. The Playback control determines how many slices can be triggered simultaneously.
  • Page 157 mode is selected. Nudge allows you to adjust the position of each slice marker. This is especially useful for fine-tuning slices that you’ve created in Manual mode. You can tap the pad you’d like to nudge and then use the Zoom encoder to zoom in on that specific slice region for greater accuracy.
  • Page 158 12 Recording and Controlling External Instruments Push can be used to control, monitor, and record external synthesizers and drum machines using a combination of MIDI outputs and audio inputs. The simplest method of doing this is by using the External Instrument device so that you can route MIDI and audio to and from your instruments as needed.
  • Page 159 MIDI track with an External Instrument device, as well as properly configured MIDI and audio inputs and outputs. First, connect your instrument to Push using either the MIDI In and Out ports or the USB-A port. Push’s MIDI In and Out ports are already configured to receive and send MIDI notes.
  • Page 160 If your instrument is connected to Push’s USB-A port, you should see it show up in the list of available devices. If your instrument is connected to Push’s MIDI Out port, you can select the Push 3 MIDI Out entry.
  • Page 161 Audio tab of Push’s Setup menu. You can also add extra gain using the Gain control in External Instrument as required. Now when you play notes on your instrument or play Push’s pads, you should hear the audio coming through on your External Instrument track.
  • Page 162 When using CV, Pedal 1 represents outputs 5 and 6 on Push, while Pedal 2 represents outputs 7 and 8. Once CV Out is enabled and you have connected your splitter cable to your CV inputs and Push’s Pedal jacks, you can set up a MIDI track with...

  • Page 163: Recording Automation

    13 Parameter Automation Changes that you make to device and mixer parameters can be recorded to your clips as automation directly on Push. This means that the recorded changes will be applied to a clip and played back whenever the clip is launched, with no need to manually adjust the parameters as playback progresses.
  • Page 164 When on, the button is red; when off, it is white. The Automate Button. Switch on the Automate button to record automation. When using Push in Control Mode, the Automate button also toggles Live’s Session Automation Arm button. In Device View, select the track that contains the clip you want to automate, then press the Record button.
  • Page 165 The Record Button. When you’re done recording parameter changes, press the Record button again to stop recording but keep the transport running, or press the Play button to stop both recording and playback. To delete the automation you’ve recorded for a particular parameter, press and hold the Delete button and tap the corresponding encoder.
  • Page 166 tapping an encoder will reset the corresponding parameter to its default value. Automated parameters are shown with a white dot next to their parameter values in the display. If you adjust a parameter after automation has been recorded, the automation for that parameter will be overridden and the white dot next to the parameter name will turn gray.
  • Page 167 Recording Automation in Mix View. You can hold one or more steps and record automation for them at the same time. While holding a step and tweaking an encoder, the corresponding parameter’s automation value will be adjusted specifically for the time represented by that step. Note that per-step automation can be created for any step, even if that step doesn’t contain notes.
  • Page 168 Stop Clip, Mute and Solo Buttons. Select a track and press one of the buttons to apply the corresponding action to that track. You can also apply the action to another track without navigating from the currently selected track. To do this, hold the button corresponding to the action you want to apply, then press the lower display button of a track.
  • Page 169 The Lock Button. Hold the Lock button, then press Stop Clip, Mute, or Solo button to lock one of those actions to the lower display buttons. The Lock button and the selected action button will start flashing and pressing a track’s lower display button will result in the selected action being applied to the track.
  • Page 170 To unlock, press the Lock button or the selected action button one more time. 14.2 Track Mixing To control track volumes, pans, or sends with the encoders, press the Mix button. The Mix Button. Each press of the Mix button toggles between Global Mix Mode and Track Mix Mode.
  • Page 171 Controlling the Pans for Eight Tracks. If your Set contains six or more return tracks, the rightmost upper display button will change to an arrow, which allows you to select which sends are visible in the display. Volumes and Pans will always remain visible.
  • Page 172 The Master Track Button. In the Master Track Mix settings, you can adjust the Master track’s volume and panning using the first and second encoders, respectively. When using Push in Control Mode and switching to Split Stereo Pan Mode in Live’s Mixer, the display will show options for both the left and right pan channels instead of the Master Panning control.
  • Page 173 Press Master again to return to the previously selected track. 14.2.2 Track Mix Mode Press the Mix button again to get to Track Mix Mode. In this mode, use the two leftmost upper display buttons to select between Mix, where you can mix the selected track’s parameters, and Input &...
  • Page 174 Viewing Additional Sends. With the Input & Output option selected, all of the track’s routing and monitoring options can be adjusted from the encoders. Input & Output Settings in Track Mix Mode. The first encoder allows you to set the track’s monitor setting or switch off monitoring altogether.
  • Page 175 Input Settings for a MIDI Track. When adjusting the Output settings, you can set the Output Type and Channel with corresponding encoders. 14.3 Rack and Group Track Mixing Tracks that contain Instrument or Drum Racks can be distinguished by icons displayed next to the track name. A Track Containing an Instrument Rack.
  • Page 176 This makes Session View ideal for live performance and sketching song sections. On Push, you can access Session View using one of two modes: Session Screen Mode and Session Pad Mode. In Session Screen Mode, you will see all of your clips and scenes in the display, while in Session Pad Mode you can use the pads to launch clips.
  • Page 177 The Session Screen Mode and Pad Mode Buttons. Session View displays the same tracks and clips in both modes. For example, if you navigate to a specific scene in Session Screen Mode, you will see the same clips on the pads when you open Session Pad Mode.
  • Page 178 Clips Displayed in Session Screen Mode and Pad Mode. When using Push in Control Mode, you will see a colored border around the scenes that are currently in focus; this border is referred to as the Session Ring. You can use Session View to play back individual clips or entire scenes...
  • Page 179 Note Mode. If you named your clips in Live (either in Control Mode or in a Live Set transferred to Push) or added named audio or MIDI clips (in both Modes), the clip names will be displayed in Session Screen Mode.
  • Page 180 Press the jog wheel or the Session D-pad’s center button to trigger the selected scene. If you named your scenes in Live (either in Control Mode or in a Live Set transferred to Push) you can tap the jog wheel to view the scene names.
  • Page 181 If you select an empty clip slot in an armed track in Session Screen Mode, the corresponding upper display button will light up in red. You can use Session Screen Mode to access specific clips for editing in Clip View or to perform actions on the selected clips. For example, you can use the jog wheel or Session D-pad to choose a specific clip, then delete it by holding the Delete button and pressing the corresponding upper display button.
  • Page 182 Tip: When in Note Mode, you can press and hold the Session button to temporarily toggle Session Pad Mode. Releasing the button will then return Push to Note Mode. Likewise, pressing and holding Note while in Session Pad Mode will temporarily toggle Note Mode.

  • Page 183: Session Overview

    using the Session D-pad: the left and right arrow buttons move between tracks, while the up and down arrow buttons move between scenes. It is also possible to move by eight tracks or scenes using the Page or Octave arrow buttons, respectively. Note that navigation only affects which clips are displayed and not which clip is selected.
  • Page 184 by holding Shift and pressing the Layout button. To unlock the Session Overview, press the Layout button again. In the Session Overview, each pad represents an eight-scene-by-eight- track block of clips, giving you a matrix of 64 scenes by 64 tracks. Press a pad to focus on that section of the Session View.
  • Page 185 White — indicates the currently selected block of clips. When using Push in Control Mode, the selection will be indicated by a colored border in Live (the Session Ring). Green — there are clips playing in that block (though that may not be the block of clips selected).
  • Page 186 Shift then press Undo to redo the previously reverted action. In Control Mode, Undo also applies to actions in Live, even if they were not performed on Push. Save – Saves the current state of the Set. Lock – Hold the Lock button and then press either the Stop Clip, Mute, or Solo button to lock that action to the lower display buttons.
  • Page 187 encoder to shift the tempo in increments of .1 BPM. When set to Swing, turning the encoder adjusts the swing amount in 1% increments anywhere between 0% - 100%. Tap Tempo – Press this button repeatedly to set your desired tempo. If you are working in a 4:4 signature, it takes four taps to start song playback at the tapped tempo.
  • Page 188 New – Press New to stop the selected clip and prepare an empty clip slot in the track so that you can record new material. Capture – Press the Capture button to capture any MIDI notes you have played on the pads while not actively recording into a new clip. A track must be armed in order for Capture to work.
  • Page 189 Display – The display shows what is in focus on Push at any given time. Pad Grid – Push’s 8x8 pad grid is fully MPE-capable. You can play notes directly on the pads in the 64 Notes layout, or step sequence notes using the Melodic or Drum Sequencer.
  • Page 190 Device – Press to enter Device View, where you can view and adjust the device parameters of the selected track. Mix – Press once to enter Global Mix Mode, which shows the volume, pan, and return send settings for each track. Press twice to view Track Mix Mode, which displays the monitoring and input/output settings for the selected track.
  • Page 191 Note – Press to enter Note Mode, where you can play the pads as well as select various layouts for the pad grid. Session Pad Mode – Press to enter Session Pad Mode, which displays your Session View clips on the pad grid for launching and recording. Scale –...
  • Page 192 continuing playback of any currently playing clips in other tracks. Hold Duplicate and then press a Drum Rack pad to copy the pad and paste it to a new location in the Drum Rack. Hold Duplicate while pressing a track’s lower display button to duplicate that track. In Session Mode, you can hold Duplicate and press a clip to copy it, then tap another clip slot to paste the clip there.
  • Page 193 and lower display buttons to delete the device or track. Hold Delete and touch an encoder to delete automation controlled by that encoder. If automation has not been recorded for a particular parameter, holding Delete and touching the corresponding encoder will reset that parameter to its default value.

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