Ableton Push 3 as a Standalone Studio

[@GrootsieTheDog]

I have a slightly different take on this - with laptops being so thin and light, and powerful, and usable as battery/power sources, and gear are increasingly becoming like little laptops, connecing up a Push or Maschine MK3 to a laptop still feels like a "standalone" - the line between stand-alone and the gear connected to a little laptop, seems to me rather ambiguous when it comes to the portability and integration. For example, I can still almost exclusively use the 2 screens on the MK3, but when it's hooked up to my laptop, and I have three screens, a power source, and I don't have to worry about transferring files in between the two and considering the space, portability and integration...it feels standalone to me. I consider it a sort of hybrid standalone setup. Sane applies with the 404mk2 - I use my sp mk2 when i want to get away from sequncers all together and create "off the grid" compositions. But still, taking my MK2 to a park with my laptop and sampling off the Internet and creating a bank of samples, editing, resampling... Even though i started with it connected to the internet, considering portability, powersource, size, and integration, I still feel like the process is "standalone" mode - especially now that the intetnet and computers are an extension of our reality more and more.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Hell yeah! If I didn’t have a desktop for gaming I’d probably go down that path with a MacBook for sure. It seems like a pretty solid hybrid approach!

[@MarianoPerez]

100% agree with this. I have desktops hooked up to workstations and I basically just use them to practice when I can't practice on my grand piano at night. But in terms of composing, getting a project off the ground, I've been more productive with my laptop and Verselab; the whole thing still feels standalone despite the laptop. I like the verselab so much I'm going to try the mc707. The push feels a bit too expensive for what it can do at the moment. Maybe in the future it will do more and I can find it cheaper. I try to by all my gear in mint condition and at 50% of the new price. It's a waiting game but always works. For now I'm passing on the push 3 .

[@GrootsieTheDog]

@@MarianoPerez the best thing about the MC 707 is the sound engine. It is capable of making just about anything you can imagine. The sequencer is really nice in that machine as well. I also would not underestimate the eight volume sliders. These are highly effective in mixing and crafting your sound as you're playing 🐕

[@DylanParisMusic]

I miss the mc707 all the time, what a beast of a machine. Never should have sold it

[@remyvegamedia]

Good stuff, man. It was cool seeing how you integrated the Syntakt into the process. I've been really drawn towards trying a Digitakt for the last year or so, but I couldn't ever see it as my MAIN gear. Seeing you use its strengths in sequencing, but integrate it as an audio loop was sort of an eye opener as to how I'd probably use the Digitakt, as well. The DT2 definitely sparked that curiosity all over again. There will always be more gear... haha. I'm definitely set on saving for Push 3, though. It was cool seeing you use it this way.

[@DylanParisMusic]

thanks man! yeah I think the elektron boxes are really flexible, some folks use them as the primary centerpiece of a studio setup. I like using the syntakt this way, I realized it was probably the best (only?) real hardware drum machine I had in the studio and it is pretty calming to build up patterns on it before moving on to next steps. Will say the Digitakt 2 looks pretty beastly, but even that I would potentially pair with something like the push rather than using by itself all the time.

[@mrclaytron]

Push 3 standalone is amazing. There is really something awesome about being able to use it completely computer free. People often say standalone is totally unnecessary, which is true, but I gotta say, theres something magic about just flicking it on and getting straight to the music making. It's expensive, but may be the best gear purchase I've made

[@DylanParisMusic]

I feel this 100 percent, one of the only purchases this big I have zero regrets on, along with my lumix s5 and my desktop

[@hazelvoss]

I have honestly loved my Push 3 Controller coming from the Push 2. The upgrade feature is what I'm most interested in within the next two to three years. The current specs and loading times just did not sell me. I'm sure more is coming 💯​@@DylanParisMusic

[@Madmohawkfilms]

Oooooh yay new video to watch to torment me as I want the Push 3 for the MPE

[@DylanParisMusic]

🤣🤣 I’m sorry hahaha, the MPE is really cool though!

[@Madmohawkfilms]

@@DylanParisMusic no need to be sorry that I have GAS …….Id definitely want to sell my Push 1 and 2 and maybe my Force first before going for the Standalone Push 3……….. hoping they make good on promise of future NUC’s for it

[@Geekraver]

So has it finally displaced your Force?

[@TheGoldenWreath]

I’m always looking for the one box to get rid of everything else. Sick of gear. Can the push 3 do harsh noise music? Sample mangling? I am used to Octatrack and Eurorack, but wondering if the Push 3 can replace everything else for me.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Push 3 is probably the closest to a do it all device on the market, will be getting a lot better after the next true software update

[@TheGoldenWreath]

@@DylanParisMusic is it possible to purchase standalone push 3 and buy filters , operator, fx, in due time …like modules, for example?

[@renek.6434]

Dear Dylan, I'd be curious to see how this setup works with Midi and potentially also using an ADAT interface (if you have one).

[@DylanParisMusic]

I don’t have an ADAT but I did some midi in from the AstroLab to control push sounds over USB c to A last night and that worked well too!

[@svenmify]

You happen to know if it’s possible to connect an external audio interface to the push? Seems like that would be a good option when working with a bunch of elektron boxes etc. I know the force can do this, but not sure about the push 3

[@DylanParisMusic]

Sadly currently it cannot, it can use ADAT but that’s not the same as a usb audio interface

[@svenmify]

@@DylanParisMusic that’s a shame. Hopefully it’s something they can (and intend to) add. Force didn’t ship with this feature either. Thanks for responding!

[@davidknight754]

@@svenmify Just get an audio interface with ADAT. That is what I'm doing and it works great.

[@nightkondor]

Nice! Interesting how solo artists are more and more able to figure out 'their' live setup! Am trying to go dawless myself but without Ableton or anything but with a looper as master(roland rc505), simple circuit tracks for beats/rythm and one all round 'synth' so i was secretly also interested in the Astrolab, it really solves things live.. Such possibilities thesedays,.. but too much stuff to handle makes you loose control and pleasure of playing i guess.. Cheers for your cool minimal approach with a lot of flexibility!

[@DylanParisMusic]

Oh man that sounds like a really neat setup too! Thanks for the kind words and for checking out my video!

[@alexmax9832]

great video my friend. Then, between us, beyond the possibilities offered by all the synths present in your video, let's also say that you could have easily achieved everything just with Push3 😉

[@CrankyOldNerd]

I come from an instrument based background (as a kid) and have been spending the last six months or so re-introducing myself to all this. I do not understand the concept of the push and being ‘daw-less’ but maybe I also don’t understand how Ableton works vs how I have used GarageBand. I currently mostly use it as a fancy four track maybe? I play the keyboards, or pads for the drums, and then make something from that. When I see people using the ‘daw-less’ (404, push, etc) It doesn’t look like you’re ’playing’ in the classic sense of ‘pushing buttons on a keyboard to get notes’. You’re triggering a loop that is in the machine itself. Is that done behind the scenes before you film? I have a lot to learn really, probably don’t even know enough to ask an informed question.

[@DylanParisMusic]

This is definitely a good question! So in this case I did play everything you see hear, the drums I played in live on the Syntakt off camera, and the audio loops from the AstroLab I played live into the push as an audio recorder also off camera! For some videos I film the creation process, I usually call those “song from scratch” or “making a beat”, for ones like this I’m more recapping my experience and showing a more final (ish) project. The pros of the beats from scratch are showing more of the process but they’re often less polished cause it’s just whatever I come up with on camera, the pros of this type of video are they’re more concise and the song is higher quality usually

[@matthewgaines10]

You can use these devices to play loops or actual notes or drum kit components. You’re only understanding half of what you can do.

[@MyNameJeff..]

Are you filming with a lumix, bro? I know I asked a while ago but forgot

[@DylanParisMusic]

Definitely! Primary camera is still the Lumix S5 original, my secondary is a lumix G85 (when I do dual angle videos)

[@MyNameJeff..]

@@DylanParisMusic Niice!! Picked up a g7 a few months ago for like $200 and I love it! Use it more than my Fuji x-t4 now. It’s 8 bit but I love the thing. Panasonic cameras rule.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Hell yeah! How do you like the X-t4? Do you do photography stuff with it? Fuji colors / film simulations look super nice

[@MyNameJeff..]

@@DylanParisMusic I love the Fuji!! The image quality is amazing. I had a sony fs5 mk ii (8 bit like the lumix) I like the lumix better than that one. Even though the g-7 is 8 bit, the quality is so freaking good and it’s so easy to balance on my gimbal. I love it! I’m a cinematographer and I make short films for fun. Just finished one over the end of winter, start shooting a new one next month. It will be the first I’m entering into various festivals

[@DylanParisMusic]

that’s awesome man! I hope the festival submissions go well!

[@DiamondDogsBand]

You can record an arrangement by hitting shift+record!

[@DylanParisMusic]

True but you can’t see it or edit it on device after so at that point I’d rather just do it on computer until they fully integrate standalone arranger view on device

[@DiamondDogsBand]

@@DylanParisMusic I find it is quite musical to record the arrangement that way! You really have to trust your feeling. It’s a little bit like in a band for me. Not looking at the timeline and thinking: How long is the song, how long is the section? I then go to the computer and I am glad there is already something! 🙂

[@DylanParisMusic]

@DiamondDogsBand that’s cool! I’m glad it works for you! 🙏👏