Ableton: Songwriting Workflow with Ableton Live & Push 2:

In this video we explore one possible way to approach songwriting using Push 2 and Live 10’s Session View.
We start with 2 basic drum patterns sequenced using push. Then we add an arpeggiated bass part using the Push’s repeat function, as well as the pads’ pressure sensitivity to quickly automate some filter modulation.
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[@morphicz]

I've watched a number of tutorials on using Ableton Push 2, and I feel I learned the most from this one! Thank you 🙌

[@Noisegate]

Cheers

[@ringokidd9324]

Same here!!! Thanks a lot

[@Jyrol]

This is the tutorial that any new Push user should watch. Accessible, straight to what matters, eloquent. Well done, sir.

[@Noisegate]

Thank you so much for your feedback. It's much appreciated

[@Swancore1]

I enjoyed seeing what Flip on the Gate was useful for. Never really knew after 5 years. Learn something new everyday. Thanks.

[@Coolarj10]

This was the best tutorial I've seen for the Push 2. Thank you!! Real world example and you showed multiple settings along the way. Wonderful job, thank you!

[@RaffiQueer]

This was SOOOOO good. You explain it SO well!!

[@millyhunter]

Thank you for giving details through every move you’re a wonderful teacher

[@nothanks695]

This was the best tutorial for new Push users I've seen on KZbin. I am psyched to try this out.

[@Noisegate]

Thank you

[@rodhamkatis]

Fantastic tutorial. Just got a Push 2 and reproduced this start to finish. Thank you!

[@CowDaWelsh]

Best Push/Ableton tutorial I found so far. Love the dude's maximum chill.

[@chipwillis]

Very nice, simple and to the point! Thank you!

[@pavelcal1798]

Been using cubase for 18 years and PT for 6. As a beginner in Ableton this video is very helpful. Thanks for posting!

[@anzatzi]

First time I was intrigued by Push 2. Thanjk you!

[@kerwinfernandes9583]

Great demo and tricks, thanks for this. God bless you and your family abundantly always 🙂🙏🏼❤️

[@Jorge.O85]

Finally ! Someone making Synthwave on Push 2 👏👏👏 thanks for the video. Hope to see more Synthwave tutorials. 👍

[@EchoOrange]

So cool to heard synth wave on Ableton / Push 2 💘

[@luisrivera-lopez3648]

Thank you for your video. It has been very useful and it is very clear to understand. Good job!

[@cactusdill-dos2579]

Thanks Tristen. Im a noob to the whole push button thing and get a bit intimated about it all. I come form bands recording, now doing things my on EMD and opening my mind to all its so much fun!!!

[@jammadamma]

Gave me a good sense of how to use Push. Thanks!

[@johnkemp3592]

Very helpful video and a cool piece of music too.

Thanks. Fantastic tutorial. Very helpful.

[@davidholmes1625]

Great! Super informative with out all the fluff.

[@boyakoosha]

Great tutorial. Still deciding on a Push 2 but looks like great fun for some new ideas and inspiration

[@Bashanvibe]

This makes sense now that I have an understanding of AL I’m trying to get the Push 2!!!

[@nobossbeats5639]

Tristen I like your sweater. Thanks for the video.

[@charlie-ddanceproducer9557]

Thanks! Great video, very good tutorial.

[@Geepstar]

When you start with the bass part I hear this Jan Hammer - Miami Vice kind a sound. COOL!

[@user-mw9en6zu3p]

Great tutorial man! thanks for it😸

[@TDC10000]

Thanks for this, very helpful.

[@leesimz_]

Ive watched some youtube stuff in my time but this is the most practical to do with push ...🎵

[@davrag2912]

Thank you !! Great tutorial!!!😊

[@darklight6931]

Excellent demo, really like your tutorial style

[@Noisegate]

Thanks Alan

[@accident7]

Very well put together! I love seeing clear to understand videos like this! you should do more with Live and Push 2 on Techno and or House ;)

[@bobtheman1]

Agreed!

[@microsoap2858]

So refreshing. Usually people make loops on Live and that’s all. You are creating a real song and it shows push 2 as a really instrument to compose. Very pedagogic too. Tanks !

[@nzreggae2534]

Good communication and down to earth presentation. Simple and informative. It sounds like there is a slight timing delay when you switch patterns on the bounce to arrange view.

[@number1neek]

Excellent delivery my friend. Thank you. I agree with the others about cutting to the push cam when you use it but other than that pretty much perfect :D

[@lauriis2215]

well explaned, nice skills did tested :) nice video!!

[@somberknight28]

This video helped so much! Thanks!’

[@Michael-um2cw]

awesome job...this tutorial is very usefull thx

[@kucingdubstep7162]

good for easy music,easy to understand this stuff

[@michaelmorales3384]

This was so good, this reminds me of the music store where I listened to a friend musician programming ' Roland Keyboards with the MIDI Modules White plastic .but awesome patches that were so techno pop that it actually sounds like I could check this out its so appealing Thanks for the initial invitation .now I know ..got to go.Band on the run ..Great Reviews from all reviewers..too.peace.

[@hanscfs]

The best explanation!

[@Noisegate]

Cheers Hans

[@wfwfwfwfwfwf]

Super cool! The only part where it looks like using the regular screen+keyboard+mouse looks more natural, is when browsing the instruments, or did it just look a bit chaotic because you have so many instruments? But really thinking of buying one, it all looks so intuitive and fun. Thanks for the great tutorial!

[@krzemian]

Wow. So informative. I won't own Push 2 for probably more than a year but what the heck, interesting tutorial.

[@BrooseWayniac]

more of this... 80 songwriting please!

[@bovvarybeats]

You are a good man !

[@traviscraven4934]

I like the idea of the rapid action in session view. From a listening perspective the only issue is it would have been cool to lay down the first part of the groove before he side chained a gate. Allowing the notes with the velocity was creating a dramatic build up that would have sounded good in contrast to the revised parts. He could have used the final version as something like a bridge/middle 8.

[@johnnyparker2128]

Excellent

[@billbuffett]

I didn't give a thumbs up until after the bass line kicked in. Then, I realized where you wanted to go...Very good one.

[@QuietmindYoga]

billbuffett same!

[@gkunz3]

Thanks....really like your approach. One request. For us Push neophytes.....make sure you cut to the Push camera when pushing buttons on the device. I had to somewhat guess in some cases since I don't yet know all the button functions well.

[@Noisegate]

Thanx for your Feedback

[@anastasikotoros3131]

Very much agree.

[@peteryoung9991]

brilliant!!

[@Noisegate]

Thanx Peter

[@detroittrickster3327]

@@Noisegate best tutorial I have seen so far! I have push 2 but i have always used maschine mk3 user. well you changed that 4 me. I.m going to use push now thx for that!

[@SilonaMusic]

Love these 80's sounds. Are these all available on Live? Could you please add the names of presets? Thanks!

[@robertjones9598]

Great video, great explanations, I think I would rather watch you than some of the videos on the official Ableton playlist.

[@Noisegate]

Thanks Robert

[@robertlemiesz7143]

This was cool

[@BlixtenMarlowes]

Nice tutorial! :-D

[@ChazSeamus28]

Very cool

[@LVCID777]

Nice tutorial. Going to knock the dust off my Push. I’m assuming that the basics are the same as Push 2...

[@ClaudeDjale]

Thank you

[@Allan-et5ig]

Noisegate Hoping you'll reply. Love the video and your brain seems to be compatible with mine, just "get in there" and do it. I hope you'll answer my question. I am just now returning to using the original Push which I didn't use much - lots of reasons and also I moved from one U.S. state to another, some health troubles... I was thinking about buying Push 2. In 2016 folks unhappy with original push said Push 2 little better. (For me the pad sensitivity was unacceptable on original.) Question: Is Push 2 now stable and improved upon enough in 2019 that the old concerns, poor pad sensitivity and clunky layout, making it slower than just using a mouse - are these now non-concerns in your opinion?

[@TropaJM]

Cool!

[@kxosdev]

very nice thanks

[@jacquibrookes8257]

Great thanks

[@DiegoFeder]

switching from C major to A minor, such a badass

[@mydearzampano]

Burst out laughing when you changed the scale from C major to A minor

[@wernerhaider2338]

you can use the bottom left button on push to start/stop playback ;-) Seriously- Ive had both pushes. The only thing i really use it for is arranging my clips and sometimes volume mixing. The rest is just too wonky and cluttery. One huge drawback is that it mainly is designed for session view. Another issue i have is the huge latency compared to the tightly integrated ni maschine. In general, there are still thousands of mouse clicks involved between formulating the first idea and the first mixdown... Generally I recommend the following: Learn the software inside out and practice editing.

[@darkforestzero]

Be honest, did you use a noise gate because this is a Noisegate video?

[@traceburroughs]

Would like to hear what can be accomplished if you use real acoustic samples of electric guitar, piano and electric bass. Any videos out there like that?

[@ted8813]

thank you

[@michaelmorales3384]

Perfect for SynthThiA

[@gokhan9395]

Nice drumkit and sounds. Are those stock sounds in ableton? I am planning to switch over from logic pro x to ableton. The sampler in logic is complex, when i see how easy it is in ableton.

[@Noisegate]

Yes, these drum sounds come with Ableton 10

[@gokhan9395]

Noisegate thanks for your reply. And thanks for this tutorial. Its really awesome how to see this. Nice and calm explanation. Thanks!

[@MarioSabljakovic]

Those blinds behind you ae messing with my eyes man! I watched the entire video and when I looked away from the screen all I could see was those bloody blinds!!

[@Noisegate]

HeHe, we have got rid of them now :)

[@ImakIlaha]

top!

[@DaveTherrien]

@4:51 - you go into User Files, and presumably into the User Library of Kick Drum sounds? When I go there, even though Preview is ON, I can't hear the kicks I have in my User Library. What am I doing wrong?

[@GB3770]

Nothing shall enter my studio unless it is black, silver or German!

[@robertjones9598]

Underrated.

[@smiauu]

which one of those are you?

[@johnfraserlongley]

Good thing you switched from C Maj to A Minor, almost played zero wrong notes.

[@IvanLitvinovMusic]

Try Fmaj as well!:)

[@eclatvibes5255]

My thoughts exactly.. if only he knew. I tend to gravitate to B#maj over C anyways, Darker sound yanno?

[@jhowardsupporter]

​@@eclatvibes5255 you play in c major? no ive never seen anything in c major expect I think Mary Had A Little Lamb, I think thats in C major. How do the sends work in albeton is that per track? So I have to send all those "clips" to the send? N if there drum samples can I chose which goes to the send and which doesn't.

[@eclatvibes5255]

@@jhowardsupporter Cmaj is a super common key and sounds fantastic. Correct, the sends in ableton are per track. If youd like to send each individual sound to a return track you'd have to either A. resample each element into audio and send them that way or B. create individual midi tracks w/ sampler/simpler o it and play those elements of the drums as individual midi instruments

[@jhowardsupporter]

@@eclatvibes5255 WHAT! How do you guys deal with the reverb??? You must have to create like 20 or even 100's of other tracks just to send everything to the reverb in the right amounts!!!! Oh but you can put reverb on each individual element and then freeze the track so it wont take up CPU. Is that how you guys are handling it?

[@this_smitty23]

Attempted to recreate this and for some reason the gate w/ audio flipped from the drum kit doesn't do anything for me. :/ *Eurika* Anyone that runs into this issue adjust the gate activity using the threshold knob.

[@michaelmorales1516]

Ok takes me back to a young keyboard player using Midi modules similar it was Techno.Pop.83-87.good for you.I like that better.

[@moano3271]

Switches from c maj to a min for a darker feel...Well...i rest my case 😂 good video anyways. Push 2 together with ableton is unbeatable imo 👍

[@michaelmorales3384]

Thanks a whole lot ,💿🎈🎓🎊🐧

[@sebagls]

Great video!, but a question ¿How is the instrument, we play in min 7:17 ? great sound!!!!

[@Noisegate]

Hi That is the Midnight Chase Bass from the Ableton Bass Library

[@noizrus]

How can i do the same for "Drums : Loop selector" @1:45 with my Launch Pad Pro? Thank you :D

[@alainthiry3965]

thank you, useful. Just a remark : musical ideas (inspiration?) are often notes, not drums, program drums in first place (as many tutorials do) is not a good idea, inspiration is precious.

[@nathanwind8363]

This may sound like a daft question, but does the ambleton software come with the push?

[@Noisegate]

It comes with a Quick Start Guide + Download version of Live 9 Intro

[@Noisegate]

Update it now comes with Live 10 Intro

[@JimDeaned]

This guys ad lib is hilarious

[@bjharvey3021]

I could not see what button you push to get into Loop Selector mode at 1:40 almost but you cut the camera at the exact moment I wanted to see it.

[@robbarnes3404]

How do you get the clips to play back and forth automatically?

[@johnkemp3592]

If you mean when he's recording it into Arrange View (12:30 mark), then I think he's triggering the clips from push. If you're wanting to get a similar effect without push, or just when you're jamming around in Session View then Follow Actions are very useful (e.g. clip a plays three times, then clip b once, then back to clip a etc.) I am no Ableton expert but have just discovered follow actions and they are super useful!

[@KACZMARCZYK4369]

Where do I buy

[@mP-eo3gd]

this guys hilarious

[@Belzomax]

what's the bass sound in this??

[@leetronix]

Just came across this is and is great to see someone making a tune instead of all that nodding dog garbage .. great vid :)

[@zipa1123sevratio]

how can i make effect like you made at 6:50 without Push 2 just using Ableton?

[@Noisegate]

We guess you're talking about using pressure on Push's pads to control the filter cutoff. This data is recorded into Live's Session view as Clip Envelopes or automation. If you don't have a MIDI controller to perform this automation during recording (e.g. mapping the Live Device's filter cutoff to the mod wheel or a knob) it can be drawn into existing clips using a mouse. Live's online manual talks about Clip Envelopes here: www.ableton.com/en/manual/clip-envelopes/

[@mickdelaney]

Still a great tutorial ;-)

[@Noisegate]

Cheers Michael

[@lattetown]

Hmmm...maybe I'm missing something, but I'm not seeing how Push makes it any faster than just using the session view in the Ableton Live app.

[@clivedamagedgoods]

Why do you need the metronome when you've already but beats in?

[@guidelineuk]

Push 2 is what I expected from push one that's why I went back to hardware🤔....

[@_EightySix]

The Push looks awesome and I've been eyeing it for a while. But for just one example, why the f**k would I look at a tiny little screen and scroll with tiny little knobs through thousands of sounds when I could look at my huge ass monitor at hundreds of those sounds and click right on the exact one I want. I want a Push 2 but it just seems counterproductive with the exception of the pads for non keyboard players. And the sequencer. But there are much better hardware sequencers out there. Someone convince me why I need a friggin push 2! What's hilarious is I know there's been a time when someone was using a Push and thought "wish I could use a mouse with this thing". 😂 Also I have an APC Mk2 so I've got clip management covered.

[@cnp6145]

If you colour tag your most-used sounds/instruments/effects they are very quick and easy to access with Push via Collections. Even then, scrolling through sounds is quick and easy once you get used to it. Push is very intuitive

[@PaulBrownclk-me]

The push is more like an instrument so it becomes less intuitive to keep going to the mouse... It's like an artist having to put his brush down every time he wanted a new colour....

[@distorson]

Why would he turn on the click after the bass drum is already on the same counts as the click.

[@noam8628]

four on the floor: not too original, but it works

[@samtolputt979]

my left ear found this very helpful

[@Noisegate]

what happened to your right ear? 😃

[@djstevieo]

Very Scarface ish. Nice work

[@rb3694]

Received a faulty push 2 today so here I am watching tutorials I would have been following properly had it been working :(

[@japanluv]

Whats wrong with it? Got mine used with Ableton Live 9 Suite. Wasnt turning on until I had my Live downloaded onto my computer and then hoooray:D Few days ago upgraded for Live 10 Suite and funny enough was on offer. I couldnt resist it. I work hard and many hours as an ICU nurse but hope to find some time to learn Push 2 and Ableton Live and create my own songs since I got lyrics written for few songs. Hope you get it sorted out.

[@MparRS]

I wish I had money to buy the push and ableton. Guess its back to FL Studio.