Thoughts on Push 3 as an MPE Controller?

[Greenstorm33]

I've been interested in trying an MPE controller for a while and am considering picking up a Push 3 @ $750. My main concern is how playable it is so I was hoping to get some feedback from people who've used it this way. It looks like in the "up a fourth" in-key configuration you get about 4 octaves which is plenty on paper, but I don't know if being only 8 pads wide is a major hindrance as I've only ever used keyboard instruments. Maybe in-key works okay but the chromatic mode is awkward?

I am currently using Live but I don't use Session View or have any interest in sequencing drums or programming devices or whatever on it, so a lot of the additional functionality is of no use to me. There is definitely some stuff I'd use though (encoders to control rack macros, transport/record controls, etc.). I'm also very interested in the 4 CV outputs that from what I've read let you route the pad pitch, gate, and expression signals monophonically to Eurorack gear without having to deal with some kind of external converter. The rest of the audio interface is also a nice bonus since mine is dying and I don't usually need phantom power.

I guess the other option would be the Linnstrument 128, which has twice as many pads and release velocity, but is 33% more expensive and has none of the other niceties of the Push.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

[machinesworking]

Depends on how much you're into Live. Push 3 is best with Live, Bitwig and Reaper, it sucks with other DAWs. You mention not using the Session View and not interested in using it as a controller for instruments. So your main use will be transport controls, CV, and MPE. It's OK for MPE, I have a Linnstrument, Roli Seaboard Block and Push 3. I would say of the three the Push 3 somewhere in the middle, It's pretty good for cc74 or slide because the pads are a bit bigger than the Linnstrument, but glide or pitch is a whole nother thing with a full octave that the Linnstrument gives you. plus speed, the Linnstrument is made for speed.

I think it would be easier to say Push 3 if you liked using the knobs for tweaking sounds and Session view with clips firing was something that appealed. The Linnstrument is a better MPE instrument simply because 128 is about where it should be in terms of pads and MPE.

It's hard to beat the price for a decent audio card with ADAT, CV etc. though. My one recomendation is stay away from stand alone for now, it's not that useful for even Session view workflows at this point, more like a loop designer.

[Greenstorm33]

Depends on how much you're into Live. Push 3 is best with Live, Bitwig and Reaper, it sucks with other DAWs. You mention not using the Session View and not interested in using it as a controller for instruments. So your main use will be transport controls, CV, and MPE. It's OK for MPE, I have a Linnstrument, Roli Seaboard Block and Push 3. I would say of the three the Push 3 somewhere in the middle, It's pretty good for cc74 or slide because the pads are a bit bigger than the Linnstrument, but glide or pitch is a whole nother thing with a full octave that the Linnstrument gives you. plus speed, the Linnstrument is made for speed.

I think it would be easier to say Push 3 if you liked using the knobs for tweaking sounds and Session view with clips firing was something that appealed. The Linnstrument is a better MPE instrument simply because 128 is about where it should be in terms of pads and MPE.

It's hard to beat the price for a decent audio card with ADAT, CV etc. though. My one recomendation is stay away from stand alone for now, it's not that useful for even Session view workflows at this point, more like a loop designer.

Thank you! Appreciate the feedback. Seems like it's an okay choice for MPE and many other useful features at a good price so I might go for it. I think I might end up finding more of the Live (or Bitwig if I go back) integration features useful than I think I would just from trying to read the manual and watching demo videos. I can always get a Linnstrument later if I end up feeling limited by it, but I'm not a very good keyboardist so I'm probably not going to be doing any virtuoso playing no matter what I pick up.

As an aside I've never gotten the appeal of the Seaboard. I've never played one but I've handled one that wasn't plugged in and a squishy keyboard seems like a pretty unappealing proposition. Also I hated the texture

[softska]

I'm also very interested in the 4 CV outputs that from what I've read let you route the pad pitch, gate, and expression signals monophonically to Eurorack gear without having to deal with some kind of external converter.

You'll need software (or standalone ver) to deal with the routing no matter how simple the use case is. I have the same sentiment w machinesworking that standalone is poor value, but if you aren't paying for the standalone or not always turning on Live, they really are just extra audio output (5-8) that reliant on DAW to do all the routing work (In Live/standalone case it's a Max device)

https://www.ableton.com/en/push/manual/ ... nthesizers
See if that paragraph above makes sense to how you intend to work. It's a nice bonus but I really don't care for how they do it, plus you lose pedal jacks.

[machinesworking]

Thank you! Appreciate the feedback. Seems like it's an okay choice for MPE and many other useful features at a good price so I might go for it. I think I might end up finding more of the Live (or Bitwig if I go back) integration features useful than I think I would just from trying to read the manual and watching demo videos. I can always get a Linnstrument later if I end up feeling limited by it, but I'm not a very good keyboardist so I'm probably not going to be doing any virtuoso playing no matter what I pick up.

As an aside I've never gotten the appeal of the Seaboard. I've never played one but I've handled one that wasn't plugged in and a squishy keyboard seems like a pretty unappealing proposition. Also I hated the texture

I have a Seaboard block and the texture is 100% the main issue. They went with slightly rough rubber, so slides are not that easy at full pressure, I hardly use it because I almost always want to use it to do forceful moves and that means my fingers lock a bit, I end up using them straight which is bad for guitar playing. If the thing had a smooth teflon surface I would love it, but they didn't do that. Sucks because the cc74 slide is the best feature, but the most problematic on the Seaboards.

[pc999]

https://www.embodme.com/erae

This can be an alternative for Push3 if what you are looking mostly is MPE control. Plus it has MIDI 2.0 and can be used to control hardware and other stuff.

I still don't have mine, but I have heard great things about the first one, it is used live by Linkin Park among others.

[BONES]

My advice would be to buy a used Roli Lightpad Block on eBay, just to see how you like the gridded buttons. You can pick them up for around US$100 and there are always a few for sale. Make sure you get a Lightpad M or Lightpad Studio, though, the original Lightpad has a much harder surface. Personally, I've had Lightpads for years now and I've never got used to the layout. It remains completely unintuitive - I have to count up the pads from the marked C notes to get to the note I want. I had high hopes for mine but it never really worked out as I had hoped.