ABLETON PUSH

I was recently given the new MIDI controller ‘Ableton Push’ as a birthday present. This device is helping with creative ideas, mostly ideas for chords and melodies. The device was made to use in conjunction with the latest version of Ableton, Live 9. I am also looking to use Push in my end of year live performance.

The main feature of Push that I have been using is ‘Scale mode’, in which the 8 x 8 pad controller automatically tunes itself to any scale you like, so that it is impossible to play any notes outside of the scale. This is extremely helpful in the creative process.

The following is a video demonstration of Push, showing what it is capable of:

Various drafts and ideas

Four drafts that I have started on Ableton have been uploaded to soundcloud.

The first, ‘Draft 2’, is an older piece that I came back to and worked on. It includes a field recording of waves crashing at the beach which is used as a texture to compliment the chord progression. The chord progression was made with a strings sample that was pitched down and manipulated in Ableton’s sampler.
Some of the drum hits are put slightly off time for more of a natural feel, and the cymbals and tambourine each have their own swing as well as being sent to a reverb.
I also recorded various snippets of myself singing, these were pitched up and arranged within the piece, as well as being put through various effects such as a vocoder, reverb and delay. Listen here: Draft 2

‘Draft 3’ has a similar sort of sound and arrangement to both Draft 2 and ‘Seascape’. It starts with a synthesised chord progression while slowly introducing elements. In this piece I was messing around with using multiple snares on off beats, until eventually the beat is realised as constant by the listener. I also recorded the bass line myself with a bass guitar sent through my sound card, which was then looped. Listen here: Draft 3

‘Draft 4’ uses an electric guitar sample which I recorded, as well as a recorded bass line. The piece starts off with a simple drum beat which then fuses with a funkier sounding drum rhythm. A synth is then introduced, giving it a fuller sound with more movement. The track then breaks down while introducing an electric keyboard, which is then to be accompanied by the other instruments. Listen here: Draft 4

‘Draft 5’ takes a different direction in which one of my final pieces will be sounding like. It has very slow movement, and is more about subtle changes and texture. It begins with a simple beat, with a main rhythmic synth fading in, followed by a set of hi hats fading in. The piece then introduces a repeating melody. I used a robotic sound to add texture, although this will be experimented with, many small sounds and distant textures to be added. This is one of my favourites at the moment and will probably be transformed into an end piece. Listen here: Draft 5

 

All of these tracks are still being arranged and experimented with. Although most of them will not be used as final songs, a lot of samples, instruments and drum loops from these songs are highly likely to be used, as I tend to grab bits and pieces from different tracks and combine them.