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Ableton Push 1 / 2

Support script for Ableton's Push 1 and Push 2 controller. You can control track parameters, devices, transport, session view and play the pads.

Installation

To add the controller manually, choose Ableton -> Push or Ableton -> Push 2 depending on your specific controller. On Push 1 make sure that for MIDI in- and output the 2nd port is selected (MIDIIN2 (Ableton Push) and MIDIOUT2 (Ableton Push) on Windows). For Push 2 it is the first port.

Installation on Linux

Accessing USB requires root access. To run the Application as a normal user copy the file 99-userusbdevices.rules to the folder /etc/udev/rules.d/. It gives the group audio access to the Push 2 controller. Make sure that your user is a member of that group and the group does exist. A more in-depth explanation can be found here. After you have copied the file reboot your computer.

Global Features

  • Play - Start/Stop playback. Double click to move play cursor to start of song. You can configure the behavior on stop in the preferences.
  • Shift+Play - Toggle repeat
  • Select+Play - Toggle Punch In
  • Select+Shift+Play - Toggle Punch Out
  • Record - Start/Stop recording
  • Shift+Record - Toggle launcher overdub. If the selected slot on the selected track is recording it stops the recording instead.
  • New - Creates a new clip on the selected track and slot, starts playback and enables overdub.
  • Shift+New - Like New button but without activating launcher overdub.
  • Automation - Toggle Automation Write. Long press to bring up the Automation dialog which allows you to change the automation mode.
  • Shift+Automation - Toggles the clip launcher automation write enabled state of the transport.
  • Delete+Automation - Resets any automation overrides.
  • Fixed Length - Select the length of the midi clip for New. The upper row gives you the option to create a new clip of the selected length without storing it.
  • Duplicate - Combine with a scene pad (duplicate scene) or a track select button (duplicate track). To copy clips in session mode keep the Duplicate button pressed; choose the source clip (it must be a clip with content, you can still select a different clip as the source); select the destination clip (this must be an empty clip, which can also be on a different track); release the Duplicate button.
  • Shift+Duplicate - Create a new scene from the currently playing clips.
  • Select+Duplicate - Creates a new scene at the end of the scene list.
  • Quantize - Quantizes the currently selected clip.
  • Shift+Quantize (or long press Quantize) - Access the Quantize and Groove configuration modes
  • Double (Loop) - Duplicate the content of the currently selected clip (not the clip itself)
  • Convert (Push 2) - Brings up the Slice to Drum Machine dialog.
  • Shift+Convert (Push 2) - Bring up the Slice to Multi-sample dialog.
  • Undo - Undo. Press Shift for Redo.
  • Delete - Like pressing the delete key. Hold the button for additional functionality in combination with other buttons knobs, see the mode and view explanations below.
  • Small Knob 1 - Change tempo (press Shift for fine adjustment). Press Select to change the arrange loop start (combine with Shift for small changes).
  • Small Knob 2 - Move play cursor (press Shift for fine adjustment). Press Select to change the arrange loop length (combine with Shift for small changes).
  • Metronome - Toggle metronome. Long press to bring up the metronome settings mode.
  • Shift+Metronome - Toggle metronome ticks
  • Tap Tempo - Tap Tempo
  • Mute - Push 1: Selects track mute state of 2nd row. Push 2: Mutes the currently selected track. Long press for the Push 1 behavior. Lock it with Shift+Mute.
  • Solo - Push 1: Selects track solo state of 2nd row. Push 2: Solos the currently selected track. Long press for the Push 1 behavior. Lock it with Shift+Solo.
  • Select+Mute: Deactivate all mutes.
  • Select+Solo: Deactivate all solos.
  • Knobs 1-8 Value encoders, [Shift+Knob] fine increment value change.
  • Knob 9 - Changes Master Volume.
  • Shift+Knob 9 - Changes the Metronome Volume.
  • Select+Knob 9 - Changes the arranger zoom.
  • Keep the Master button pressed for a screen which allows to toggle perspectives and panels.
  • Stop/Stop Clip - Press Shift+Stop to stop all playing clips. Keep pressed and press one of the second row buttons to stop the clip on the specific track.
  • Footswitch 1 - Sends sustain.
  • Footswitch 2 - Triggers the new button.
  • Arrows The cursor keys change the track page (device, layers) and scene bank, except in the browser they change the browser tabs.
  • Shift+Touchstrip - Change behavior of touchstrip: Send pitch bend, a midi CC or a mixed mode. If mixed mode is selected upwards pitch bend is sent and downwards the select midi cc.
  • Shift+Track - Turn off/on VU meters.
  • Browse - Enters Preset selection mode for a device. If no device is selected the browser is opened to add a device.
  • Add Track: Opens the menu for inserting tracks. Tracks with pre-configured devices can be configured in the settings.
  • Add Device (Push 2) / Add Effect (Push 1): Add a device after the currently selected one. Note: You currently cannot insert a new device into an empty slot chain (Bitwig API limitation). If there is at least one device in the chain it works.
  • Shift+Add Device (Push 2) / Shift+Add Effect (Push 1): Add a device before the currently selected one
  • Shift+User (Push 1) / Setup (Push 2): Adjust some hardware settings like pad sensitivity. Also configurable in the script settings.
  • Repeat: Toggles note repeat. Long press to enter Note Repeat Mode to configure the note repeat settings.
  • Repeat+Scene: Changes note repeat period.
  • Shift+Note Repeat+Scene: Changes note repeat note length.
  • Select+Note Repeat: Toggle Fill Mode.
  • Accent - If active, velocity is always max in Sequencer and Play modes. Long press Accent to change fixed accent value.
  • Scale: De-/Activates the Scale mode.
  • Layout (Push 2): Layout button steps through the play or sequencer modes (depending on which type is active). Shift+Layout button toggles between play and sequencer modes.

Edit Modes

  • Hold Delete and Touch Encoder to reset a value to its default value in all modes.
  • Since the Push 2 is missing the buttons Volume and Pan & Send use the navigation knobs above the display. Since you loose the Mute/Solo buttons for the navigation long press Mute or Solo for the same behavior as with Push 1. You can also lock that functionality by pressing Shift+Mute or Shift+Solo. Press the same combination to unlock it.
  • Press the Duplicate button and one of the Track-Select buttons to duplicate a track.
  • In all track modes, hold the Select button to enter the track details mode. In this mode you can set different states like enable, solo, mute, rec arm, monitor and change the color of the track. If you currently have a layer selected this brings up a similar view to edit the states of the layer. Furthermore, the note insert/edit MIDI channel can be selected in this mode. Selecting an already selected group track toggles its' expanded state if the Shift button is held.
  • Push 2: Hold Shift to access the 4th Send mode.

  1. Volume - Push 1: Press "Volume" to enter - Push 2: Press "Mix" and "Volume" above the display

    • 8 edit knobs: Change volume of selected 8 tracks. Hold Shift for fine adjustments.
    • 1st 8 button row: Press to select a track, press again to enter a group. To rec arm a track, keep the record button pressed and select the channel (first button row). Use in combibation with the Delete button to delete a track. Long press a button to leave a track group.
    • Toggle monitor and auto monitor: Keep pressed Select. First row toggles Monitor, second row Auto Monitor.
    • De-/activate a track: Select+Shift+1st button row.
    • 2nd 8 button row: Toggle mute or solo of track, dependent of Mute or Solo button selection.
    • Left/Right arrows: Select next/previous track page.
    • Shift+Left/right arrows: Moves the selected track.

  2. Crossfader - Push 1: Press "Volume" twice to enter - Push 2: Press "Mix" and "Crossfader" above the display

    • 8 edit knobs: Change crossfader setting of selected 8 tracks.
    • Buttons behave as above.

  3. Pan & Send - Push 1: Press "Pan & Send" to enter (press multiple times to switch between the modes) - Push 2: Press "Mix" and "Send X" above the display. The 4th button above the display moves to the next sends page. Combine with Shift to move backwards.

    • 8 edit knobs: Change pan/send1-6 of selected 8 tracks. Hold Shift for fine adjustments.
    • Buttons behave as above.

  4. Track - Press "Track" (Push 1) or "Mix" (Push 2) to enter (press twice to toggle between normal and effect tracks)

    • 8 edit knobs: Change volume/pan/crossfader/Send1-5 of selected track. Hold Shift for fine adjustments.
    • Buttons behave as above.

  5. Clip - Press "Clip" to modify clip properties

    • Loop, Play range, Shuffle and Accent
    • Other buttons behave as above.

  6. Device - Press "Device" to enter

    • Buttons of 1st row select the device or the parameter banks. Use in combibation with the Delete button to delete a device.
    • 1st button on 2nd row in device modes dis-/enables device (button above display on Push 2).
    • 7th button on 2nd row in device modes displays VST window or pop-out window of specific Bitwig devices (button above display on Push 2).
    • 8th button on 2nd row in device modes moves up to tracks.
    • To navigate groups, layers and devices press now the respective first row button. Long press any of the first row buttons to move up the hierarchy again.
    • 8 edit knobs: Change 8 parameters of the selected device (FX). Hold Shift for fine adjustments. Hold the delete key and touch a knob to reset its value.
    • Left/Right buttons: Select next/previous device or parameter bank
    • Left/Right arrows: Select next/previous devices or parameter page.
    • Shift+Left/right arrows: Moves the selected device.
    • Mute+Device: Toggles the enabled state of the device.
    • Press Browse to select a different patch of the device. Hold the Shift button in Preset mode to scroll quickly.
    • Push 1: Use Select+Volume/Pan/Track buttons to activate the different layer modes. For Send modes press Pan multiple times.

  7. Browse - Press "Browse" to enter (a device must be selected)

    • Edit knob 8: Change the patch
    • Edit knobs 1-7: Change the different filters
    • Tempo knob: Changes the value of the last selected column
    • Hold the Shift button in Preset mode to scroll quickly.
    • 1st button row: Select the previous patch/filter
    • 2nd button row: Select the next patch/filter
    • Shift + 8th button on the 1st button row: Toggle preview
    • Use the arrow left and right to switch between the browser tabs
    • Delete+touch knob: Resets a filter to its default value
    • Press Browse again to Confirm the selection or Shift+Browse to Cancel.

  8. Master - Press "Master" to enter

    • 8 edit knobs: Change volume, pan of master track and Cue Volume and Mix. Hold Shift for fine adjustments.
    • Dis-/Enable audio engine
    • Switch to the next/previous opened project with buttons 7 and 8.

  9. User - Press "User" to enter Allows to map up to 64 user parameters divided into 8 pages with 8 parameters. Right click on any parameter in Bitwig and select Map to controller. After that move one of the knobs in user mode to complete the mapping. Mappings are stored with each project. IMPORTANT: Do not try to map any of the buttons below (or above) the display! Also do not map any other buttons or knob on the controller! This will create weird behaviour.

    • 8 edit knobs: Change value of a mapped parameter. Hold Shift for fine adjustments.
    • Left/Right buttons: Select next/previous parameter page
    • Buttons of 1st row select the parameter page.
    • Buttons of 2nd row select currently have no function.
    • User page names can be edited in the document settings.

Play Modes

Note Mode

Press "Note" and select Play to change to the Play view.

  • The key layout is like running the Push with Ableton
  • The Touchstrip (Ribbon) can be configured for different tasks. Call up the configuration mode with Shift+Touchstrip.
  • Press "Scales" (keep pressed for temporary) to change the scales (Chromatic, Major, Minor, etc.) and the root note with the 16 buttons below the display. Press and keep the Shift button to change the scale layout.
  • The played keys are lighting red if global or clip recording (does not work if recording clip is outside of the monitored 8x8 matrix)
  • Use the Delete button in combination with a pad. This deletes all appearances of that note in the currently selected clip. Use with care since the notes you see lit might not come from the currently selected clip!

Chords Mode

Press "Note" and select Chords to change to the Chords view.

This mode allows to play a chord by pressing a single pad. The base note is taken from the current scale and increases from left to right. The same octave, scale and base note settings apply as with the play mode. The rows from bottom to top contain the following chords:

  • Triads,
  • Dyads (Powerchords),
  • Suspended second (Sus2),
  • Suspended fourth (Sus4),
  • Add sixth (6),
  • Major seventh chord (maj7),
  • Add ninth (9),
  • Add eleventh (11).

Other functions are identical to the Play view.

Piano Mode

Press "Note" and select Piano to enter Piano mode.

  • Arranges the pads like a classic piano keyboard.
  • The white lit pads are the white keys.
  • The pads lit in the color of the track are the black keys.
  • You get 4 octaves to play with.
  • Other functions are identical to the Play view.

Drum 64 play mode

Press "Note" and select Drum 64.

This mode gives you 64 pads for playing a drum device. The 16 pads in the left lower area are the same as in the drum sequencer mode.

Session Mode

Press "Session" to enter Session mode. Keep button pressed to switch back to Note mode on release. This allows you to launch clips then release the Session button to jump straight back into Note mode.

Delete+Scene button (in Play, Piano, Drum 64, Session view) deletes the scene.

Hold Browse and select a pad to browse for clips.

All the buttons and knobs behave like in Play mode with the following exceptions:

  • The buttons on the grid start/record the clips.
  • Long press a pad to select the clip without starting it.
  • Hold Select to immediately launch a clip. Release the clip pad while holding Select, to return immediately to the last playing clip.
  • The 1/4 to 1/32t buttons start scenes.
  • The arrow keys scroll the grid. Hold Shift to scroll in blocks of 8.
  • Pressing Shift+1st row buttons returns to the arrangement for that track.
  • Press the Fixed Length button to choose the length for new clips.
  • Press Clip to display the current clip in the editor.
  • The ribbon controls the crossfader. Press Shift and touch the Ribbon to center the crossfader.
  • Press Delete+Pad In Session Mode to the delete the clip.

Press the Session button twice to flip the grid which then matches the arrangement view.

When in Session view and press Session again a menu turns up (like in note view) where you can select different views. The normal Session view, the flipped version and the Scene view. Use the Layout button on Push 2 to quickly step through these views. Furthermore, you can select the Marker and Clip mode.

Marker mode

The 8 buttons below the display moves the play cursor to the position of the marker and (optionally) starts the playback from the respective marker. 2nd row buttons 7 and 8 choose between select only or start playback. Delete + 1st row buttons in Marker mode deletes a marker. Use the first 2nd row button to add a marker at the current play position.

Scene view

This view displays the first 64 scenes ready for jamming. The color of a scene uses the color of the first clip found in the scene (only checks in the first 8 tracks). Delete+pad deletes a scene.

Sequencers

Sequencer Functions common to all sequencers (except Raindrop)

  • To navigate in a clip use the Page left/right (device in/out on Push 1) buttons.
  • Note that you can scroll past the end of the clip (to the right).
  • Press pads to enter/delete notes. The velocity of the pressed key is set as well.
  • Change the note length or create long notes by pressing a note pad, keep it pressed, wait a bit and then press a pad right to it.
  • To duplicate notes keep the Dulicate button pressed, select the source note, press empty destination pad(s). The note will be copied with all settings.
  • Note starts and lengths are lit in different colors.
  • Long press a pad which contains a note to edit the parameters of the note (or all notes of the step in case of Poly Sequencer).
  • Multiple notes can be edited in sequencers by using the select button in combination with a sequencer note pad.
  • Use the Scene buttons to change the grids resolution.
  • Shift+Pad enables and increases note repeat by 1.
  • Shift+Select+Pad enables and decreases note repeat by 1.
  • Select+Pad selects a note for editing. Selected notes are lit in yellow.
  • Mute+Pad in step sequencer toggles the mute state of the note. A muted note is lit in grey.

Note Sequencer

Press "Note" and select Squencr to enter Sequencer mode.

  • The pads of the top row represent the pages of the clip. Green indicates the page currently played. Blue is the page selected for editing. Press one of the pads to select it for editing. Keep one of the pads pressed and press another one to change the loop.
  • The other pads display an 8x7 view of the selected clips note grid.
  • The rows represent the notes of the selected scale.
  • Use Shift+Octave Up/Down to transpose by 1 step. Select+Octave transposes in 12 steps.

Poly Sequencer

Press "Note" and select Poly Seq. to enter Poly Sequencer mode:

  • The lower half displays the playable notes like in the Note Mode
  • Play one or more notes in that area
  • Create a step in the upper part by pressing a pad. The step will contain the last notes you played in the lower part.

Drum Sequencer

Press "Note" and select Drum to change to the Drum Sequencer.

  • The drum sequencer works as described in the Push manual.
  • Note starts and lengths are lit in different colors.
  • Hold Delete+Drumpad to delete the midi notes of the current clip on that 'pad'.
  • Hold Mute/Solo button + Drumpad to mute/solo the drumpad.
  • To make the display of mute/solo/exists states work, the primary device needs to be the drum machine (which is normally the case).
  • Hold down the Select button while pressing a drumpad to select it without playing its sound. This also selects the according drum pad layer in the display.
  • Press Browser+Drum Pad in Drum View and Drum 64 to open the browser.
  • The Drumpads use the colors set in the drum machine for each pad.
  • There are three additional drum sequencers. Press Shift in drum mode and use upper 4 scene buttons to change between the four modes. 2nd mode displays 4 drum sound, 3rd mode 8. Use the lower 4 scene buttons (while holding Shift) in 2nd mode to toggle between the drum sounds 1-4, 5-8, 9-12, 13-16. Use the lower 2 scene buttons in 3rd mode to toggle the drum sounds 1-8, 9-16. The fourth mode displays 64 drum pads.
  • Use Octave Up/Down to move the pads by 16.
  • Use Shift+Octave Up/Down to move the pads by 4.
  • If Accent is active the loop/clip length area shows 16 velocities. The selected velocity is used when enabling a note in the sequencer.

Drum 4 and Drum 8 sequencer

Press "Note" and select Drum 4 or Drum 8.

These drum sequencers show 4 or 8 drum sounds for sequencing. Use the Page buttons to move in the clip.

Raindrop sequencer

Press "Note" and select Raindrp to change to the Raindrop Sequencer.

  • The lowest row displays the playable notes
  • The row above a note starts a raindrop
  • If the raindrop reaches the note it sounds
  • Use Shift+Octave Up/Down to transpose by 1 step. Select+Octave transposes in 12 steps.

Program Change Mode

Press "Note" and select PrgChang to enter Program Change mode.

  • Pads send program change
  • Scene buttons switch banks
  • Pressing scene button twice toggles 0-63 and 64-127.

Clip Mode

  • The pads change the length of the currently selected clip loop
  • This is the default view for audio tracks.

Preferences Settings

You can set several preferences which are stored when you exit the DAW. These are global settings and not specific to projects.

Session

  • Session View: How/what to display on the grid
  • Display scenes/clips: Display the names of scenes/clips in the display
  • Select clip/scene on launch: If a clip/scene is started from the controller and this setting is off the clip/scene will not be selected. Use if you edit another clip and want not to change the focus.
  • Display clips of record enabled tracks in red: if enabled, in the session view for record enabled tracks the empty pads are displayed in red.
  • Action for pressing rec armed empty clip: what should happen if you press an empty clip in the session view?

Transport

  • Behaviour on Pause: Sets the action to be executed when playback is stopped with the Play button.
  • Flip arranger and clip record / automation: if enabled, the functionality of the Record and Automation button when used with Shift is flipped with the function when not using Shift. Enable this if you tend to work more in the Clip Launcher than the Arranger.

Play and Sequence

  • Activate Fixed Accent: If a note is played the velocity is ignored and a fixed value is used.
  • Fixed Accent Value: The velocity value to use when fixed accent is active.
  • Quantize Amount: The amount of quantization to use when Quantize is executed. 100% alignes all notes fully to the grid.
  • Default note view: The view that should be the default when you select an instrument track for the first time (e.g. Play, Drum, Sequencer, ...).

Drum Sequencer

  • Auto-select drum settings: If channel is selected and a drum pad is played the display switches to the layer settings of the drum cell.
  • Turn off empty drum pads: Empty drum cells are displayed in orange. If enabled the pad LEDs are off.

Workflow

  • Exclude deactivated items: If active, deactivated items like tracks will not be displayed on the controller. This cleans up the displayed banks but also prevents the options to activate an deactivated item from the controller.
  • VU meters: The display of VU meters can be disabled with this option
  • Footswitch 2: What action to execute if you press the 2nd footswitch (1st footswitch is always assigned to MIDI sustain). The available functions should be self-explanatory, except Clip Based Looper: this uses the currently selected MIDI clip slot. If it is empty, a new clip is created (like using the New button) and playback is started. As long as the footswitch is pressed overdub is activated. If the footswitch is released overdub is deactivated.
  • Stop automation recording on knob release: If you e.g. change the volume of a track for automation and release the knob, automation recording is automatically switched off.
  • New clip length: The length of a clip created with the New function.
  • Knob Speed Normal: Adjust the speed of the knobs
  • Knob Speed Slow: Adjust the speed of the knobs when used with Shift for fine adjustments

Add Track - favorite devices

  • Select your favorite devices for the Add Track menu.

Ribbon

  • Mode: What the Ribbon should do
  • CC: The MIDI CC command to send if CC is selected as the mode.
  • Function if Note Repeat is active: Option to use the ribbon for note repeat (or always use the selected Mode).

Pads

  • Sensitivty: Adjust the hardware sensitivity of the pads
  • Gain: Adjust the hardware gain of the pads
  • Dynamics: Adjust the hardware dynamics of the pads
  • Convert Poly Aftertouch to: The pads support poly aftertouch. If the device you play does not support this option allows to change it to Channel Aftertouch or a MIDI CC command.

Browser

  • Options to hide filter columns which are not used to easier spot the relevant ones

Hardware Setup

  • Display brightness: Dims down the display
  • LED brightness: Dims down the pad LEDs

Display Colors

  • Reset colors to default: Sets all values to their defualt value
  • Color options: Changes the color of different elements of the display graphics

Debug

These options are only for testing. Ignore them.

Document Settings

These settings are specific to each project.

Scales

  • Scale: Select the scale
  • Base: Select the base note of the scale
  • In Key: Select Chromatic to also display notes which are not part of the scale.
  • Layout: Select the layout of the scale for the Play mode. The numbers are the offsets between the rows of the grid. The arrows depict the direction from lower to higher notes: left to right or bottom to top.

Note Repeat

  • Active: Enable note repeat
  • Period: The repeat rate of the note repeat
  • Length: The length of a repeated note
  • Mode: The arpeggiator mode
  • Octave: The octave range which is used by the arpeggiator

Play and Sequence

  • MIDI Edit: Select the MIDI channel to use to display and edit MIDI notes in sequencers

Workflow

  • User Page 1-8: Allows to set a name for the user parameter pages
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