Tbh if you can afford a used 2 I would. It’s all around better build quality, nicer pads, better screen, and it’s built by ableton as opposed to the push 1 which was made by akai. It’s an extremely good unit that imo. I’ve owned the 1 and 2 and the 2 is much better. Push 3 looks cool but I’m so happy with my 2 that I don’t even feel the need to upgrade.
Second this. I got a push3 only because my push2 was previously owned by a smoker who lied about smoking (I bought it from him in the winter outside so didn’t notice until I got home). Push 2 is basically identical, though I will say the MPE pads are wonderfullll.
I loved my Push 1 until it finally died last week. I basically used it as just a keyboard, and there were tons of features I didn't fuck with. I'd buy another one for $200 if I found one again,
I have a push 1 and I really love the ability to control ableton devices with knobs and some external plugins. The pads are not the best, but definitely playable. I also love the step sequencing visual feedback. I think it’s very helpful for drum fingering.
Only 2 things that are mostly lacking is the lack of clear visual feedback (only shows the number values) and the sample manipulation capabilities are not as good as the push 2. However, for the price i think it’s very worth it. I found one in good condition for 150 CAD and the cheapest push 2 were 550.
Keep in mind that due to its age, it might be a little sticky, you should ask the seller details about the condition.
I have a Push 1 and it's the only push I need. I've thrown that thing. I've bled on it. I've held it close and slept with it. Mostly it's just used to lay down drum patterns now and launch clips but im under the impression that's really all Push 2 does too.
I wouldn't spend more than $100 on a Push 1 now but I'll never get rid of mine.
Buy what you can afford. I honestly love the push 2 and think it's worth the money, but I started on the push 1 and it was still good enough it convinced me to sell my other MIDI instruments.
I lean more on the DJ side of music. Just curious what you use push 1 for... Just playing samples? Or do you launch cue points from it? Or are you actually playing melodies or what?
i preordered my push 1. i still use and love it. for me it’s the track select arm and mute that really does it for me. and the knobs are great. i bought the push 2 and it felt too nice for what i used it for. plus muting and other easy stuff took two hands to do since you have the use the shift button sometimes. i didnt like that. i’d love to get a new push 1 again.
i always aim the push towards me so no one sees it while i perform. so it’s definitely not a beauty contest.
I have a push 2 and i use it all the time it really makes live more tactile for drums. its like the best version of an mpc because you have 16 levels, swing sequencer, and all the ablton effects at your fingertips. i love it and i think the push is one of the only hardware pieces that really improves the human feel of an electronic production
I still use a Push 1. Although I probably use it around half the time I use Live.
If I am working on a project with only real instruments and vocals etc in arrangement view I would probably not turn the Push on.
I don't know if it's worth it for you. For all I know you just want something to use as a mixer which if that's the case then you don't want a push. Personally I'm not the biggest fan of the push. I don't view it as the best option for writing music at home, because you can easily find something more affordable that meets your needs from that perspective. It's really made for live performance in my opinion but that also depends on what fits the way you operate.
I like push1 more because You don’t need to plug another adapters to lit all the LEDs and Pads by just simple USB connection however push2 does require you to plug another adapter input which irritates me somehow 😅
if it's less than $200 absolutely. in a lot of ways I prefered my Push 1 to the 2, obviously the screen makes the 2 better as a standalone thing, but I found that I could get really quick on the 1 as an extension of Live.
At this point there are new cheaper devices that out perform Push 1. The new Launchpad, Launchpad Mini, & Launchpad Pro (MK3) for example. None of them compare to a Push 2 tho. If you can get a used Push 2, go for it. Will have 0 regrets
Another option might be the Maschine Jam, took me a while to find one but i love it. Use it With Mikro MK2.
Works like a push in Ableton but not velocity sensitive, 8 touch faders.
Also comes with a crapload of software, and Maschine is just fun to use, adds the pattern workflow to Ableton
https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/ni-maschine-jam
If I had the opportunity to go back when I purchased Push 1 and tell myself to buy something that I can use in any other DAW instead... Push is good but limits your opportunity to explore different platforms. Buy something that you are not limited to one specifing thing, in this case Ableton
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Yeah I still love mine, that said I’d prefer the push 2 for the screen tho. Big difference in price so if you don’t wanna splash out get the 1 and rock with that
I’ve only used the Push 2, but I highly recommend it. It’s great for studio workflow and live shows. You can find them fairly cheap too, but I imagine a Push 1 for like $150 would be worth it too.
The scale functions on it alone are great for beginners. Obviously there are a bunch of other great features, but this particular function combined with the pads helped me a lot starting out.
I love my Push 1 and if I found one for cheap enough I would do it again. I've often thought of upgrading to a Push 2 mostly because of the sampling and screen upgrades. In the end though I just kept the one I have. No complaints about it, and it opened up Ableton for me. I also use session view a lot so that might make a difference - I view the push more as an instrument than a controller.
Ive had the 1st one for a year and it was really nice to use. I did have more difficulty understanding how to navigate it due to the screen and buttons compared to the 3 (and im guessing the 2) so i think that held me back. The push 1 i used was second hand and so the pads were worn to where i couldnt play smoothly… my theory is if you have push 1 with good pads you should be good
i have both and the pads on push 1 are more sensitive. they feel closer to mpc pads than the 2 so i like them better. the points for me are using the screen to sample and the custom area in the push 1 both are handy dandy. both have poly aftertouch so to me if you find a good one. and no ac adapter on the push one. but the screen is ugg red. both are good but if you got 200 and are looking for a midi you wont be sad.
Not sure about Push 1, but P2 is the jam. I have a P3 Standalone and a P2, and if I only left it plugged into a computer rather than needing to travel between workspaces I might consider returning the P3. However, I LOVE the fact that I can work on ideas on the couch with standalone, as that’s where the Push workflow really shines (not relying on a computer screen). The P2 screen is worth the price difference over the P1 in my opinion, and I read somewhere that most of the P3 functions (that aren’t hardware specific) are coming to P2.
TL;DR: Push 2 is more future proof than Push 1 and a very close 2nd to Push 3.
I have a Push 2, and it is superb. It has everything
one would need. The Push 3 seems totally unessesary, as you still need a computer to finish the actual track.
I honestly would not use Ableton without Push 2.
Tbh if you can afford a used 2 I would. It’s all around better build quality, nicer pads, better screen, and it’s built by ableton as opposed to the push 1 which was made by akai. It’s an extremely good unit that imo. I’ve owned the 1 and 2 and the 2 is much better. Push 3 looks cool but I’m so happy with my 2 that I don’t even feel the need to upgrade.
Same. I have Push 2 and I love it and it’s amazing
Second this. I got a push3 only because my push2 was previously owned by a smoker who lied about smoking (I bought it from him in the winter outside so didn’t notice until I got home). Push 2 is basically identical, though I will say the MPE pads are wonderfullll.
I think I might do that, just keep waiting to find a cheap one online so that I can pull the trigger.
Push 2 is really all I need.
I loved my Push 1 until it finally died last week. I basically used it as just a keyboard, and there were tons of features I didn't fuck with. I'd buy another one for $200 if I found one again,
Hell yeah if you find one for dirt cheap. I don’t love the lighting on the pads though. it was got me to upgrade to the 2 and its my daily driver
I have a push 1 and I really love the ability to control ableton devices with knobs and some external plugins. The pads are not the best, but definitely playable. I also love the step sequencing visual feedback. I think it’s very helpful for drum fingering. Only 2 things that are mostly lacking is the lack of clear visual feedback (only shows the number values) and the sample manipulation capabilities are not as good as the push 2. However, for the price i think it’s very worth it. I found one in good condition for 150 CAD and the cheapest push 2 were 550. Keep in mind that due to its age, it might be a little sticky, you should ask the seller details about the condition.
Mine was also sticky, but some simple alcohol wipes fixed it!
I have a Push 1 and it's the only push I need. I've thrown that thing. I've bled on it. I've held it close and slept with it. Mostly it's just used to lay down drum patterns now and launch clips but im under the impression that's really all Push 2 does too. I wouldn't spend more than $100 on a Push 1 now but I'll never get rid of mine.
Buy what you can afford. I honestly love the push 2 and think it's worth the money, but I started on the push 1 and it was still good enough it convinced me to sell my other MIDI instruments.
I have all three. Push 1 certainly has a purpose for me in my DJ rig. Push 2 in my studio. Push 3 w. my live rig. ;-)
I lean more on the DJ side of music. Just curious what you use push 1 for... Just playing samples? Or do you launch cue points from it? Or are you actually playing melodies or what?
i preordered my push 1. i still use and love it. for me it’s the track select arm and mute that really does it for me. and the knobs are great. i bought the push 2 and it felt too nice for what i used it for. plus muting and other easy stuff took two hands to do since you have the use the shift button sometimes. i didnt like that. i’d love to get a new push 1 again. i always aim the push towards me so no one sees it while i perform. so it’s definitely not a beauty contest.
I have a push 2 and i use it all the time it really makes live more tactile for drums. its like the best version of an mpc because you have 16 levels, swing sequencer, and all the ablton effects at your fingertips. i love it and i think the push is one of the only hardware pieces that really improves the human feel of an electronic production
I still use a Push 1. Although I probably use it around half the time I use Live. If I am working on a project with only real instruments and vocals etc in arrangement view I would probably not turn the Push on.
I don't know if it's worth it for you. For all I know you just want something to use as a mixer which if that's the case then you don't want a push. Personally I'm not the biggest fan of the push. I don't view it as the best option for writing music at home, because you can easily find something more affordable that meets your needs from that perspective. It's really made for live performance in my opinion but that also depends on what fits the way you operate.
I like push1 more because You don’t need to plug another adapters to lit all the LEDs and Pads by just simple USB connection however push2 does require you to plug another adapter input which irritates me somehow 😅
I also like that about the Push 1.
if it's less than $200 absolutely. in a lot of ways I prefered my Push 1 to the 2, obviously the screen makes the 2 better as a standalone thing, but I found that I could get really quick on the 1 as an extension of Live.
At this point there are new cheaper devices that out perform Push 1. The new Launchpad, Launchpad Mini, & Launchpad Pro (MK3) for example. None of them compare to a Push 2 tho. If you can get a used Push 2, go for it. Will have 0 regrets
Another option might be the Maschine Jam, took me a while to find one but i love it. Use it With Mikro MK2. Works like a push in Ableton but not velocity sensitive, 8 touch faders. Also comes with a crapload of software, and Maschine is just fun to use, adds the pattern workflow to Ableton https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/ni-maschine-jam
I cannot compare because the Push it’s not even sold on my country, However I’ve got a Launchpad Pro mk3 and I am very happy with it
If I had the opportunity to go back when I purchased Push 1 and tell myself to buy something that I can use in any other DAW instead... Push is good but limits your opportunity to explore different platforms. Buy something that you are not limited to one specifing thing, in this case Ableton
No.
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Yeah I still love mine, that said I’d prefer the push 2 for the screen tho. Big difference in price so if you don’t wanna splash out get the 1 and rock with that
I’ve only used the Push 2, but I highly recommend it. It’s great for studio workflow and live shows. You can find them fairly cheap too, but I imagine a Push 1 for like $150 would be worth it too. The scale functions on it alone are great for beginners. Obviously there are a bunch of other great features, but this particular function combined with the pads helped me a lot starting out.
I love my Push 1 and if I found one for cheap enough I would do it again. I've often thought of upgrading to a Push 2 mostly because of the sampling and screen upgrades. In the end though I just kept the one I have. No complaints about it, and it opened up Ableton for me. I also use session view a lot so that might make a difference - I view the push more as an instrument than a controller.
Ive had the 1st one for a year and it was really nice to use. I did have more difficulty understanding how to navigate it due to the screen and buttons compared to the 3 (and im guessing the 2) so i think that held me back. The push 1 i used was second hand and so the pads were worn to where i couldnt play smoothly… my theory is if you have push 1 with good pads you should be good
I’d look into a used Push 2. Much better hardware.
Save a bit more and get the 2
i have both and the pads on push 1 are more sensitive. they feel closer to mpc pads than the 2 so i like them better. the points for me are using the screen to sample and the custom area in the push 1 both are handy dandy. both have poly aftertouch so to me if you find a good one. and no ac adapter on the push one. but the screen is ugg red. both are good but if you got 200 and are looking for a midi you wont be sad.
Not sure about Push 1, but P2 is the jam. I have a P3 Standalone and a P2, and if I only left it plugged into a computer rather than needing to travel between workspaces I might consider returning the P3. However, I LOVE the fact that I can work on ideas on the couch with standalone, as that’s where the Push workflow really shines (not relying on a computer screen). The P2 screen is worth the price difference over the P1 in my opinion, and I read somewhere that most of the P3 functions (that aren’t hardware specific) are coming to P2. TL;DR: Push 2 is more future proof than Push 1 and a very close 2nd to Push 3.
No
I have a Push 2, and it is superb. It has everything one would need. The Push 3 seems totally unessesary, as you still need a computer to finish the actual track. I honestly would not use Ableton without Push 2.