Digital, analog – whatever. Let’s see what happens when Ableton’s latest digital hardware, the new Push, meets Eurorack, for a sort of convergence of the stuff electronic musicians are talking about right now.
(Don’t worry; we aren’t going to a round-the-clock all-Ableton format – the Berlin developer is notoriously conservative about spreading out releases, so let’s give them this week as a special occasion. And, anyway, there are some tips here relevant to Eurorack users with or without any Ableton products. Plus, you might just like the music.)
We stopped by the studio of Berlin-based musician Kaan Bulak. He’s an Istanbul-born German transplant multi-instrumentalist with a love of polyrhythms and a knack for getting technical. And the first thing he did with Ableton’s new hardware was see how he could integrate it with an analog modular rig.
Here’s how he did it, by his explanation – and the modules he’s using could help you out with any computer/modular hybrid rig:
1. I’m controlling the External Instruments in Live 9.5 with the Push 2 grid and sending out CV/Gate through the Vermona [qmi] quadMIDI Interface. [CV is routed] back through the two ins of [a Universal Audio] Apollo Twin Duo. Effects are on Aux Channels of Live: [Ableton] Convolution Reverb Pro with the Berlin Philharmonie IR with shorter decay and some EQing, Filter Delay and the UAD Roland RE-201.
2. There are two “synths” on two channels:
First one is the [Mutable Instruments] Braids on FBFM mode going straight into [Make Noise] Maths 2 and then straight to the output. Gate is connected to Maths2. This one is making the high pitched loop starting at 0:40. At around 2:00, I add an LFO from Vermona Fourmulator to the color CV-control of Braids.
Second one is the bass starting at 3:10. Intellijel Dixie2, saw wave going into the Manhattan Analog MA35. I use the Lowpass/Highpass switch at 4:44. Mutable Peaks and Doepfer quadVCA are used for gate control.
Chords starting at 0:10 are made with a very basic [Native Instruments] Absynth patch into Filter Delay into UAD Moog Filter.
3. It is great to be able to switch between sequence programming and actually playing an instrument. As you can see I still have my 88 keys in the background, but for jamming with a modular, I prefer playing the Push grid. Repeat function is something I really use a lot. (I remember you starting with that in Berghain..! ) Ed.: Kaan caught the last time I played – actually, I was using an Arpeggiator Device, which is another way to do this. And there’s a new Arp device to check out in Max Essentials in 9.5, though I haven’t used it yet.
4. Push 2 definitely feels way better to play on the pads, plus I can see the meters without looking on a screen. What you can’t see on the video is how I edited the drum sounds, I zoomed into the samples and cut them right at their transients so this clack sound appears. The snare “clack” is an 808 tom pitched down, very short decay, start point right at the highest peak of the wave in the beginning. I used the glue compressor to make it fatter. The new simpler and the Push 2 are amazing for working on samples. The screens are a huge plus, I prefer the Mute button on the left side more since I’m right-handed and can continue playing while muting tracks, especially since I always have my kick on the very left. As you mentioned in your review, the materials feel better. I didn’t get quite used to it, but the note sequence mode also seems interesting, which I think is new? Ed.: Actually, no, this was added in a software update to the original Push, but this demonstrates that things can feel more comfortable on the new Push!
I really find it interesting watching how people combine these tools – here, analog modules, digital modules, digital software emulating analog, and digital software and control.
Check out more of Kaan’s music on his Facebook artist page:
http://facebook.com/kaanmusik
awesome.
awesome.
awesome.
Thank you Kaan for the music and inside scoop on how you created it! Sounds great!
Thank you Kaan for the music and inside scoop on how you created it! Sounds great!
Thank you Kaan for the music and inside scoop on how you created it! Sounds great!
You put together a synth you plugged it in you spent too much you noodled all day here’s your basic ass robot ass ass. Sick of the hype. When can not modular be cool again?
nothing about this post or Kaan’s video is arguing that modular is somehow superior – and if you don’t want to spend money on modular gear, you don’t have to (I don’t own any, myself). But why outright reject it? The video has some nice music, and shows how Push 2 can work with a modular system – it doesn’t mean you *have* to make music that way. Did you actually listen to the music or read the post, or did you have your little polemic ready to go upon seeing the word “modular”?
I hardly think CDM is on any sort of modular hype bandwagon. We’re going to continue to show you what’s happening, explain how it works, and let you make your own decision – and continue to offer alternatives (heck, like spending about $100 in the used market and working with the rig I just posted).
lol
Jealous that you can’t have one?
You put together a synth you plugged it in you spent too much you noodled all day here’s your basic ass robot ass ass. Sick of the hype. When can not modular be cool again?
nothing about this post or Kaan’s video is arguing that modular is somehow superior – and if you don’t want to spend money on modular gear, you don’t have to (I don’t own any, myself). But why outright reject it? The video has some nice music, and shows how Push 2 can work with a modular system – it doesn’t mean you *have* to make music that way. Did you actually listen to the music or read the post, or did you have your little polemic ready to go upon seeing the word “modular”?
I hardly think CDM is on any sort of modular hype bandwagon. We’re going to continue to show you what’s happening, explain how it works, and let you make your own decision – and continue to offer alternatives (heck, like spending about $100 in the used market and working with the rig I just posted).
lol
Jealous that you can’t have one?
You put together a synth you plugged it in you spent too much you noodled all day here’s your basic ass robot ass ass. Sick of the hype. When can not modular be cool again?
nothing about this post or Kaan’s video is arguing that modular is somehow superior – and if you don’t want to spend money on modular gear, you don’t have to (I don’t own any, myself). But why outright reject it? The video has some nice music, and shows how Push 2 can work with a modular system – it doesn’t mean you *have* to make music that way. Did you actually listen to the music or read the post, or did you have your little polemic ready to go upon seeing the word “modular”?
I hardly think CDM is on any sort of modular hype bandwagon. We’re going to continue to show you what’s happening, explain how it works, and let you make your own decision – and continue to offer alternatives (heck, like spending about $100 in the used market and working with the rig I just posted).
lol
Jealous that you can’t have one?
I have a fairly decent sized modular rig and it is quite good at making abstract and experimental sounds. For tonal music, a modular is not the best choice beyond basses and leads. Polyphony is just beyond the pocketbook of most users, unless you want to go the route of Wendy Carlos or Tomita, and do many takes, adding single note lines up until they are chords. I have found a balance between the MIDI and Modular world myself. When I do tonal music that wants to be in pitch, I use a MIDI sound box or Ableton or Reason and pipe the audio through the modular for it’s filters and effects. I use multiple MIDI>CV converters tuned to the same MIDI channels as the MIDI voices, and run the analog stuff modifying the MIDI voices with them. No tuning hassles and access to much better sequencers than what is available in the modular. Mixing digital and modular is great when you use the benefits of each. Even super cheap MIDI boxes like the Emu Proteus have multiple outs and work great when the patches on them are super basic.
The Push and Ableton controlling the whole mess would be a great system. Build a modular that is setup as a audio modifier and a multi channel audio interface and you could modify MIDI boxes and loops easily. A great live kit.
I have a fairly decent sized modular rig and it is quite good at making abstract and experimental sounds. For tonal music, a modular is not the best choice beyond basses and leads. Polyphony is just beyond the pocketbook of most users, unless you want to go the route of Wendy Carlos or Tomita, and do many takes, adding single note lines up until they are chords. I have found a balance between the MIDI and Modular world myself. When I do tonal music that wants to be in pitch, I use a MIDI sound box or Ableton or Reason and pipe the audio through the modular for it’s filters and effects. I use multiple MIDI>CV converters tuned to the same MIDI channels as the MIDI voices, and run the analog stuff modifying the MIDI voices with them. No tuning hassles and access to much better sequencers than what is available in the modular. Mixing digital and modular is great when you use the benefits of each. Even super cheap MIDI boxes like the Emu Proteus have multiple outs and work great when the patches on them are super basic.
The Push and Ableton controlling the whole mess would be a great system. Build a modular that is setup as a audio modifier and a multi channel audio interface and you could modify MIDI boxes and loops easily. A great live kit.
I have a fairly decent sized modular rig and it is quite good at making abstract and experimental sounds. For tonal music, a modular is not the best choice beyond basses and leads. Polyphony is just beyond the pocketbook of most users, unless you want to go the route of Wendy Carlos or Tomita, and do many takes, adding single note lines up until they are chords. I have found a balance between the MIDI and Modular world myself. When I do tonal music that wants to be in pitch, I use a MIDI sound box or Ableton or Reason and pipe the audio through the modular for it’s filters and effects. I use multiple MIDI>CV converters tuned to the same MIDI channels as the MIDI voices, and run the analog stuff modifying the MIDI voices with them. No tuning hassles and access to much better sequencers than what is available in the modular. Mixing digital and modular is great when you use the benefits of each. Even super cheap MIDI boxes like the Emu Proteus have multiple outs and work great when the patches on them are super basic.
The Push and Ableton controlling the whole mess would be a great system. Build a modular that is setup as a audio modifier and a multi channel audio interface and you could modify MIDI boxes and loops easily. A great live kit.
Regardless all discussions and hype/not hype about modular (to which I might agree with some degree), to me this is a very nice article showing a technical aspect that might sound obvious to more expert people but not to the one who need some more insight to get going…and the music is very nice, I love it!!! thanks…more on this hands-on please!!!
Regardless all discussions and hype/not hype about modular (to which I might agree with some degree), to me this is a very nice article showing a technical aspect that might sound obvious to more expert people but not to the one who need some more insight to get going…and the music is very nice, I love it!!! thanks…more on this hands-on please!!!
Regardless all discussions and hype/not hype about modular (to which I might agree with some degree), to me this is a very nice article showing a technical aspect that might sound obvious to more expert people but not to the one who need some more insight to get going…and the music is very nice, I love it!!! thanks…more on this hands-on please!!!
Sounds really good gotta say, I’m finding for a Push….
Sounds really good gotta say, I’m finding for a Push….
Sounds really good gotta say, I’m finding for a Push….
Sounds Fantastic
Sounds Fantastic
Sounds Fantastic