NI Maschine or Ableton Push or MPC Live

[Tobi Rice]

Hey Guys,

i wonder if anyone uses NI Maschine or Ableton Push or MPC Live (not released yet)? they all seem to be great and innovating devices but somehow they all seem to be not sutiable for reason users. So buying one of those doesnt make sense as long u are a reason user?

Ableton Push: Was developed for Ableton Live
Maschine Instrument: It software works like an VST Instrument?!
MPC: Standalone or VST

All 3 seem to be great workingstations and all 3 seem to be not suitable for reason.

So my Question is: Did anyone of the reason users bought one of the devices (mentioned above)? And if so, do u use only reason or additional daw`s?

[Gorgon]

Hey Guys,

i wonder if anyone uses NI Maschine or Ableton Push or MPC Live (not released yet)? they all seem to be great and innovating devices but somehow they all seem to be not sutiable for reason users. So buying one of those doesnt make sense as long u are a reason user?

Ableton Push: Was developed for Ableton Live
Maschine Instrument: It software works like an VST Instrument?!
MPC: Standalone or VST

All 3 seem to be great workingstations and all 3 seem to be not suitable for reason.

So my Question is: Did anyone of the reason users bought one of the devices (mentioned above)? And if so, do u use only reason or additional daw`s?

I have a Push. It was designed for Ableton Live, and it works great with Ableton Live, but there is a piece of software that you can use to make the Push work perfectly with Reason. It's called PusheR and you can find it on http://retouchcontrol.com/

What's even better about it that you can use it for Ableton Live AND Reason AT THE SAME TIME. So you got Reason rewired to Ableton, and you can just push a button on the Push and it switches from Reason mode to Ableton mode. How cool is that?

[Gorgon]

To give you an idea, check out this thread: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=7499505

The track I made there took me about an hour, maybe a bit more, using Reason 9 and the Push with PusheR app. It's a breeze really.

And that's Push 1. Not even 2.

[Tobi Rice]

Thank you Gorgon for your detailed and helpful answer.

Yes i`ve heard about the "retouchcontrol" before but was always doubtful about it, because its not a offical plugin from Ableton. If i ever make a decison to buy one of those, than i want to avoid any non offical workarounds. But very good to hear that it works well.

The fact that you can use Ableton Live and Reason at the same time sounds to good to be true. So it means if i rewire reason to ableton, reason is something like my "external plug-in" and Ableton Live is my host and my "main DAW". My Projects will be "Ableton Live files" not "reason files" right?

I`m interested in how many precent (estimation) you use Push in your Projects? And do you use it for full arrangments from skratch to finishing a track or is it more like creating the idea/concept/sprak/ of a song?

And one more Question: Do you have any experience with NI Maschine or MPC that you could compare those 3, or how cdi you become a Push user?

[ejanuska]

I have a Maschine. Want to buy it?

[OverneathTheSkyBridg]

I cant speak for Push or Maschine, but I had an MPC Studio for a while and really enjoyed the ability to slice up samples and construct beats directly from the controller. I used a MIDI loopback to sync Reason's transport with the MPC Software and routed audio from MPC into an audio track in Reason. It basically replaced Kong amd Redrum. I ended up selling it and still regret it to this day.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk

[Gorgon]

Thank you Gorgon for your detailed and helpful answer.

Yes i`ve heard about the "retouchcontrol" before but was always doubtful about it, because its not a offical plugin from Ableton. If i ever make a decison to buy one of those, than i want to avoid any non offical workarounds. But very good to hear that it works well.

The fact that you can use Ableton Live and Reason at the same time sounds to good to be true. So it means if i rewire reason to ableton, reason is something like my "external plug-in" and Ableton Live is my host and my "main DAW". My Projects will be "Ableton Live files" not "reason files" right?

You will need to save the project in both Reason and Ableton (but obviously you can drop the Reason file in the Ableton live project folder if you so desire). I just give them the exact same name. So yeah, Reason is the "plug-in", and you can send midi from Ableton to Reason, and you can route audio back from Reason to Ableton. And you can use the Push in both applications at the same time.

I`m interested in how many precent (estimation) you use Push in your Projects? And do you use it for full arrangments from skratch to finishing a track or is it more like creating the idea/concept/sprak/ of a song?

I'm using it constantly now. And it's great for just messing around with some loops, and it's also great for building your track. You can easily play some stuff in, be it with Kong or a synth or whatever, you can use the pattern sequencer in Redrum if you want (and you can program it from the Push) and you can also use the knobs to tweak pretty much everything so it's also great for live automation.

And one more Question: Do you have any experience with NI Maschine or MPC that you could compare those 3, or how cdi you become a Push user?

I bought the Push second hand because I saw it for a nice price. I had used a Launchpad before and wanted something better. And well, it is a LOT better. Obviously perfect for Ableton Live but very very nice also in Reason with the PusheR app.

[bik44]

Hi,
I have both Maschine and Push 2 and finally to work with Reason I use Maschine more often than Push.
In short main reasons are: very fast workflow; tagging system for all sounds, samples etc; drag and drop automatically bounced audio or midi clips directly to Reason sequencer; very light on CPU VST host; bidirectional midi; now Maschine can send midi CC from its macros easily to control whatever you want in Reason; very flexible and easy to configure user midi mode (many pages, channels, pad groups etc.). etc, etc. All synced via Link.
Additionally you are more focused on Reason. Live is very good for playing live/improvise (witch I use a lot too) but as Reason companion is very distracting for me (after year of trying). Rewire is good only if use Reason as a supplement for Live with some sounds from light racks or refills because of Live hosts Reason only with single cpu core so it is very easy to reach max cpu.
I have PusheR too - it totally doesn't work as I expected watching youtube - slow, laggy, some rack are mapped some don't, I found bug in scales (wrong root notes), no updates at all, can't map what I want to etc.
Sorry for my bad English

[Gorgon]

I have PusheR too - it totally doesn't work as I expected watching youtube - slow, laggy, some rack are mapped some don't, I found bug in scales (wrong root notes), no updates at all, can't map what I want to etc.
Sorry for my bad English

Mine isn't slow or lagging at all. And if you find bugs, you should submit them here:

http://retouchcontrol.com/support/

[Tobi Rice]

Post by ejanuska » Yesterday
I have a Maschine. Want to buy it?

No but thanks for offering. Im living in germany so the shipping fees must be queit expensive. If i ever want to buy one, i will buy a new one. You don`t use it that often or making space for new things?

I cant speak for Push or Maschine, but I had an MPC Studio for a while and really enjoyed the ability to slice up samples and construct beats directly from the controller. I used a MIDI loopback to sync Reason's transport with the MPC Software and routed audio from MPC into an audio track in Reason. It basically replaced Kong amd Redrum. I ended up selling it and still regret it to this day

Yeah i know that feeling. I`m also very very curious about the upcomming MPC Live and X. To imagine to just take my mpc live (with batterie mode i think) with my headphones and go anywhere to make music instantly is queit temptating. Also my main purpose is sampling and for that all of the 3 devices (NI Maschine or Ableton Push or MPC Live) are great in each way think.

I bought the Push second hand because I saw it for a nice price. I had used a Launchpad before and wanted something better. And well, it is a LOT better. Obviously perfect for Ableton Live but very very nice also in Reason with the PusheR app.

Sounds so good. Which Version of Ableton are u using?

I have both Maschine and Push 2 and finally to work with Reason I use Maschine more often than Push.
In short main reasons are: very fast workflow; tagging system for all sounds, samples etc; drag and drop automatically bounced audio or midi clips directly to Reason sequencer; very light on CPU VST host; bidirectional midi; now Maschine can send midi CC from its macros easily to control whatever you want in Reason; very flexible and easy to configure user midi mode (many pages, channels, pad groups etc.). etc, etc. All synced via Link.
Additionally you are more focused on Reason. Live is very good for playing live/improvise (witch I use a lot too) but as Reason companion is very distracting for me (after year of trying). Rewire is good only if use Reason as a supplement for Live with some sounds from light racks or refills because of Live hosts Reason only with single cpu core so it is very easy to reach max cpu.

Thank you for your answer. So when it comes to sampling audio clips, you prefer maschine over push 2? It`s gonna be a really hard decision to choose i guess as all of the devices aren`t cheap and reasons compatibility with them seems so limited. I have nektar panorma P4 and i love all the mappings which i can get here in the forum and the intergration in reason is great.
"All synced via Link." what does that mean?


So one question to all of you: Do you guys think propellerhead will release a similar device which is integrated perfectly in reason? they have a self­contained system, so it would make sense.

[Gorgon]

Sounds so good. Which Version of Ableton are u using?

9, the latest.

"All synced via Link." what does that mean?

https://www.ableton.com/en/link/

So one question to all of you: Do you guys think propellerhead will release a similar device which is integrated perfectly in reason? they have a self­contained system, so it would make sense.

Nah. Their only hardware project has been abandoned (the Propellerhead Balance interface ). And there's so much alternatives out there. And Reason is also not a static thing, it has changed a lot over the years. So if you have a "perfectly integrated" device today, it might be different in a year from now. This of course also gives Propellerheads the freedom to do with the software what they want, since they don't have to support hardware that might limit them in doing so.

[bik44]

About 3 weeks ago there was an update for PusheR and I have to say that all work fine now. I changed my mind and after spending some time with it I like it. Finally I stoped using Live completely

[ejanuska]

I have a love/hate thing with Maschine.
It's so easy to throw something together, but then you have to get it all in Reason to finish it off.
It just kills the flow.

[demt]

I've just got my 1st loops outof novation launchpad 2 using grid64g-midirack extensio sorta impressed as the tune can go on 4 ever on the fly.gotta load of tricks to discover it's fun and it's very cheap
With this rack extension i think you should add the novation launchpad series to your list

[Tobi Rice]

I have a love/hate thing with Maschine.
It's so easy to throw something together, but then you have to get it all in Reason to finish it off.
It just kills the flow.

Thanks: I totally understand your point. The same thing would happen with Push or MPC i guess, because Reason isn`t a suitable enviroment

I've just got my 1st loops outof novation launchpad 2 using grid64g-midirack extensio sorta impressed as the tune can go on 4 ever on the fly.gotta load of tricks to discover it's fun and it's very cheap
With this rack extension i think you should add the novation launchpad series to your list

Thanks: Somehow grid64g seems very promising for either Launchpad or Push. Push is a launchpad, drum sequencer and especially a sampler in one...that`s great i think. But the sampling function propably will never work with reason because its integrated in abletons simpler. So if i use grid64g the push will become a launchpad for this rack extension - nothing more nothing less

[Gorgon]

Thanks: I totally understand your point. The same thing would happen with Push or MPC i guess, because Reason isn`t a suitable enviroment

That's not true of you use the PusheR app. Like I told you before.