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start fleshing out Push 2 support docs

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_manual/22_using-control-surfaces/06_Abelton_Push2.html
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@ -5,13 +5,14 @@ menu_title: Ableton Push 2
--- ---
<p> <p>
Since version 5.0, Ardour has had full support for the Ableton Since version 5.4, Ardour has had full support for the Ableton
Push2. This is an expensive but well engineered control surface Push2. This is an expensive but beautifully engineered control
primarily targetting the workflow found in Ableton's Live software surface primarily targetting the workflow found in Ableton's Live
and other similar tools such as Bitwig. As of 5.0, Ardour does not software and other similar tools such as Bitwig. As of 5.4, Ardour
offer the same kind of workflow, so we have repurposed the Push 2 to does not offer the same kind of workflow, so we have repurposed the
be used for mixing and editing, rather than the clip/scene oriented Push 2 to be used for mixing and editing and musical performance,,
approach in Live. without the clip/scene oriented approach in Live. This may change in
future versions of Ardour.
</p> </p>
<h2>Connecting the Push 2</h2> <h2>Connecting the Push 2</h2>
@ -48,37 +49,135 @@ menu_title: Ableton Push 2
future sessions. future sessions.
</p> </p>
<h2>Using the Push 2</h2> <h2>Basic Concepts</h2>
<p> <p>
Below we document the functionality accessible from each control on With the Push 2 support in Ardour 5.4, you can do the following
the Push 2. The controls can be divided into several sections. things:
<dl> <dl>
<dt>Pads</dt> <dt>Perform using the 8 x 8 pad "grid"</dt>
<dd></dd> <dd>The Push 2 has really lovely pressure-sensitive pads that can
<dt>Buttons</dt> also generate either aftertouch or note (polyphonic) pressure.</dd>
<dd></dd> <dt>Global Mixing</dt>
<dt>Encoders</dt> <dd>See many tracks at once, and control numerous parameters for each.</dd>
<dd></dd> <dt>Track/Bus Mixing</dt>
<dt>Touch Strip</dt> <dd>View a single track/bus, with even more parameters for the track.</dd>
<dd></dd> <dt>Choose the mode/scale, root note and more for the pads</dt>
<dd>37 scales are available. Like Live, Ardour offers both
"in-key" and "chromatic" pad layouts.</dd>
</dl> </dl>
</p> </p>
<h2>Musical Performance</h2>
<p> <p>
Conceptually, Ardour dividers the controls into a set of 8 strips, Messages sent from the 8x8 pad grid and the "pitch bend bar" are
each consisting of an encoder (at the top), 2 buttons on either side routed to a special MIDI port within Ardour called "Ableton Pads"
of the display, and 8 pads. All the other controls have independent (no extra latency is incurred from this routing). Although you can
functions. manually connect this port to whatever you wish, the normal
<p> behaviour of Ardour's Push 2 support is to connect the pads to the
Buttons who function is somewhat related to the label built into the most recently selected MIDI track.
device will have the label illuminated.
</p> </p>
<p> <p>
Buttons that Ardour uses for entirely different purposes than the This means that to play a soft-synth/instrument plugin in a given
builtin label are left unilluminated, but still provide some MIDI track with the Push 2, you just need to select that track.
functionality.
</p> </p>
<p> <p>
The upper right encoder is used as a gain control (volume) for the If multiple MIDI tracks are selected at once, the first selected
Master out or Monitor out busses. track will be used. Note that messages originating from all other
controls on the Push 2 will <em>not</em> not be delivered to the
"Ableton Pads" port. This makes no difference in practice, because
the other controls do not send messages that are useful for musical
performance.
</p> </p>
<h2>Global Mix</h2>
<p>
This is the default mode that Ardour will start the Push 2 in. In
this mode, the 8 knobs at the top of the device, the 8 buttons below
them, the video display and the 8 buttons below that are combined to
provide a global view of the session mix.
<!-- SCREENSHOT HERE -->
</p> </p>
<p>
The upper buttons are labelled by text in the video display just
below them. Pressing one of the buttons changes the function of the
knobs, and the parameters that will shown for each track/bus in the
display. As of Ardour 5.4, the possible parameters are:
<dl>
<dt>Volumes</dt>
<dd>The display shows a knob and text displaying
the current gain setting for the track, and a meter that
corresponds precisely to the meter shown in the Ardour GUI for
that track. Changing the meter type (e.g. from Peak to K12) in the
GUI will also change it in the Push 2 display. The physical knob
will alter track/bus gain.
</dd>
<dt>Pans</dt>
<dd>The display shows a knob indicating the pan direction/azimuth
for the corresponding track/bus. Turning the physical knob will
pan the track left and right. If the track/bus has no panner
(i.e. it has only a single output), no knob is shown and the
physical knob will do nothing. </dd>
<dt>Pan Widths</dt>
<dd><p>For tracks with 2 outputs, the display will show a knob
indicating the pan width setting for the corresponding
track/bus. The physical knob can be turned to adjust the
width.
</p>
<p>
Unlike many DAWs, Ardour's stereo panners have "width"
parameter that defaults to 100%. You cannot change the pan
direction/azimuth of a track with 100% width, but must first
reduce the width in order to pan it. Similarly, a track panned
anywhere other than dead center has limits on the maximum
width setting. If these concepts are not familiar to you,
please be aware than many DAWs use a "panner" that actually
implement "balance" and not "panning", hence the difference.
</p>
</dd>
<dt>A Sends</dt>
<dd>The display shows a knob indicating the gain level for the
first send in that track. If the track has no send, no knob will
be shown, and the physical knob for that track will do nothing.
</dd>
<dd>B Sends, C Sends, D Sends</dd>
<dt>Like "A Sends", but for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th sends of a
track/bus respectively.
</dt>
</dl>
</p>
<h2>Track Mix</h2>
<h2>Specific Button/Knob Functions</h2>
<p>
In addition to the layouts described above, many (but not all) of
the buttons and knobs around the edges of the Push 2 will carry out
various functions related to their (illuminated) label. As of Ardour
5.4, this includes:
<ul>
<li>Metronome (button and adjacent knob)</li>
<li>Undo/Redo</li>
<li>Duplicate</li>
<li>Delete</li>
<li>Double Loop</li>
<li>Quantize</li>
<li>Duplicate</li>
<li>Rec-Enable</li>
<li>Play</li>
<li>Add Track</li>
<li>Browse</li>
<li>Master</li>
<li>Cursor arrows</li>
<li>Repeat</li>
<li>Scale</li>
<li>Layout</li>
<li>Octave buttons</li>
<li>Page buttons</li>
<li>Master knob</li>
</ul>
</p>