A Collection of Bits and Pieces

Awaiting Ableton Move

delivery pending, 13 October 2024

Over the past few years I've been looking for a good musical sketchpad to work on songs away from the desktop computer. Ideally, it would be something portable that I could take with me wherever I go. I've tried a few different options already, including a small laptop and a pair of tracker-styled devices. But nothing really seemed to fit.

That's why I was so excited when I discovered the Ableton Move.

Because it looks exactly like what I've been after: a mobile device, with a limited feature set that facilitates quick and easy song sketches that can then translate back to my main music computer.

When I first learned about Ableton Note I was excited and hopeful. But then disappointment set in when I learned it was only for iPhone and iPad. I've even considered buying one of those devices simply so I could access Ableton Note.

In one of the first videos I saw about Move it was characterized as a hardware version of Ableton Note and that caught my attention. If I'm able to start projects in Move and then transfer them to Live for further development, then that sounds exactly like what I'm looking for.

When you start a new set on Move, it randomly populates each of the four tracks with a specific kind of instrument:

1. Drums
2. Bass
3. Harmony
4. Lead

It's a good basic starting point. And it is still just a suggestion as you can load up four instances of the drum rack or four bass tracks, or mix and match any combo you wish. But the fact it starts pre-populated is a definite improvement over every other device I've tried or considered. Especially since most of my songwriting consists of reacting to what I already have.

For instance, let's say I start with a drum track. Then once I have something I like I'll listen back and usually "hear" something that goes with it. I'll load up another instrument that matches what I'm hearing and then respond and improvise something. And then once that new voice is added, I'll repeat the process. "What do I hear next?" This continues until I stop hearing new things to add. Which means that with only four tracks to work with, I have an artificial constraint on that process. It would be great if there were eight tracks to work with. Absolutely. I suspect that in time it could be possible to have multiple banks of four tracks on this device if the "SHIFT + UP ARROW / DOWN ARROW" key combo has not already been mapped to something else. But even if four tracks is all this device will ever offer it will still be enough to get me started with a project, and that will certainly fulfill its purpose.

As a side note, the images I'm using right now are from the press kit for the Ableton Move. I'm still undecided if I will try to take my own photos so these may become default Move illustrations, going forward.

There are still a few more days until my unit arrives.

I'm excited and hopeful for what comes after that.