Ableton’s head of hardware on Push 3’s $1,049 upgrade path: “We’ve changed our distribution model to make it as affordable as we can”
He also addressed Push only shipping with Live Intro
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
Jesse Terry, head of hardware at Ableton, has defended the price of Push’s upgrade path to Push standalone, and acknowledged concerns of battery life and the product not shipping with Ableton Live Suite.
READ MORE: Is Ableton Push 3 really a timeless instrument for a new generation?
Speaking to MusicTech, Terry defended the $1,049 cost of upgrading from Push tethered to Push standalone. “These parts – the battery, the processor, the hard drive – are not cheap at all.
“We’ve even changed our distribution model to make these as affordable as we can.”
He also explained that Ableton’s upgrade path for Push gives customers the chance to decide whether they need a standalone model or not. “We give them the option to make this decision later.
“That’s one-half of it,” he continues. “The other reason that we wanted it upgradeable is, [in a few years], we could have a new instrument that takes more processing power. We want to make sure that this product can have a longer lifespan, which I think is the opposite of planned obsolescence. That’s our goal – that Push is a product that will last a long time. We see a lot of the opposite of that in our industry and we don’t like it.”
Terry also addressed concerns raised by producers and content creators about Push only shipping with Ableton Live Intro rather than Live Suite. In a video on Push, creator Weaver Beats says this move is a “f*ck you” to the customer.
“I hear this,” Terry says. “I’d say that many people who buy a Push already have Live Suite. We do offer a bundled discount if people want this. But this is the way our business model works for selling this product. I know it’s not a cheap product, but we’re definitely making less on this than, I’m sure, anybody else in our industry does – in terms of margins.
“At the same time, Live Intro can give you a really powerful standalone product. Even though it’s limited in the instruments, it does have presets built on those instruments, so you have a huge palette. And with 16 tracks, you can get a lot of your music done.”
Artist Beats by J Black told MusicTech: “[Push] is Ableton saying, ‘this is going to be the piece of equipment for a long time. We’re not getting another one anytime soon.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Terry explains the reasons behind Push’s 2.5 hour battery life, and shares the story of how Push 3 came to life. Read the full story on MusicTech.
