Ableton Move, a new music sketchbook hardware for ideas on the go with sampling

Ableton Move is out now and is a new battery-powered hardware sketchbook/groovebox for ideas on the go with onboard sampling and more.

The pictures of Ableton Move leaked over the weekend are accurate. This is what the new Ableton Move looks like. 

Today, Ableton officially presented the instrument with all the information we needed.

Ableton Move Hardware

Move is a new standalone hardware from the Berlin company. It’s not a Push 3 light, even if it looks like the flagship has been split into two. Maybe a Baby Push? 

The hardware, powered by a modern ARM processor, consists of 32 velocity-sensitive polyphonic aftertouch pads, nine high-resolution encoders, a touch-sensitive, clickable jog wheel, and 16 backlit multifunctional buttons. 

On the back, you get a power on/off button, a headphone/stereo line output, a stereo line input for sampling, a USB host for MIDI devices, and a USB-C port for data, audio, and power. A built-in battery powers the unit for up to 4 hours of continuous play, or you can power it via USB-C. 

It’s a very light and portable device with just 0,97kg and dimensions of W313.5 x D146.3 x H34mm. 

Where Push 3 standalone gives you almost all the power and options of Ableton Live and Max For Live, Move takes a sketchy approach with fewer features but more focus on creativity than total production. 

Move is not a feature-rich groovebox but rather a music sketchbook hardware for the on-the-go, with which you can make tracks and later finalize them in Ableton Live. What Ableton Note is on iOS, now as hardware.

Four Tracks

It offers four tracks with selectable instruments: drum, melodic, or sampler. These are based on the popular Ableton Live devices, including the drum sampler, wavetable synth, Drift synth, and melodic sampler.

However, the instruments are not available in their full version in the hardware. Like in Ableton Note, you get a simplified version with macro controls. We may have to wait and see how this develops in the future. Maybe we get more parameters in future updates.

Each comes with a big collection of sounds that can be easily tweaked on the hardware. The sampler is more versatile here.

You can sample into the Ableton Move hardware using the built-in microphone, the stereo line input or USB-C audio to feed the sampler with custom sounds. Plus, you can use it to re-sample your tracks in the hardware. The built-in 64GB memory offers plenty of space for sampling.

The engine also has various effect processors to mangle or refine your sounds, including reverb, delay, saturator, chorus-ensemble, phaser-flanger, redux, channel EQ, and compressor.

Creative Features

Sounds can be recorded in the built-in sequencer using the pads or the 16 hardware buttons underneath the 32 pads. For additional creativity, it also comes with best-known features from Ableton Live, including the unique capture feature that remembers what you just played.

It also includes a repeat function designed to generate repeated notes quickly. Plus, you get parameter automation for the parameters. 

Then, the session mode is your creative hub, where your notes and beats become a track. You can mix and combine your musical ideas by triggering the clips with Move’s aftertouch pads. Once finished, you can export your tracks as a Move file into Ableton Live or as an MP3.

Control Live

In addition to a groovebox, I was speculating on a new MIDI controller. It’s a standalone hardware sketchbook, but the latter can do it, too. You can turn the hardware into a MIDI controller for Ableton Live using Live Control mode. 

You can use the Ableton Move hardware controls and pads to program sequences, launch clips, and tweak parameters.

Other Features

Ableton Move also offers built-in WiFi with Ableton Link support, which makes it easy to sync with other hardware in your setup. WiFi also supports file exchange, so you can easily export your tracks to Ableton Live, Note, or Push. 

Another nice feature: the USB-C port also works as an audio interface. Once connected to your computer or mobile device, you can route the hardware audio via USB out of the device.

Ableton Move First Impression

At first glance, it’s an intruiging portable hardware. As I said, it’s not a full-fledged groovebox, but for me, it’s more of a music sketchbook hardware with which you can capture music ideas that you can complete later.

Even though I’m an intensive Ableton Live user, it wouldn’t be hardware that would appeal to me right now. I prefer Ableton Note for on-the-go. For people who prefer dedicated hardware with controls, this could be ideal.

Ableton Move is available now for $449/449€

More information here: Ableton 

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