Poly Pusher

Play chords. Build a melody around them. Shape the sound.

1. Set up

Prepared for Ableton Live 12 with Max for Live on Windows. Use Push 3 or a MIDI keyboard. Other Live versions, operating systems and Push models have not been validated for this release. Poly Pusher is a MIDI effect: it needs an instrument after it to make sound.

1. Extract the download and copy the entire version-named folder into your Ableton User Library. Keep all files inside its Device folder together.
2. Drag Mr Py's Poly Pusher.amxd from that folder onto a MIDI track, before your instrument.
3. Arm the track or enable monitoring. Select the track, then click Open Studio.
4. Choose Input: Push or Input: Keyboard.

Push uses normal Note mode with the 64-note layout. If the positions don't line up, use Align Pads and follow its prompts. Keyboard mode uses the lowest 16 keys, including black keys, for chords. Keys above them play the performance notes. Set your key count and use Learn First Key if needed.

2. Play chords and a melody

On Push, the left two columns trigger 16 chord slots. The six columns on the right play performance notes that respond to the active harmony. The on-screen bank and pad layout match. Note labels show the notes being played.

Performance note choices

Chord Tones uses notes in the active chord. Safe Notes adds selected passing notes. Scale Notes uses the scale matched to the active chord. Colour Notes adds tension notes. All 12 Notes allows chromatic playing.

3. Make the chords your own

Right-click a chord card to choose its root and type. Lock favourites before generating a new bank. In Edit Notes, adjust each pitch by semitone (ST) or octave (OCT), add a note or delete it. Record Notes captures MIDI pitches; Apply Take replaces the selected chord with the recorded notes. Discard Take leaves the chord unchanged.

Voicing + Bass

I Root, II First inversion, III Second inversion and IV Spread rearrange the chord. For exact custom notes, I uses your entered arrangement. Saved Voicing returns to the original arrangement underneath these choices.

Bass adds the chosen bass pitch. Low Bass (−12) adds it another octave down; use either or both. Bass defaults to the chord root, or choose another note for a slash chord such as F/D. Bass Octave sets its starting octave.

Per Chord keeps independent settings for each slot. All Chords applies one voicing, bass-switch and bass-octave setup across the bank, without erasing individual settings. Turn it off to restore them. Each slot retains its own bass-note choice.

Explore

Start Path begins a progression with the selected chord. Pick a suggested next chord to extend it. Copy to Bank writes the progression into the bank. Clear Path clears the exploration sequence.

4. Expression and Chaos

Enable Pitch Slide, Pressure or Timbre to send expression to a compatible instrument. Push and the receiving instrument need suitable MPE settings. For the configured pitch-slide range, use ±48 semitones on the instrument. Chord voices stay steady while performance voices bend.

In Push mode, enable the Chaos split to make the upper 6 × 4 performance pads control parameters while the lower 6 × 4 play notes. X controls left/right position, Y up/down position and Z pressure.

1. Click Map X, Map Y or Map Z.
2. Select the desired parameter in Live's device controls.
3. Play the Chaos pads and adjust the mapping's minimum/maximum values.

For plug-ins such as Serum, expose the desired parameter through Live's Configure controls first. Clicking a knob only inside a third-party plug-in window may not select a Live parameter. Unmap removes the assignment. Chaos is inactive in Keyboard mode.

5. Separate chord and solo instruments

1. Put Poly Pusher before the chord instrument. Choose Master and a Link Group.
2. Put another instance before the solo instrument. Choose Follower with the same group.
3. Play chords on the Master, then use the Follower's performance area to solo over that harmony.

A Follower needs an active source in its group. It does not automatically sound the Master's chord or bass layers. Only one Master or MIDI Source can own each group. Solo / Unlinked works independently. MIDI Source detects incoming chord MIDI, such as a clip, for Followers to use.

6. Save, update and roll back

Your device settings save with the Live set. Save a backup copy of important sets before installing updates.

1. Download the new version from your original purchase/download page.
2. Extract it into a separate version-named folder. Keep the old version and its dependencies installed.
3. Open the new device on a separate track to check it before using it in an important project.

No automatic updater or online activation is installed. Avoid deleting old release folders until you have checked the sets that use them.

7. Troubleshooting

• No sound: check track monitoring, instrument placement and MIDI input. Select Only produces no chord audio; a Follower needs harmony from its group source.
• Window looks old or dependencies are missing: extract the whole download, keep its Device folder intact, restart Live and load the new version.
• Push layout is wrong: select the correct track, use normal Note mode / 64 Notes and run Align Pads.
• Slide has no effect: check Pitch Slide, Push expression settings and instrument MPE support/bend range.
• Stuck sound: press Stop Notes, then release held controller keys.

Support: support@mrpy.uk

Include your Poly Pusher version, Live version, operating system, controller and the steps that reproduce the issue.