Building a Battery-Powered Ambient Live Setup with Push 3 and Move

Hey friends,

After sharing my "Shelter" ambient performance, I got a ton of questions about how this setup actually works. So here's the complete breakdown of my battery-powered ambient live rig built around the Ableton Push 3 and Ableton Move.

The philosophy

The philosophy behind this system is simple: I wanted something portable, intuitive, and designed for improvisation. Both devices run completely on battery power, which means no laptop, no cables, no distractions. Just me, the gear, and the music. I can take this setup anywhere - to the park, on the balcony, wherever inspiration strikes.

What makes this setup special is the conversation between human and machine. The Push 3 handles my melodic playing - pads, arps, bass, all locked to C Phrygian scale so I can't hit wrong notes. The Move provides the rhythmic foundation with four tracks of drums, bass, and textures. Together, they create a complete ambient ecosystem where I can build layers in real-time with zero pre-recorded clips.

Generative sequencing with Sting 2

The secret weapon is Sting 2, a generative sequencer that creates evolving patterns I can respond to live. I set up sequences, hit the new button, and suddenly have fresh material to react to. This human-machine interaction keeps performances feeling alive and unpredictable. Thanks to Ableton Link, both devices sync wirelessly without any MIDI cables.

Performance-wise, I use the Push 3's mixer to fade sounds in and out, layer multiple pads for depth, and control master effects like echo, grain delay, and reverb in real-time. Everything stays quantized to the same scale, so layers always work together harmoniously.

The beauty of this setup is its modularity. I can swap the Move for a Moog Mother-32 or Elektron Digitone depending on the vibe I'm after. It's a playground for ambient exploration that always sounds good.

Watch the full breakdown on YouTube, and grab the Push 3 template on Patreon if you want to explore this system yourself.

Stay creative,
Miles