The Ableton Move, a new stand-alone instrument from the makers of the world’s most popular live DJ software, is already one of my favorite grooveboxes, and it's mostly because of how well it integrates with that excellent software ecosystem.
There are plenty of more-powerful options out there. There are cheaper options, options with more features and connectivity. There are even options that aren’t tethered to a specific digital audio workstation. But as a dedicated Ableton Live user and someone who prizes immediacy and ease of use over an impressive spec sheet, I can’t help but be drawn to the Move more than all the others, and I expect the millions like me who use Ableton will feel the same.
You’re not going to compose a finished record on it, but it’s an excellent musical sketch pad, and those sketches can then easily be transferred to Ableton Live to be fleshed out. For under $500, it's a worthwhile tool for portable music-making for folks who use Ableton Live in the studio or on stage.
Getting Moving
The Ableton Move is, in many ways, a mini Ableton Push ($2,000) controller. It’s a black slab with a fairly minimal appearance apart from pads on top. Even many of the icons that tell you how to access the Move’s more advanced features and menus remain hidden unless you hold down the Shift button. The key design choices from the Push are there, from the decently sized jog wheel and the 32 RGB pads with polyphonic aftertouch to the smooth endless encoders.