It almost goes without saying that the big news in the world of production gear this week was the official announcement from Ableton of the forthcoming Live 9 software and the company’s first venture into controller design, Push. Along with those details, we’ve gathered up a few other useful tidbits that we couldn’t let slip under the radar.

Ableton 9 is officially on its way, with a brand new controller to boot:

– Yesterday, Ableton officially announced that the next version of its renowned Live software is on its way. Out of the littany of new features said to come with Live 9, at the top of our list are the updated browser, revamped automation capabilities, the new Glue compressor (modeled after the stereo compressor from a classic British console), an improved EQ 8, a faster Max for Live (which will be included with the Live 9 Suite), and—perhaps most intriguingly—the ability to convert monophonic, polyphonic, and ryhtmic audio to MIDI data. You can check out a video showcasing some of Live 9’s new features below and head here to read up on all of the details before the software sees a release early next year.

– Alongside the Live 9 news, Ableton unveiled its first ever controller, Push. The sleek bus-powered unit is said to be a hybrid of hardware and software that is perfectly suited for creation within Live 9. With its 64 velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads, eight touch-sensitive encoders, and colorful LEDs combined with its slew of functions and modes, it looks like Push may be looking to find that controller sweet spot between the Monome, Launchpad, APCs, and the rest of the current crop of USB tools. Check out the demo video below, and get all the specs on Push here.

– Update: There is now an hour-long video of Ableton’s preview event in Berlin for Live 9 and Push for you diehards that just can’t get enough info on the forthcoming goodies; watch it below.

Traktor Pro 2.6 is now availible:

– Back when Native Instruments announced the details of its forthcoming mixer/controller hybrid, the Kontrol Z2, it also unveiled the Traktor Pro 2.6 update that included a new Flux Mode, 11 new Macro FX (essentially combinations of existing Traktor FX), and other various performance enhancements. Now, that software has been made available for existing Traktor Pro users to take advantage of these features before the Z2 hits the shelves. Current users are directed to download the free update via Native Instruments’ Service Center application.

Electrix releases a colorful controller:

– Although it officially saw a release earlier this month, we caught wind of this flashy performance controller from Electrix just this week, and couldn’t help but share. The Tweaker is said to work with Traktor, Ableton, and Serato out of the box, and also comes with an editor to help customize its use. Aside from the bright colors and videogame controller-esque design, the Tweaker also features four feet that lift it off the table top. We not entirely sure if any of that is actually useful or not, but it certainly lends itself to a second glance. You can check out the full details on the newly released unit here.

And, in case you missed them:

– Two reviews popped up on our site this week as we took a critical look at Novation’s latest synthesizer, the compact Mininova, and Vestax’s VCI-400 USB/MIDI DJ controller. Take a look and see what we thought of the two pieces.