We are currently preparing a new feature release for MASCHINE. Here are the major changes at a glance:
MASCHINE 2.10
ADDED Auto-Growing Patterns:
Upon creating a new Pattern, the length no longer needs to be defined in advance (still can be, but is optional). You can record at free Pattern length and after you are done recording, any silence will automatically be trimmed to the nearest Bar (quantisation can be adjusted via grid settings). After recording you can define the Start of your Pattern and Length, to pick the take or part of your recording that you liked best.
ADDED Pattern Start Position:
You can now define a Start-Offset for each Pattern. The above mentioned play range (set via Start and Length) can be freely moved throughout the Pattern via the Position marker from HW-Controllers or by dragging the loop range left and right in the Software.
ADDED Pattern Play Position indicated on the LED Touchstrip for MASCHINE MK3 and MASCHINE MIKRO MK3 (when Touchstrip is not used otherwise)
FIXED A problem where Multi-Outputs of MASCHINE 2 were not working correctly in Pro Tools
FIXED A crash when loading Meteoric Rise: Tomahawk Kit and creating a Pattern
FIXED a crash / error message “project could not be saved” when switching between Audio-Module and Sampler
Further down the line
This update defines the shape of things to come for MASCHINE in 2020. We will be focusing on features that enable you to use Patterns, Scenes and the Song-View (Timeline) in more flexible ways and working towards extended and improved Arrangement Features in MASCHINE.
In the coming months, we will be putting all our efforts into these features and enhancements and hope to share the first prototype in our Beta community around March/April.
Our ultimate goal is to get to a point where you can produce tracks start to finish in MASCHINE and we will continue working towards this point step by step, one feature at a time. I’m looking very much forward to the journey ahead of us and I hope that the upcoming release will be a welcome workflow addition to many of you!
I do like the auto-growing patterns. Annoying having to set a length each time instead of just hitting record and playing freely. Such a basic feature that should have been implemented long ago, and is probably telling of why NI gets so much flak from people.
@G0n35y Like I said… I love some of their plugins. Like Replika and the new RAUM.
Their hardware keyboards are also top notch! Especially if you are into the NI Komplete ecosystem. It’s a complete no-brainer.
The only annoying thing with their instrument VST’s is that you are forced to use the Komplete Kontrol host VST, which just sucks balls.
Maschine software on the other hand is just terrible overall. Never liked it and could get into it. It’s easy to load it into Ableton as VST plugin, but you ended up working within a single track or had to run multiple Maschine VST’s over each track, which was eating away your CPU fast!
When I realized that, I just could just as well use Ableton’s own drumracks and use Maschine as host controller. Worked much better actually… but then came along Push2 that blows Maschine out of the water.
I can’t help but feel like they could certainly afford to do…more. It seems like they literally never add features people actually request. They’re such a massive company. It’s not a little 2 man operation, they compete with Akai. I just think they could do a lot more. Hopefully this next release will be just that. Honestly I’m pretty happy with maschine I’m general and I’m glad to hear they’re going to approach arrangement in more flexible ways. I’d just love to see them add an actual feature cause auto growing patterns doesn’t really knock my socks off.
Yeah I agree. As an Ableton user, I see so many basic, helpful things that the Maschine software lacks that NI could add to make the experience less frustrating. I still love it though for sketching: immediate access to arp mode, chord mode, lock states, browsing, NKS, large pads for finger drumming, and so on are lacking on my Push 2. And a better screen on the Maschine MK3 than the Push 2. Step sequencing on the Push is obviously light years ahead of the Maschine because of the 64 pads: love the 32 step sequencer with 4 rows for notes on bottom and 4 rows for steps on top.
Honestly, not to hijack the thread or bash NI, but I have never got on with Maschine. I loved the concept of the original, and I have owned the Studio and MK3. The problem for me is the Maschine 2.0 software as it just doesn’t compare to the streamlined workflow of Ableton Live, nor does it just ‘make sense’ to me like Akai’s MPC workflow. I know if I spent more time with it that I would be able to fluidly create music, but given the range of options available currently, I just don’t see any benefit to my workflow. I also hate being advertised sample packs and wading through them to find sounds, I’m too much invested in my own sample libraries. But again, this is due to having my own workflow already in place. I can see the benefit for beginners and for people looking to add something to their existing music who don’t have other hardware for example.
I have never used Maschine as a DAW as such.
Building clips and exporting them to other DAW or DT.
Like the MIDI routing a lot as well as audio bussing.
Also using Maschine Jam as a HW controller for Traktor.
Again nothing to do with a DAW.
I feel like NI have been making this same statement since 2013. They made it seem like making changes to the arranger etc was their priority back then.
I don’t regret my purchase of a Maschine, but I definitely shouldn’t have upgraded to the Studio version a year later and invested so much into the Komplete infrastructure. The whole of software v 2.0 to now has been a bit of a dud!
That being said, I still think that Maschine is the best device I’ve used for making initial loops, and I know it like the back of my hand, but after that initial loop phase the workflow isn’t as enjoyable, to me.
Yup. Hey but maschine mk3 is a good sketchpad in standalone. Also it’s a great drum controller for ableton drum racks, but when I’m putting work in it’s in ableton versus doing everything in standalone m. I’m fine with that too.
Sure, Maschine is great at what it does. For me though, and somewhat weirdly, the Mk3 frustrated me exactly because the hardware is so far ahead of the software (especially the displays are almost criminally underused). I did not have that feeling with the Mk2.
Actually I’m pretty sure with the most recent update you can swap pads around. You go to Pad Mode, select a pad, hold Shift and it gets you the same Move feature you get with plug-ins. This can be worked with Groups too.
This. The hardware on the MK3 is amazing, love the strip and the pads and the screen tech. And it’s a USB audio interface! The software feels like it’s stuck in the past.
My biggest gripe is how wild whacky the Host Integration/Template thing has become with the MK3.
The Host Integration is really limited and basically just a mixer (which does have its uses) and the Ableton template is insanely under done compared to controllers of the past.
I have a Push 1 which fills in the gaps but the MK3 is such a dope to-go controller I wish the template just had some basics like functional note repeat, pitch bend, and fixed velocity.
Right now I just set up a Maschine instance and route it to midi tracks in Ableton so I get all the great features like Note Repeat/Arp, Fixed Velocity, Chord and Strum features, etc then I use my Push for general Device tweaking and step editing. It’s not the best work flow but I get some damn good results for the amount of work put in.
The MK3 pads are unbeatable to me and the built in Audio Interface makes me pick it more often than not since I can sit on my porch or in bed and just jam out full tracks. The P-Locks and Lock states are super dope too, especially when you get Perform FX involved.
I miss Kore so much.
Many of the Kore FX were transformational.
I could throw a kick into them and get weird melodies that inspired multiple tracks.
So sad they killed it.
Yeah. I use the legacy Ableton script instead of the new, unfinished one. I find the workflow on it is good for drumrack stuff (jamming and recording ideas). It has Session mode, transports (including a delete button), etc. If it wasn’t for the pads, I wouldn’t bother with Maschine for finger drumming in Ableton. The size of the pads in Ableton make me feel like I’m typing on a computer keyboard, whereas the pads on the MK3 are big enough that it feels more like I’m playing an instrument.
I sold all my NI stuff back in august ( M32, Maschine mk3 & Jam and komplete 12 standard) and switched to push 2 plus live 10 suite for 600€( there was a promo, live 10 suite free with push 2)
The moment I added hardware to my set up maschine became pretty useless, just delay compensation and audio multitracking make a big difference.
I did not want to use a daw inside a daw and no matter what they say that is what it is, a buggy daw.
I know Ableton software will keep evolving, but machine? No one knows, Kore 2 users had to learn that the hard way
