I do like the onboard poly synth. Supposed to be a Prophet 5. whatever it is you can create nice sounds with it. Adding efx helps. It can make deep bass sounds as well just with one square wave.
If you stick to 8 tracks like an Octatrack and create some effect sends you will not have CPU issues. You can even create a Master track on track 8 and add DJ effects.
it sounds great.
I think there is no NI synth that doesn’t sound good
Must say the sounds on this are all brilliant-the on board synths are not the most tweakable (on the unit itself) but the range of sounds is impressive, the kits are really inspiring and obviously you can do loads with samples on it (though I know that was not your intention).
If you want to go deeper into sound design I am not sure this is the unit (standalone anyway) but as a great sounds, multiuse box that can do pretty much anything I think it ticks a lot of boxes. I have an Akai force as well and keep switching between the two… it’s a hard call but on balance I think the M+ ‘sounds’ sound better (YMMV)
Hi everyone,
I just found a gem in the NI forum. Basically it allow maschine jam to change patterns on your maschine without changing focus.
Here is the retranscripted post :
"If you’re on a Mac, and you want to make it so Maschine JAM no longer changes the focused group when you select a pattern, then (after making a backup) change the section starting line 182 of :
/Applications/Native Instruments/Maschine 2/Maschine 2.app/Contents/Resources/Scripts/Maschine/Helper/PatternHelper.lua
To read :
function PatternHelper.focusPatternByGroupAndByIndex(GroupIndex, PatternIndex, CreateIfEmpty)
if PatternIndex == nil or PatternIndex < 0 or GroupIndex == nil or GroupIndex < 0 then
return
end
local FocusGroup = NI.DATA.StateHelper.getFocusGroupIndex(App)
local Group = MaschineHelper.getGroupAtIndex(GroupIndex)
if Group then
local Pattern = Group:getPatterns():find(PatternIndex)
if Pattern then
local FocusSection = NI.DATA.StateHelper.getFocusSection(App)
local FocusScene = NI.DATA.StateHelper.getFocusScene(App)
local FocusScenePattern = FocusScene and NI.DATA.SceneAccess.getPattern(FocusScene, Group)
local HasFocus = Pattern == FocusScenePattern
if HasFocus then
if FocusSection then
NI.DATA.SectionAccess.removePattern(App, FocusSection, Group)
else – In Idea Space we work on Scenes directly.
NI.DATA.SceneAccess.removePattern(App, FocusScene, Group)
end
else
NI.DATA.GroupAccess.insertPatternAndFocus(App, Group, Pattern)
end
if FocusGroup ~= GroupIndex then
MaschineHelper.setFocusGroup(FocusGroup + 1, false)
end
elseif CreateIfEmpty == true then
– note: AudioPatterns can’t currently be empty, so CreateIfEmpty is n/a
PatternHelper.insertNewPattern(PatternIndex, Group)
end
end
end"
As awesome as I found this, I’m not able to use since since I don’t own a mac which still supports last version of maschine…
I tried to find a similar script in my windows system to no avail.
Anyone skilled enough to be of some help here to port this for win users ?
Thank you very much for any help !
Link to the original post :
Interesting, thanks! I might try that in a quiet moment.
I red in this link that doing the same in Windows seems to be much more difficult, if this refers to a similar approach.
I am not using Windows although when reading this I would love to try it out. I would probably use a Virtual Maschine for that to not screw something up…
http://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker/
wow.
Or consider a MacBook Air M1, they are reasonably cheap nowadays. 
Hey, thanks !
This thread was really interesting to read.
I tried to decompile Maschine executable but I’m left with binary code I can’t really do anything with. It seems so easy on a Mac…Why it’s rocket “way above my head” science on win ??.. 
Hi guys using my Maschine plus in standalone more a lil more now that I figure some of the basic manoeuvrings. I wonder if somebody has noticed that sometimes out of certain sounds / pads a temporal crackling sound / distortion happen on the device. The CPU is at 40% so that shouldn’t be the issue.
Because a lot of Expansions have like a ton of effects on the signal chain for EACH PAD. LIke Sampler>EQ>Compressor>Filter>AnotherEQ>etc>Reverb.
If you remove all that crap and use send fx, it’s super ok.
That makes a lot of sense!
Exactly. My impression is that many “over produced” projects with tons of tracks and FX delivered with an Expansion run perfectly on an i9 / M2 system but of course not on M+ . IMO even migrated to MPC they wouldn’t run on a MPC.
Hi guys!
A quick but important one for me here:
Is it worth it to have the Maschine+ just for driving my external synths?
Is it such a great sequencer and arranger to be worth?
Thanks!
I think you can find better sequencers out there. Think about the 4x4 pads. Not the best layout to change and manipulate steps.
Also if you are desk bound and always have access to wall outlet a MK3 should work good. Since you said it is important to you please decide this for yourself the best course of action.
I like the especially the flexibility of parts with scenes and arranger…
Also the editing of notes not too bad…
I don t feel Force is much more friendly.
(I don t use computer, so no Mk3 for me)
And I need a piano roll sequencer…
Just some names for you to explore:
Thanks, but I need piano roll editing and capacity of recording
It’s hands down the best arrangement tool I’ve used so far.
The workflow can be counterintuitive and dated, but it’s very powerful arranging ideas and shuffling through different variations while auditioning them against other parts.
And it’s super easy to rearrange them on the fly to really dial in the scenes.
Plus the sampler chops like butter.
Is there any better machine for sequencing ext gear ,having also piano roll editing, arranger and the capacity of recording audio?
(apart from Force and Maschine+)
MPC - live 2, one or X
I am prob a bit biased. Just had my second M+ in a few weeks and due to various issues (not always the device to be fair) I’ve got rid and gone back to MPC. One thing I did find on getting the Live 2 back. The sequencing of external gear is so much more straightforward on the MPC platform than the Maschine
I agree that’s not a strength of maschine. It works best with just staying in its environment. External stuff can be tricky
A note on this. I love the M+ fx, lots of possibilities here, unlimited when you use it with reaktor - though, Reaktor is not oficially supported and to my experience can create sometimes some slower/fail loading of a project.
Audio/loop tracks. If you want to use a timestreched sample, that is locked to a pitch - doesnt go up or down in pitch if you increase or decrease the tempo - you are limited to very few loops, in a normal project. When i say very, i mean one. You can still use it but you will begin to notice a small gitch every time that you restart a pattern. Also it can happen when you change scene (rbzztt).
I discussed it on Native Instruments forum.
So i try to forget using loops with my M+ because i can\t/dont want to have my projects glitching. On a positive note, the time stretching algorithm is the best in the groovebox class, comparing to SP-16, Mpc live/force, Roland mc, etc.
And my M+ is my most important piece of harware, had it since day one and i will never get rid of it 