It does still offer a few extra controls though, such as a navigation jog-wheel and additional buttons. At launch its major selling point was its expansive screens, but these were later added to the core version. Because of this, it doesn’t actually offer that much more than the standard Mk3, feature-wise. While nominally being the top of the range, Maschine Studio is currently a generation behind its two siblings (on its second iteration). There’s just a single touch-sensitive rotary too, and no audio or MIDI connectivity. Maschine Mikro maintains the pads and Smart Strip of its bigger system but loses the colour screens in favour of a small, basic LCD display. Maschine Studio and Maschine Mikro are larger and smaller takes on the same design respectively. There’s also MIDI in and out ports on the rear. The Mk3 is the only device in the range to feature a built-in audio interface, meaning it can be used to record audio into your computer and be connected to a set of studio monitors to act as your main output. These pads are accompanied by two generously-sized colour screens, eight touch-sensitive parameter rotaries, a multi-purpose, touch-sensitive Smart Strip and variety of other browser and transport buttons. It’s based around a grid of 16 velocity-sensitive pads, laid out in a design inspired by classic MPCs. The ‘core’ controller, known simply as Maschine or Maschine Mk3, is the centre point of the hardware range. The key difference then, lies in the hardware controllers themselves and how they can interact with the software.

Portable production: these are the best music-making laptopsĪll Maschine setups can work as live performance instruments too, either by triggering sounds through ‘finger drumming’, playing the controller’s pads like a melodic instrument or triggering and manipulating pre-created Patterns.Īll of this is achievable, in some form or other, using any Maschine setup.

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Patterns can then be sequenced into longer arrangements with automation and master effects applied. Patterns are sequences created using these Kits, which can take the form of step-sequenced rhythmic grooves or melodic progressions. Kits are collections of up-to 16 sounds, each of which could be a one-shot sample or loop track, a multi-sampled instrument, a synth – either from Maschine’s internal stock or a plugin – or an effect axillary. The Maschine application uses a system of Kits and Patterns. In its modern state, it’s debatable whether we could call Maschine 2.0 a DAW itself it still lacks some of the deeper audio recording and editing features we’d expect from a traditional DAW application, but it ticks pretty much every other box including the ability to arrange and export songs, apply effect processing and host third party VST and AU plugins.

Which is the one for you? Let’s take a look at the options. There are, however, still some significant differences between the various Maschine packages. Each version comes with some form of factory library, including plenty of samples, synth presets and demo projects to get your teeth into – all of which can be expanded with the addition of NI’s excellent genre-themed Expansions. In all cases, one of the major selling points of modern Maschine systems is that they offer everything a producer needs to create electronic or sample-based music. At their core, however, the underlying concept remains the same for all Maschine setups – a software production environment paired with a pad-equipped MIDI controller designed specifically for ultra-tight interaction.

The core Maschine controller is now on to its third generation and has been joined by multiple variations that offer expanded, stripped-back and alternative takes on the same concept. The range of hardware has expanded considerably too. The best samplers: standalone instruments for studio or live.

10 creative tips that will improve your Maschine workflow.Originally pitched as a software-powered take on the classic Akai MPC beatmakers, the Maschine ecosystem has now grown to encompass far more than sample-centric beat-building, with synthesizers, effects, arrangement and even hardware sequencing all covered by the current iteration of the Maschine software.

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