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NI Maschine anyone still using ?

I have it as part of one of my templates. I have a few percussion kits loaded into one of the groups which i then sequence in Logic by triggering scenes using midi notes. I much prefer to use drum pads for recording percussion parts (as opposed to my weighted keyboard).
 
Cool!

External CC MIDI is new but you've been able to sequence external MIDI already.
 
Anyone using Jam to control Bitwig? I've currently got Maschine Studio and Presonus Studio One 3. Thinking about purchasing Jam and Bitwig now that NI have added integration between the two. Would be interested to hear from anyone who has that combo. Is it worth the investment? (Thinking Bitwig might be better for my electronic focused tracks)
 
So, it is OK to talk about Maschine here, lol?

When I took the plunge with JAM in December, after assessing it's double-duty as a MIDI configurable device (with both CC automation and potential DAW control in mind), the creative potential of Maschine suddenly clicked for me as well, in tandem with the Mikro I seldom used, and my Komplete Keyboard I'd already been using for 1.5 years. The metaphors and overlap between the three devices running Maschine all made more intuitive sense, though with JAM becoming the catalyst.

But I can't fathom using the Mikro without JAM, and vice-versa, as the Mikro's velocity pads are essential, while the JAM workflow is far more advanced. To me, the KK keyboard makes it all one cohesive beast now.

With respect to swapping to MIDI mode, and I mentioned this in another thread, I have essential CC's assigned to the touch strips on the JAM, adjacent to my desktop controller where I comp in all my orchestrations in Logic. It's a sweet spot that is working well for me (despite the tone in that thread debunking this).

As for DAW integration, I am not a fan of the beta template for Logic, whereas the Bitwig integration (and Live) seem far more realized, though I don't use those. And, I already have full transport control in other devices.

Tip: As a MIDI device, I color code JAM's LED strips to match whatever CC is represented in Logic's editor, which makes visually referencing everything much more cohesive.
 
So, it is OK to talk about Maschine here, lol?

When I took the plunge with JAM in December, after assessing it's double-duty as a MIDI configurable device (with both CC automation and potential DAW control in mind), the creative potential of Maschine suddenly clicked for me as well, in tandem with the Mikro I seldom used, and my Komplete Keyboard I'd already been using for 1.5 years. The metaphors and overlap between the three devices running Maschine all made more intuitive sense, though with JAM becoming the catalyst.

But I can't fathom using the Mikro without JAM, and vice-versa, as the Mikro's velocity pads are essential, while the JAM workflow is far more advanced. To me, the KK keyboard makes it all one cohesive beast now.

With respect to swapping to MIDI mode, and I mentioned this in another thread, I have essential CC's assigned to the touch strips on the JAM, adjacent to my desktop controller where I comp in all my orchestrations in Logic. It's a sweet spot that is working well for me (despite the tone in that thread debunking this).

As for DAW integration, I am not a fan of the beta template for Logic, whereas the Bitwig integration (and Live) seem far more realized, though I don't use those. And, I already have full transport control in other devices.

Tip: As a MIDI device, I color code JAM's LED strips to match whatever CC is represented in Logic's editor, which makes visually referencing everything much more cohesive.

Hi gpax,

Thanks for the interesting, and helpful feedback.

I use Maschine Studio, but don't have Jam yet, I'm evaluating it, and will most likely add it to my system in the near future. I'm not sure if having a KK Keyboard is something I need.

How useful do you find your KK Keyboard, compared to using any other Keyboard controller ?

Cheers,
Muziksculp
 
If you use a lot of tonal sounds in maschine, it's really nice that you don't have to shift / pad mode to switch. Unfortunately you cant play one pad (lets say it a massive lead preset) on the keys, and the others on the studio simultaneously. Every time you hit a pad on the studio, the keyboard switches to that pad too.

Btw, I couldn't do without my KK keys now. It's all about that light guide for me when using Kontakt, it's brilliant.
 
(Sorry for the slight change in topic) I've got a quick question... I'm on PC Win7 here. If I boot my main system with Maschine plugged in, it ALWAYS ask me to run "Startup Repair". I have to keep it unplugged when I'm not using it. Contacted NI Support but that was worthless help and it took them nearly 4 weeks to respond to my messages.

Just curious to see if any PC users have experienced the same problem. I have had the exact same issue on 2 different PC's.
 
Hi gpax,

Thanks for the interesting, and helpful feedback.

I use Maschine Studio, but don't have Jam yet, I'm evaluating it, and will most likely add it to my system in the near future. I'm not sure if having a KK Keyboard is something I need.

How useful do you find your KK Keyboard, compared to using any other Keyboard controller ?

Cheers,
Muziksculp
Hi Muziksculp,

It is my main “desktop” keyboard for almost everything, though I still have my fully weighted StudioLogic NUMA as well. Running in MIDI mode (set up through NI Controller Editor), it has all I need for assigning the eight knobs, but also for now reassigning the “useless” pitch wheel for orchestral work to another CC (Expression). That is, when not using the Kontrol S with Komplete Kontrol, or in the Maschine workflow, as those settings take priority.

With the JAM touch strips, it’s all like an extension of one controller now, including the Mikro’s pads which I’ll use for percussion (and have pages configured to work with different libraries, and for short string notes too). I did not intentionally set out to do all NI, except where it all dovetails into the flip side of working with Maschine now.

I’m a fan of the NKS integration, particularly with multiple articulations patches (or something like Sonokinetic’s phrase libraries), though I only use this about thirty percent of the time in projects. On a personal note, the LED aspects of all of these things were a primary consideration for me as well, as I am visually impaired (these cues have made a huge difference).

But I love the keybed, and after eighteen months of using it, I still find it enjoyable to play compared to an Akai I had (keys too tight for me), two different Novations (loose keys, some good features, terrible DAW integration), and a Nektar Impact (too cheaply made for my tastes) all of which moved in and out of that space over the course of three years. And, I’ve heard people love some of the above, and yet dislike the action on the Kontrol S synth-style keys, if not regard the features as lacking for some MIDI control use. So, it’s all subjective.

Cheers, G
 
Hi Muziksculp,

It is my main “desktop” keyboard for almost everything, though I still have my fully weighted StudioLogic NUMA as well. Running in MIDI mode (set up through NI Controller Editor), it has all I need for assigning the eight knobs, but also for now reassigning the “useless” pitch wheel for orchestral work to another CC (Expression). That is, when not using the Kontrol S with Komplete Kontrol, or in the Maschine workflow, as those settings take priority.

With the JAM touch strips, it’s all like an extension of one controller now, including the Mikro’s pads which I’ll use for percussion (and have pages configured to work with different libraries, and for short string notes too). I did not intentionally set out to do all NI, except where it all dovetails into the flip side of working with Maschine now.

I’m a fan of the NKS integration, particularly with multiple articulations patches (or something like Sonokinetic’s phrase libraries), though I only use this about thirty percent of the time in projects. On a personal note, the LED aspects of all of these things were a primary consideration for me as well, as I am visually impaired (these cues have made a huge difference).

But I love the keybed, and after eighteen months of using it, I still find it enjoyable to play compared to an Akai I had (keys too tight for me), two different Novations (loose keys, some good features, terrible DAW integration), and a Nektar Impact (too cheaply made for my tastes) all of which moved in and out of that space over the course of three years. And, I’ve heard people love some of the above, and yet dislike the action on the Kontrol S synth-style keys, if not regard the features as lacking for some MIDI control use. So, it’s all subjective.

Cheers, G

Thanks for the feedback.
 
Contemplating whether I made a mistake with the JAM. I miss the truly hands on browsing and editing nature of the Push 2. Wondering if I should get that again or supplement JAM with a Maschine MK2. Also the sequencer software of Maschine is terrible compared to Ableton but then again, that's what Logic / Cubase is supposed to be for.
 
What, if any, improvements to workflow could be made for Logic users now that Logic has been updated to include AU3 compatability?
 
Are you guys using it standalone or within your DAW? My hardware is also gathering dust but I sometimes use the vst to great little loops to use as audio
 
Maybe now, with the promising Maschine MK3 around the corner is a good time to warm this thread up.

My 'story': I had an MK2, because, well, frankly I just loved its sweet look (and I am a heavy NI-user). I tried to fit it into my Cubase-workflow, but somehow it always seemed to resist that, like it was saying to me: ''Use me, and ME alone!". I ended up selling it, also because I bought a KK s61, which fit in with my Cubase workflow painlessly, and gave me the plug-in control i craved for.
However, it seems that Maschine does has some kind of spell on me, because I find myself googling for MK3 information a lot, these days.

So here's my question: do any of you use Maschine in its current iteration as a plug in in Cubase (I'm on 9 pro) and feel it really ADDS to Cubase-workflow (instead of adding another kind of workflow, if you know what I mean). An example: I now usually add a Toontrack drum to an existing song, or I start with Toontrack and jam along. Maybe I can use Maschine to play a beat in more easily, without relying on midi pre-fab? But then again, if that would be its only use, it might be too expensive... What I really don't want is to have two seperate environments (Cubase and Maschine) that I have to merge sometime in the writing process.

Hope any of these questions make sense to you...
 
I've recently bought a Maschine Jam for 3 reasons...

1. As a relatively low cost entry into the world of using Maschine software and the factory library of sounds that goes with it
2. To be used and set up as in independent controller for Cubase with particular emphasis on the touchstrips (I know there's not a lot of love for these on VI-C, but for my useage I find they are really good)
3. I really like all the buttons and the different colours and flashy lights.

Well ok, two main reasons then.

Being a Cubase user primarily I wanted to use it as a plugin and herein lies the problem with the software, if I want my Maschine track to start anywhere other than at the beginning of the piece I am working on I have to remember to add a "Scene" of silence up to that point, and if I make overall changes in the structure of the project within Cubase I have to remember to work these in to the Maschine "Song" for it's "Patterns" to flow in sync. Not having a lot of success with this at the moment and I'm sort of thinking that it may be better to export stuff created in Maschine into Cubase as audio or midi at the various points Maschine parts are needed within the project. Be interested to hear anyone else's views on how they integrate Maschine with Cubase.

With regard to the touchstrips... I really liked the ones on my S88 (ducks behind his monitor to avoid the flying debris). The ones on Maschine Jam are not as long. I have found that when using them as a CC generator (I use the first three in line to control cc1, cc11 and cc7 when recording or editing CSS and other string layers) my finger first slides up to roughly the area I want and then if I pivot my finger backward and forward I can get a reasonable control within quite a narrow range of ccs. Anyone else found this?

Hywel
 
Maybe you all have seen it already, but yesterday I found a very usefull recent Youtube video on using Cubase 9 and Maschine integrated:

 
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