For discussion about setting up your studio and advice on the gear and equipment within it.
User avatar
By konc3pt Tue May 05, 2009 1:06 am
so what's so revolutionary about this piece ? I'd still go with ableton coupled with midi controller of choice like apc40 and or mpc over that thing :lol:
User avatar
By dj e.d.e Tue May 05, 2009 1:11 am
looks cool, what kinda patent does it have it looksalot like an mpc?

i'd have to check it out inperson to see how it works
User avatar
By emptysea Tue May 05, 2009 2:00 am
konc3pt wrote:so what's so revolutionary about this piece ? I'd still go with ableton coupled with midi controller of choice like apc40 and or mpc over that thing :lol:


First off, at least watch the videos and read up on it before making assumptions. :lol: It's worth watching NI's official videos too: http://tinyurl.com/dxf43h

Maschine is revolutionary because it is the first hardware that's designed to be totally integrated with software thus having the benefit of behaving like a self-contained instrument without having to look at a computer screen while having the power of computer software integration. To confuse it as just another midi controller is laughable and completely misses the point of Maschine. Maschine is more comparable to a hybrid setup of MPC, an Electribe and Ableton Live's session view all combined. It's like using MPC and electribe synced with Ableton Live's session view but it's better because it's seamlessly integrated. No external midi sync issues or routing and timing headaches. And for people who know the annoyances of using software, there are so many benefits like never having to use a mouse, step sequencer mode, APC40-like Ableton Live clip matrix mode, an advanced workflow that allows you to never having to stop the sequencer, in a way that a MPC could never do...etc.

MPD32, triggerfinger, padkontrol are midi controllers. Maschine is the new paradigm for hybrid software/hardware instrument.

Maschine vs. APC40
APC40 offers nothing that Maschine does while Maschine does offer a clip matrix controller mode for Live like APC40. As you can see in the official video on the NI website, in Maschine's clip matrix mode for Live, 4 of the blue group buttons light up and turn into arrow keys so you can navigate the session view clip matrix. Maschine can also control Live's Drum Rack with velocity sensitive pads. APC40 can't. Maschine's pads can play samples like a keyboard. APC40 can't. And because you can also go into regular midi controller mode, you can use Maschine to control various aspects of Live without a mouse such as navigation just like APC40 by using keystroke/MIDI converters like you can easily do with any midi controller. Lastly, APC40 is just too big like most Akai products. Maschine is only 12.6x11.6.

Maschine vs. MPC and other hardware
Maschine operates like a hardware instrument much like a MPC or an Electribe does. You can use Maschine without ever having to look at a computer screen or use a mouse or trackpad. You can do all of the things that MPC/Electribe can and more. But it's way more flexible, powerful and innovative. And this is the first time that a step sequencer is made available in such tightly integrated hardware and software setup.

Let's see how MPC fares in comparison. Can you navigate and launch Live's clip matrix with an MPC? Can you seamlessly integrate the MPC inside any DAW without having to deal with external midi sync? Does the MPC have a x0x/electribe-like step sequencer? How about being able to load more than 128MB of samples at a time? Many people run into problems with external midi sync with Live and hardware like MPC. Maschine removes all that hassle so that you won't ever have to worry about midi cables, master/slave/time code settings, timing...etc.

The MPC is still useful by itself for a lot of people, no doubt. But it is very outdated and too limited for many people who eventually gravitate toward a more flexible and powerful software based setups and ultimately get disappointed by the very uninspiring 'clicking around with the mouse' workflow with software that is antithetical to hardware like MPC and Electribe. Maschine is a perfect solution for those people. MPC is a great instrument but is outdated in comparison.

Maschine vs. Ableton Live or other software
One of the major point of Maschine is that it works just like hardware, allowing for more efficient and instrument-like workflow compared to clicking around with a mouse. Compared to a software setup, Maschine is like having a MPC that has the power and flexibility of software. People have been syncing their MPCs with software for years and wishing for better integration between the two worlds. Maschine is a logical extension to that concept. And just like hardware, you don't ever have to even glance at a computer screen or use a mouse/trackpad while you're working with it, like real hardware. Can't say the same for APC40. You can do your basic cutting/trimming of audio directly in Maschine. You don't even need an external editor. You can resample directly in Maschine too. And most importantly for a lot of people, Maschine lets you do pattern based automation recording, which is like the equivalent of recording clip automation in session view, which Ableton can't do.
User avatar
By mr_debauch Tue May 05, 2009 3:45 am
rokuez wrote:bye bye mpc HELLo latency!



i guess we will see...

maybe they will do something about the latency issue usb stuff has.




with usb controllers you can get rid of the latency quite a bit these days and I think it will only get better.
User avatar
By Doglamp Tue May 05, 2009 4:18 am
emptysea wrote:
konc3pt wrote:so what's so revolutionary about this piece ? I'd still go with ableton coupled with midi controller of choice like apc40 and or mpc over that thing :lol:


First off, at least watch the videos and read up on it before making assumptions. :lol:

dang i guess you really got offended by that.
User avatar
By AWW_NAWW Tue May 05, 2009 5:11 am
Maschine? over the MPC?
well get ready to be this guy
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/msg/1149507231.html
User avatar
By EducatedHands Tue May 05, 2009 7:12 am
Aerodynamic321 wrote:
AWW_NAWW wrote:Maschine? over the MPC?
well get ready to be this guy
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/msg/1149507231.html


:lol: :lol: perfect timing

oooo thats harsh. yeah this thing doesnt hold a candle to my mpc. i mean, i would love for something to come along that does for me what the mp does but its just not necessary really...
User avatar
By konc3pt Tue May 05, 2009 2:00 pm
Doglamp wrote:
emptysea wrote:
konc3pt wrote:so what's so revolutionary about this piece ? I'd still go with ableton coupled with midi controller of choice like apc40 and or mpc over that thing :lol:


First off, at least watch the videos and read up on it before making assumptions. :lol:

dang i guess you really got offended by that.


I think he did :lol:

All I was poking at that if poeple knew how make MPC talk to your DAW and had a control surface or midi controller. what machine does was already possible way back...cats think machine is god send cuz they dont gotta think or RTFM in order to setup their shit properly.

pull it out of the box install the software plug in the usb and bye bye mpc...I dont gotta think no more to make beats...machine makes beats for me.

and it's true most people got MPCs so they dont gotta spend as much time on PC...you could of said bye bye to your MPC long time ago cuz MPD16 and Trigger Finger were available way before NI machine. but again that would require you to RTFM, think a little bit how to configure your shit...that's way too much shit to do, aint it.

dont worry you not the first one though...I seen other people on youtube bragging about NI machine how good it is, and that they selling their motif's, tritons, mpcs cuz NI machine is all they need.