Maschine vs MPC 4000

mjames4208 wrote:I never said that the maschine was a DAW.
I never said that the maschine wasn't a groovebox.
If it was a daw I wouldn't be interested in it .
I'm happy with Sonar. 8.5.
What I said was that, I don't like sequencing inside
of DAWS. as for me, i only like DAWS for tracking.
Regardless of what you say, the potential
for the maschine to be a great stand alone
midi sequencer is there.

I see the same "potential." And like you, I use DAWs for tracking and MPC for composition. Maschine for composition is promising.

this forums is such a waste of time.

mjames4208 wrote:I never said that the maschine was a DAW.
I never said that the maschine wasn't a groovebox.
If it was a daw I wouldn't be interested in it .

I agree with you and I never said you did.

I'm happy with Sonar. 8.5.
What I said was that, I don't like sequencing inside
of DAWS. as for me, i only like DAWS for tracking.

Neither do I hence I was using my 4k until I got maschine. Now I can use both if I wish. However differing from you I don`t mind Logic`s sequnencer for bass, chords, and piano which I usually record with timing off.

Regardless of what you say, the potential
for the maschine to be a great stand alone
midi sequencer is there.

My tip to you never let anyone tell you what you can do. You may be able to do great things your own way. Others limitations have no bearing on yourself. You can make Maschine do as you please to make your music. That is how the greats started making the machine operate out of it original design. Once you buy your own unit you are the man in control and you can do as you please.

As far as potential I believe one day maybe by version 2, 3, or 4 if NI put the time and resources into it they can make Maschine into whatever they want. But this isn`t a thread about potential that on the previous maschine thread that got shut down over nonsense and *** was one of the main instigators that cause it. Regardless I wrote about what the maschine is now in it present form a highly developed hybrid groovebox that is fun, easy to use, and has a great workflow. So for those that expect to buy it, I wrote about what it is now. Not about vaporware or hoping for a upgrade that may never come that would be misleading on my part since I doubt it within a yr or more.

But I`m fine with Maschine as it is now. I bought 1.1 and it was good, downloaded 1.5 this week and it is better. But it certainly didn`t take Maschine closer to a workstation. It added an easier workflow and better integration with my existing DAW especially drag and drop midi. Drag and drop audio is cool but with drag and drop midi I can add it to my other instruments and I have a ton of them Korg, Spectrasonics, Logics, Papen, and NIs.

all Jarome does is collect gear, he don't make no beats.

Lord Toranaga wrote:all Jarome does is collect gear, he don't make no beats.

Jah just gotta be Jah owner of all, master of none.

after i get done playing at service this morning, i may go up to the GC and purchase one...

i'm working out the schematics of my setup to see if i can do what i want to do.


PS... lets keep this thread positive so that it wont get shutdown/locked. because we all have different
opinions doesnt mean that we have to start the insulting each other..... ONE LOVE!

mjames4208 wrote:after i get done playing at service this morning, i may go up to the GC and purchase one...

i'm working out the schematics of my setup to see if i can do what i want to do.


PS... lets keep this thread positive so that it wont get shutdown/locked. because we all have different
opinions doesnt mean that we have to start the insulting each other..... ONE LOVE!

Good for you and I won`t shut it down over a banned member known for misinformation and troublemaking that snuck back into the forum under a new name. We all know him most of us do.



I want to say this do what is best for you if and when you purchase a maschine. I heard you before mentioning coming from a 1k or something I`m not sure. But if you check out this cat`s setup I posted before

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBm0-Ygq ... re=channel


You may noticed this cat is playing and recording Maschine in standalone mode. He is making sample based beats which is the foundation of hip hop and most dance music if you are into it. He is running his soundcards outputs directly into a harddisk recorder it seems. He is not using a DAW just the standalone version. Like I said you can do as you please it is up to the individual regardless of the manufactor original build.

mjames4208 wrote:
PS... lets keep this thread positive so that it wont get shutdown/locked. because we all have different opinions doesnt mean that we have to start the insulting each other..... ONE LOVE!

Exactly....can we get back to Maschine versus MPC 4000...please.

We already heard about what folks believe Maschine isn't. Let's examine the sampler and sequencer as compared to the MPC 4000. Or any other function. Lets just stay on topic this time.

Phrase sample editing

Back on the 4k today with an update. It is common from the 3k on up to use sample play and sample start and sample end to grab the point you want as the sample play quick and easy. Maschine doesn`t have this function but one taps the pad and turns the knobs so it is fast. 4k`s sample editing of extract, insert, delete section, silence, join, merge, re scale, and stereo to mono, mono to stereo, and shuffle region maschine doesn`t have. But Maschine have most others and I already use my own editor Peak Bias when needed (I was using it with my 4k with Aksys). The key part of Maschine is has an editor on the hardware and a huge EDITOR on the Computer. And I can easily get samples directly off my HD. It may be my habit but I always loop the sections of a phrase in sample editor on the 4k and get the bpms after which I can tune the sample to fit a new bpm if I wish with a readout as well. Maschine has a readout of bpms in auto edit mode. But setting the loop in the editor is akin to the 3k, I have to keep turning to match trim points to the loop points. On the the 4k the loop always matches to the trim so it was easy. I just have to deal with it for now.

Of course the 4k`s programs are more extensive in the keygroup and drum program ranges as a 4k is a workstation capable of layering several programs on a single midi channel and extensive program patching and controlling aka matrix from internal and external midi control I used a Korg Kontrol 49 before to control the internal parameters of the 4k by CC along with my qlinks controls.

Maschine itself has a keygroup program for just about everything drums to multisamples so in order to set up the kits manually one has to adjust the first the root note, low and high keyranges for a first time kit. It has it`s own sort of program matrix (NI are quite complex in their programming) mainly operated by maschine knobs and CC messages too. But I feel for drums a drum program is needed aka one root, one keyrange with low and high premade already. Of course I could go in make one by hand and save it as default. But I`m spoiled a bit from Akai format.

Most of the editing on the 4k is by the wheel, Cursor buttons, block cursors, and sliders with me using several at once to zoom, select, and edit. On the maschine knobs and the button on the top super fast and quick. I have no worries of the switches wearing out. I did replace a qlink and mode switch on my 4k two yrs back part of hazards on hardware.

Now what does it all means as far as sample editing and all the 4k is a bit more extensive with sampling parameters for it is a workstation.

The maschine has a easier and faster workflow with sample editing as a groovebox even those it`s sample editing isn`t as extensive. The ace of Maschine those is that it is on the computer so I can use my third party sample editor for even more advanced editing that my 4k and most other mpc don`t have. Maybe long in the future Maschine may allow integration of this within the program itself like Logic and ableton does. I don`t feel it is something that is pressing as I do alot of editing manually concerning phrase samples. Like recording a 1min or 2min phrase and chopping up to the start points of the parts I want duplicate and assign to new pads fast. I don`t use the auto chopping functions that much in my workflow.


Multisample editing


As far as multisampling I have left from a hardware base to software sampling long ago. I like using multisample programs in software especially strings, synths, basses, and sound design with my third party applications of Kontakt and EXS within my DAW. Neither the 4k nor the maschine multisample capabilities is relevant to me in that regards otherwise as I use them for rhythm programming mostly aka one shots percussion, hits, and drums now.


That is something each user has to look into as far as what multisample libraries you can used and format. A sampler is only as good as the sample libraries you have to use it with. Hence I move into software libraries.

Someone else can talk about that. I am not going to trade one for another I am keeping my 4k but I use both.

A sampler is only as good as the sample libraries you have to use it with.

Damn I had an epiphany!! I will conduct an experiment and return later. Something I realize I overlooked, I got to check it out.

We already heard about what folks believe Maschine isn't. Let's examine the sampler and sequencer as compared to the MPC 4000. Or any other function. Lets just stay on topic this time.[/quote]


Realized you are right specs are important in some cases, but we were asking the wrong questions. I will be back after my experiment I apologize for misunderstanding you. We had a long history getting in the way. Bear with me on this you can do it too. Put the samples into your 5k and see how it goes.

I am cool with that. I apologize for any feathers I may have ruffled and not really interested in any e-beefs one reason why I have posted very little this past year. However, if a "maschine" threatens the MPC legacy, I just feel inclined to know the real deal. Hell...who wouldn't want an MPC without limitations..we have been asking to implement dozens and dozens of features for years.....

Well...Maschine should arrive any day now. I will spend the next week learning the ins/outs..already read the manual a few times. I won't come up for air until I knock out a few tracks on it. And I will even put up the links to one or more tracks (if anyone cares)

Askia Shaheed wrote:Well...Maschine should arrive any day now. I will spend the next week learning the ins/outs..

Maybe it's a good idea to wait with the features requests till you really know Maschine.

Hey Lotuz you have alot of experience on the maschine and some cool beats too. I seen you list the swing settings of maschine with your SP12 at 1/8 for SP and 1/4 for maschine what are meanings of the other swings settings?


Thanks in advance?

You want me to translate every SP-12 swing setting to a Maschine swing setting?