[New release] PLAYBOX is a game changer for creativity and workflow!

2456

Comments

  • NC17z
    NC17z Member Posts: 20 Member

    OMG! Playbox is AMAZING! I haven't had this feeling since I bought my first MASCHINE MKII, which must me over 10 years ago by now. This VST is by far the most inspirational song writing tool I have ever laid my hands on. I always knew that something like this was achievable and I know that there are other companies that have tried. I haven't been able to put my finger on it,... Is it the curation of the chords, is the samples them selves and the stacking, or is it the fact that you can lock and of these and roll the dice of chance and randomness? I spend time coming pretty much every night creating ideas of digital dust that I call upon when I'm in need of inspiration. A melody, a chord pattern, a groove if you will. Last night I had TEN solid Ideas that will not become digital dust. They be completed song structures, they will eventually be mixed and mastered. I found myself laughing out load and at points nearly sheading a tear at just how amazing this inspirational tool to call upon. My only want's needs and desires for Playbox would be this,... Please, Find a way in future updates that is can be added onto with EXPANSIONS... This would be an amazing thing to consider and one heck of a profit center because like Maschine Expansions, I have to own them ALL! Thank you to all of you at NI for being the pioneers that you are to the music creation industry.

    Best, NC17z

  • LoveEnigma
    LoveEnigma Member Posts: 80 Advisor
    edited March 2022


    Absolutely. It has brought back the excitement about NI products for me.

  • LoveEnigma
    LoveEnigma Member Posts: 80 Advisor


    Yes, please. This is very much needed - undo/redo at global level so that any change can be reverted.

  • dspjones
    dspjones Member Posts: 5 Member

    The upside about this instrument is that almost all the accidents are awesome.

  • LoveEnigma
    LoveEnigma Member Posts: 80 Advisor
    edited March 2022

    Yup, you feel like saving all the accidents/randomness as presets. Really cool.

    However, undo/redo at global level will help just in case you rolled the dice or any other "random" button and immediately realized that the previous one was awesome and worth using/saving too.

  • Secondarily Harsh
    Secondarily Harsh Member Posts: 1 Member

    Fully agree with this, Playbox has been a revelation for throwing out ideas quickly as starting points, across different genres too. Best Native Instruments release in a long time, and I have a few of them. I agree with the undo function as well, that would be a great addition. I've started to create a number of samples that I can use with the Maschine+ in Standalone mode.

  • Truth42
    Truth42 Member Posts: 13 Member

    Definitely a Kai's Power Tools vibe going on with the interface.

    But wish there was an option to play the instrument like a normal synth. The chord progressions only feature limits the instrument's possibilities.

  • Olihop
    Olihop Member Posts: 152 Advisor

    If I understand you can only use the 8 white notes on the keyboard?

  • LoveEnigma
    LoveEnigma Member Posts: 80 Advisor
    edited March 2022

    Yes, and as I also mentioned earlier, it feels a bit restrictive in that way.

    Why? Let's you have got one nice layer of samples that you like. There is no straightforward way to play different chords using the same layer of samples, as you would immediately want to do. I think a significant update might be needed for this and would expand the possibilities even more. This is probably the only main drawback of this instrument compared to Output's Arcade.

    Also, I realized that there should be an option to delete/remove a chord note/sample with a single click instead of having to record a new chord altogether just for one small change. I know that you can alter the note, but there is no way to remove or mute a note. So, remove or mute/solo functions would be useful IMO.

  • Olihop
    Olihop Member Posts: 152 Advisor

    Okay. But the audition mode does not allow to play free chords with the keyboard?

    I agree to delete/mute a sample

  • LoveEnigma
    LoveEnigma Member Posts: 80 Advisor
    edited March 2022

    No, again, this is something I mentioned on the previous page - it doesn't work as we want it to (at least in a straightforward way) and how I described above.

    The strength of PLAYBOX (randomness) can also be its weakness at times from usability point of view, so at the least, a melody playing mode would be great to have.

  • Kaiwan_NI
    Kaiwan_NI Administrator Posts: 2,523 admin

    @Olihop Here's a note about playing free chords LoveEnigma mentioned above.

    As for muting, using the volume knob is the way to go right now. But thanks for the suggestion!

  • SYRE
    SYRE Member Posts: 9 Member

    I've played around for a few hours now and I love it! Being able to use your own samples was way easier than I thought, so much fun to mix in your own samples. I've got two questions though. First, is there any way to lower/raise the sound of a specific sample in a specific chord? Second, I can't seem to find a way to randomize just one chord if you want to replace a specific chord.

  • LoveEnigma
    LoveEnigma Member Posts: 80 Advisor


    Yes, there is a VOL button on top right corner of the Samples page. Enabling it will allow volume adjustment of the samples.

    Not in front of PLAYBOX, so not sure about the second one. Check on the Chord page again though.

This discussion has been closed.
Back To Top