Cueing music for live performance - Maschine MK3

JLSpace9

I am particularly interested in cueing up tracks, groups, scenes, patterns etc. that I want to play after 1 or 2 measures. That way I can reduce multitasking, and add other live instrument(s). I see that there is a cue bus, and it is used with a headphone. I am a singer songwriter, I don't wear a headphone when I am on stage. Maybe there is also a different way to cue op groups, I don't know of.

Does anyone have experience with this way of live performance with the Maschine MK3?

Vic Angelo

I use Maschine for Live performance with instruments. Though it has limitations, its pretty flexible but should you explain exactly how you plan or want to use it?

When you say "Cue Up", do you mean "prelisten" like a DJ? or "Cue up" like set an intro time or count in before other instruments start? or "Cue up" similar to "Launch" feature in Ableton?

JLSpace9

I have a red loopstation that can cue next loops, I can program in how many bars it has to play. I tap my foot for the next track (track will blink and 'wait' for example two bars before it will play), I don't have to do anything. I was wondering if MK3 has this ability too. The loopstation is a setup for a different band I don't want to bring it to my own performances, less is better.

But if this is a limitation with the MK3 then I may consider to combine the two.

I am a singer, working with loops (MK3) on stage and adding keys (MK3 and/or M32) and other instruments (tambourine, egg shaker, maybe even foot drum) during each song. I don't want to perform with a headphone.

I think I mean: "Cue up" like set an intro time or count in before other instruments start.

D-One

Maschine has a Cue, separate output for headphones if you so choose.

I see that there is a cue bus, and it is used with a headphone. I am a singer songwriter, I don't wear a headphone when I am on stage. Maybe there is also a different way to cue op groups, I don't know of.

How else would you hear a cue if you don't want headphones??? There's no other way to listen to sound other than speakers and headphones/in-ears so I am not sure what you're expecting...

You can get some in-ears (which are more discrete than big over-ear headphones) and commonly used by pro singers/musicians, if you don't use those already for monitoring yourself / the master, meaning you have speakers on stage.

If you go the in-ear route you will probably need to only plug one, so you can still listen to the stage speakers clearly.

JLSpace9

RC600 has a visible cue (blinking), after tapping the next track/sample button it will play after the programmed number of bars. Just wondering if a cueing function could also be on the MK3. As the MK3 is also for performance, but clearly more geared to DJ-performers.

D-One

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/111557#Comment_111557

Ohhhhh! Gotacha, a tempo visual aid that blinks on time like a metronome. Nop, no such thing in Maschine, would be cool to have but everything related to cue is audio based.

Maschine in general regardless of which controller is primarily a production tool, alho it can certainly be used for live performance since that's not is its main goal there usually some caveats; depending on requirements.

There could be some workarounds, like placing dummy notes at every 1/4 notes, then you look at it from the Pattern Menu or something? Not sure how well that would work out.

JLSpace9

It is not really a metronome.

For example, I have a different pattern/track for the intro of a song and a different pattern/track for the first verse. Intro is 2 measures of 4, then I can tap the button to cue up the pattern/track of the first verse. If I have programmed the cueing to be maximum of 1 measure, then I will have to tap it on the right moment 1 measure before the ending of the intro. This way, it will play automatically after the 2 measures of 4.

A blinking light, after tapping lets me know that a pattern/track is cued up.

So maybe I will combine the two to get the best of both worlds.

PK The DJ

Is there any reason why you're not just arranging your tracks into the required sequence and performing to that (so it's the correct intro/verse/chorus sequence to start with)?

To me this (on the fly method) seems more like something that can be done with Ableton Live.

D-One

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/111845#Comment_111845

Jesus, this is getting confusing... Are you talking about triggering a pattern and having it only play when the previous one is finished or after on X amount of Bars? Basically, sync triggering?

Maschine cannot do that with Patterns but can with Scenes/Sections, since those can have different Patterns selected it's basically the same thing and it does give you a visual "cue" that another Section/Scene is "cued up" for playback and will start when the current one is finished or after a 1-Bar (or other smaller measure) depending on which menu you are.

1-Bar or the longest measure you can use tho, or Full Scene/Section.

JLSpace9

Yes, exactly what I was looking for, it is sync triggering. Thanks D-One!

Do you mean this with scenes/sections as they hold different patterns: The eight dedicated Group buttons, labeled A to H, provide instant access to the Groups?