Maschine+ coming from an octatrack user

ozon

@tetsuneko wrote

I applaud any "Pros" who have the balls to use Maschine+ live tho.. Call it "apocalyptic" if you want, but I expect 100% stability from the tools I play gigs with

There is no such thing as 100% stability in the real world.

A broken bass string can be quite apocalyptic as well, and it takes longer to replace and tune up than restarting the M+. Way, way longer. Hence it’s preferable to have backups of instruments, ready to be picked up in an instant.

I would never trust a sole piece of electronics on stage. IMO the double M+ approach is quite reasonable. And the expense is minimal compared to other musical instruments.

No need for extra balls, just manage the risk.

ozon

@djadidai wrote

I’ve only used the 5 pin midi ports and it works well for me both as master and slave. It is so much better since last update that came a year ago.

Just a reminder: Don’t forget to update the fimware to 0.1.9. It’s essential to stability when using other MIDI gear.

djadidai

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/114644#Comment_114644

Yeah I did that, that was ages ago wasn’t it? Don’t even remember when that was, prolly with the update that came a year ago

qtechno

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/114614#Comment_114614

yep, seems to be working this way as well for me. Id always use the Octa as a master since it is my understanding that in general when doing any sort of resampling it behaves better that way

qtechno

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/114644#Comment_114644

how do you update it? It seems you cannot do it in Settings/System

qtechno

Nevermind, I figured out. "Maschine updater" for posterity (can't post links because I'm new)

djadidai

Here is a useful tip: when you use the M+ in standalone, do not have it connected with the usb cable to your computer. When you want to use it in controller mode to control m2 software or to use with daw, or make firmware update, turn it completely off first, disconnect the power cable completely, then connect it with ONLY the usb cable to your computer. To me this is faster to switch between standalone/controller and it feels safer haha

djadidai

You update the maschine software inside the M+ through Wi-Fi, but firmware through computer.

lately I’ve been using the tr6s as master sync and it’s been working really well for me.

ekwipt

deleted ...

djadidai

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/115456#Comment_115456

What is deleted?

D-One

I haven't had any stability issues in a while but my experience does not invalidate the opposite.

In your shoes, I would analyze your productions to see what can be simplified or even reused.

For example, having tons of lenghy STEMS for a techno Kick makes no sense to me, it's usually just a quarter-note quantized kick so you might aswell just import a single kick export and make a pattern, 1 sec sample VS a 5min wav, other percussive sounds could have the same treatment.

Personally, I only perform 1 song at a time, 1 track per project and I rebuild the project in a way that fit's Maschine's workflow as best I can, this is a lot of prep work and usually requires some arrangement simplification, it's hard to advise how to go about it because peoples music can be made so many different ways and doing It requires some experience producing with Maschine.

djadidai

I think that a smart way to go about it is to try and create a whole track within one group (16 pads) or possibly 2, trackname 1A trackname 2B, if possible, and create only patterns within those group. This way you wouldn’t overload a project and have to change project at all, you just load new groups, say you have 2 full tracks loaded in groups a b c and d. When you need to go over to track 3 you load trackname3A and trackname3B, and “replace” a track that way.

All this would work because you can save groups with patterns, so the livesession-project would only need to be saved as a live-template, maybe with some effects, comp/limiter and eq on the master, and an fx-group or something.

so when making a track, or stems, limit yourself to 32 pads and maybe drums/percs and fx hits on group A and bass/synths/pads whatever in group b and save those groups so you can reload them in any project later without having to actually change project at all, and those groups come loaded with your patterns. Perfect for live environment.

what I have experimented with lately is that I’ve used the drumsynths to create my own kits and stuff so I use groups a-d as custom drum groups and create on the fly starting with the same custom kit. Groups e-h are for monark, massive, fm8 and the poly, so nothing is pre-recorded or anything.

ozon

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/114381#Comment_114381

You’re talking about this one?

https://youtu.be/4v_Qv8KMdtk?si=Cy8TdvsaBch9dW9_

It‘s effin brilliant! And it showcases very well that the M+ should be viewed as a musical instrument and not a DAW in a box. And while being quite positive it also raises a couple of questions and concerns still valid today.

@Kai_NI @Kaiwan_NI @Jeremy_NI @Matt_NI the whole Maschine team should watch this and then watch it again and again: There’s so much valuable feedback in it!

tetsuneko

That video is from 2021.. Stimming should revisit it IMO, stability has improved and there are now better quality filters available, among other things..

D-One

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/115776#Comment_115776

Sounds good to me, the only thing I might add is that if the end goal is performing on M+ than incorporating the M+ itself in the production stage even if only in Controller Mode would help a lot in creating strategies for live performance, IMO this is the only way one can truly learn this device/platform to a point where it becames an actual instrument instead of a 'stem playback box'. At the very least I'd suggest OP to try and sketch some songs ideias in Maschine to get a feel for it, discovering workarounds and techniques for production will lead one to also discover workarounds for performance from my experience... This does take a bit time as everything as a learning curve.

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/115785#Comment_115785

What particular feedback do you find so valuable? I watched it and it's 40min of basic usage + 10min of feedback... Same feedback I've been seeing for 10 years, most of it is valid and some are incorrect or outdated.

1. More on-screen-feedback instead of huge useless icons - Requested a million times.
2. Offer a way to tweak all synth parameters so we don't have to do it on the PC - Sure, everyone would love that but it seems like this is the same suggestion as #1, kind of...
3. Sampler start point modulation - this is actually possible, unless he means via LFO (more sampler LFO destinations is also a very old request)
4. Advanced modulation like Bitwig - This one is kind of crazy, M+ doesn't even have simple modulation lanes how can it it implement ideias from the DAW with the most advanced modulation the market?? We need to walk before we can run.
5. Filters suck and loads with an LP enabled (the 2nd is a good point I haven't seen said before, can be fixed on the PC but not on the M+ unless you save a User Preset)
6. Reverb sucks (Raum was added since then)
7. Polyphonic Monark even if it takes 80% of CPU alone, this is also crazy to me but sure... it can be a valid request for a very specific use case.

The preset-box concern is very valid, but for people that aren't into sample-pack culture nothing forces them to install expansions or installing too much content that comes with presets.