Toontrack & Maschine

scouser

I just wondered if anyone has used the Maschine or Mikro with any of the Toontrack products ? Such as EZ Drummer or Superior.

Essentially I am undecided on which drum sets to use, so far my thinking is based around Steven Slate - Abbey Rd NI - Toontrack

Whilst sound is the main consideration, ease of use is also high on the list, I want to be able to pick things up quickly and create ideas quick on the fly, would be interested to know your thoughts on this.

Thanks in advance

Uwe303

Hello,

in this case preparation is everything, you set it up like in this video and save it as user preser/group preset in maschine then you can always recall it and play right away

https://youtu.be/mRk5sRp3xg4

or you use the simple method of just loading e.g. kontakt on pad one and switch to keyboard mode, but i wouldn't recommend it. If you need further help just ask.

Uwe

brian.tully

I have the same question. I purchased the Mikro Mk3 today and while I await for it to be delivered, I was doing some reading about how it's not really set up out-of-the-box to be used as drum pads for drum libraries like Toontrack. I found a youtube video where someone shared their Mikro Mk3 midi template, but it was using a different setup. I came to the NI community in the hopes that others had shared their midi templates rather than me having to spend hours using Controller Editor to create a basic General Midi drum kit template.

The link/video @Uwe303 shared looks promising, but that template seems specific to Battery. Will that template work with any drum library or do you need to create a template for each library? Anyone know?

Uwe303

Hello,

and first: welcome to the native forum.

second: it all strongly depends on your workflow, if you use only maschine you can save groups or sounds\pads, containing e.g. toontrack, then you can reload it every time you need it. I´m sure the mikro mk3 comes also with a basic midi template, normally named template 1, by switching the pad pages you can reach different oktaves. That way you can play any instrument with the pads.

Uwe 😎

Awazleon

Hello,

That's not exactly working that way. You can use Maschine Mikro as a simple Pad Midi Controller to drive any S/W you want eg: Toontrack, Battery 4 or even any Synth soft. But, I don't know why Maschine is sending unrecognized/not standard Midi notes. Rather than sending, let say, D2 or D#2, is sends D-2 or D#-2 and that doesn't work. To fix it you have to use the Controller Editor application from NI and re-map your Pad's with the right value to send. With the "official" Controller Editor version, there is a bug avoiding you to keep in the Maschine H/W your own template, so you have to keep Controller Editor open to use your own mapping.

But, you can also have a look here : https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/14077#Comment_14077 where you can donwload a new temporary Controller Editor version. It works for me.

Pascal

Uwe303

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/15465#Comment_15465

This has something to do with the midi standard, or better the lack of a standard for midi notes. And you don't have have to keep CE open, just start it as admin and maschine will keep the template. Of course you can use maschine as simple "midi keyboard" like controller but with pads, i think it's pretty easy and straight forward, or you open up the instruments in maschine and like described make your own sound/group templates, also pretty easy once you've got it. Native has the great nks system, and if instrument manufacturers don't support it, it's not natives fault - but anyway, again like said easy to save it once yourself and then recall if needed.

Uwe

brian.tully

Thank you for that info @Awazleon ! That really sucks that you can't save a pad map directly on the Mikro and that you're forced to run Controller Editor every time in the background. Heck. even my 15 year old M-Audio Trigger Finger allowed me to save custom mappings to the device. That might just be a deal breaker.

I wound up ordering an Akai MPD-218 today, so I think I might wait and try that device first before I open the Mikro Mk3 (which just arrived). If I like the sensitivity of the Akai MPD-218 I'll just keep that and send the Mikro Mk3 back unopened.

Uwe303

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/15468#Comment_15468

You can of course save the mappings, just start CE with admin rights. Akai MPD might be also a good choice, but it does not come with maschine, and it's a great software where you can make beats and put out ideas really quick - but it all depends.

Uwe

brian.tully

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/15469#Comment_15469

Thanks again, @Uwe303. When you say "start CE with admin rights", what does that mean? I'm on OSX and am the only user, so by default I believe I am the "admin" user. Is that a Windows thing?

Uwe303

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/15472#Comment_15472

Ahh ok on osx it's a different thing, i will ask someone who also uses osx. Or i will just mark him @D-One can you help please?

Uwe

Best would be to make a new thread, them others can find it, if they have the same problem

Uwe303

Could be also the known issue with the current ce version. Where kk88 mk2 and maschine+ where affected (as far as I know until now), maybe mikro mk3 too.

Uwe

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/14077#Comment_14077