Creative starters - use midi files or midi from Maschine projects w random Kits or Instruments

Ludy

Faced with an empty project space in Maschine and tired of previewing the kits with just one "prehear"- note?
This is a simple way of breaking routines (and rules, lol) to switch up gears and create new patterns, sound combinations, melodic patterns, or even rhythmic instruments.

I will share two methods that have helped me creatively get unstuck:

Method #1.

Step 1. Open up Maschine software in Ideas view. An empty project would be perfect.

You can load a kit now or load a kit after you bring in the midi patterns (the latter is a more significant surprise factor).

Step 2. Search your Native Instrument library for .mid files.

Here, you can scroll around and pick a random MIDI file. You'll probably see many typical rhythmic ones in your drum instruments/ libraries.

Don't underestimate how good those could sound on a synth/lead sound as a rhythmic element.

Step 3. You can't see what the midi pattern of your chosen file looks like. And that is the point! Drag your random midi file into your pattern editor.

Just this step alone offers a couple of creative decisions:

a) Do you throw the midi on the pattern editor in Pad Mode? This allows you to prehear interesting combinations of kit sounds .

b) Or do you want to select a pad, set the mode to Keyboard, and drag the MIDI data into the pattern editor?

If you have not yet loaded a kit, go ahead and do it now and press play.

Step 4. Move the midi patterns up and down for different pad sounds from the loaded kit, if you used a) or to change the key for method b)

Warning: Make sure you have an empty pattern slot before you drag the Midi in. It will most likely replace everything that was there. Once it's in the pattern editor, you can copy/ cut and paste it into existing pattern slots. But from what I experienced, it doesn't get added to the existing pattern when dragged in from Files.

Method 2.

Step 1. Open Maschine software

Step 2. Search for .MXPRJ files on your computer. Mine brought up 685 projects from the Maschine extensions.

Step 3. Do not look (if you can) at which Kit it comes from; instead, randomly double-click on one of them.

This will load the project into Maschine.

Step 4. Go into idea mode - if you can, don't look at what is loaded for each group either.

Then load a random kit for the "busiest" or most "exciting" midi pattern you see.

Tip: I usually mute everything but the pattern for which I am changing the kit.

See my before-and-after screenshots below. This helps me hear exactly what is happening with the kit and MIDI that I am changing. Every other pattern in the arrangement will initially remain unchanged and seem too perfect.

This is the before state: Here is the file called confidence.mxprj. I have muted all but the intro pattern on group A1. I like how the midi is going across what seems like four sounds. From what I see in my folders, the original kit seems to be Thrill Rays, but I am already pre-hearing kits to exchange it with.

This is the after state: I loaded a random kit and played the midi on this same pattern. I like what I am hearing. It's close to the original because I replaced drum sounds with drum sounds. But sometimes that is good enough. Don't be afraid to click on a pad and put an instrument in there.

Bonus tip 1: Sometimes, I like to right-click on a single pad and hear what the midi sounds like on that one sound. This is especially helpful if you start from a project file and mix methods 1 and 2. Have fun!

Bonus tip 2: Obviously, you can search your entire computer for midi files and use method 1 in your Daw, too. Or you can use your other instrument plugins in Maschine by assigning them to individual pads.