Maschine Chords Converter utility

Inchange

Hi everyone,

I created an utility that converts MIDI files into Maschine user chord sets.

Project on GitHub: maschine_chords_converter

Download Instructions

1. Go to the repository.
2. Click on Releases (located on the right side of the screen).
3. Download the file named maschine_chords_converter (with .exe for Windows)

How to Use

Refer to the "How to run the utility" section in the README on GitHub for detailed instructions.

Typical Workflow (Using Live on macOS)

1. Find chords:
   • Use a VST like Scaler, a similar plugin, or your own MIDI files to discover a chord you like.
   • Drag that chord into an empty MIDI track in Live, create clip. Note, clip must contain one chord.
2. Create folders:
   • Create a folder named "sets" anywhere, inside it create a subfolder for your chord set (for example, "Set 1 Am").
3. Export MIDI files:
   • Right-click the clip in Live and select Export MIDI Clip.
   • Save the file into your chord set folder and give it an appropriate name (e.g., "Amin.mid").
4. Prepare files:
   • Once you have 12 chord MIDI files (or less), select them, right-click, Rename.
   • Add a number prefix to each file (e.g., "1 Amin.mid", "2 Cmin.mid", etc.). You can also rename manually. This numbering should reflect the chords order in Maschine.
5. Run the Utility:
   • Place the maschine_chords_converter file alongside your "sets" folder, then launch the utility.
   • It will process the MIDI files and generate JSON files containing the chord sets.
6. Load in Maschine:
   • Copy the generated JSON files to the appropriate folder for Maschine user chords:
     Mac: /Users/username/Library/Application Support/Native Instruments/Shared/User Chords
     Windows: C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Native Instruments\Shared\User Chords\
7. Open Maschine 3.0, use your new chord sets. Enjoy creating music in Maschine.

Please leave a feedback😊

Inchange

Chord sets I've created with it:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1j7AtqMp2Kdd4kX0RO7NGQleu2JL_VQfr?usp=sharing

ALDREAD

nice one !

Inchange

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/221283#Comment_221283

hey, thanks!

Inchange

upd: added maschine_chords_converter.exe for Windows (sorry, I don't have Windows, not tested, but I guess it should work)

LostInFoundation

This could be VERY useful!

Thank you very much for sharing.

One question: why points 1 and 3? Is importing and exporting from Live mandatory? Aren’t all .mid files (from other apps, included Scaler) good for the utility?

PK The DJ

I imagine anything that can save a MID file should work (although there are type 0 and type 1). Doesn't have to be Live.

@Inchange could you perhaps offer conversion of Akai progression files? They're very similar.

LostInFoundation

I really hope. Specially now that Scaler 3 is also Standalone. It would avoid some steps and having to open a DAW (with the plugins scanning, all the steps to make it ready, creating or loading a project, loading the plugin on one track, creating another track, importing and exporting the midi… a lot less steps ☺️)

As I really hope the Windows version works (btw: thank you very much for thinking also to Windows users, even if you don’t use it 👍🏼). It’s always Mac people who provides this kind of utilities and usually Windows users are left out

PK The DJ

I did run the Windows exe and it made a JSON file. I've not tried it in Maschine yet though.

LostInFoundation

Thank you for testing

Inchange

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/221319#Comment_221319

yes, all MIDI files containing 1 chord and having valid name (like "01 Cmin.mid") will work. I just wrote how I usually create my chord sets with Live and Scaler.

Inchange

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/221324#Comment_221324

yes, you just need 12 (or less) midi files, properly named, stored in folders (described in README)

Inchange

I've tired to parse Scaler chord set preset file, but unfortunately I couldn't, since the structure of this file is closed, and there is a lot of information there, it is very difficult to get information about the chords from there (maybe even impossible). I guess same story with Akai, but I don't have MPC, may be they are just similar json files.

LostInFoundation

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/221345#Comment_221345

For your interest (if you don’t already know it): when you drag a chord (or a progression) from Scaler, you can drop it wherever you want (a track in Live but also the desktop or even directly in the folder you create for the user chords)

Inchange

My next idea was: user creates big midi chord progression file (up to 12 chords), give file a name something like "Amin_Dmin_Emaj_Gmin7_…_Fm.mid", and utility creates a set with this chords, with name based on folder's name or even on some prefix to file. But its almost the same as for now, may be a little bit faster for user to create set.

Inchange

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/221349#Comment_221349

oh, yes, then it's even faster to create set, thanks😊 just need to name a chords