How do I use SPD-SX Pro in Maschine?

bzyboy

I recently purchased an SPD-SX Pro and figured out how to use it as a midi controller in maschine to control kits and use it to trigger other samples. The SPD-SX Pro also comes with several internal kits and sounds that I'd like to use but I can't figure out what settings/routings need to be set in order to accomplish this. I have the SPD-SX Pro connected to my computer via USB. I was able to figure this out in logic quite easily, but all the tutorials for using external gear (not being used as a controller) wants me to hook up to my audio interface which I'm trying to avoid since I know it works the way it is currently set up when I'm using logic. Any help on getting this working would be greatly appreciated!

Uwe303

Hello,

you should first go to maschine preferences and activate the corresponding midi port as output, input should be already activated cause you said you use the spd-sx as controller. Then you can set this as output port on a pad or a group, if you do this on a group level you have to shift every pad from 2 on 1 note up pad 3, 2 notes up and so on. Of course you would have to route the audio to somehow to make it work. On mac you could use an aggregate device or use line in of your audio interface. Then route it through maschine if you want to. Then you can save this group and always use it if you need.

Like here in the middle section: https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/115001075809-Setting-Up-MASCHINE-MIDI-Presets-to-Control-External-Hardware-Instruments

Maybe I find a manual about using pads on a group level - but I described it above, that should be enough normally, of not just ask and I can do maybe some little tutorial with pictures if I'm back home.

6xes

im guessing here…. as i dont own one

but just doing a quick search of what its capable of… suggests that you can route 8 audio channels, whether that is 4 stereo pairs or 8 monos im not sure, & supposedly it has 2 audio input channels on the SPD-sx pro unit **shrugs

but this is how i would approach connecting your SSPD-SX pro.. to maschine.. for standalone

make sure you have virtual audio channels available… ie blackhole64 ,16 , 8

make an aggregate device with blackhole device as the 1st device.. and then whatever audio interface you use as your 2nd device in your aggregate

inside your Maschine preferences

-set the maschine audio inputs to blackhole 1 - 8

-"change" the maschine audio outputs 1+2 to the numbered pair of the secondary aggregated device..

be aware "NOT" to have the blackhole inputs 1-8 and as the same outputs… be sure that you change the outputs to your audio interface..as per your aggregate(prevent audio feedback loops)

then test to see whether the audio is being passed from the SPD into the blackhole virtual audio channels… by going into the maschines sampler.. and see if a signal is being received

SPD—> Maschine inputs(blackhole 1-8) —> maschine sampler—> monitor levels (watch)

for midi-routing/trigger etc… you're on your own with that one!! LOL

good luck trying to work it all out!

bzyboy

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/232269#Comment_232269

Hello Uwe303, thanks for the reply! I took a look at the link you provided and that looks like setting things up to control the SPD-SX Pro from maschine, which isn't what I'm trying to do. It did give me some ideas though but I still wasn't successful. My issue still is, as you mentioned, getting the audio routed to make it work! I'll keep plugging away! Thanks for the suggestion!

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/232272#Comment_232272

Thanks for replying 6xes! I'm on a mac and not familiar with using aggregate devices. I will have to read up more on that and give it a shot. Thanks for the suggestion!

Uwe303

So the midi part works you now only need to create an aggregate audio device to get the audio routed to maschine? Or do you just want to route audio through maschine?

bzyboy

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/232337#Comment_232337

Yeah I have it all figured out using the SPD-SX Pro as a controller, no issues there. I will never want to use the MK3 to control the SPD-SX Pro. I just want to play the internal sounds and kits on the SPD-SX Pro and have the audio go through maschine software. I'm able to get a signal to show up on the software when I change the audio device to the SPD-SX Pro but then it wants to use that for the output as well so I can't hear anything. I'm hoping setting up an aggregate device will fix that. I'm not familiar with using those so I'll have to do some reading up and research.

Uwe303

An aggregate device will definitely fix that, it's basically an virtual audio device you put together yourself out of different in and outputs from different interfaces and even virtual audio cables as you need them. But I'm not a mac user so i can't give you the details. You would then select the channels from the spd-sx and the output you want. This article sums it up I guess:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/102171

bzyboy

Aggregate device was the answer! I created an aggregate device that included the SPD-SX Pro and my audio interface and selected that in settings in maschine 3 and everything worked as I had hoped. Thank you to @Uwe303 and @6xes for pointing me in the right direction.