Using Maschine MK3 as a midi controller without installing Maschine software

At the music school I work at, we bought a Maschine MK3, for use by teachers and students. I use Maschine a lot, and I would have hoped for the students (who don't own Maschine) to at least use the hardware as a midi controller in Ableton/FL Studio etc. The students use their personal Mac and Windows laptops.

It seems their computers don't recognise the hardware if Maschine software is not installed. Even installing Controller Editor doesn't change this.

Is this correct? Is there a way for the students to use this controller we bought?

(note: It has been a while since I tried this, since I couldn't get this working. The issue might have been fixed in the meantime, which I would appreciate but wouldn't know about)

Find more posts tagged with

Maschine MK3

Controller Editor

Accepted answers

D-One

Maschine controllers are not MIDI Class compliant, this means they need drivers to work, so you do have to install Maschine as it also installs all the backend and background services that make it work in MIDI Mode.

Theres no other way to install all the necessary stuff unfortunately, and note that 'sharing NA2 licenses' breaks TOS/EULA, so don't go about installing it on a bunch of computers.

For teaching you better off with cheaper class-complient MIDI devices.

All comments

PK The DJ

The Maschine controllers are quite locked down compared to generic MIDI devices, but it's possible to have fairly limited control in Ableton Live if you install templates.

See support article

D-One

Theres no other way to install all the necessary stuff unfortunately, and note that 'sharing NA2 licenses' breaks TOS/EULA, so don't go about installing it on a bunch of computers.

For teaching you better off with cheaper class-complient MIDI devices.

Artsthebeatdoctor

It's a shame those drivers are not available separate from the software. But your advice mirrors my experience. No midi functionality for students without a Maschine license.

Then the Maschine will just be an expensive piece of scenery when my laptop isn't in the room, I guess :)

Quick links

Unanswered questions