Coming up next for MASCHINE and MASCHINE+

Matt_NI

Hey everyone,

As promised, we are happy to share some words from our product team about the scope of our next MASCHINE and MASCHINE+ update, scheduled for early-mid March. We know it’s a long time coming, but these highly-requested features are almost ready to go. Here are some of the new things you can expect - which we hope will improve your workflow and make your beat making sessions more fun. 

VST3 Plug-in Targets

MASCHINE 2.15 can now run as VST3 plug-ins in DAWs that support this format. These are functionally equivalent to the VST2 versions, with some user-facing changes resulting from underlying technical differences between the plug-in formats. Some DAWs will automatically migrate the VST2 versions of MASCHINE in saved projects to VST3 versions, preserving all data (e.g. loading plug-ins, parameter values, patterns etc). Please consult your DAW’s documentation for guidance.

Please note that when MASCHINE is running as a VST3, it is not possible to trigger Scenes, Sections or Lock Snapshots via MIDI Program Change messages. Instead, MIDI Note Events must be used.

It’s also worth mentioning that hosting of VST3 plug-ins inside of MASCHINE is considered a separate topic to loading them into a DAW as a VST3 plug-in target. VST3 plug-ins by Native Instruments can be hosted in MASCHINE, and in 2022 we will work with third-party manufacturers to add support for NKS VST3s.

Auto-Sampler

The new Auto-Sampler provides a fast and efficient method of sampling an external device such as a synthesizer or drum machine, which is compatible with all 4x4 MASCHINE controllers.

Auto Project Recovery

With this update, MASCHINE software and MASCHINE+ will periodically save your current project, to ensure that no work is lost in the event of a crash or unexpected shutdown. Project backups are accessible via both the hardware and software.

Chord Inversions

We’ve also added an ‘Inversions’ parameter to Chords mode, which will help with writing more interesting harmony. This parameter can be automated to create dynamic movement in your chords. Set to ‘Auto’ for smart voice leading! KOMPLETE KONTROL customers will already be familiar with this feature.

MASCHINE+ Stability Improvements

This update adds general performance and stability improvements to MASCHINE+ through kernel updates.

Future / Outlook

Beyond this release, we will continue with the theme of Compatibility for MASCHINE. We’ll be working with NKS partners to provide support for NKS VST3 plug-ins in batches. We also hope to have MASCHINE running natively on Apple Silicon computers (i.e. without needing to use Rosetta), as well as adding support for M1 Pro and M1 Max machines by the end of Q2.

Of course, we’re still a month away from the update so things can change. We’ll keep you all updated if we hear anything and the changelog will be posted right before launch. Providing more transparency on what we plan is one of our main goals and we’ll definitely share more about other products as well 🙏 🚀

djneural

Thanks for the update. I have high hopes for the mentioned stability improvements, especially in the known sound glitches bug and current limitations/problems with user sample libraries browsing.

Regarding Auto-Sampler, not very clear on what it takes as input in playback mode (folder of .wav files ?) and what it is giving as output when auto-sampling ?

Also, is it only on Maschine software le also inside M+ firmware ?

Same question regarding chord inversions : are they also coming on the M+ ?

Matt_NI

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/4241#Comment_4241

Yes coming to M+

I'll check the details for the auto-sampler and get back to you.

Leibregime

Thanks for sharing.

With the introduction of Autosampler will there also be improvements on the sample management side of things on Maschine+? Naming/tagging recorded samples would be much needed as autosampling can generate a lot of files and given the current managing system...well, it would generate a mess.

tetsuneko

Depends on how the autosampler is implemented. If it works by creating a sampler instrument with zones already configured, that will just save as a single instrument file in the UI (the samples used for the zones will be in a subfolder but this subfolder will not be visible when browsing the instruments).

Would be great to be able to name the autosamoler patch (along with its samples, which would inherit the patch name + autogenerated required suffixes) before starting the autosampling process!

I'm personally waiting for enhanced MIDI features (BANK/PRG CHNG & MIDI Macro creation in M+ standalone), so 1.4 will not be a significant update for me aside from bugfixes and improved stability. I hope the autosave can be disabled in the settings for those of us who do not require it?

Introducing VST3 is undoubtedly a significant milestone considering any future developments.

Akira-76

Thanks @Matt to keep your promise.

I would have liked to keep my Maschine+, but waiting the next or the fornext update for what I believe to be "basics functions", is to make a prayer.

I give up.

John Roberts

I don't want to be underwhelmed, but....I am a little :(

I don't need autosampler as I have this on other hardware. Stability improvements will be great (please let this be the internal audio interface issue). I was kinda hoping for Absynth, since this was rumoured a while back (even downloaded by a user when it was very briefly and accidentally made available by NI),

Not ungrateful at all, just not that excited.

My thoughts are that the Maschine development team must be tiny...

Anyway NATIVE INSTRUMENTS, keep going, you have very loyal customers who like most of what you do so thanks for that.

TheLoudest

I must admit that there is reason to be disappointed...

@John Roberts wrote:

My thoughts are that the Maschine development team must be tiny...

I thought the same thing!

I don't know if we need more communication, but what is sure is that (at this pace) we definitely need more updates! (more often I mean)

Most shouldn't even be highlighted features: M1 compatibility and VST3 are mandatory for a product that wants to avoid obsolescence

autosave and chord inversions...well.. sure it's useful but..an announcement for that? really?

OK there is an autosampler feature. I'm sure it will be great.

Disappointed is an understatement. I'm almost shocked by the weakness of this update...

Space Cat 303

Thanks to the Ni team for all this information. I am personally already very satisfied with my M+, so additional functions and more efficiency and stability are fine with me.

Do not hesitate to inform us, it is a pleasure.

ech-OS

Thank you for the update 🙂 I'm particularly excited about the auto-sampler and chord inversions. The smart voice leading is a thoughtful touch. I've always felt kind of limited by the chord tool because the lack of inversions. If we one day finally get custom chord sets/banks, the chord tool would be complete IMO 🤞.

Obviously stability improvements are super exciting too.

Speaking for myself, a lot of the frustration I feel about Maschine and its progress comes from a place of passion for the product. When there are breaking issues and features that have been widely requested for years that seemingly go unacknowledged or ignored, I find myself worrying about the future of the product, which turns into frustration. We all just want Maschine to succeed and grow.

We've been promised more transparency for quite a while, without much to show for it beyond posts saying "updates are coming soon" for weeks/months (though again, I very much appreciate this actual update and I want to be clear that I'm not ungrateful for it). Respectfully, could you explain in more depth what exactly "transparency" means to you? What kinds of posts do you anticipate providing and on what cadence? That would be a step towards more transparency. A regular cadence would give us something to look forward to.

Personally, I think if you committed to explaining how things are prioritized and why features or issues have to be reprioritized, you could share an intended roadmap earlier on without necessarily feeling like you're promising more than you can deliver. For example, perhaps once or twice a quarter (if not more frequently) you could share what the current scope is, what specifically makes some feature/issue complex, what (or at least whether) unexpected problems popped up as you worked on them, roughly what percentage of the team would need to be delegated to implement the feature or solve the problem (thus, taking resources away from other necessary features/issues), etc. Even if the explanations are too technical for most to understand, we would have concrete insight into how Maschine is progressing, and why it's moving in the direction it is. Dev blogs are not all that uncommon at this point. It doesn't seem entirely unreasonable to have one here if transparency is truly the goal.

Andy Wt

So no info about bugs X1200-1819 and especially MAS2-29153 ?

AlexBuga

I'm good with stability improvements, and crash recovery. I've lost a few ideas.

Also chord inversions sounds awesome. I use those chords every time and some random inversions would spice them up a bit

Eight4aWish

Thanks for this which is much appreciated. Off to find out what “smart voice leading” is given that KK already has it.

D-One

Cool. The most interesting feature to me is Chord Inversions, just the fact that this type of feature is finally getting some attention makes me happy.

andreu

Thanks for the update.

One thing it really bothers me is that from day one they promised more effects and instruments to be compatible. I think I wasn't the only one which was expecting more of the komplete instruments and effect become compatible with time.

And not talking about creating new interments like polysynth which feels to me like reinventing the wheel (super 8??).

But simply make the ones that already exist compatible with maschine plus like komplete 13, like kontakt libraries, massive, replica, guitar rig...

At this point I lost my confidence on that the compatibility list will ever grow.

So NI created a new standalone maschine that people was already waiting for years, and from day one that only runs 10 per cent of the ni effects and instruments? In a way, it could be considered 10 times worst than the mk3?

Is anybody else bothered about this?

D-One

@djneural said:

Regarding Auto-Sampler, not very clear on what it takes as input in playback mode (folder of .wav files ?) and what it is giving as output when auto-sampling ?

Input is anything you want that plays inside Maschine, or externally in the case of external synths and whatnot, not sure what you mean about folders of .wavs tho... It's a real-time auto-sampler, not an auto mapper for previously created wavs.

@Leibregime said:

With the introduction of Autosampler will there also be improvements on the sample management side of things on Maschine+? Naming/tagging recorded samples would be much needed as autosampling can generate a lot of files and given the current managing system...well, it would generate a mess.

Yes, as far as names go! I'm very happy about this as I complained about it for ages.

I strongly suggested that the autosampler should use the name of the Pad/Sound being sampled and not use the default 46535346534653 .wav names sampling generally used, as that is a PITA to deal with and messes up the browser significantly, (especially in M+ where you cant rename .wav files in the sampler) the dev's actually listened and implemented that change, I was impressed, as critical as I am I also have to give props where props are due. Obviously, we have to name the Pad before sampling but that's way better than manually re-naming a bunch of samples with different zones / velocity layers one by one.

By consequence now even normal sampling takes into account the name of Pad it's going thru 🎉🥳🍾