Sounds vs Instruments in Maschine

darkogav
darkogav Member Posts: 79 Member
edited October 22 in Maschine

Hi, I am trying to figure out what is the difference in sound quality between .mxsnd and .mxinst files and presets. Are they both using the same sources? What is the difference between loading an instrument vs a sound in the browser?

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Best Answers

  • GoKeez
    GoKeez Member Posts: 78 Advisor
    Answer ✓

    I believe a sound is just a sample. Much like loading a .wav kick or any one shot audio file. An instrument is much more involved with mapped parameters for more tweaking, sound design etc.

    For instance, you can make an instrument from a sound, or sample using Kontakt by mapping pitch, velocity and other parameters so that it sounds consistent regardless of octave played. A sound may be melodic or percussive but it is usually in a specific key, say C. While you can use pads to play it in another key or octave, it will sound different (sped up the higher the key you play and vice versa).

Answers

  • GoKeez
    GoKeez Member Posts: 78 Advisor
    Answer ✓

    I believe a sound is just a sample. Much like loading a .wav kick or any one shot audio file. An instrument is much more involved with mapped parameters for more tweaking, sound design etc.

    For instance, you can make an instrument from a sound, or sample using Kontakt by mapping pitch, velocity and other parameters so that it sounds consistent regardless of octave played. A sound may be melodic or percussive but it is usually in a specific key, say C. While you can use pads to play it in another key or octave, it will sound different (sped up the higher the key you play and vice versa).

  • GoKeez
    GoKeez Member Posts: 78 Advisor
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/1908#Comment_1908

    So just to be clear, Sounds vs Instruments have little to do with the actual source file?

  • Blindeddie
    Blindeddie Member Posts: 1,559 Expert

    the source file for an instrument or sound could be the exactly the same, the Sound vs Instrument classification would/could be the only difference. An example. Load a sample in a sound slot and change nothing and add no additional plugins to the chain. Save as a sound , then save as an instrument… the only difference would be whether it shows in the Sounds tab or the Instrument tab.

  • Murat Kayi
    Murat Kayi Member Posts: 433 Pro

    Moreover, "instruments" contains 3rd party plugins only, while sounds can be Maschine internal instruments.

  • Blindeddie
    Blindeddie Member Posts: 1,559 Expert
    edited January 2022
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/3118#Comment_3118

    actually, any plugin (Maschine Internal, NI Plug or 3rd party) can be saved as an instrument preset...just created an instrument preset with Bass Synth...

  • Murat Kayi
    Murat Kayi Member Posts: 433 Pro

    Really? This is quite a piece of info. Why didn't NI put the Polysynth presets in there?!

  • ozon
    ozon Member Posts: 1,825 Expert
    edited January 2022
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/3133#Comment_3133

    Because PolySynth is a recreation of the PRO-53 VST (which was a Prophet 5 emulation) without the delay and reverb modules. Therefore all PolySynth presets are Sounds which contains a Beat Delay and a Metaverb instance, because they are recreations of the PRO-53 presets.


  • D-One
    D-One Moderator Posts: 3,579 mod
    edited January 2022

    The PolySynth Init preset is actually under Instruments → Maschine tho... (same for inits of the other built-in Instrument modules)

    The DrumSynth has preset's both in Instruments - all clean; and in Sounds - most with FX chains but some without... Why? No idea but it feels inconsistent.

  • ozon
    ozon Member Posts: 1,825 Expert
    edited January 2022
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/3190#Comment_3190

    It’s actually quite logical with the explanation of the PolySynth presets being recreations of PRO-53 presets, which need Beat Delay and Metaverb: They are Instrument/FX chains and therefore under Sounds. An Init preset including delay and reverb should be made available there too, just to offer a consistent starting point.

    The preset situation for the DrumSynth is a bit unfortunate, especially for Sounds which only consist of the Instrument without any FX.

    I never thought hard about this but now you’re mentioning it, the concept seems logical yet quite confusing. You have to know how a sound is composed in order to find it...

  • Murat Kayi
    Murat Kayi Member Posts: 433 Pro

    Also, from that perspective, why aren't the multisampled instruments which some/many of the expansions contain not filed under instruments as a preset of the sampler? Along with tags and images it might make finding those much easier and enjoyable

  • darkogav
    darkogav Member Posts: 79 Member

    Well, this is all very confusing. I never look for instruments under "sounds and FX". Now I know to look there as well in future.

  • D-One
    D-One Moderator Posts: 3,579 mod
    edited January 2022

    @ozon said:

    It’s actually quite logical with the explanation of the PolySynth presets being recreations of PRO-53 presets, which need Beat Delay and Metaverb

    Yeah, the PolySytnh FX part is logical to me too, I didn't disagree...

    But now that I think about it, if it has the FX for consistency with the Pro-53 or the original Prophet 5 why is there Reverb there? I don't see a Reverb Knob in neither of the two, maybe I missed it, if not this alone would break the reasoning, but TBH, I am not really too into old synth emulation/recreation or care about the P53 at all... If I was i'd argue whatever FX it has should be inside the Synth and also recreated instead of just slapping Maschine modules after it in the insert chain. I'm going offtopic tho, sorry.


    @ozon said:

    I never thought hard about this but now you’re mentioning it, the concept seems logical yet quite confusing. You have to know how a sound is composed in order to find it...

    Yeah, that's the problem and sort of ridiculous... As a User I shouldn't have to go thinking "hey, does this Synth I want to use had FX on its original HW back in 1989?" before I go preset digging or search for an Init preset. They should all just be in the same place, pick one and stick with it.

    I've personally always looked at Sounds as simpler things and Instruments as more complex Kontakt / advanced Synths, at least as far as the NI lib is concerned.

  • ozon
    ozon Member Posts: 1,825 Expert
    edited January 2022

    @D-One wrote:

    I've personally always looked at Sounds as simpler things and Instruments as more complex Kontakt stuff, at least as far as the NI lib is concerned.

    Me too! But it’s actually quite the opposite. Sounds can include anything, Instruments are presets for specific virtual instrument plugins. However, our perception probably goes back to a time when Sounds were mainly used as presets for the Maschine Sampler.

    I’ll have to give this more thought next time I’m browsing the library.

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