how much flexibility & control do you have with the Maschine+ & maschine Jam

6xes · 2025-02-03T02:26:07+00:00

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6xes

i've often knocked the Maschine+ in the past… mainly due to it's builtin CPU the atom

anyway…

im curious about how much flexibility the Maschine+ provides

example:

can the Maschine Jam operate in midi mode?

if i make a template on the maschineJam from inside the controller editor, is the Mjam template useable on the maschine+

can a ipad, with the lightning usb adaptor be interfaced with the maschine+, & the maschine+ or maschine Jam send midi control to operate a synth on the ipad

what other control configurations has maschine+ users been able to utilise when utilising the sound inputs, in a audio+midi hub configuration?

moreover how much control does the maschine Jam have outside of the maschine+ when paired with external gear

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ozon

AFAIK, the JAM cannot be used in MIDI mode when attached to the M+. Also, JAM cannot be used as a standalone MIDI controller, as it requires custom drivers and scripts on the host.

However, the JAM with its pattern matrix and 8 touch strips really opens up the performance capabilities of the M+.

NI provided a cheat sheet for using the JAM with MASCHINE+:

https://www.native-instruments.com/fileadmin/ni_media/downloads/manuals/maschine/MASCHINE_JAM_Integration_Cheat_Sheet_English_11_03_2021.pdf

LostInFoundation

I can add a word about using M+ with iPad.

Yes, it can be done.

MIDI can be sent to and from M+ (meaning apps on the iPad can control the M+ and the M+ can control apps on the iPad)

And with a single cable (the USB type B port on the Maschine must be used)

The Jam connected to the M+ to the type A port will also control the iPad apps (well…in facts it controls the M+ which then control the iPad apps).

This is really flawless with an USB C iPad. Using a lightning iPad (of course with usb adaptor) was a little more convoluted (it involved plugging the cables in the right order) and, if I recall correctly, I also tried with a direct USB type B to lightning cable (provided with the iConnectAUDIO4+) but it caused issues.

Since I named the 4+… this is another solution I use, providing MIDI AND audio to and from M+ and iPad in both directions.

I can also confirm that the Jam connected to M+ cannot enter midi mode. And that in any case the Jam needs a computer (because of the drivers) even to work in midi mode. But…in that way (plugged to a computer) some cool stuff can be done. In the past Reactable also created a template designed to work with their Snap app on the iPad

https://youtu.be/0YAOyjPwoJ8?t=56

http://reactable.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Using_SNAP_with_Maschine_JAM.pdf

6xes

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/208560#Comment_208560

interesting!!

concerning the Maschine+ and the ipad, have you ever tried to establish a wireless midi network, inside AUM or audio bus within the ipad? and then test to see if the maschine+ can receive midi wirelessly?

LostInFoundation

No, it can’t.

The WiFi in M+ isn’t there for that, but just for connecting to your account and downloading your products. Practically…to control you, not to give you functionalities.

Do you wanna get really mad?

The module inside the M+ isn’t just for WiFi, but also for Bluetooth. But NI decided never to activate this functionality 😶😶😶

I know…not easily understandable stuff…

Another thing I never tried is using one of those Bluetooth usb receiver dongles to see if it works.

Having the 4+ I solve my problems with that. Or directly with the type B port as reported above. And when I want to use my iPad as a Bluetooth controller… I go to my Akai Force or MPC Live 2, which allow that without any dongle.

They must be crazy at Akai to put a Bluetooth module in their devices and then…allow people to use it 😂

Btw: I find Bluetooth to send midi data way more reliable than wifi (almost no latency)

PK The DJ

The Bluetooth is there just because it comes by default with the third party module - not because NI planned to use it. Sometimes (as some Denon DJ products) it gets enabled later if a use is found for it.

LostInFoundation

I know. But only WiFi modules exist too, and I suppose they cost even less. Probably (but it’s just my guess) someone saw its eventual future potential and ways to use it.

I surely do (see ways to use it). That’s why I’m so sad it is not activated.

I’m almost sure even Akai didn’t have big plans for it… but they were so clever to think “We have it. Let’s make it accessible. Users will find an use”

tetsuneko

Since Maschine 3 feature stack is still pretty much a tabula rasa, there is at least a theoretical chance M+ will get BLE MIDI support in Maschine 3. However, there are many, much more urgently needed things on the M+ before we get anywhere near that..

LostInFoundation

I agree. But some of that “much more urgently needed things” will probably never see the light.

That’s why I started to use iPad apps as midi sources.

Having a good Arpeggiator app (like BLEASS Arpeggiator) or Chords app (Like Scaler) with their own GUI on a big iPad screen controlling M+ is a quite satisfying experience ☺️ (even if they add something similar to M+, it would always be a menu diving/small numbers over a knob experience)

6xes

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/208632#Comment_208632

so when you create the network midi in AUM…. the maschine+ wifi doesnt see the connection??

6xes

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/208723#Comment_208723

out of curiousity

do you run a m1mac of some sort??

LostInFoundation

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/208727#Comment_208727

No. it seems it can see my neighbor’s Samsung washer but not the Network Session 😂

In any case, believe me, WiFi is not reliable for sending midi. Cabled or Bluetooth…these are the way

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/208729#Comment_208729

I have a MacBook Pro, but I rarely use it for these things

6xes

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/208882#Comment_208882

thanks for testing the wifi, Maschine+ mightve had some additional functionality if wifi was available, its possible you may need to try the ipad tied into a hotspot, or your own router… the idea of a wifi hotspot, allows for mobility whereby you can tie back to your home computer remotely

the theory was, if maschine+ was able to link via its own internal wifi, you could then use a remote connection as i did in this video. but alas

too good the samsung washing *maschine LOL, i wonder if its the plus version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO1tphZYP2A

LostInFoundation

too good the samsung washing *maschine LOL, i wonder if its the plus version

Yes. But it’s…abandoned 😂

darkwaves

For what it's worth - I have M+ connected to a MioXM. The mio is on my network (with a cable). I can send to it over wifi :) It's not a major part of my setup or anything; more of a "I wonder if this works" kind of thing. I've never done specific testing, but I've never noticed an issue when messing with it. In my case, that's sending midi from Drambo into M+ and then into FM8 or similar. The other direction works as well. It takes more setup, but I can use M+ as a midi controller for koala on my android phone over wifi. Why? I haven't figured that out yet; but I can.

I'd wonder if there are any rtp midi tools build for something like a raspberry pi zero. I doubt it would be as flexible as something like the mioxm or xl; but would probably make a fun project.

6xes

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/209001#Comment_209001

if people who own a M+ only use their device the way that it was intended…. thats fine & well

its trying to get out of the box, and increase the freedom, to effectively have more control, that was the reason behind the original question.

its neat how you's have discovered working with the Ipad over a network albeit tethered

Heres a scenario, which may well be possible with the maschine Jam…. which "could" essentially have the maschine jam switch between a Maschine+ & then break off to another device with full controller editor functionality…

i cannot test this personally as i dont own a maschine+… hence im trying to gauge if this is possible, but in all likelihood im seeing this possibility becos of how you and lostfoundation have already proven to connect externally to control the ipad & vice versa

…. concerning the question of "why", …..once you realise you have options & more flexibility, inherent barriers of external control is removed

imagine:

switching the maschineJam between the Maschine+ and another device… with controller editor templates already mapped…( my s20+dex video shows this is possible if you have a android-phone),
so the next question is how do we switch between maschine+(standard operation) and make MaschineJam have external control, of external devices but still tie into the maschine+ externally

going by the feedback you's have provided so far, this is clearly possible…

the switching would take place using a physical KVM, such as the US3342, or something similar

anyway… i dont have a maschine+ & i likely wont purchase a used M+ unless its dirt cheap

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