Page 2
The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Native Instruments GmbH. The software described by this docu- ment is subject to a License Agreement and may not be copied to other media. No part of this...
Page 4
Table of Contents Table of Contents Welcome to MASCHINE ..................... 23 MASCHINE Documentation ......................24 Document Conventions ....................... 25 New Features in MASCHINE 2.7 ....................27 Basic Concepts ......................29 Important Names and Concepts ....................29 Adjusting the MASCHINE User Interface ..................32 2.2.1 Adjusting the Size of the Interface ................
Page 5
Table of Contents Native Kontrol Standard ......................60 Stand-Alone and Plug-in Mode ....................62 2.5.1 Differences between Stand-Alone and Plug-in Mode ..........62 2.5.2 Switching Instances ....................64 2.5.3 Controlling Various Instances with Different Controllers ........... 64 Preferences ..........................65 2.6.1 Preferences –...
Page 6
Overview of the LIBRARY Pane ................... 110 3.2.2 Selecting or Loading a Product and Selecting a Bank from the Browser ....115 3.2.2.1 Browsing by Product Category Using MASCHINE MK3 ........119 3.2.2.2 Browsing by Product Vendor Using MASCHINE MK3 ........120 3.2.3 Selecting a Product Category, a Product, a Bank, and a Sub-Bank ......
Page 7
Table of Contents 3.5.3 The TYPES and MODES Pages ..................156 3.5.4 The PROPERTIES Page ....................158 Loading and Importing Files from Your File System ..............159 3.6.1 Overview of the FILES Pane ..................159 3.6.2 Using Favorites ......................161 3.6.3 Using the Location Bar ....................
Page 8
Table of Contents 4.3.1 Creating Groups ......................199 4.3.2 Loading Groups ......................201 4.3.3 Renaming Groups ...................... 202 4.3.4 Changing the Group’s Color ..................202 4.3.5 Saving Groups ......................204 4.3.6 Copying and Pasting Groups ..................206 4.3.7 Reordering Groups ..................... 209 4.3.8 Deleting Groups ......................
Page 9
Table of Contents 5.4.2 Choke All Notes ......................245 5.4.3 Groove ........................246 5.4.4 Level, Tempo, Tune, and Groove Shortcuts on Your Controller ........248 5.4.5 Tap Tempo ......................... 252 Performance Features ......................... 253 5.5.1 Overview of the Perform Features ................253 5.5.2 Selecting a Scale and Creating Chords ..............
Page 10
Page 4: Modulation ....................308 6.2.5 Page 5: LFO ....................... 310 6.2.6 Page 6: Velocity / Modwheel ..................312 Using Native Instruments and External Plug-ins ................ 314 6.3.1 Opening/Closing Plug-in Windows ................314 6.3.2 Using the VST/AU Plug-in Parameters ............... 317 6.3.3...
Page 11
Table of Contents Using the Audio Plug-in ..................... 327 Loading a Loop into the Audio Plug-in ..................330 Using Loop Mode ........................332 Using Gate Mode ........................333 Using the Drumsynths ....................335 Drumsynths – General Handling ....................336 8.1.1 Engines: Many Different Drums per Drumsynth ............
Page 13
Table of Contents 9.1.1 Parameter Organization ..................... 420 9.1.2 Bass Synth Parameters ..................... 422 10 Working with Patterns ....................424 10.1 Pattern Basics ..........................424 10.1.1 Pattern Editor Overview ..................... 425 10.1.2 Navigating the Event Area ..................431 10.1.3 Following the Playback Position in the Pattern ............433 10.1.4 Jumping to Another Playback Position in the Pattern ..........
Page 14
Table of Contents 10.4.5 Deleting Events/Notes ....................476 10.4.6 Cut, Copy, and Paste Events/Notes ................479 10.4.7 Quantizing Events/Notes ................... 481 10.4.8 Quantization While Playing ..................483 10.4.9 Doubling a Pattern ....................484 10.4.10 Adding Variation to Patterns ..................485 10.5 Recording and Editing Modulation .....................
Page 15
Table of Contents 11 Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls ............ 532 11.1 Audio Routing in MASCHINE ....................... 533 11.1.1 Sending External Audio to Sounds ................534 11.1.2 Configuring the Main Output of Sounds and Groups ..........539 11.1.3 Setting Up Auxiliary Outputs for Sounds and Groups ..........
Page 16
Panel for the Sampler ....................614 12.4.4 Custom Panels for Native Instruments Plug-ins ............617 12.4.5 Undocking a Plug-in Panel (Native Instruments and External Plug-ins Only) .... 621 12.5 Controlling Your Mix from the Controller ..................623 12.5.1 Navigating Your Channels in Mix Mode ..............624 12.5.2...
Page 17
Table of Contents 13.3.2 Step 2: Route Audio to the Send Effect ..............653 13.3.3 A Few Notes on Send Effects ..................655 13.4 Creating Multi-Effects ........................ 656 14 Effect Reference ......................659 14.1 Dynamics ............................ 660 14.1.1 Compressor ....................... 660 14.1.2 Gate ...........................
Page 19
Table of Contents 15.1.3 Jumping to Other Sections ..................755 15.2 Using Ideas View ........................757 15.2.1 Scene Overview ......................757 15.2.2 Creating Scenes ......................759 15.2.3 Assigning and Removing Patterns ................760 15.2.4 Selecting Scenes ....................... 764 15.2.5 Deleting Scenes ......................766 15.2.6 Creating and Deleting Scene Banks ................
Page 20
Table of Contents 15.3.8.1 Making Sections Unique ................795 15.3.9 Removing Sections ....................796 15.3.10 Renaming Scenes ...................... 798 15.3.11 Clearing Sections ...................... 799 15.3.12 Creating and Deleting Section Banks ................ 800 15.3.13 Enabling Auto Length ....................801 15.3.14 Looping ........................802 15.3.14.1 Setting the Loop Range in the Software .............802 15.4 Playing with Sections .........................
Page 21
Table of Contents 16.4.2 Adjusting the Slicing Settings ................... 839 16.4.3 Live Slicing ........................ 845 16.4.3.1 Live Slicing Using the Controller ..............845 16.4.3.2 Delete All Slices ..................846 16.4.4 Manually Adjusting Your Slices ................. 846 16.4.5 Applying the Slicing ....................853 16.5 Mapping Samples to Zones ......................
Page 22
Table of Contents 17.2.3 Create Variations of Your Drum Patterns in the Step Sequencer ........ 886 17.2.4 Use Note Repeat ......................886 17.2.5 Set Up Your Own Multi-effect Groups and Automate Them ........886 17.3 Special Tricks ..........................887 17.3.1 Changing Pattern Length for Variation ..............
Controller Editor application. We hope you enjoy this fantastic instrument as much as we do. Now let’s get go- ing! —The MASCHINE team at Native Instruments. MASCHINE - Manual - 23...
EN. We recommend that you follow along with these instructions while the respective ap- plication is running on your computer. Other Online Resources: If you are experiencing problems related to your Native Instruments product that the supplied documentation does not cover, there are several ways of getting help: ▪...
Help menu or the following location: www.native-instruments.com. Please check the Native Instruments website regularly for up-to-date and localized ver- sions of these documents. Document Conventions This section introduces you to the signage and text highlighting used in this manual. This man- ual uses particular formatting to point out special facts and to warn you of potential issues.
Page 26
Welcome to MASCHINE Document Conventions ▪ Text appearing on the displays of the controller is printed in light grey. Whenever you see this formatting applied, you will find the same text on a controller display. ▪ Text appearing on labels of the hardware controller is printed in orange. Whenever you see this formatting applied, you will find the same text on the controller.
Welcome to MASCHINE New Features in MASCHINE 2.7 The unlabeled buttons and knobs on the MASCHINE controller. For better reference, we applied a special formatting here: throughout the document, the ele- ments are capitalized and numbered, so the buttons above the displays are written Button 1 to Button 8, while the knobs under the displays are written Knob 1 to Knob 8.
Page 28
Preferences. ↑2.6, ▪ Route the Line Outputs to the Phones on MASCHINE MK3. This feature allows you to listen to the same audio via the line outputs and headphone output simultaneously, for example, use this if you want to listen to the MASCHINE software's main out via speakers and listen to the main out via headphones.
MASCHINE’s factory library is already completely tagged, as well as factory libraries of any Native Instruments prod- ucts installed on your computer. You can also import your own files to the Library and tag them as well.
Page 30
Basic Concepts Important Names and Concepts Project A Project contains all data needed for a song: Groups with their Patterns, all Scenes and all settings, modulation, effects, routings, Sounds and Samples. It’s like a snapshot of the entire state of MASCHINE. Please read the MASCHINE Getting Started for a complete overview of the MASCHINE Project structure.
Page 31
MASCHINE comes with many different effects in the form of Internal Plug-ins. You may also use Native Instruments or third-party VST/AU effect plug-ins. Each Sound, each Group, and the Master can hold any number of effects that will be applied as insert effects. The flexible routing system also allows you to create send effects, multi-effects, and side-chains.
Basic Concepts Adjusting the MASCHINE User Interface details on using effects in MASCHINE, refer to chapter ↑13, Using Effects. You will find an exhaustive description of all internal effects included in MASCHINE in chapter ↑14, Effect Reference. Please refer to chapter ↑19, Glossary at the end of this Manual for more definitions! Adjusting the MASCHINE User Interface...
Basic Concepts Adjusting the MASCHINE User Interface The View submenu in the MASCHINE menu. Full screen view is also available from your computer keyboard via [Ctrl]+[F] (macOS: [Cmd]+[F]). 2.2.2 Switching between Ideas View and Arranger View At any time you can quickly switch between the Ideas view and the Arranger view, using the Arranger View button.
Basic Concepts Adjusting the MASCHINE User Interface For more information about Ideas view and Arranger view see ↑15.3, Using Arranger View. Switching between Ideas View and Arranger View using the Controller On your controller: Press SHIFT SCENE to switch between the Ideas view and Arranger view. ►...
Basic Concepts Adjusting the MASCHINE User Interface Minimizing/maximizing the Mixer. 2.2.5 Showing/Hiding the Control Lane When MASCHINE is in Arrange view, you can show/hide the Control Lane under the Pattern Editor: Click the arrow button on the bottom left of the Pattern Editor to show and hide the Con- ►...
Basic Concepts Common Operations Click the arrow button at the bottom left of the Pattern Editor to show/hide the Control Lane. Common Operations This sections introduces a few very common operations in MASCHINE you will encounter in numerous situations. 2.3.1 Using the 4-Directional Push Encoder The 4-Directional Push Encoder (referred to as the Encoder) combines the functionalities of a conventional joystick, of a button, and of a continuous encoder.
Basic Concepts Common Operations The Encoder situated to the left of the VOLUME, SWING TEMPO buttons. Depending on the menu or context, the available actions differ: ▪ The displays are navigated by moving the 4-D encoder in a direction indicated by the sur- rounding LEDs.
Basic Concepts Common Operations But in some situations you might want to release the mode button of a temporary mode with- out leaving that mode, e.g., to free your hand and tweak other controls more easily. For this purpose, MASCHINE lets you pin (or “lock”) temporary modes so that they behave like perma- nent modes.
Basic Concepts Common Operations But in some situations you might want to release the mode button of a temporary mode with- out leaving that mode, e.g., to free your hand and tweak other controls more easily. For this purpose, MASCHINE lets you pin (or “lock”) temporary modes so that they behave like perma- nent modes.
Page 40
Basic Concepts Common Operations Take Undo Suppose you have just recorded a 16th-note hi-hat beat over four bars, but then decide to can- cel it. Normally you would have to cancel the 64 notes one at a time, repeatedly calling the undo function 64 times in a row.
Basic Concepts Common Operations 2.3.5 List Overlay for Selectors Many MASCHINE parameters are presented in the form of a selector providing a list of possible values for the parameter (e.g., the Mode parameter of the Saturator Plug-in or the Dest. param- eter in the Audio...
Basic Concepts Common Operations The list is displayed as long as you touch or turn the corresponding Knob. When you release the Knob, the list disappears after a short delay. Only one list can be displayed at a time. If you actuate two or more Knobs that control selectors, only the list for the last-touched Knob will be shown.
Page 43
Basic Concepts Common Operations Setting the focus on a Sound or Group is slightly different than selecting it: The focus defines what will be displayed, whereas the selection defines what will be affected by your edits. Note that a focused Sound/Group is always selected. The distinction is of importance because you can select multiple Sounds or Groups to apply your edits to all of them at once! See section ↑4.1.3, Selecting Multiple Sounds or Groups for more on this.
Page 44
Basic Concepts Common Operations The focused Group is highlighted and the Pattern Editor show its content. If the desired Group does not appear in the Group List, use the scroll bar at the right end of the Arranger or turn your mouse wheel while hovering the Arranger to display any hidden Groups.
Page 45
Basic Concepts Common Operations Set the focus to the Group containing the desired Sound by clicking it in the Group List on the left of the Arranger (see above). The focused Group is highlighted. The Pattern Editor displays the Sounds and Patterns of that Group.
Page 46
Basic Concepts Common Operations If the desired Sound does not appear in the Sound List, use the scroll bar at the right end of the Pattern Editor or turn your mouse wheel while hovering the Pattern Editor to display any hidden Sounds. You can also select multiple Sounds at once to apply changes to all of them.
Basic Concepts Common Operations 2.3.8 Switching Between the Master, Group, and Sound Level At any time you can quickly switch the Control area between the parameters of the Master, the focused Group, and the focused Sound. Click the desired tab to switch the display of the Control area. Click the MASTER, GROUP SOUND...
Basic Concepts Common Operations 2.3.9 Navigating Channel Properties, Plug-ins, and Parameter Pages in the Control Area We describe here how to display/edit any Plug-in parameters or Channel properties located in any Sound, Group or the Master. To select a particular Plug-in or a particular set of Channel properties, you first need to display the parameters of the Master, the desired Group or Sound.
Page 49
Basic Concepts Common Operations Click the desired button (Input, Output, Groove, or Macro) in the Channel Property selec- tor to select that set of Channel properties. The selected button is highlighted and the parameters of the selected Channel properties → appear in the Parameter area (the right and biggest part of the Control area).
Page 50
Basic Concepts Common Operations In the software the names of the available pages are displayed at the top of the Parameter area. The name of the page currently displayed is highlighted. Click the desired page name at the top of the Parameter area to show the corresponding ►...
Page 51
Basic Concepts Common Operations Element Action Knob: Click the knob and drag your mouse vertically to change the parameter value. Hold [Shift] on your computer keyboard and drag your mouse to adjust the value in finer increments. Button: Click the button to switch its state. When the button is enabled, it shows a small colored LED.
Page 52
Basic Concepts Common Operations Use the Page buttons left of the displays to navigate through the Parameter pages of the selected Channel properties or Plug-in: Moreover, if there is another page available to the left or to the right of the current page, the corresponding Page button will be half lit on your controller.
Basic Concepts Common Operations Using the Navigate Mode Alternatively, you can also navigate Channel properties and Plug-ins along with their Parameter pages via the Navigate mode of your controller: Press SHIFT VARIATION (Navigate) to enter Navigate mode (or pin it by pressing NAVI- GATE + Button 1).
Page 54
Basic Concepts Common Operations ▪ The default Software Navigation mode lets you adjust the look of the software interface: You can show/hide specific elements and change zoom/scroll settings. ▪ The Page Navigation mode allows you to navigate Channel properties, Plug-ins along with their Parameter pages.
Page 55
Basic Concepts Common Operations Action Shortcut Sound Lane Height (Pad Mode only) Turn Knob 7 Pattern Editor Scroll up/down (Except Turn Knob 8 or press pad Pad Mode) You can quickly switch the software between Ideas view and Arranger view by pressing SHIFT SCENE on your controller.
Basic Concepts Common Operations The pages for the selected bank are displayed in the software and the controller. To access Page Navigation mode press NAVIGATE SHIFT + Button 2. ► When Page Navigation mode is enabled, your controller displays the Page Navigation →...
Page 57
Basic Concepts Common Operations A controller not connected to any MASCHINE software instance can be used in MIDI mode (i.e. as a MIDI controller) at the same time as the other controller(s). See the Con- troller Editor Manual for more information on MIDI mode. You can choose which controller you want to use with the MASCHINE software.
Basic Concepts Common Operations ▪ MASCHINE STUDIO controller: Press SHIFT + PLUG-IN, turn the jog wheel to select the desired instance, and press the jog wheel or Button 8 to load it. ▪ MASCHINE (MK1 & MK2) controller: Press SHIFT + STEP, turn Knob 8 (or press But- ton 5/6) to select the desired instance, and press Button 8 to load it.
Page 59
Basic Concepts Common Operations ◦ If you touch the Knobs but don’t rotate them, the last modulation values for these pa- rameters keep being recorded as new events as the playhead moves forward, thereby overwriting any existing modulation events at the playhead position. Modulation stops being recorded when you release the Knob(s).
Basic Concepts Native Kontrol Standard To access the Touch-Sensitive Knobs section in the Hardware page, your MASCHINE controller must be connected to your computer and controlling the MASCHINE instance. Moreover if a KOMPLETE KONTROL S-Series keyboard is also focused on that MA- SCHINE instance, make sure that your MASCHINE controller is selected in the Control- menu at the top of the...
Page 61
Basic Concepts Native Kontrol Standard Type and Mode Tags). And when you load a preset from an NKS instrument, its parameters are mapped to the controls on your KOMPLETE KONTROL S-SERIES keyboard in a meaningful way, just like any preset from your KOMPLETE Instruments. NKS instruments are automatically added to your Library when you start MASCHINE or KOM- PLETE KONTROL for the first time after installing the instrument (except KONTAKT instru- ments with NKS support, see below).
Basic Concepts Stand-Alone and Plug-in Mode The MASCHINE, and KOMPLETE KONTROL Libraries, and the KONTAKT Browser refer- ence the instrument files contained in the folder. It is recommended to not delete or move the folder afterwards, or otherwise MASCHINE, KOMPLETE KONTROL, and KON- TAKT will not be able to find the instrument files.
Page 63
MIDI interfaces is managed by the host — the MASCHINE plug- in only communicates with the host. Native Instruments’ Online Knowledge Base provides how-tos that will help you route the MASCHINE plug-in to multiple tracks/outputs in the major hosts: ▪...
Basic Concepts Stand-Alone and Plug-in Mode 2.5.2 Switching Instances When two or more instances of the MASCHINE software are running (e.g., as plug-ins on dif- ferent tracks of your DAW), you must choose which instance you want to control from your hardware controller.
Basic Concepts Preferences ◦ Rule 2: The MASCHINE controllers (legacy and MK3) have priority focus over MA- SCHINE MIKRO controllers. ◦ Rule 1 has priority over rule 2. Preferences Preferences panel lets you specify various settings for MASCHINE. To open the Preferences panel, click Preferences…...
Basic Concepts Preferences ▪ Library: see ↑2.6.5, Preferences – Library Page. ▪ Plug-ins: see ↑2.6.6, Preferences – Plug-ins Page. ▪ Hardware: see ↑2.6.7, Preferences – Hardware Page. ▪ Colors: see ↑2.6.8, Preferences – Colors Page. 2.6.1 Preferences – General Page General page holds all of the global settings for MASCHINE.
Page 67
Basic Concepts Preferences The Preferences – General page. Setting Description Startup Reload Last Project Click this checkbox to automatically reload the last Project on startup. Recording Audio MASCHINE - Manual - 67...
Page 68
Basic Concepts Preferences Setting Description Prefer Project Folder If this checkbox is marked, the Samples you record will be put in a subdirectory of the folder where your Project is saved. If not, your recordings will be saved in the generic Recordings folder in your standard user directory (see section ↑2.6.4, Preferences –...
Page 69
Basic Concepts Preferences Setting Description Count-in Length Select the duration of the Count-in, i.e. how long the metronome will sound before the recording actually starts. Link Enabled Click the checkbox to enable the Link protocol by default. Applications that support Ableton Link can join a Link session when connected to the same network.
Page 70
Native Instruments applications when they are used in real life situations. The data sent to Native Instruments is one hundred percent anonymous and will not affect performance. For more detailed information about Usage Data Tracking,...
For information on audio configuration and basic setup scenarios, please refer to the MASCHINE MK3 Getting Started Guide available from the Native Instruments website. Interface section allows you to configure the audio interface for MASCHINE.
Page 72
Basic Concepts Preferences Preferences – Audio page. Setting Description Interface Driver Select your audio driver from the drop-down menu. Device Select the available devices if you have more than one audio interface connected. MASCHINE - Manual - 72...
Page 73
Basic Concepts Preferences Setting Description Status This confirms whether your audio interface is currently running. Sample Rate This displays the selected sample rate of your audio interface. Please restart MASCHINE after changing the sample rate. ASIO Config (Windows only) Click Open Panel to access specific controls related to your audio interface.
Page 74
Basic Concepts Preferences Setting Description Input Click Inputs to display the Routing Inputs. Here you can select which inputs on your audio interface should be used for the four stereo inputs of MASCHINE. Select the inputs of your audio interface on the right column by clicking the fields: you will be presented with a drop-down menu with all the available Inputs.
Page 77
Basic Concepts Preferences Setting Description Sync Mode Click the drop-down menu to set the MIDI Sync mode preference for MASCHINE: Off: No MIDI sync mode is selected. Master (Send Clock): If MASCHINE is running as a stand-alone application, it can also send a MIDI Clock signal to any device that is capable of receiving MIDI Clock.
Basic Concepts Preferences Setting Description Outputs Click Output to display a list of all the available MIDI outputs of your system. You can activate/deactivate each output by clicking the fields in the Status column, which displays the current status of the corresponding port.
Page 80
Basic Concepts Preferences Setting Description Project Standalone Here you can select a Project to load automatically when you start a new Project in MASCHINE used as a stand-alone application. The field displays the location of the Template Project selected for use. Click the folder icon to select another Template Project.
Page 81
Basic Concepts Preferences Setting Description Duplicate Select from the drop-down menu how the Duplicate function in MASCHINE will operate when duplicating Scenes. Scene Only Only the Scene is duplicated. The result is a new unlinked Scene with the same Patterns referenced. Scene and Patterns The Scene itself and additionally all Patterns are duplicated.
Basic Concepts Preferences Setting Description Sound Default MIDI Input Mode MASCHINE allows you to play your Sound(s) via MIDI notes, for example, from a MIDI keyboard. By default and without any configuration, incoming MIDI notes on any MIDI port and any MIDI channel will trigger the pitch of the focused Sound.
Page 83
Basic Concepts Preferences The Preferences panel – the Library page’s Factory pane. Factory pane displays all factory libraries available. These includes the MASCHINE Factory Library, libraries imported from other NI products, as well as installed MASCHINE EXPAN- SIONS. These libraries will appear in the Factory view of the Browser’s Library pane.
Page 84
Basic Concepts Preferences Element Description Location column Displays the path of each library. If you have moved any library to another location on your computer, click the folder icon on the left of that library and select its new path. Product column Displays the name of each product.
Page 85
Basic Concepts Preferences The Preferences panel – the Library page’s User pane. User pane displays all user libraries currently in use. This includes the standard MA- SCHINE user directory as well as any other user directory you might have defined. These libra- ries will appear in the User view of the Browser’s Library pane.
Page 86
User Content Folder Included in MASCHINE’s User Paths Products from Native Instruments will store user-generated content in a centralized User Con- tent folder. In MASCHINE this User Content folder is automatically added to the list of user...
Page 87
Basic Concepts Preferences The User Content folder can neither be renamed nor removed from the list. You can modify its path in the Location column. Standard User Directory Cannot Be Removed The Standard User Directory can neither be renamed nor removed from the list in the User pane of the Library...
Page 88
Basic Concepts Preferences Click CANCEL in the Updating Database dialog to interrupt the scan. ► Cancel Rescan dialog opens up asking you to confirm that you want to cancel the scan: The dialog warns you that cancelling the scan may lead to inconsistencies or missing items in your MASCHINE Library.
Page 89
Basic Concepts Preferences Adding Folders to the User Library In the User pane of the Library page, you can add other folders to the user content of your MA- SCHINE Library. To do this: Click at the bottom of the pane. A folder selection dialog opens up.
Native Instruments and External Plug-ins. When a Native Instruments or External Plug-in is disabled, it will not be available for loading (from the various Plug-in menus in the software and from the Plug-in Browser on your control- ler).
Page 91
Basic Concepts Preferences The Preferences panel – the Plug-ins page’s Manager pane. MASCHINE - Manual - 91...
Page 92
Basic Concepts Preferences Element Description Plug-in column Lists all available VST/AU plug-ins from the directories specified in Locations pane (see below). This includes all enabled or disabled 32-bit VST/AU plug-ins, when MASCHINE is running in 32-bit mode or otherwise all enabled or disabled VST/AU 64-bit plug-ins, when MASCHINE is running in 64-bit mode.
Page 93
Use NI Audio Units checkbox. Check this box to include the Audio Units (AU) versions of your Native Instruments plug-ins in the soft- ware’s Plug-in menus and in the controller’s Plug-in Browser: ▪ If this checkbox is disabled (default setting), the AU versions of your Native Instruments plug-ins are still listed in the list above but they are disabled (checkbox unchecked): These plug-ins won’t appear in the Native Instruments submenu of the Plug-in menus (software)
Page 94
Basic Concepts Preferences The Preferences panel – the Plug-ins page’s Locations pane. Locations pane also contains the following controls: Element Description Plug-in column Lists all plug-in directories used in MASCHINE. Click the folder icon on the left of an entry to change the path of that plug-in directory. button Click to add plug-in directories.
To display the Hardware page, click the Hardware tab on the left of the Preferences panel. ► The settings of connected Native Instruments controllers can be selected and adjusted. → MASCHINE - Manual - 95...
Page 97
Basic Concepts Preferences Setting Description Controller The Controller menu allows you to select a connected device and modify its settings. You can have two devices simultaneously focused on a MASCHINE instance: a controller from the MASCHINE family and a KOMPLETE KONTROL S- SERIES keyboard.
Page 98
Basic Concepts Preferences Setting Description Touch Auto-write Use the Touch Auto-write checkbox to enable or disable the Touch Auto-write option. Touch Auto-write can be very useful if you want to re-record modulation for a parameter, at a constant value. With Touch Auto-write enabled, you only need to keep a finger on a...
Basic Concepts Preferences ▪ Turn Knob 6 (AUTO-WRITE) to enable or disable the Touch Auto-write option. To save your settings and return to MASCHINE mode, press SETTINGS. ► 2.6.8 Preferences – Colors Page Colors page enables you to choose default colors for your Scenes, Groups, and Sounds. To display the Colors page click the...
Page 100
Basic Concepts Preferences Setting Description Scene Default Select the default color for your Scenes. In the menu, you can select the desired color from the 16-color palette or White (default setting). The color selected as default is highlighted in the menu. If you select Auto each Scene will have a different default color.
Basic Concepts Integrating MASCHINE into a MIDI Setup Integrating MASCHINE into a MIDI Setup You can quickly integrate MASCHINE into a MIDI setup. You can use MIDI in MASCHINE in various ways. Notably: ▪ You can synchronize a MIDI Clock signal between MASCHINE and other MIDI devices: ↑2.7.2, Sync to External MIDI Clock ↑2.7.3, Send MIDI Clock.
Basic Concepts Integrating MASCHINE into a MIDI Setup If MASCHINE is running as a stand-alone application, activate the corresponding MIDI in- put and/or output(s) of your MASCHINE controller in the MIDI page of the Preferences panel (see ↑2.6.3, Preferences – MIDI Page).
Basic Concepts Integrating MASCHINE into a MIDI Setup If you want to configure MASCHINE to react to other MIDI messages than MIDI Clock, in particular if you want to control MASCHINE notes and parameters via MIDI, please refer to section ↑11.2, Using MIDI Control and Host Automation, where this is described in detail.
Basic Concepts Syncing MASCHINE using Ableton Link Syncing MASCHINE using Ableton Link Ableton Link is a protocol that synchronizes beat, phase and tempo of Link-enabled applica- tions on the same computer or over a shared network. This means you can conveniently keep applications synchronized across different devices or join a group jam with others with minimal setup.
Page 105
Basic Concepts Syncing MASCHINE using Ableton Link After clicking the Play button, playback will resume on the downbeat once the moving bar within the LINK button is filled. The first participant to join the session sets the initial tempo, from then on any participant in the session can change the tempo in their respective applica- tion.
Using a Pedal with the MASCHINE Controller Using a Pedal with the MASCHINE Controller Your MASCHINE MK3 Controller provides a pedal input in the form of 1/4" socket on its rear panel. The pedal input on the rear panel of your controller.
Page 107
Basic Concepts File Management on the MASCHINE Controller To access File mode: Press the FILE button. ► The File menu is displayed. All File menu options are explained in the table below. → File Management Option Description Creates a new Project file. If you already have a project open, you will be prompted to save or discard it, after which a new Project will be created.
MASCHINE, but also any other factory content (e.g., from MASCHINE EXPANSIONS or other Native Instruments products) as well as your own user content. To help you find the right file quickly and efficiently, the Library implements various techni- ques that go far beyond the classic folder structure of your operating system.
Browser Browser Basics Note that the Library is the only other way to display and access your files: You could also navigate to the same files in your file system. The (substantial) difference lies in the fact that the Library organizes your files in a musically relevant way. Which Files are Included in the MASCHINE Library? The files included in the MASCHINE Library are all MASCHINE-relevant files found in the fold- ers whose paths are listed in the...
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library Click the desired tab to show the corresponding pane of the Browser. LIBRARY pane is described in section ↑3.2, Searching and Loading Files from the Library, and the FILES tab is described in section ↑3.6, Loading and Importing Files from Your File System.
Page 111
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library The elements of the LIBRARY pane. (1) LIBRARY tab: Click the LIBRARY tab to open the LIBRARY pane described here. (2) File Type selector: This contains six icons, each representing the different files types of MA- SCHINE.
Page 112
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library (3) Content selector: Click the icon (on the left) to select factory content or the User icon (on the right) to select user content instead. Only the files of the content selected here will be dis- played in the Result list (8).
Page 113
Result list (8). The above steps are described in detail in the following sections. 3.2.1.1 Browsing the Library on the MASCHINE MK3 Controller Press BROWSER to enter or leave the Browser.
Page 114
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library The Browser on your controller. On the displays of your controller, the Browser is organized as follows: ▪ The left display allows you to narrow your search by selecting the file type, the content type (factory or user files), as well as a product category, a product, a bank, and a sub-bank.
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library Move the 4-D encoder left/right to select the field you want to select. The selected field is indicated by thin brackets: Turn the 4-D encoder to change the value in the selected field. Move the 4-D encoder up/down to scroll the Results list.
Page 116
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library Selecting a Product Category Click on the Product selector header to open it. ► The Product selector opens up, showing you all products available in your MASCHINE Li- → brary. The opened Product selector. (1) Product selector header: The header shows the selected product—if there is no selection it shows a generic label (All...
Page 117
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library Vendor is selected in the Category Vendor selector, the Product list is sorted by the names of the manufacturers. To select a product and show only the preset files associated with it, click on the product ►...
Page 118
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library The Bank menu showing All Banks for POLYPLEX The Bank menu allows you to select a particular bank of files for the selected product (POLY- PLEX in the picture above). Banks can be additional Libraries (for example MASSIVE Expansions), different versions of the original Factory Library (for example FM7 Legacy and FM8 Factory Library), or any other con- tent categorization specific to a particular product (for example different sets of drum sounds for POLYPLEX, as shown above).
3.2.2.1 Browsing by Product Category Using MASCHINE MK3 The MASCHINE Browser can filter your search by product category. To filter products by Category in the Browser using the controller:...
Press the 4-D encoder or Button 8 to load the selected preset. 3.2.2.2 Browsing by Product Vendor Using MASCHINE MK3 The MASCHINE Browser can filter your search by product category. To filter products by Category in the Browser using the controller:...
Page 121
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library The closed Product selector without any Instrument selected. Selecting a Product or a Product Category Click the Product selector to open it. ► The Product selector opens up and displays the following: →...
Page 122
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library The opened Product selector (for Instrument presets). (1) Product selector header: The header shows the product or the selected product category — if there is no selection it shows a generic label (All Instruments in the picture above) corre- sponding to the type of file selected in the File Type selector above.
Page 123
Native Instruments effect/instrument, the icon for that product might not be available in the Product selector when the factory content is selected in the Content selector — to prevent this, make sure that all your Native Instruments prod- ucts are up to date.
Page 124
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library Selecting a Bank and a Sub-Bank When you select specific products in the Product list (see description above), an additional Bank menu appears under the closed Product selector: The Bank menu showing All Banks for REAKTOR Effects. This Bank menu allows you to select a particular bank of files for the selected product (MA- SCHINE in the picture above).
Internal Plug-in for which the preset has been saved (e.g., Sampler, Kick, Flanger, etc.). ◦ Presets for Native Instruments Plug-ins: The product is set to the particular Native In- struments effect or instrument. The bank and sub-bank will vary with each Native In- struments product.
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library Turn Knob 1–4 under the left display to select a product category (if any), a particular product, a bank of that product (if any), and a sub-bank in that bank (if any), respectively. Turn a Knob at full left to remove any particular selection at this level (i.e.
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library The File Type selector. (1) Project: (.mxprj) (2) Groups: (.mxgrp) (3) Sounds: (.mxsnd) (4) Instrument Plug-in presets: (.mxinst) (5) Effect Plug-in presets: (.mxfx) (6) Samples: (.wav, .aiff) Click the desired icon in the File Type selector to display only the files of that type in the ►...
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library The Content selector. Click the NI icon to search the factory content, or click the User icon to search the user ► content. Choosing the Factory or User Content using the Controller On your controller in Browse mode: At the top right of the left display, press Button 4 (USER) to browse the user content ►...
Page 129
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library TYPES and MODES filters for the Massive Threat bank of the MASSIVE Plug-in. Click the desired tags in the tag filter to select them and limit the search to the files ► marked with them.
Page 130
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library ▪ You have already selected the Maschine product in the Product selector, and the Maschine 2.0 Library bank of this product (for more information on this, see section ↑3.2.3, Select- ing a Product Category, a Product, a Bank, and a Sub-Bank).
Page 131
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library ▪ Now imagine that you have loaded an acoustic shaker Sample and want to find a Sample for another drum instrument, e.g., a tom: You leave the Drums tag selected at the top level of the TYPES filter and directly go to the second level, where you select...
Page 132
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library If you don’t select any tag in the TYPES or the MODES filter, the Result list will include all files satisfying any of their tags. Selecting Multiple Tags from the Same Level In both TYPES MODES...
Page 133
Highlighted triangle next to the Attributes (TYPES and MODES). 3.2.6.1 Selecting Type and Mode Tags on the MASCHINE MK3 Controller On your controller in Browse mode: Turn Knob 5–7 under the right display to select tags at the three levels of the tag filter.
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library Selecting Type and Mode tags on your controller (here for Instrument presets). ▪ When browsing Projects, Groups, Sounds or Samples, Knob 5–7 allow you to select Type tags in the three hierarchical levels. ▪...
Page 135
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library The left display, here when browsing Effects: Selecting the Creative Effects category via Knob 1 (on the left), the 2.0 Library bank via Knob 3 (in the middle), and all sub-banks via Knob 4 (on the right). Like in the software, each of these lists includes an All…...
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library 3.2.8 Performing a Text Search In the Search field you can enter your search query. The Search field. Click in the Search field and type the desired text to limit the results to files containing ►...
Page 137
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library The Result list showing kicks from the MASCHINE Library. If the list is too long to fit in the display, use your mouse wheel or drag the scroll bar on the right to show the remaining items. The Result list allows you to: ▪...
Page 138
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library To select adjacent files in the list, do the following: Hold [Shift] on your computer keyboard and click two files in the Result list to select ► these files and all files in-between. To select distant files in the list, do the following: Hold [Ctrl] ([Cmd] on macOS) and click all the files you want to select.
Page 139
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library ▪ You can load a Sample into its own Zone in the Zone page of the Sample Editor: A new Zone will be created for that Sample. See section ↑16.5.7, Adding Samples to the Sample for more information.
Page 140
Browser Searching and Loading Files from the Library ◦ If you drop the Effect presets onto a Group in the Group List or onto a Sound in the Sound List, they will be appended to the existing Plug-ins in the Plug-in List of that Group or Sound.
Browser Additional Browsing Tools The file is deleted from the MASCHINE Library and from your hard disk. → When browsing factory content, the Delete entry is not available in the context menu. Navigating to the Files in Your Operating System If you want to find out the location of a particular file shown in the Result list, do the follow- ing: Right-click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS) any file shown in the Result list and select Find in Ex-...
Page 142
Browser Additional Browsing Tools The Autoload button. When Autoload is enabled, any item that you select in the Result list of the LIBRARY pane or FILES pane is automatically loaded into the focused Group or Sound slot or into the selected Plug-in slot, replacing any content currently in that location.
Browser Additional Browsing Tools 3.3.2 Auditioning Instrument Presets When you are browsing Instrument presets, a Prehear button and Prehear Volume slider appear next to the Autoload button. The Prehear controls. Click the Prehear button (showing a little speaker icon) to enable/disable Prehear. ►...
Browser Additional Browsing Tools ▪ In Pad Mode, pressing the highlighted pad allows you to also audition the Instrument pre- set again. ▪ To load the Instrument preset, press the 4-D encoder or Button 8 (LOAD). When you disable Prehear, the playback of any Instrument preset still being pre-listened is stopped.
Browser Additional Browsing Tools Auditioning Samples using the Controller When browsing Samples on your controller: Press SHIFT + Button 8 (PREHEAR) to enable/disable the Prehear function. ► When Prehear is enabled: ▪ The Sample selected in the result list can be triggered from the pad of the focused Sound or from any pad without being loaded into that Sound.
Browser Additional Browsing Tools + PATTERNS button disabled: Groups will be loaded without their Patterns. This allows ▪ you to load another set of Sounds while keeping your current Patterns. Notably, this can be very useful to try another drum kit with your current Patterns. +PATTERNS is only available when browsing Groups.
Browser Using Favorites in the Browser Click the Information button (showing a little “i”) next to the EDIT button in the right part ► of the Control bar to display information on the file(s) selected in the Result list. A box appears above with various information on the selected file(s): File Format, Date...
Page 148
Browser Using Favorites in the Browser ▪ Favorites are persistent: If a file location is rescanned or deleted and later added again to the database, all files retain their favorite tags. The MASCHINE Browser showing all Favorite Instruments tagged with the Type Bass. To activate the Favorites filter: MASCHINE - Manual - 148...
Page 149
Browser Using Favorites in the Browser Click on the Filter Favorites control next to the search field to filter the results by Favor- ites: The Filter Favorites control is now lit and the results list shows all Favorites that match the selected search criteria: Adding an Item to the Favorites List To add an item to the Favorites, follow the instructions below:...
Page 150
Browser Using Favorites in the Browser Click on the Set Favorite icon to add the corresponding item to the Favorites. The item is added to the Favorites, indicated by the lit Set Favorite icon next to its name: → You can add any item in the results list to the Favorites, no matter if it is selected or not.
Page 151
Browser Using Favorites in the Browser Click on the lit Set Favorite icon to remove the corresponding item from the Favorites. The item is removed from the Favorites, indicated by the hidden Set Favorite icon. The next time you select the Favorites filter, the item will not be shown in the results list. Using Favorites with the Controller You can view and add Favorites directly using your controller.
Page 152
Browser Using Favorites in the Browser Press the Button 7 to activate the Favorites filter. To filter the list of Favorites, use knobs 5 to 8. The Favorites filter is now activated and the results list shows all Favorites that match the →...
Browser Editing the Files’ Tags and Properties The item is added to the Favorites, indicated by the Favorite icon next to its name: → Removing an Item from the Favorites To remove an item from the Favorites use the following instructions: Press the BROWSER button.
Page 154
Browser Editing the Files’ Tags and Properties changes to the selected files, or click the lit EDIT button again to cancel you changes and close the Attribute Editor. See section ↑3.2, Searching and Loading Files from the Library for more information on the LIBRARY pane.
Browser Editing the Files’ Tags and Properties You can adjust the overall height of the Attribute Editor by dragging its upper border. The number of items selected appears in yellow in the upper left corner of the Attribute Editor. Displaying Attributes of Factory Files When browsing in the LIBRARY pane, if the files selected in the Result list are factory files...
Browser Editing the Files’ Tags and Properties 3.5.3 The TYPES and MODES Pages TYPES MODES pages display and let you modify the tags assigned to the file(s) se- lected in the Result list above. ▪ The TYPES page is available for all file types when opening the Attribute Editor both from LIBRARY pane and the FILES...
Page 157
Browser Editing the Files’ Tags and Properties Displaying Tags ▪ In both TYPES MODES pages, tags assigned to the selected files are marked with a check mark right of their name: ▪ In the TYPES page, click the name of a tag to select it and display its Sub-Types in the next column to the right.
Browser Editing the Files’ Tags and Properties In the TYPES page, if you uncheck a tag for which some Sub-Type tags were selected in the columns on the right, these will automatically unassigned as you unassign their pa- rent tag. Creating New Tags You can also create your own tags both in the TYPES...
Browser Loading and Importing Files from Your File System ▪ Vendor: Use this field to indicate the manufacturer of the selected files. Click the down- pointing arrow on the right to quickly select any Vendor attribute already in use in other files of the Library.
Page 160
Browser Loading and Importing Files from Your File System The elements of the FILES pane. (1) FILES tab: Click the FILES tab to open the FILES pane described here. (2) Favorite bar: Displays all your Favorites. Click any Favorite to directly jump to that particular path and display its content in the Result list (5).
Browser Loading and Importing Files from Your File System (4) Recent Locations button: Click this button to see a list of the last visited locations and quick- ly jump any of them. See section ↑3.6.4, Navigating to Recent Locations. (5) Result list: The Result list displays the content (files and folders) of the folder loaded in the Location bar (3).
Browser Loading and Importing Files from Your File System Click any Favorite in the Favorite bar to jump to that location. ► The selected location is loaded in the Location bar and its content appears in the Result → list. Favorites can be useful if you often return to the same location while browsing your file system in the FILES...
Browser Loading and Importing Files from Your File System The Location bar. The Location bar provides following tools: ▪ Up arrow: Click the Up arrow on the left to go one level up in your file system. ▪ Selected path: Within the path displayed, you can: ◦...
Browser Loading and Importing Files from Your File System The Recent Location button. The last 10 locations you have visited are stored by MASCHINE and available here: Click the Recent Location button and select any recently visited location from the list. ►...
Page 165
Browser Loading and Importing Files from Your File System The Result list of the FILES pane. If the list is too long to fit in the display, use your mouse wheel or drag the scroll bar on the right to show the remaining items. In front of each file, an icon indicates the type of the file: Icons for various file types.
Page 166
Browser Loading and Importing Files from Your File System Double-click a folder to display its content. ► To return to the previous folder or to select any folder outside the folder currently displayed, use the various tools located above the Result list: ▪...
Browser Loading and Importing Files from Your File System The context menu in the Result list of the FILES pane (Windows depicted). Following commands are available: Command Description Add to Favorites (folders only) Adds the selected folder to your Favorites. See section ↑3.6.2, Using Favorites for more information.
Page 168
Browser Loading and Importing Files from Your File System For this you will have to import the files into the Library first. Importing files does not mean they will be moved from the directory they currently reside in, they will only be referenced by the Browser.
Browser Locating Missing Samples thermore, the paths of the imported folders are added to the list of user libraries in the User pane of the Library page in the Preferences panel — see section ↑2.6.4, Preferences – Default Page for more information on this. If the folder(s) you are importing contain different types of files (e.g., Samples, Sounds, and Groups), the various imported files will be available by selecting the corresponding types in the File Type selector (see section...
Page 170
Browser Locating Missing Samples The Missing Sample dialog allows you to locate missing Samples. Sounds referencing missing Samples are marked with an exclamation mark. Additionally, their Groups are also marked with an exclamation mark when selected. Missing Sample dialog shows you which Sample cannot be found. Three buttons at the bottom of the dialog let you choose between following actions: ▪...
Browser Using Quick Browse The Purge Missing Samples and the Find Missing Samples entries in the context menu of a Sound whose Sample is missing. Select Purge Missing Samples from the Sound slot’s context menu to remove the missing Sample(s) from that Sound. Select Find Missing Samples from the Sound slot’s context menu to open the Missing Sample...
Page 172
Browser Using Quick Browse Samples (given that the MASCHINE Library already has several hundreds of kick Samples, this may take a considerable amount of time). With Quick Browse you can restore the query with just one click. Quick Browse is available for Samples, Plug-ins presets (Instruments and Effects), Sounds, Groups.
Page 173
Browser Using Quick Browse ◦ If a Sampler Plug-in is selected, it will recall the search query used for the Sample loaded in that Sampler. If several Samples are loaded in the Sampler, it will recall the search query for the Sample in the selected Zone in the Zone List. ◦...
Page 174
Browser Using Quick Browse Press PLUG-IN to enter Control mode and access your Plug-ins. Navigate to the channel (Master, Group or Sound) hosting the Plug-in for which you want to recall the search query — see section ↑2.3.7, Focusing on a Group or a Sound ↑2.3.8, Switching Between the Master, Group, and Sound Level.
Page 175
Browser Using Quick Browse Quick Browse from Browse Mode on the Controller You can also access Quick Browse from the Browser on your controller. This notably allows you to perform Quick Browse on Sounds and Groups as well: Press PLUG-IN to enter Control mode.
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Overview of the Sounds, Groups, and Master Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project This chapter explains how to handle the various objects that structure any MASCHINE Project: Sounds, Groups, and the Master. Overview of the Sounds, Groups, and Master In a MASCHINE Project, objects are organized into three hierarchic levels, from the lowest to the highest: ▪...
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Overview of the Sounds, Groups, and Master The Group List (1) and the Sound List (2) in the Arrange view of the software. 4.1.1 The Sound, Group, and Master Channels From a routing point of view, each Sound, each Group, and the Master represents a distinct channel in MASCHINE.
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Overview of the Sounds, Groups, and Master When the software is in Mix view, Sounds, Groups, and the Master are represented by channel strips in the Mixer. This view provides you with an intuitive control on both the audio and MIDI routings of any Sound, Group, and the Master.
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Overview of the Sounds, Groups, and Master ▪ In each Group you always have a fixed number of Sound slots — namely 16. Some of these Sound slots might be empty, and you can have gaps in your slots (i.e. some empty Sound slots between other slots containing Sounds), depending on how you prefer to play your Sounds from your pads.
Page 180
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Overview of the Sounds, Groups, and Master ▪ The selection, on the other hand, determines what will be affected by your actions (e.g., adjusting a parameter). For example, the focused Sound (i.e. the one you clicked in the Sound List) is implicitly selected —...
Page 181
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Overview of the Sounds, Groups, and Master ▪ If you set the focus to a Sound or Group which is already included in the current selection, the focus is moved to this new Sound or Group but the selection is preserved. This notably allows you to check the parameters of any selected Sound or Group while keeping the abili- ty to modify parameters for the entire selection.
Page 182
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Overview of the Sounds, Groups, and Master Selecting Multiple Sounds/Groups in the Software To select multiple Sounds or multiple Groups in the MASCHINE software, simply use the com- mon keyboard shortcuts of your operating system: in the Sound List or the Pad view for Sounds, and in the Group List for Groups.
Page 183
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Overview of the Sounds, Groups, and Master Press and hold SELECT to enter Select mode. You can also press SELECT + Button 1 to ► pin this mode and make it permanent. You are ready to select more than one Sound or Group. →...
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Sounds Selection Tool Description Button 6 (NONE) Deselects all Sounds in the current Group except the focused Sound. Button 8 (MULTI) Enables/disables the multiple selection mode. Toggling this option does nothing to the current focus nor selection but changes the behavior of the selection process —...
Page 185
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Sounds The Pad view. The Pad view can be shown by activating the Pad View button above the Sound List: The Pad View button. Click the Pad View button to show or hide the Pad view. ►...
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Sounds 4.2.1 Loading Sounds You can load a readymade Sound from the Browser or from your operating system. The Sound can be included in the MASCHINE Library or any EXPANSION PACK but it can also be a Sound you have created yourself and saved for later use.
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Sounds ▪ Alternatively you can recall the search query that was used to find the Sound currently loaded in the focused Sound slot. See section ↑3.8, Using Quick Browse for more informa- tion. 4.2.2 Pre-listening to Sounds You can pre-listen to the Sounds of the focused Group as you set the focus on them in the...
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Sounds Press SELECT + the pad containing the desired Sound. ► The Sound is focused without being triggered. → 4.2.3 Renaming Sound Slots By default, Sound slots are named Sound 1–16. If you load a Sound, a Plug-in preset or a Sample (e.g., from the Browser) into the Sound slot, the Sound slot takes the Sound’s, preset’s or Sample’s name.
Page 189
Default in the Color Pa- lette. The pads of the MASCHINE STUDIO, MASCHINE MK3, MASCHINE MK2, and MA- → SCHINE MIKRO MK2 controllers mirror the Sound colors you have selected.
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Sounds ▪ If the selected Sounds have the same color setting (a particular color or the default color), this color is highlighted in the Color Palette. ▪ If the selected Sounds have different color settings, no setting is highlighted in the Color Palette.
Page 191
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Sounds Right-click (on macOS: [Ctrl]-click) the Sound slot in the Sound List or in the Pad view ► and select Save from the context menu: Your modifications are saved to the Sound file. →...
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Sounds Right-click (on macOS: [Ctrl]-click) the Sound slot in the Sound List or in the Pad view ► and select Save As… from the context menu: A Save Sound dialog appears. By default, the Sound file inherits the name of its Sound slot and it will be saved in your Standard User Directory (as defined in Preferences >...
Page 193
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Sounds In the software, Sounds are copied without their note content in the Pattern. To include the note content in the copying operation, use DUPLICATE on your controller (see be- low)! To copy and paste Sounds in the software: Right-click (on macOS: [Ctrl]-click) the Sound slot (in the Sound List or in the Pad view) containing the Sound you want to copy.
Page 194
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Sounds The copying procedure for multiple Sounds is as follows: When you copy a selection of Sounds, they are both placed into the clipboard and kept in the Sound List. The pasting procedure for multiple Sounds is as follows: ▪...
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Sounds If you want to duplicate a Sound including its Pattern content, enable the +EVENTS tion (Button 5). Press the pad of the Sound you want to copy. The pad of the Sound starts blinking. Press the pad of the target Sound slot (this can also be in another Group, in this case first press the desired Group button).
Page 196
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Sounds While holding the mouse button, drag your mouse toward the desired location in the Sound List or in the Pad view. As the mouse cursor moves an insertion line appears at the potential places where you can drop the Sound slot(s).
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Sounds 4.2.8 Resetting Sound Slots Resetting a Sound slot will remove the Sound it contains and put all its settings (Channel properties, name, color…) back to their default values. You can select multiple Sound slots to reset them all at once! See ↑4.1.3, Selecting Multiple Sounds or Groups for more information.
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Groups The Sound is removed from the pad and the pad turns off. → Managing Groups This section describes the global editing functions available for Groups. Group Menu Many of the functions described in the following sections are available in the following two context menus: ▪...
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Groups ▪ The context menu of the focused Group in the Pattern Editor, opened via a right-click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS) on the Group name in the top left corner of the Pattern Editor: Both context menus are equivalent: Use either menu as you see fit.
Page 200
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Groups Creating Groups on Your Controller On your controller, existing Groups are indicated by the lit Group buttons A–H: ▪ The focused Group is indicated by the fully lit Group button. ▪ The other Groups of your Project are indicated by half-lit Group buttons, each Group button showing the color of the corresponding Group.
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Groups 4.3.2 Loading Groups You can load a readymade Group from the Browser or from your operating system. The Group can be included in the MASCHINE Library or any EXPANSION PACK but it can also be a Group you have created yourself and saved for later use.
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Groups ▪ You can browse your MASCHINE Library for the desired Group. For more information on how to do this, please refer to section ↑3.2, Searching and Loading Files from the Library. ▪ Alternatively you can recall the search query that was used to find the Group currently loaded in the focused Sound slot.
Page 203
Default in the Color Pa- lette. The Group buttons of the MASCHINE STUDIO, MASCHINE MK3, MASCHINE MK2 con- → trollers, and the pads of the MASCHINE MIKRO MK2 controller (when you hold the GROUP button) mirror the Group colors you have selected.
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Groups 4.3.5 Saving Groups You can save your Groups as individual files (extension “.mxgrp”). This can be only done in the software. Saving Your Modifications into the Original Group File If you have made changes to a Group loaded in your Project, you can save your modifications as follows: Right-click (on macOS: [Ctrl]-click) the Group in the Group List or the Group name in the ►...
Page 205
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Groups You cannot save changes to factory files — these files are read-only. If you run the Save com- mand on a factory file, it automatically turns into the Save As… command: a Save Group dia- log opens and lets you save your modified Group to your user library.
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Groups The Group will be added to the Library and is ready to be tagged in the Browser — see section ↑3.5, Editing the Files’ Tags and Properties for more information on this. You can also save a Group together with all the Samples used in this Group.
Page 207
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Groups Right-click (macOS: [Ctrl]-click) any Group in the Group List and select Paste from the context menu to replace that Group with the copied one. If you want to paste the Group without affecting the existing Groups, first click the “+” under the last Group to create a new empty Group and paste the Group there.
Page 208
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Groups ▪ When you paste a selection of Groups onto an existing Group, the pasted Groups replace that Group and the following Groups. Example: If you paste the Groups A1 and B1 onto the Group E2, the duplicates of A1 and B1 will replace the Groups E2 and F2, respectively (if, say, F2 didn’t exist it is automatically created).
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Groups Press the Group button of your target Group (this can also be in another Group bank, in this case first press Button 3/4 to select the Group bank). If you want to paste the Group without affecting the existing Groups, press the dim white Group button after the last col- ored Group button to create the new Group and automatically paste the copied Group there.
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Managing Groups When the insertion line appears at the desired location, release the mouse button. The Group takes its new place in the Group List. This new place is also mirrored on the → pads of your controller.
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Exporting MASCHINE Objects and Audio Deleting a Group. Deleting a Group on Your Controller On your controller in Control mode, do the following to delete a Group: To delete a Group, hold SHIFT ERASE and press the Group button of the Group you ►...
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Exporting MASCHINE Objects and Audio 4.4.1 Saving a Group with its Samples Sometimes it is useful to have the ability to save a Group with its Samples outside of the MA- SCHINE Library. If you want to take a Group to another studio or if you want to backup or share a custom drum kit with all the related files, this comes in handy.
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Exporting MASCHINE Objects and Audio Controls Description Group Displays the name and location of the Group file to be created. The Samples will be put in a folder with the same name in the same location.
Page 214
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Exporting MASCHINE Objects and Audio Choose Save Project with Samples… from the File menu or the File submenu in the MA- SCHINE menu: You will be presented with the Save Project with Samples panel: In this panel, adjust the settings (see table below) and click Save to confirm or...
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Exporting MASCHINE Objects and Audio Element Description Project Displays the name and location of the Project file to be created. The Samples will be put in a folder with the same name in the same location.
Page 216
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Exporting MASCHINE Objects and Audio To export audio from MASCHINE: Set the Loop Range to the region that you want to export. Choose Export Audio… from the File menu or from the File submenu in the MASCHINE menu.
Page 217
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Exporting MASCHINE Objects and Audio The Export Scenes as Audio panel. The following parameters are available in the Export Audio dialog, which is split into three dis- tinct sections: Source, Options, and Destination. Source Section Source section allow you to define exactly what will be exported.
Page 218
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Exporting MASCHINE Objects and Audio Element Description Range Set the range for the audio you want to export. The options here will differ depending on whether MASCHINE is in Ideas view or Arrangement view. In Ideas view the following options are available: All: Select this option to export all Scenes as audio.
Page 219
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Exporting MASCHINE Objects and Audio Element Description the desired entries in the list to include/exclude the corresponding Sounds. Only Sounds with a check mark will be exported. The check box of Group entries allow to check/uncheck all Sounds of the Group at once.
Page 220
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Exporting MASCHINE Objects and Audio Element Description Sample Rate Select from five different sample rates for the exported audio file(s): 44100 Hz (this is the sample rate of the audio CD format), 48000 Hz, 88200 Hz, 96000 Hz, and 192000 Hz.
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Importing Third-Party File Formats ▪ If Group Outputs is selected in the Output menu the audio files will be named as follows: [Project name] - [Group order number] [Group index (letter + number)] [Group name] - [BPM].wav/aiff The Group order number is a two-digit number indicating the “order of appearance”...
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Importing Third-Party File Formats A REX file loaded in the first Sound slot. 4.5.2 Importing MPC Programs to Groups MASCHINE allows you to import Drum program files (.PGM and .AKP) from the Akai MPC ser- ies to Groups.
Page 223
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Importing Third-Party File Formats MPC Parameter MPC500, MPC400 MPC2000 MPC300 MASCHINE Parameter 1000, 2500 (XL) Voice Overlap − Polyphony Filter1 Type − − − Filter Type Filter1 Frequency − Filter Cutoff Filter1 Resonance − Filter Resonance Filter1 Velocity to −...
Page 224
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Importing Third-Party File Formats Navigate to the MPC Program file you want to import and double-click it. You will be prompted with the MPC Import panel: In the Input section of the panel, select one of the import options (see table below). Click to start the import procedure (or Cancel...
Page 225
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project Importing Third-Party File Formats Control Description Import All Banks Select this to import all Banks of the MPC Program file. Each Bank will be loaded into a separate Group. Import One Bank Select this if you only want to import a single Bank. Use the drop-down menu to the right to select which Bank you want to import.
Playing on the Controller Adjusting the Pads Playing on the Controller This chapter describes the numerous features available in MASCHINE to adjust and enhance your playing, both during live performances and when recording Patterns. Adjusting the Pads You can optimize and fine-tune the way the pads of your controller react to your playing: ▪...
Page 227
Playing on the Controller Adjusting the Pads When the Pad View button is enabled, the Pad view replaces the Sound List below: The Pad view replaces the Sound List. At the top of the Pad view, the grid of pads gives you access to all Sound slots of the current Group.
Playing on the Controller Adjusting the Pads Parameter Description Adjusts the base key for the selected pad. See section ↑5.1.3, Adjusting the Base Key below. Choke Configures the Choke Group for the selected pad. See section ↑5.1.4, Using Choke Groups below.
Page 229
Playing on the Controller Adjusting the Pads If your controller is in Group mode (default mode), the right display contains a mapping matrix showing the name and color of the Sound played by each pad. You can adjust the base key for the selected pad by pressing buttons 5-8.
Page 230
Playing on the Controller Adjusting the Pads focused Sound). The pitch of the played note is defined by the base key (see section ↑5.1.3, Adjusting the Base Key). To enable 16 Velocities mode, press SHIFT FIXED VEL. Press again to disable. The 16 Velocities mode is not available in Keyboard mode. Using the Keyboard Mode KEYBOARD button located above the pads activates and deactivates Keyboard mode.
MIDI input device will always play the selected Sound without the need to enter Key- board mode. The rear side of the MASCHINE MK3 hardware with the MIDI IN and OUT sockets. Additional Pad Input Modes Chords and Step...
Page 232
Playing on the Controller Adjusting the Pads The base key also affects the pitch of events created via the step sequencer. See section ↑10.3.1, Step Mode Basics for more information on this. Adjusting the base key only affects the notes played by the pads of your controller. It does not affect the notes recorded in your Patterns! To adjust the key of notes in Pat- terns, please refer to section ↑10.4, Editing...
Playing on the Controller Adjusting the Pads This is also true when adjusting the parameter from your controller. To change the base key of the selected pad(s) / Sound slot(s) on your controller: Hold the PAD MODE button to enter Pad Mode. On the right display, the key indicated for pad (in the bottom left corner) is the current base key.
Page 234
Playing on the Controller Adjusting the Pads To assign the selected Sound slot(s) to a Choke group and set its/their Choke mode (Master or Slave), do the following: Click the Pad View button above the Sound List in the Pattern Editor to show the Pad view for the focused Group.
Playing on the Controller Adjusting the Pads This is also true when adjusting the parameter from your controller. To assign the selected pad(s) / Sound slot(s) to a Choke group and set its/their Choke mode on your controller: Hold the PAD MODE button to enter Pad Mode.
Page 236
Playing on the Controller Adjusting the Pads You can select multiple Sound slots and quickly assign them all to a particular Link group at once! To assign the selected Sound(s) to a Link group and set its/their Link mode (Master or Slave), do the following: Click the Pad View button above the Sound List in the Pattern Editor to show the Pad view for the focused Group.
Page 237
Playing on the Controller Adjusting the Pads Sound slots 1 to 4 are selected. If they have different Choke values, a MULTI label appears (left). When you click it and select a new Choke or Link group from the list (middle), this new group is applied to all selected Sounds. This is also true when adjusting the parameter from your controller.
Playing on the Controller Adjusting the Key, Choke, and Link Parameters for Multiple Sounds Adjusting the Key, Choke, and Link Parameters for Multiple Sounds In the software, if you select multiple Sounds with different Key, Choke and/or Link values, the corresponding parameters in Pad view now display MULTI.
Playing on the Controller Adjusting the Base Key Adjusting the Choke or Link Parameter for Multiple Sounds with different Choke or Link Values Click the MULTI label next to Choke Link and select the desired value from the list to ►...
Playing on the Controller Playing Tools Adjusting the base key only affects the notes played by the pads of your controller. It does not affect the notes recorded in your Patterns! To adjust the key of notes in Pat- terns, please refer to section ↑4.1.3, Selecting Multiple Sounds or Groups.
Playing on the Controller Playing Tools ▪ Mute and Solo allow you to selectively mute and solo Sounds and Groups: ↑5.4.1, Mute Solo. ▪ Choke All Notes allow you to cut all playing audio: ↑5.4.2, Choke All Notes. ▪ Groove allows you to give a shuffling flair to individual Sounds/Groups or to your entire Project: Groove.
Page 242
Playing on the Controller Playing Tools To momentarily mute all audio from all Sounds and Groups at once, please refer to sec- tion ↑5.4.2, Choke All Notes. Mute and Solo in the Software Soloing a Sound To solo a Sound, right-click (on macOS: [Ctrl]-click) the number on the left side of the ►...
Page 243
Playing on the Controller Playing Tools Muting a Sound To mute a Sound, click the number on the left side of the Sound slot in the Pattern Edi- ► tor. Muting a Sound. To unmute the Sound, click the number again. ►...
Page 244
Playing on the Controller Playing Tools Mute and Solo on Your Controller To enter solo mode on your controller: The Solo mode on the controller. Press and hold SOLO to enter Solo mode. You can also press SOLO + Button 1 to pin this mode and make it permanent.
Choke All Notes The Choke All Notes feature allows you to kill any note or event currently playing in your Project. This affects the audio coming from all Plug-ins (Internal, Native Instruments, and Ex- ternal). Choke All Notes is only available on your controller:...
Playing on the Controller Playing Tools Press SHIFT MUTE to choke all playing notes. ► Choke All Notes can be useful in various situations: ▪ as a creative tool in a live performance, e.g. to create stutter beaks, ▪ as a workflow aid, to stop long one-shot Samples that still continue playing after you have stopped the sequencer, ▪...
Page 247
Playing on the Controller Playing Tools The Groove properties for a Sound in the software. The Groove properties for a Sound on the controller. Controls Description SWING Section Amount Adjusts the amount of swing, i.e. the amount by which some events are shifted.
Playing on the Controller Playing Tools The following picture shows you how this rhythm would sound with the following settings: ▪ Top: Amount 0.0 % (no groove). ▪ Middle: Amount 100.0 % Invert off. ▪ Bottom: Amount 100.0 % Invert enabled.
Page 249
Playing on the Controller Playing Tools Volume and Velocity Shortcuts The VOLUME button. In Pad Mode, Keyboard mode or Chords mode: Press the VOLUME [Velocity] button. To change the output level of the Master (i.e. the overall output level of MASCHINE), sim- ply turn the 4-D encoder.
Page 250
Playing on the Controller Playing Tools In the software you can also adjust the output level of the Master via the Master Volume slider in the Header: The Master Volume slider in the software’s Header. To reset the output level of the Master to 0 dB, double-click the Master Volume slider. Swing and Position Shortcuts The SWING button.
Page 251
Playing on the Controller Playing Tools To change the position of a selected step in Step mode, hold its pad and turn the 4-D en- ► coder. The adjusted value is temporarily shown on the left display. → To adjust the value in finer increments, press and turn the 4-D encoder (or hold SHIFT while you turn it).
Playing on the Controller Playing Tools To change the tempo of the Master (i.e. the tempo of your Project), simply turn the 4- D encoder. To change the tune of all Sounds in a Group, hold the desired Group button (first navigate to its Group bank if necessary) and turn the 4-D encoder.
Playing on the Controller Performance Features You can also use the TEMPO button to adjust the current tempo: Press the TEMPO button and turn the 4-D encoder to quickly adjust the tempo of your ► Project. Press and turn the 4-D encoder (or hold SHIFT while you turn it) to adjust the value in finer increments when the TEMPO button is enabled.
Page 254
Playing on the Controller Performance Features The Control Signal Flow—Pads in Keyboard Mode The following diagram illustrates MASCHINE s signal flow between your hits on the pads in Keyboard mode and the resulting sounds: The signal flow including the new Perform features (Scale, Chord, and Arp) when your pads are in Keyboard mode. In this picture, blue cells represent modules sending “control”...
Page 255
Playing on the Controller Performance Features The Control Signal Flow—Pads in Group Mode The following diagram illustrates signal flow between your hits on the pads in Group mode and the resulting sounds: The signal flow including the Perform features (Note Repeat, Choke Group, and Link Group) when your pads are in Group mode.
Playing on the Controller Performance Features 5.5.2 Selecting a Scale and Creating Chords MASCHINE comes equipped with a vast amount of scales and chords that you can select and use to play your Sounds. This opens up possibilities to play an instrument such as a piano ac- cording to, e.g., the minor pentatonic scale without hitting a “false”...
Page 257
Playing on the Controller Performance Features ▪ Of course, if a Sound slot contains a KOMPLETE instrument providing control notes (e.g., key switches) on particular keys, these notes will not be triggered by the Scale and Chord engine. Available Scales The Scale engine is controlled via two parameters: ▪...
Page 258
Playing on the Controller Performance Features Scale Type Degrees (1 = Root Note) Chromatic (default) Major ♭3 ♭6 ♭7 Minor ♭3 ♭6 Harmonic Minor Major Pentatonic ♭3 ♭7 Minor Pentatonic ♭3 ♭7 Blues ♭3 ♭6 Japanese ♭2 ♭6 ♭7 Freygish ♭3 ♭6 Gypsy...
Page 259
Playing on the Controller Performance Features ◦ Off: No chords will be generated. Only the notes corresponding to the pads that you hit will be played. ◦ Harmonizer: Generates chords based on the pads you hit and using notes from the se- lected scale, as specified by the Root Note and Scale Type parameters (see above).
Page 260
Playing on the Controller Performance Features Chord Type Semitones Added above Played Note Major 7 4, 7, and 11 Minor 7 3, 7, and 10 Dominant 7 4, 7, and 10 Dominant 9 4, 7, 10, and 14 Minor 7♭5 3, 6, and 10 Diminished 7 3, 6, and 9...
Page 261
Playing on the Controller Performance Features When Chord Mode is set to Off or Harmonizer, pads of root notes are fully lit: Type of Pad (for Selected Scale) LED in Default LED when Pad Triggered State Root notes Fully lit Flash Other pads Dimly lit...
Playing on the Controller Performance Features Condition Enharmonic Spelling Scale Type is set to Chromatic Keys Scale Type is not set to E♭ A♭ B♭ Chromatic Chord Mode is set to D♭ E♭ A♭ B♭ Chord Set and Chord Type is set to Major 1-8 Chord Mode is set to B♭...
Page 263
Playing on the Controller Performance Features Like the Scale and Chord engine, the Arp engine is dedicated to Keyboard mode. The Arp engine can be seen as a melodic extension of the Note Repeat: Actually, Arp replaces and extends Note Repeat in Keyboard mode. Instead of playing repeated notes at a constant pitch you can play sequences of notes at different pitches.
Page 264
Playing on the Controller Performance Features The Note Repeat mode on your controller. Even if Note Repeat is locked, it won’t be applied to your pads when your controller is displaying the SLICE page of Sampling mode. Note Repeat mode seamlessly switches to Arp mode as soon as you switch your pads from Group mode to Keyboard mode (see below): All current values (including the LOCK state) are retained.
Page 265
Playing on the Controller Performance Features In Arp mode you can customize the way the notes of the played chord will be arpeggiated by adjusting following settings: Element Description LOCK (Button 2) Keeps the Arp feature enabled even when you leave Arp mode. For example, this can be useful to adjust the chord settings, switch to another Pattern, adjust Plug-in parameters, etc., while keeping arpeggios running.
Page 266
Playing on the Controller Performance Features Element Description TYPE (Knob 2) Sets the sequential order of the arpeggiated notes. You can choose from following settings: starts from the root note and plays the notes up through the chord. Down plays the notes the other way around. Up &...
Playing on the Controller Performance Features Element Description DYNAMIC (Knob 7) Amplifies or reduces the velocity derived from the pressure you apply on each single pad you hold (Polyphonic Aftertouch). Available values range from to 200%. This setting applies globally to all rate presets.
Playing on the Controller Using Lock Snapshots When the playback is not running, the swing is still applied to the output of Arp (Key- board mode) or Note Repeat (Group mode). If you press PLAY on your controller, the playback starts immediately and the swing cycle is reset. Using Lock Snapshots Lock allows you to create up to sixty-four snapshots spread across four banks of sixteen pads providing a total of up to sixty-four snapshots.
Playing on the Controller Using Lock Snapshots The Lock snapshot is recalled and the LOCK button ceases to be highlighted. You can ac- → cess your snapshot in Extended Lock mode. For more information on Extended Lock read ↑5.6.2, Using Extended Lock.
Playing on the Controller Using Lock Snapshots Press SHIFT LOCK (Ext Lock) to return to Extended Lock view. Press button 5 UPDATE to update your snapshot. The selected snapshot is updated. ▪ Repeat the process to update other Lock snapshots. 5.6.4 Recalling a Lock Snapshot Within Extended Lock you can recall a stored Lock snapshot.
Playing on the Controller Using Lock Snapshots Element Description MORPHING MORPH Select to switch morphing mode. MODE TRAVEL will morph the selected snapshots without syncing to the grid. The morph will begin instantly instead of waiting until the next bar begins. The duration of the morph is set using the TIME parameter.
Playing on the Controller Using Lock Snapshots 5.6.7 Triggering Lock Snapshots via MIDI If MASCHINE is running as a plug-in in a host environment, you can trigger and change Lock snapshots using MIDI Note or MIDI Program Change messages sent from your host to the MA- SCHINE plug-in.
Page 273
Playing on the Controller Using Lock Snapshots Click MIDI Change. This opens the following dialog: ▪ Click Lock Enabled from the dialog. ▪ In the submenu that opens, select the source you want to use for changing the MIDI Pro- gram Change messages.
For more information on triggering Lock snapshots using your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), please check the Knowledge Base on the Native Instruments website. Using the Smart Strip The Smart Strip on the controller puts control of several parameters literally at your fingertips: You can use the Smart Strip to apply pitch bend or modulation to the sound you are playing on the pads, or you can tweak Perform FX in real time.
Playing on the Controller Using the Smart Strip In Pitch mode, the scale on the Smart Strip is centered, as indicated by a white LED in the middle of the Smart Strip. Sliding your finger to the left will flatten the pitch. Sliding your fin- ger to the right will sharpen the pitch.
Playing on the Controller Using the Smart Strip Press PERFORM to enable Perform mode. Slide a finger on the Smart Strip to control the parameter the Smart Strip is mapped to. The effect will sound for the length of time your finger is held on the Smart Strip. →...
▪ An exhaustive description of an essential Internal Instrument Plug-in in charge of playing back all sample content in MASCHINE: the Sampler (↑6.2, The Sampler Plug-in). ▪ Specific information on Native Instruments and External Plug-ins (↑6.3, Using Native In- struments and External Plug-ins).
Page 278
Working with Plug-ins Plug-in Overview The Control area displaying the content of the Sound Kick Ordinance of the selected Sound slot 1. Sounds, Groups, and the Master can each hold any number of Plug-ins. These are stacked up in the Plug-in List, on the left of the Control area. MASCHINE - Manual - 278...
Page 279
Working with Plug-ins Plug-in Overview To show the Plug-in List, click the little Plug-in icon at the far left of the Control area: ► In the Plug-in List, the processing order is always from top to bottom. In addition to Plug-ins, each Sound, each Group, and the Master also provide a set of global settings called Channel properties.
Page 280
◦ Native Instruments: You can use all Native Instruments KOMPLETE instruments instal- led on your computer as VST/AU plug-ins (e.g., MASSIVE, which is included with MA- SCHINE). Products from Native Instruments are tightly integrated in MASCHINE.
External Instrument, see above), the Sound will generate its own audio. ▪ If the first Plug-in slot holds an Effect Plug-in (Internal, Native Instruments or External), the Sound will be available as bussing point for other signals (from within MASCHINE, and possibly from the outside world).
Loading, Removing, and Replacing a Plug-in The procedure to load a Plug-in with its default settings is common to all levels (Sound, Group, and Master) and all Plug-in types (Internal, Native Instruments, and External, as well as Instru- ment and Effect):...
Page 283
Upon your selection the selected Plug-in sits at the top of the Plug-in List, in the first → Plug-in slot of the Sound (in our example). In addition, some Native Instruments and Ex- ternal Plug-ins will automatically open in a floating window (see section ↑6.3.1, Opening/...
Page 284
Working with Plug-ins Plug-in Overview Instead of using the Plug-in menu to load a Plug-in with its default settings, you can also use the Browser to load a particular preset for a Plug-in. In particular, this can come in handy to insert a new Plug-in between two existing Plug-ins of the Plug-in List. Please refer to chapter ↑3.2, Searching and Loading Files from the Library for more in-...
Page 285
Working with Plug-ins Plug-in Overview To remove the Plug-in currently loaded in a slot, open its Plug-in menu and select None ► at the top of the menu. The Plug-in is unloaded from the slot. All following Plug-ins are shifted one slot upwards →...
Page 286
Select None to remove the Plug-in currently loaded (see previous paragraph). Native Instruments Lists available Native Instruments’ Instruments (first Plug-in slot submenu of Sounds only) and Effects. For products working both as Instrument and Effect, the Effect Plug-in name is followed by the mention FX.
Page 287
Working with Plug-ins Plug-in Overview Plug-in Menu Entry Description Sampler (first Plug-in slot The Sampler is the Internal Instrument Plug-in used to play back of Sounds only) all Samples in MASCHINE — this essential Plug-in will be described in details in section ↑6.2, The Sampler Plug-in.
This default preset will be recalled each time you load or External Plug-in is the Plug-in from the Plug-in menu. loaded) Note that the first two submenus Native Instruments and External only show the Plug- ins that are enabled in the Plug-ins page of the Preferences panel.
Page 289
Working with Plug-ins Plug-in Overview Select the Sound, Group or the Master where the Plug-in is located (see section ↑2.3.7, Focusing on a Group or a Sound). Move the 4-D encoder to the right to navigate to the desired Plug-in. The name of the selected Plug-in appears on the right display in the field between the arrows under Button 5 and 6.
Page 290
Working with Plug-ins Plug-in Overview Inserting a Plug-in To insert a Plug-in directly after the selected Plug-in slot, do the following: Press SHIFT + Button 3 (INSERT). This automatically opens the Browser on your controller and locks the File Type to FECT (Button 1 and 2, normally used in the Browser to select the desired File Type, are here disabled).
↑2.3.9, Navigating Channel Properties, Plug-ins, and Parameter Pages in the Control Area. Native Instruments and External Plug-ins only: You can also adjust the Plug-in parame- ters via the own user interface of the VST/AU plug-in. More on this in ↑6.2.6, Page 6: Velocity / Modwheel.
Page 292
Working with Plug-ins Plug-in Overview In the Plug-in List, click the icon left to the Plug-in name (keys for an Instrument Plug-in, for an Effect Plug-in) to bypass this Plug-in. The Plug-in does not affect the sound anymore. The icon is grayed out to indicate that this slot is now bypassed.
Working with Plug-ins Plug-in Overview Press SHIFT + Button 7 (BYPASS) above the right display to bypass the selected Plug-in slot. The Plug-in is bypassed and does not affect the sound anymore. In the left display the → Plug-in icon and name are grayed out. When you hold SHIFT, Button 7 is fully lit and the BYPASS label on the right display is highlighted to indicate that this Plug-in slot is now bypassed:...
Page 294
Working with Plug-ins Plug-in Overview Moving Plug-ins Within the Plug-in List To move a Plug-in in the Plug-in List, click its name and drag your mouse vertically. While ► you are holding the mouse button, an insertion line appears at the place in the Plug-in List where the Plug-in would land if dropped.
Plug-in preset can be assigned as the default preset so the Plug-in opens with that preset auto- matically loaded. The MASCHINE file format for Native Instruments plug-ins allows you to save a preset in the format native to the plug-in and freely exchange files between the plug-in instrument in stand- alone mode, MASCHINE, and KOMPLETE KONTROL.
Working with Plug-ins Plug-in Overview To use this feature you must ensure all installed Native Instruments plug-ins are up-to- date. Please check Service Center or log-in to your Native Instruments account to find the latest updates. 6.1.9.1 Saving Plug-in Presets Saving Plug-in presets can only be done in the software via the Plug-in menu.
In addition, the MASCHINE library already provides a collection of Plug-in presets for MA- SCHINE Internal Plug-ins. Furthermore, any Native Instruments product installed on your com- puter will have its own factory library already imported into the MASCHINE Browser so that you can browse and load its presets directly from MASCHINE, ready for loading.
Properties. KOMPLETE products and MASCHINE EXPANSIONS have to be updated to ensure their full integration into the MASCHINE Library. To update any Native Instruments product installed on your computer, please start the Service Center. You can also load a Plug-in preset from the Plug-in menu by selecting the Open… command, then navigating your file system and selecting the desired preset file (extension “.mxinst”...
Working with Plug-ins The Sampler Plug-in Click Remove Default Preset in the menu to remove the default preset. The default plug-in preset is removed and the plug-in will load with its initialized settings → next time it is opened. You can also use the Plug-in Manager in the Preferences panel to gain an overview of your de- fault plug-in presets and also remove them if required.
Page 300
Working with Plug-ins The Sampler Plug-in Many of these parameters can be modulated and automated! For more information, see section ↑10.5, Recording and Editing Modulation ↑11.2.3, Controlling Parameters via MIDI and Host Automation, respectively. In case MASCHINE cannot find the Sample(s) loaded in a Sampler Plug-in, a Missing Sample dialog will appear and help you locate the missing Sample(s) again.
Working with Plug-ins The Sampler Plug-in 6.2.1 Page 1: Voice Settings / Engine Sampler parameters – page 1 of 6: VOICE SETTINGS and ENGINE on the controller. Sampler parameters – page 1 of 6: VOICE SETTINGS and ENGINE in the software. MASCHINE - Manual - 301...
Page 302
Working with Plug-ins The Sampler Plug-in Parameter Description VOICE SETTINGS Polyphony Here you can define a voice limit for the Sound, that is the maximum number of voices (notes) the Sampler can play simultaneously. Once this polyphony has been reached, triggering any additional note will kill the “oldest”...
Working with Plug-ins The Sampler Plug-in 6.2.2 Page 2: Pitch / Envelope Sampler parameters – page 2 of 6: PITCH / GATE and AMPLITUDE ENVELOPE on the controller. Sampler parameters – page 2 of 6: PITCH / GATE and AMPLITUDE ENVELOPE in the software. Parameter Description PITCH / GATE...
Page 304
Working with Plug-ins The Sampler Plug-in AMPLITUDE ENVELOPE AMPLITUDE ENVELOPE section allows you to tailor your Sample in terms of its loudness over time. The Type selector. Type selector allows you to choose from three different types of amplitude envelopes. De- pending on the selected type, the available parameters in the AMPLITUDE ENVELOPE section...
Page 305
Working with Plug-ins The Sampler Plug-in ▪ ADSR: Typically, the ADSR envelope is used for longer, sustained Samples that require complex dynamic control. Unlike many other hardware devices, the pads on MASCHINE are sensitive not only to being hit, but also to being held — so using the ADSR envelope, you can make the pads behave like a MIDI keyboard and sustain a note only for as long as it is held down.
Working with Plug-ins The Sampler Plug-in 6.2.3 Page 3: FX / Filter Sampler parameters – page 3 of 6: FX and FILTER on the controller. Sampler parameters – page 3 of 6: FX and FILTER in the software. This is a small selection of basic effects, not to be mixed up with the collection of Effect Plug- ins covered in depth in chapter ↑14, Effect Reference.
Page 307
Working with Plug-ins The Sampler Plug-in Parameter Description stands for “sample rate”: you can use it to lower the original sample rate in order to make the Sound more lo-fi. Bits Allows you to lower the original bit depth of the Sound, resulting in a more rough, digital sounding lo-fi effect.
Working with Plug-ins The Sampler Plug-in 6.2.4 Page 4: Modulation Sampler parameters – page 4 of 6: MODULATION ENVELOPE and DESTINATION on the controller. Sampler parameters – page 4 of 6: MODULATION ENVELOPE and DESTINATION in the software. MODULATION ENVELOPE MODULATION ENVELOPE section offers an additional envelope allowing further modifica- tion (or “modulation”) of specific Sampler parameters according to the way you play on the...
Page 309
Working with Plug-ins The Sampler Plug-in Envelope Controls Description Decay With Decay you adjust how fast the envelope drops to the sustain level in ADSR mode; in AHD mode it is used to adjust how fast the envelope fades out. Sustain The envelope level that will be maintained as long as the note is played.
Working with Plug-ins The Sampler Plug-in 6.2.5 Page 5: LFO Sampler parameters – page 5 of 6: LFO and DESTINATION on the controller. Sampler parameters – page 5 of 6: LFO and DESTINATION in the software. The LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator) is another modulation source based on waveforms with different shapes.
Page 311
Working with Plug-ins The Sampler Plug-in LFO Controls Description Phase Defines the initial phase of the LFO waveform, from -0.50 to 0.50. Sync Sync selector is used to synchronize the LFO with the tempo of your Project. If Free is selected, the LFO rate is independent of the Project tempo.
Working with Plug-ins The Sampler Plug-in 6.2.6 Page 6: Velocity / Modwheel Sampler parameters – page 6 of 6: VELOCITY DESTINATION and MODWHEEL DESTINATION on the controller. Sampler parameters – page 6 of 6: VELOCITY DESTINATION and MODWHEEL DESTINATION in the software. VELOCITY DESTINATION This section allows you to use the input velocity in order to modulate various parameters.
Page 313
Working with Plug-ins The Sampler Plug-in Parameter Modulation Destination Start Start parameter of the PITCH / GATE section on the Pitch / Envelope page (page 2). Positive values shift the Sample start position later in time as you play harder, negative values shift it closer to the beginning of the Sample as you play harder.
Overview. 6.3.1 Opening/Closing Plug-in Windows When you load a Native Instruments or External Plug-in into a Plug-in slot, you can open a floating window containing the user interface of that Native Instruments or third-party instru- ment/effect. Plug-ins of Native Instruments platform products (REAKTOR, KONTAKT, GUITAR RIG) are automatically opened in floating windows when loaded from the Plug-in menu.
Page 315
Working with Plug-ins Using Native Instruments and External Plug-ins MASCHINE showing the user interfaces of a few Native Instruments Plug-ins (MONARK, PASSIVE EQ, GUITAR RIG, and FM8). When a Native Instruments or External Plug-in has been loaded into a Plug-in slot, a little di- agonal arrow appears left of the Parameter pages’...
Page 316
↑12.4.4, Custom Panels for Native Instruments Plug-ins. ▪ Default view and Additional view: Each Native Instruments Plug-in can provide one or two custom views including reduced sets of controls. The Default view is available for every Na- tive Instruments Plug-in, while the Additional view is available for specific Native Instru- ments Plug-ins only.
Working with Plug-ins Using Native Instruments and External Plug-ins ▪ Edit view: The Edit view shows the full user interface of the original Native Instruments product. You can show/hide the Edit view by clicking the Edit button (showing a pencil...
6.3.3 Setting Up Your Own Parameter Pages As with any Plug-in, the parameters of a Native Instruments or External Plug-in are organized into pages. Each Plug-in can have any number of pages, each containing 8 knobs, which can be assigned to the parameters of the VST/AU instrument or effect.
Page 319
(not to switches nor selectors) in MASCHINE — this is also true in the MASCHINE software. A parameter of a Native Instruments or External Plug-in can be assigned to one knob only! To begin assigning parameters, do the following: Select the Plug-in for which you want to customize parameter assignments.
Page 320
Parameter pages. Pages tab can be clicked only for Native Instruments or External Plug-ins and for the Macro properties. For all other Plug-ins and Channel properties, parameters and Pa- rameter pages are not editable, and the Pages tab is grayed out and inactive.
Page 321
Working with Plug-ins Using Native Instruments and External Plug-ins (1) Delete Page button (“x” symbol): Click the little “x” after a page name to delete this Parame- ter page. (2) Section Label fields: These fields allow you to define sections of parameters within the dis- played page.
Page 322
Working with Plug-ins Using Native Instruments and External Plug-ins Parameter Slots - Context Menu When the Assignment area is opened and the Pages tab is selected, a right-click on an as- signed or unassigned Parameter slot’s label brings up a context menu.
6.3.4 Using VST/AU Plug-in Presets For some of your Native Instruments or third-party VST/AU plug-ins, you might already have a set of factory or user presets (or patches, programs, etc.) that you like to use. MASCHINE lets you directly load these presets and save them as Plug-in presets within MASCHINE. Saving...
Page 324
Browser on your controller. You can also add to the MASCHINE library the user presets you might have created for any Native Instruments product installed on your computer. To do this, simply add the corresponding path(s) to the list found on the...
Page 325
Sounds only! To avoid any mistake, one solution is to name your VST/AU presets explicitly (e.g., by adding a suffix “[FX]” to the effect presets). MASCHINE allows you also to change the preset in your Native Instruments or third-party VST/ AU plug-in via MIDI Program Change messages. For more information, see section ↑11.2.3,...
Using Native Instruments and External Plug-ins Saving VST/AU Presets as MASCHINE Plug-in Presets Once you have loaded a VST/AU preset (user preset of a Native Instruments instrument/effect or any preset of a third-party VST/AU instrument or effect) using the method described above, you can save it as a Plug-in preset in MASCHINE via the Save As…...
Using the Audio Plug-in Using the Audio Plug-in The Audio plug-in can playback audio (drums, percussion, basslines, guitar riffs, etc.) in-sync with the Tempo of your Project. It has two modes: Loop mode and Gate mode. ▪ Loop mode is the default setting where the loaded loop will play continuously whenever there is an active Pattern in the Group.
Page 328
Using the Audio Plug-in Loading the Audio Plug-in The Audio plug-in can be loaded onto any Sound within a Group. As a MASCHINE Plug-in, it supports all usual Plug-in workflows. Hence, to know how to load, remove, replace, insert, move, copy/paste the Audio plug-in, as well as how to adjust the Audio plug-in parameters and load/save default presets, refer to the section ↑6, Working with Plug-ins.
Page 329
Using the Audio Plug-in Element Description Fade (Gate Mode only) Set a simple fade-in fade-out amount to avoid pops or clicks that may occur when using the Gate mode. To increase the fade of Gate mode, turn the Fade knob clockwise by clicking and dragging upwards. To decrease the fade, turn the Fade knob counter-clockwise by clicking...
Using the Audio Plug-in Loading a Loop into the Audio Plug-in Element Description Tempo Set the original tempo of your Audio so that the Audio plug-in can accurately play it in sync, no matter what tempo you choose for your Project.
Page 331
Using the Audio Plug-in Loading a Loop into the Audio Plug-in Pattern Editor with the Audio Plug-in Loop mode loaded on Sound 4. By default the Audio plug-in will playback in Loop mode, meaning the audio will be repeated for the duration of the Pattern regardless of the length of the audio. If you want to chop the loop and pitch it, switch to Gate mode.
Using the Audio Plug-in Using Loop Mode Using Loop Mode Loop mode is the default mode for the Audio plug-in and is used to playback audio in time with your Project. When loaded into a Sound, audio appears as a waveform in the Pattern Edi- tor and is repeated for the entirety of the Pattern.
Using the Audio Plug-in Using Gate Mode Using Gate Mode Gate mode is used to chop and pitch selected parts of your audio by applying MIDI note events in the Keyboard view of the Pattern Editor or by recording them using your controller. Each event is a gate for the audio;...
Page 334
Using the Audio Plug-in Using Gate Mode The process of using Gate mode is as follows; load an audio loop onto a Sound, select Gate mode from the control panel of the Audio plug-in and then add MIDI events in the Pattern in the regions where you want to chop and pitch your audio, or press play on your controller and use the pads to pitch the audio.
Using the Drumsynths Using the Drumsynths Drumsynths are a powerful set of monophonic Internal Instrument Plug-ins (i.e. Instrument Plug-ins included with MASCHINE) that allow you to generate individual, fine-tuned drum sounds for your music productions. Like any other Instrument Plug-in, you can load them only in the first Plug-in slot of Sounds.
Using the Drumsynths Drumsynths – General Handling Drumsynths – General Handling This section describes the general use and features of the Drumsynths. Managing Drumsynths Drumsynths are MASCHINE Plug-ins and, as such, they support all usual Plug-in actions and procedures. Hence, to know how to load, remove, replace, insert, move, copy/paste Drum- synths, as well as how to adjust the Drumsynth parameters and load/save presets, please refer to section ↑6.1, Plug-in...
Page 337
Using the Drumsynths Drumsynths – General Handling All Drumsynths share the same parameter organization in the Control area. ▪ Their parameters are grouped into the same three Parameter pages: ◦ The Main page groups the most important parameters for each drum type. Here you can select the engine to be used, the tuning, the decay, etc.
Page 338
Using the Drumsynths Drumsynths – General Handling All Drumsynths share the same global layout in the Plug-in Strip. ▪ In the top part of the panel you can adjust the Tune parameter, select the desired engine, adjust the velocity response, and adjust the Decay parameter (or the Filter...
Using the Drumsynths Drumsynths – General Handling 8.1.3 Shared Parameters Within each Drumsynth, some parameters are shared between several engines (e.g., the Tune parameter). Shared parameters have the advantage of keeping their position when you switch to another engine in the Drumsynth. This allows you to compare the sound of various engines more easily.
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks For all engines, the Tune parameter lets you define which pitch will be played when hitting the pad of that Sound (with pads in Group mode) or playing the middle C (MIDI note 60) base note.
Page 341
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks The Kick panel in the Plug-in Strip. As in every Drumsynth, the engine can be selected via the Engine selector on the Main page. Each engine has a different character and set of parameters, as detailed in the following sec- tions.
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks ▪ Bold: ↑8.2.7, Kick – Bold. ▪ Maple: ↑8.2.8, Kick – Maple. ▪ Push: ↑8.2.9, Kick – Push. For more information on engines, see ↑8.1.1, Engines: Many Different Drums per Drum- synth. For general information on the Kick and the other Drumsynths, see ↑8.1, Drum- synths –...
Page 343
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks Element Description Bend Adjusts the amplitude of the pitch envelope applied throughout the sound duration (punch), measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0 % (default: 6,8 %). At zero, the sound stays at its original pitch during its entire decaying phase.
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks Modulation Page As with all other engines and Drumsynths, the Modulation page contains one parameter: Veloc- ity. Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum. Available values range from -100.0 % to 100.0 % (default value). At zero (mid course), the drum is played at full velocity, no matter how hard you hit the keys (or pads).
Page 345
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks Element Description Tune Adjusts the pitch of the drum played by the middle C, measured in MIDI note numbers and cents. Available values range from 31.00 to 55.00. The default value is 43.00. For more details see ↑8.1.5, Pitch Range, Tuning, and MIDI Notes.
Page 346
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks Element Description Bias Adjusts the timbre of the distortion, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0 % (default: 50.0 %). At zero, the distortion is symmetrical and introduces mostly odd harmonics. As the Bias value is increased, the distortion becomes more asymmetric and more even harmonics are introduced,...
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks 8.2.3 Kick – Dusty The Dusty kick is an electronic kick with an organic feel. It’s capable of broken, dusty sounds but can also open up to a thundering warehouse boom. The parameters described below are presented as they appear in the Control area (Ar- range view).
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks Advanced Page For this engine the Advanced page does not contain any parameters. Modulation Page As with all other engines and Drumsynths, the Modulation page contains one parameter: Veloc- ity. Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum.
Page 349
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks Main Page Element Description MAIN Section Engine Selects the engine used in the Kick Plug-in. If you change this setting, please refer to section 10.2 “The Kicks” in the MASCHINE 2.0 Manual. Tune Adjusts the pitch of the drum played by the middle C, measured in MIDI note numbers and cents.
Page 350
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks Element Description Grind Adjusts the grittiness of the “aero” component of the sound, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0% (default: 45.0%). Low values produce a boomy reverberation. High values result in a crushed, digital “air” squashed into the drum sound.
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks 8.2.5 Kick – Rasper The Rasper kick is an acoustic bass drum emulation providing a unique and organic sound that can be easily adapted into Drum’n’Bass or Dubstep productions. Its two crispness modes allow for a wide range of bass drums. The parameters described below are presented as they appear in the Control area (Ar- range view).
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks Element Description Decay Adjusts the duration of the crispness effect, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0 % (default: 34.0 %). Amount Adjusts the amount of crispness, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0 % (default: 50.0 %).
Page 353
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks The parameters described below are presented as they appear in the Control area (Ar- range view). The same parameters are available in the Plug-in panel within the Plug-in Strip (Mix view). See ↑12.4, The Plug-in Strip for more information on this.
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks Modulation Page As with all other engines and Drumsynths, the Modulation page contains one parameter: Veloc- ity. Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum. Available values range from -100.0 % to 100.0 % (default value). At zero (mid course), the drum is played at full velocity, no matter how hard you hit the keys (or pads).
Page 355
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks Element Description Tune Adjusts the pitch of the drum played by the middle C, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0 % (default: 50.0 %). For more details see ↑8.1.5, Pitch Range, Tuning, and MIDI Notes.
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks 8.2.8 Kick – Maple The Maple kick is an acoustic bass drum emulation that provides a realistic and organic sound. It is suitable for any production where a supporter kick is needed. It fits perfectly with acoustic instruments and its room parameters make it fit seamlessly into any mix.
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks Element Description Size Adjusts the size of the room, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0 % (default: 50.0 %). Amount Adjusts the amount of room effect applied to the drum sound, measured as a percentage.
Page 358
Using the Drumsynths The Kicks The parameters described below are presented as they appear in the Control area (Ar- range view). The same parameters are available in the Plug-in panel within the Plug-in Strip (Mix view). See ↑12.4, The Plug-in Strip for more information on this.
Using the Drumsynths The Snares Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum. Available values range from -100.0 % to 100.0 % (default value). At zero (mid course), the drum is played at full velocity, no matter how hard you hit the keys (or pads).
Page 360
Using the Drumsynths The Snares The Snare panel in the Plug-in Strip. As with every Drumsynth, the engine can be selected via the Engine selector on the Main page. Each engine has a different character and set of parameters, as detailed in the following sec- tions.
Using the Drumsynths The Snares ▪ Vintage: ↑8.3.6, Snare – Vintage ▪ Chrome: ↑8.3.7, Snare – Chrome ▪ Iron: ↑8.3.8, Snare – Iron ▪ Clap: ↑8.3.9, Snare – Clap For more information on engines, see ↑8.1.1, Engines: Many Different Drums per Drum- synth.
Page 362
Using the Drumsynths The Snares Element Description Gate When enabled, the decay of the drum is choked by the end of the MIDI note. When disabled (default), the drum plays as a one-shot sound, i.e. until the end of its tail, no matter when the note is released.
Using the Drumsynths The Snares Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum. Available values range from -100.0 % to 100.0 % (default value). At zero (mid course), the drum is played at full velocity, no matter how hard you hit the keys (or pads).
Page 364
Using the Drumsynths The Snares Element Description Gate When enabled, the decay of the drum is choked by the end of the MIDI note. When disabled (default), the drum plays as a one-shot sound, i.e. until the end of its tail, no matter when the note is released.
Using the Drumsynths The Snares 8.3.3 Snare – Pow The Pow snare is a shot of filtered noise, useful as an electro snare, an effect or a layer in a combined snare sound. The parameters described below are presented as they appear in the Control area (Ar- range view).
Using the Drumsynths The Snares Modulation Page As with all other engines and Drumsynths, the Modulation page contains one parameter: Veloc- ity. Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum. Available values range from -100.0 % to 100.0 % (default value). At zero (mid course), the drum is played at full velocity, no matter how hard you hit the keys (or pads).
Page 367
Using the Drumsynths The Snares Element Description Tune Adjusts the pitch of the drum played by the middle C, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 % to 100.0 % (default: 50.0 %). For more details see ↑8.1.5, Pitch Range, Tuning, and MIDI Notes.
Using the Drumsynths The Snares Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum. Available values range from -100.0 % to 100.0 % (default value). At zero (mid course), the drum is played at full velocity, no matter how hard you hit the keys (or pads).
Page 369
Using the Drumsynths The Snares Element Description Decay Adjusts the duration of the sound’s tail, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0 % (default: 50.0 %). Skin Tune Adjusts the fine-tuning of the skin of the drum, measured as a percentage.
Using the Drumsynths The Snares Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum. Available values range from -100.0 % to 100.0 % (default value). At zero (mid course), the drum is played at full velocity, no matter how hard you hit the keys (or pads).
Page 371
Using the Drumsynths The Snares Element Description Decay Adjusts the duration of the sound’s tail, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0 % (default: 50.0 %). Skin Tune Adjusts the fine-tuning of the skin of the drum, measured as a percentage.
Using the Drumsynths The Snares Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum. Available values range from -100.0 % to 100.0 % (default value). At zero (mid course), the drum is played at full velocity, no matter how hard you hit the keys (or pads).
Page 373
Using the Drumsynths The Snares Element Description Skin Tune Adjusts the fine-tuning of the skin of the drum, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0 % (default: 50.0 %). Impact Adjusts how hard the drum is hit. Available values range from 0.0 % (softest) to 100.0 % (hardest).
Using the Drumsynths The Snares Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum. Available values range from -100.0 % to 100.0 % (default value). At zero (mid course), the drum is played at full velocity, no matter how hard you hit the keys (or pads).
Page 375
Using the Drumsynths The Snares Element Description Decay Adjusts the duration of the sound’s tail, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0 % (default: 50.0 %). Skin Tune Adjusts the fine-tuning of the skin of the drum, measured as a percentage.
Using the Drumsynths The Snares Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum. Available values range from -100.0 % to 100.0 % (default value). At zero (mid course), the drum is played at full velocity, no matter how hard you hit the keys (or pads).
Page 377
Using the Drumsynths The Snares Element Description Decay Adjusts the duration of the sound’s tail, but also the “spread” between the individual claps, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0 % (default: 50.0 %). Room Adjusts the balance between the dry sound — the claps themselves —...
Using the Drumsynths The Snares 8.3.10 Snare – Breaker The Breaker snare is an acoustic high pitched snare drum that cuts through perfectly into mix- es containing heavy bass. The adjustment of the wires spectrum provides a great range of snares.
Page 379
Using the Drumsynths The Snares Element Description SPECTRA Section Mode Selects from two different noise types that simulate the wires of the drum. Available modes are A (default) and B. Tune Provides an independent tuning of the snare noise. It relates to the tension of the snare wires on a real snare drum.
Using the Drumsynths The Hi-hats The Hi-hats The Hi-hat Drumsynth can generate a variety of hi-hat sounds. The Hi-hat in the Control area (Main page depicted). The Hi-hat panel in the Plug-in Strip. MASCHINE - Manual - 380...
Using the Drumsynths The Hi-hats As in every Drumsynth, the engine can be selected via the Engine selector on the Main page. Each engine has a different character and set of parameters, as detailed in the following sec- tions. The Hi-hat provides following engines: ▪...
Page 382
Using the Drumsynths The Hi-hats Element Description Tune Adjusts the pitch of the cymbal played by the middle C, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 % to 100.0 % (default: 50.0 %). For more details see ↑8.1.5, Pitch Range, Tuning, and MIDI Notes.
Using the Drumsynths The Hi-hats Advanced Page For this engine the Advanced page does not contain any parameters. Modulation Page As with all other engines and Drumsynths, the Modulation page contains one parameter: Veloc- ity. Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum.
Page 384
Using the Drumsynths The Hi-hats Main Page Element Description MAIN Section Engine Selects the engine used in the Hi-hat Plug-in. If you change this setting, please refer to ↑8.4, The Hi-hats. Tune Adjusts the pitch of the cymbal played by the middle C, measured as a percentage.
Using the Drumsynths The Hi-hats Element Description Seed Selects a random sequence to control the waveform produced by the oscillator. Each of the 31 seed values available produces a different set of random pitches and harmonics. Dissonance Affects the randomization of the oscillator, measured as a percentage.
Page 386
Using the Drumsynths The Hi-hats The parameters described below are presented as they appear in the Control area (Ar- range view). The same parameters are available in the Plug-in panel within the Plug-in Strip (Mix view). See ↑12.4, The Plug-in Strip for more information on this.
Using the Drumsynths The Hi-hats Element Description Strike Adjusts the attack of the cymbal, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0 % (default: 75.0 %). Distress Introduces even more lo-fi grit, crushing and distortion. Available values range from 0.0 % (default) to 100.0 %. Advanced Page For this engine the Advanced...
Page 388
Using the Drumsynths The Hi-hats The parameters described below are presented as they appear in the Control area (Ar- range view). The same parameters are available in the Plug-in panel within the Plug-in Strip (Mix view) — for more information please refer to section ↑12.4, The Plug-in Strip.
Using the Drumsynths The Hi-hats Advanced Page Element Description HYBRID Section Bend Adjusts the amount of a pitch envelope for sound design purposes. It is a bipolar control ranging from -100.0 to 100.0% (default: 0.0%) Rattle Adjusts the amount of sizzling from the hi-hat. It is more noticeable with long decays.
Using the Drumsynths The Toms when played, like on a real drum set. By the way you are not limited to two hi-hat sounds — e.g., you could add to the same Choke group a third Sound containing a half-opened hi-hat. To know how to do this, please refer to section ↑5.1.4, Using Choke Groups where Choke groups...
Page 391
Using the Drumsynths The Toms The Tom panel in the Plug-in Strip. As in every Drumsynth, the engine can be selected via the Engine selector on the Main page. Each engine has a different character and set of parameters, as detailed in the following sec- tions.
Using the Drumsynths The Toms For more information on engines, see ↑8.1.1, Engines: Many Different Drums per Drum- synth. For general information on the Snare and the other Drumsynths, see ↑8.1, Drum- synths – General Handling. 8.5.1 Tom – Tronic The Tronic engine is the default engine of the Tom.
Page 393
Using the Drumsynths The Toms Element Description Bend Adjusts the pitch sweep of the sound, measured as a percentage. Available values range from -100.0 % to 100.0 % (default: 0.0 %). At zero the sound stays at its original pitch during its entire decaying phase.
Using the Drumsynths The Toms Modulation Page As with all other engines and Drumsynths, the Modulation page contains one parameter: Veloc- ity. Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum. Available values range from -100.0 % to 100.0 % (default value). At zero (mid course), the drum is played at full velocity, no matter how hard you hit the keys (or pads).
Page 395
Using the Drumsynths The Toms Main Page Element Description MAIN Section Engine Selects the engine used in the Tom Plug-in. If you change this setting, please refer to ↑8.5, The Toms. Tune Adjusts the pitch of the drum played by the middle C, measured in MIDI note numbers and cents.
Page 396
Using the Drumsynths The Toms Element Description Color Adjusts a simple filter which affects the brightness of the sound. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0 % (default: 50.0 %). Glide The tuning of the Fractal tom is locked for each note; in other words the change in tuning is applied only when a new note is received.
Page 397
Using the Drumsynths The Toms Element Description Transpose Adjusts the pitch transposition of the feedback oscillator bank only, measured in semitones and cents. This is useful for tuning it to the tone oscillator. Available values range from -12.00 to 12.00 semitones (default: 0.00).
Using the Drumsynths The Toms Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum. Available values range from -100.0 % to 100.0 % (default value). At zero (mid course), the drum is played at full velocity, no matter how hard you hit the keys (or pads).
Page 399
Using the Drumsynths The Toms Element Description Decay Adjusts the duration of the sound’s tail, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0 % (default: 50.0 %). Tension Adjusts the tension of the drum skin, measured as a percentage, allowing for a longer and bigger pitch bend.
Using the Drumsynths The Toms Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum. Available values range from -100.0 % to 100.0 % (default value). At zero (mid course), the drum is played at full velocity, no matter how hard you hit the keys (or pads).
Using the Drumsynths The Percussions Element Description Tension Adjusts the tension of the drum skin, measured as a percentage, allowing for a longer and bigger pitch bend. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0% (default). Impact Adjusts the amount of click or initial attack, measured as a percentage.
Page 402
Using the Drumsynths The Percussions The Percussion in the Control area (Main page depicted). The Percussion panel in the Plug-in Strip. As in every Drumsynth, the engine can be selected via the Engine selector on the Main page. Each engine has a different character and set of parameters, as detailed in the following sec- tions.
Using the Drumsynths The Percussions ▪ Fractal (default): ↑8.6.1, Percussion – Fractal. ▪ Kettle: ↑8.6.2, Percussion – Kettle. ▪ Shaker: ↑8.6.3, Percussion – Shaker. For more information on engines, see ↑8.1.1, Engines: Many Different Drums per Drum- synth. For general information on the Snare and the other Drumsynths, see ↑8.1, Drum- synths –...
Page 404
Using the Drumsynths The Percussions Element Description Decay Adjusts the duration of the sound’s tail, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0 % (default: 50.0 %). Tune Hold When Tune Hold is enabled, the tuning behavior is that of the Fractal tom: the tuning is fixed until the next note is received (see ↑8.5.1, Tom –...
Page 405
Using the Drumsynths The Percussions Element Description HARMONICS Section KTr. Mode (Key Selects from two key tracking modes: Harmonic (default) and Tracking Mode) Dissonant. In Harmonic mode all oscillators track the Tune parameter (on the Main page, see above) and your keyboard evenly. Therefore, the drum stays in tune with itself as the Tune parameter is adjusted,...
Using the Drumsynths The Percussions Modulation Page As with all other engines and Drumsynths, the Modulation page contains one parameter: Veloc- ity. Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum. Available values range from -100.0 % to 100.0 % (default value). At zero (mid course), the drum is played at full velocity, no matter how hard you hit the keys (or pads).
Page 407
Using the Drumsynths The Percussions Element Description Tune Adjusts the pitch of the drum played by the middle C, measured in MIDI note numbers and cents. Available values range from 33.00 to 57.00. The default value is 45.00. For more details see ↑8.1.5, Pitch Range, Tuning, and MIDI Notes.
Using the Drumsynths The Percussions Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum. Available values range from -100.0 % to 100.0 % (default value). At zero (mid course), the drum is played at full velocity, no matter how hard you hit the keys (or pads).
Page 409
Using the Drumsynths The Percussions Element Description Filter Adjusts the bandwidth of the filter applied to the noise source, measured as a percentage. Higher settings result in a wider filter. Lower settings result in a narrower filter, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0 % (default: 70.0 %).
Page 410
Using the Drumsynths The Percussions Element Description Accent (Performer Controls the amount of emphasis on certain notes within the shaker mode only) pattern, measured as a percentage. At low values, the groove is static and the notes rather quiet, as if the shaker were being shaken very gently and uniformly.
Page 411
Using the Drumsynths The Percussions Element Description Sync Sync parameter has two options: Lock and Retrig. In Lock mode, the shaker pattern is synced to the song position; that is, it is always in time regardless of when a note is pressed. In Retrig mode, the shaker pattern (including accents) is retriggered on every note on, without quantizing to the nearest beat.
Using the Drumsynths The Cymbals Element Description Swing Adjusts the amount of swing or shuffle in the shaker pattern. Higher values will result in a pattern with more swing. Note that Swing alone will result in quite a mechanical feel — for a more human feel it is recommended to add some Twist as well (see below).
Page 413
Using the Drumsynths The Cymbals The Crash engine selected for the Cymbal in the Control area (Main page depicted). The Crash engine selected on the Cymbal panel in the Plug-in Strip. As in every Drumsynth, the engine can be selected via the Engine selector on the Main...
Using the Drumsynths The Cymbals The Cymbal provides following engines: ▪ Crash (default): ↑8.7.1, Cymbal – Crash. ▪ Ride: ↑8.7.2, Cymbal – Ride. For more information on engines, see ↑8.1.1, Engines: Many Different Drums per Drum- synth. For general information on the Cymbals and the other Drumsynths, see ↑8.1, Drumsynths –...
Page 415
Using the Drumsynths The Cymbals Element Description Width Adjusts the perceived stereo image, measured as a percentage. At zero the sound is mono, at 100.0% the sound is a wide stereo image, replicating the effect of recording with overhead stereo microphones.
Using the Drumsynths The Cymbals Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum. Available values range from -100.0% to 100.0% (default value). At zero (mid course), the drum is played at full velocity, no matter how hard you hit the keys (or pads).
Page 417
Using the Drumsynths The Cymbals Element Description Impact Adjusts the amount of click or initial attack, measured as a percentage. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0% (default: 70.0%). Width Adjusts the perceived stereo image, measured as a percentage. At zero the sound is mono, at 100.0% the sound is a wide stereo image, replicating the effect of recording with overhead stereo microphones.
Page 418
Using the Drumsynths The Cymbals Element Description SCALE Section Velocity Adjusts the velocity response of the drum. Available values range from -100.0% to 100.0% (default value). At zero (mid course), the drum is played at full velocity, no matter how hard you hit the keys (or pads).
SCHINE JAM direct from the 8x8 click-pad matrix. For more information on sequencing Bass Synth with MASCHINE JAM, please read the MASCHINE JAM Manual available from the Help menu and Native Instruments website. See section ↑10.5, Recording and Editing Modulation for more information on automa- tion.
Using the Bass Synth Bass Synth – General Handling Bass Synth – General Handling This section describes the general use and features of the Bass Synth. Managing the Bass Synth Bass Synth is a MASCHINE Plug-in and, as such, supports all usual Plug-in actions and proce- dures.
Page 421
Using the Bass Synth Bass Synth – General Handling ◦ The Main page groups the most important parameters. Here you can adjust the Shape of the oscillator waveform, the filter Cutoff and Resonance, the envelope modulation (Mod. Amt.) and envelope Decay amounts, the Drive...
Using the Bass Synth Bass Synth – General Handling 9.1.2 Bass Synth Parameters Available from the both the Control area of the Arrange view and in the Plug-in Strip of the Mix view, the parameters are as follows: The parameters described are presented as they appear in the Control area (Arrange view).
Page 423
Using the Bass Synth Bass Synth – General Handling Element Description Mod. Amt. Adjusts the amount of envelope applied to the filter cutoff (range: 0.0% – 100%). To increase the amount of modulation applied to the Cutoff, turn the Mod. Amt. knob clockwise by clicking and dragging upwards.
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics Working with Patterns Creating a Pattern is where the fun starts, because the sequencer really is the core of MA- SCHINE. Both your controller and the software provide you with many powerful tools to create and edit your own beats.
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics 10.1.1 Pattern Editor Overview The Pattern Editor is the all-in-one Pattern editing tool of the MASCHINE software. This overview of the Pattern Editor introduces you its main parts and control elements. 14 13 The Pattern Editor (Group view depicted). (1) Group View button: Click this button to switch to Group view.
Page 426
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics (5) Pad View button: Click this button to switch between the Sound List (4) and the Pad view. The Pad view is an alternate representation of your Sound slots that focuses on the pads of your controller.
Page 427
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics (11) Control Lane: The Control Lane provides a visual overview and editing tools for the modula- tion and the MIDI/host automation of each parameter. See section ↑10.5, Recording and Edit- ing Modulation ↑11.2, Using MIDI Control and Host Automation for more information.
Page 428
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics ▪ The Event Edit mode lets you edit the selected events: ↑10.4.4, Editing Selected Events/ Notes. ▪ The Grid mode lets you adjust the Step Grid: ↑10.1.7, Adjusting the Step Grid and the Nudge Grid. The Pattern Arrange Mode The Pattern Arrange mode is a powerful tool that allows you to visually control the content of your Patterns while providing important Pattern management features.
Page 429
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics The Pattern Arrange mode in the controller displays: Keyboard view (top) and Group view (bottom). In Pattern Arrange mode, the displays of your controller show the following: ▪ The left display provides an overview of the whole Pattern: ◦...
Page 430
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics ◦ Above the arrangement overview, you see the name of the Project, the focused Group or the focused Sound (depending on which of the MASTER, GROUP SOUND tab is selected in the software’s Control area) along with the current tempo and playback po- sition.
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics ▪ Press Button 4 (DUPLICATE) to duplicate the Pattern (see section ↑10.7.8, Duplicating, Copying, and Pasting Patterns). ▪ Press Button 5 (EVENTS) to access Event Edit mode, which allows you to precisely adjust the selected events (see section ↑10.4.4, Editing Selected Events/Notes).
Page 432
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics The zooming scroll bar at the bottom of the Pattern Editor. Use the horizontal zooming scroll bar as follows: ▪ Click the main part (1) of the scroll bar and hold the mouse button, then: ◦...
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics When the Pattern Editor is in Keyboard view, a vertical zooming scroll bar is available on the right of the Pattern Editor allowing you to both scroll and zoom in/out vertically on the pitch axis. It works in the same way as the horizontal bar described above. For more information on the Group and Keyboard view, see section ↑10.1.5, Group View and Keyboard...
Page 434
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics The Follow function will be automatically disabled as soon as you manually scroll in the Arranger or the Pattern area (in the software or from your controller). The Follow function affects both the Pattern Editor and the Arranger simultaneously (see sec- tion ↑15.1.2, Following the Playback Position in Your Project for more information on the Fol-...
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics 10.1.4 Jumping to Another Playback Position in the Pattern You can use the timeline above the Event area to set the playback to the desired position. For example, this can be useful to check a particular transition between events in your Pattern without waiting for the whole Loop Range to be looped.
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics For more information on the Step Grid, see section ↑10.1.7, Adjusting the Step Grid and the Nudge Grid. ▪ If playback is on, the playhead jumps to the closest position near your mouse cursor that retains the current playhead position relative to the Pattern Grid division.
Page 437
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics In Group view, the Pattern Editor shows the events for all Sounds in the Group. This view is well suited for rhythmic instruments (e.g., a drum kit), since you can see and edit the events for all Sounds at once, without worrying about the pitch of the events you create or edit.
Page 438
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics In Keyboard view, the Pattern Editor shows all notes for a particular Sound. If you select another Sound slot in the Sound List on the left, the whole Event area will switch to the notes for that Sound. On the left of the Event area, a vertical piano roll indicates the note corresponding to each row in the Event area.
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics The Pattern Editor in the software switches to Keyboard view. → See The Pad View in the Software for more details on the various pad modes available on your controller. 10.1.6 Adjusting the Arrange Grid and the Pattern Length The Arrange Grid defines regularly spaced-out timings notably used in following situations: ▪...
Page 440
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics ▪ Quick (default): With this setting, the available lengths for your Pattern are as follows: 1 bar, 2 bars, 4 bars, 8 bars, 12 bars, 16 bars, etc. (+ 4 bars each time starting from 4 bars).
Page 441
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics Events beyond the Pattern’s end can be edited in the software. However, you cannot edit them from the controller. See section ↑10.4, Editing Events for more information on editing events. Adjusting the Pattern Length and Arrange Grid on the Controller On your controller, the length of the selected Pattern, along with the Pattern Grid resolution used to modify this length, can both be adjusted using various methods: via the Pattern mode, the Pattern Arrange mode, the Grid mode or the Record Prepare mode.
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics Select a resolution by pressing the corresponding pad. Alternatively you can press But- ton 5, 6 or 8 to successively select each of the resolutions in the corresponding column. The selected value is highlighted on the right display and the corresponding pad turns →...
Page 443
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics The vertical lines represent the Step Grid in the Event area. By default the Step Grid is active and the step size is 1/16th. However you may use another step size or disable the Step Grid completely, as described below. Depending on the current zoom factor and Step Grid resolution, if the vertical lines of the Step Grid are too close to each other they will be hidden to avoid convoluting the display.
Page 444
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics The Step Size menu lets you adjust the Step Grid resolution. To select the step size that will apply to all your editing actions, click the value next to ► the grid icon at the bottom left of the Pattern Editor and choose the desired step size from the drop-down menu.
Page 445
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics To adjust the Nudge Grid, right-click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS) on the background of the ► Event area, select Nudge Grid in the menu, and choose a resolution from the values avail- able in the submenu: Step, Step/2, Step/4, Step/8, and Step/16: The Nudge Grid is not indicated in the Event area of the Pattern Editor.
Page 446
Working with Patterns Pattern Basics Press Button 4 (STEP) to access the Step and Nudge Grid settings. The right display will show you which pad represents a resolution: Select a step size by pressing the corresponding pad. Alternatively you can repeatedly press Button 5–8 to successively select each of the resolutions in the corresponding col- umn.
Working with Patterns Recording Patterns in Real Time 10.2 Recording Patterns in Real Time This section describes the various ways, features, and aids available on your controller to re- cord Patterns as you play them in real time: ▪ The most common method is called overdub recording. Alternatively you can use replace recording.
Page 448
Working with Patterns Recording Patterns in Real Time Recording a Pattern: press PLAY then REC and hit some pads! Press PLAY to start the sequencer. PLAY button lights up. Press to begin recording. button lights up. Now hit the pads you want to record and listen to what happens. Each hit will create an event in the Pattern Editor, the event length depends on how long you hold the pad.
Page 449
Working with Patterns Recording Patterns in Real Time Hit the pads you want to record. Each hit will create an event in the Pattern Editor, the event length depends on how long you hold the pad. Existing events for the selected Sound(s) are deleted as they are reached by the playhead.
Working with Patterns Recording Patterns in Real Time ▪ If no Pattern is selected, engaging record (in Overdub or Replace mode) automatically cre- ates an empty Pattern with the default Pattern Length. The new Pattern is used at the be- ginning of the current Scene and repeated all along the Scene.
Working with Patterns Recording Patterns in Real Time While holding REC, to adjust the Pattern Length for the Pattern in which you are about to record, you can turn Knob 4 (LENGTH) or press Button 5–8 to directly select from the four length presets available: 2, 4, 8, or bars.
Working with Patterns Recording Patterns in Real Time ▪ You can select custom sounds for the metronome’s downbeats and upbeats in the Prefer- ences’ Default page (see section ↑2.6.4, Preferences – Default Page for more details). The time signature of the metronome can be set to differ from the time signature of your Project! This can be useful to record unusual rhythms in a Pattern.
Page 453
Working with Patterns Recording Patterns in Real Time ▪ After the count-in phase, the recording starts in Overdub mode (see ↑10.2.1, Recording Your Patterns Live). The metronome turns off if it was off before the Count-in, otherwise it stays on. You can adjust the metronome’s volume, time signature, and downbeat/upbeat sounds.
Working with Patterns Recording Patterns in Real Time 10.2.5 Quantizing while Recording You can choose to have notes automatically quantized as you record. This is called Input Quan- tization. You can also quantize recorded notes at any time. See section ↑10.4.7, Quantizing Events/Notes for more information.
Page 455
Working with Patterns Recording Patterns with the Step Sequencer The Step mode on the controller displays: the first bar of an eight-bar Pattern. The left display shows your entire Pattern, and the right display focuses on the portion of the Pattern corresponding to the steps controlled by your pads.
Page 456
Working with Patterns Recording Patterns with the Step Sequencer Press an unlit pad to create an event on that step. The pad lights up to indicate that there is an event on that step. The new event is one step long. The next time the playback position reaches that step the new event will be played.
Working with Patterns Recording Patterns with the Step Sequencer When Follow is enabled, the right display and your pads automatically switch to the next 16 steps as soon as the playback position reaches the end of the portion currently displayed. 10.3.2 Editing Events in Step Mode In Step mode you can quickly adjust the parameters of events on particular steps.
Page 458
Working with Patterns Recording Patterns with the Step Sequencer Editing Tool Description Knob 3 (VELOCITY) Adjusts the velocity of the selected events. If the events have different velocities, the velocities differences are retained as long as the limits (0 and 127) are not reached. When only one event is selected, its velocity is shown under VELOCITY.
Working with Patterns Recording Patterns with the Step Sequencer 10.3.3 Recording Modulation in Step Mode You can also record modulation in Step mode. This is helpful when you want to set value changes at a specific time in a Pattern. For all details on modulation please refer to section ↑10.5, Recording and Editing Mod- ulation.
Working with Patterns Editing Events Events vs. Notes Basically events and notes are the same thing: a trigger for a Sound with a particular velocity, pitch, length, etc. If the word “note” is used when dealing with melodic instruments and “event”...
Page 461
Working with Patterns Editing Events Listed here are all available mouse actions from the Mouse Edit modes. For more details on specific actions, please refer to the next sections Mouse in Select Mode The following table is an overview of available mouse actions in Select mode (works in both Group view and Keyboard view, see ↑10.1.5, Group View and Keyboard View).
Page 462
Working with Patterns Editing Events Action Function Editing Selected Notes* (see ↑10.4.4, Editing Selected Events/Notes for details) Drag note horizontally Moves selected notes in time according to the Step Grid. [Ctrl] + drag note horizontally Freely moves selected notes in time (overrides the Step Grid quantization).
Working with Patterns Editing Events Click a note and move the mouse cursor with the button pressed to erase all notes under ► the mouse cursor. Only Notes for the selected Sound are erased. Additionally, you can resize notes like in Select mode: Drag the left or right border of a note horizontally to move its start/end according to the ►...
Working with Patterns Editing Events Mouse in Paint Mode To create a new event in Paint mode, simply click at the desired location. Click and hold ► your mouse and move the cursor horizontally to quickly create a series of events. You cannot create events with your mouse in Erase mode.
Page 465
Working with Patterns Editing Events Action Function [Shift] + click unselected event Add event to current selection [Shift] + click selected event Remove event from selection Drag in Event area’s background Multiple selection (selection frame) Click in Event area’s background Deselect all events Selecting All Events You can select all events displayed in the Event area via the usual keyboard shortcut on your...
Page 466
Working with Patterns Editing Events Depending on the current pad mode (Group mode or Keyboard mode, see ↑5.1.1, The Pad View in the Software), these tools will select events differently, as described in the following paragraphs. Event Select Mode: Selecting Events (Pads in Group mode) In Group mode (the default mode of the pads) each pad represents a specific Sound of the focused Group.
Page 467
Working with Patterns Editing Events Selection Tool Description Pads Unlit pads indicate Sounds for which the Pattern has no events. Nothing happens when you press them. Dimmed pads indicate Sounds for which events can be selected: Press any dimmed pad to add all events for that Sound to the selection. The pad turns fully lit to indicate that all its events are selected.
Page 468
Working with Patterns Editing Events By combining these tools you can precisely define the selection of events you want to edit. Event Select Mode: Selecting Notes (Pads in Keyboard mode) In Keyboard mode each pad represents a specific pitch of the focused Sound. When your pads are in Keyboard mode the Event Select mode looks as follows: Selecting events on the controller with the pads in Keyboard mode.
Page 469
Working with Patterns Editing Events Selection Tool Description Pads Unlit pads indicate pitches at which the Pattern has no notes. Nothing happens when you press them. Dimmed pads indicate pitches at which notes can be selected: Press any dimmed pad to add all notes at that pitch to the selection. The pad turns fully lit to indicate that all its notes are selected.
Working with Patterns Editing Events 10.4.4 Editing Selected Events/Notes Once you have selected particular events, you can edit them in various ways. In the software you can edit events with your mouse only if Select mode is selected in the Edit Mode selector: Click the cursor icon on the left to select events with your mouse.
Page 471
Working with Patterns Editing Events Action Function Double-click note Deletes selected notes. Right-click (macOS: [Ctrl]-click) Deletes selected notes. If multiple notes are selected, mouse actions can be performed on any of the selected notes — they will apply to all selected notes. If you perform any of the actions listed above on a note not included in the current selection, the selection is dropped and the note you are editing will be the only note affected by your edit.
Page 472
Working with Patterns Editing Events Dragging vs. Nudging Dragging with the mouse is different from the Nudge command on your controller: ▪ Whereas dragging is based on the Step Grid, the Nudge command is based on the Nudge Grid (see section ↑10.1.7, Adjusting the Step Grid and the Nudge Grid).
Page 473
Working with Patterns Editing Events The Event Edit mode on the controller with pads in Group mode. ▪ The left display shows an overview of the events in your Pattern for all Sounds in the Group. ▪ The right display shows a detailed view of a portion of your Pattern with events and their velocities for the focused Sound.
Page 474
Working with Patterns Editing Events Turn Knob 5 and 6 to zoom in/out and scroll on the time axis (horizontal axis), respective- If your pads are in Keyboard mode, turn Knob 7 to scroll on the pitch axis (vertical axis) from events at the lowest pitch until events at the highest pitch.
Page 475
Working with Patterns Editing Events Editing Tool Description Knob 3 (VELOCITY) Adjusts the velocity of the selected events. If the events have different velocities, the velocities differences are retained as long as the limits (0 and 127) are not reached. If one event only is selected, its velocity is shown under VELOCITY.
Working with Patterns Editing Events Setting the Step Grid to “Off” and then using Nudge will shift events in extremely small increments. This can be used to creatively add groove to Patterns, for example, shifting the snare drum so that it is ever so slightly late, or “in the pocket” (something a funk drummer does naturally!).
Page 477
Working with Patterns Editing Events Mouse in Erase Mode To delete an event, simply click it. Click and hold the mouse anywhere in the Event area ► and move the cursor to quickly delete series of events. Deleting Events/Notes on the Controller Your controller provides you with several tools to delete events from the current Pattern.
Page 478
Working with Patterns Editing Events Press SHIFT + pad (CLEAR) to erase the selected events. If nothing is selected, all ► event/notes in the Pattern will be affected. Deleting Events or Notes while Playing If the sequencer is currently playing, you can selectively erase events at the play position: While the Pattern is playing, hold ERASE + the desired pad to progressively delete the...
Working with Patterns Editing Events The command has the same effect whether your pads are in Group mode or in Keyboard mode. 10.4.6 Cut, Copy, and Paste Events/Notes You can also cut, copy and paste selected events to another location in the same Pattern or to a different Pattern and for the same Sound or another one (possibly in another Group).
Page 480
Working with Patterns Editing Events ▪ In any case the first pasted event will be quantized to the current Step Grid, and the fol- lowing pasted events will retain their time offset to this first event. ▪ If you paste the events via the Paste command from the context menu of the Event area’s background: ◦...
Working with Patterns Editing Events ◦ If you have changed both the Sound focus and the playhead position (e.g., by clicking in the timeline above the Event area, see section ↑10.1.4, Jumping to Another Play- back Position in the Pattern), events are inserted with the first event starting at the playhead position.
Page 482
Working with Patterns Editing Events ▪ Full quantization: Moves each event directly onto the closest step of the current Step Grid. This allows a perfectly regular rhythm. ▪ Half quantization (50%): Moves each event half way toward the closest step of the current Step Grid.
Working with Patterns Editing Events To apply only a small amount of quantization to keep the groove you created after record- ing your pattern, right-click the mouse and select Quantize 50% from the context menu. To undo/redo Quantize use hotkeys: Ctrl+Z/Ctrl+Y (Cmd+Z/Cmd+Y on macOS). Using Quantization on the Controller You can quantize your notes at any time, no matter how you recorded them.
Working with Patterns Editing Events ▪ Record: Input Quantization is applied only when you record the pads. ▪ Play/Rec: Input Quantization is applied both when you play on the pads and when you re- cord them. In Play/Rec mode the quantization applied while playing is slightly different from the quantization applied while recording: When recording, all events are quantized to the closest step —...
Working with Patterns Editing Events Press Button 3 (DOUBLE). The Pattern is doubled. → Keep in mind that doubling a Pattern twice results in a Pattern that is four times as long. 10.4.10 Adding Variation to Patterns Variation provides an abundance of inspiration and even “happy accidents” when applied to your workflow.
Page 486
Working with Patterns Editing Events Element Description HUMANIZE This mode provides natural rhythmic fluctuations to your programmed sequences based on the values of the parameters of this mode. RANDOM This mode creates randomly generated versions of your beats and melodies based on the values of the parameters of this mode. APPLY Applies the current settings to the selected Sound.
Page 487
Working with Patterns Editing Events Random Mode Parameters Element Description PROBABILITY (Keyboard mode) Probability Set the probability of how often a note is created. At 50% a note may or may not be created at each step. At 100% a note will be created at every step of pattern. Probability can be changed from 10-100% in 10% increments.
Page 488
Working with Patterns Editing Events Element Description Step Set the amount of time shift per step. The value is applied to all notes and will move them randomly in both plus and minus values according to the overall percentage set here. Time shift can be changed from +/- 0-50% in 5% increments.
Working with Patterns Recording and Editing Modulation 10.5 Recording and Editing Modulation One of the really cool features of MASCHINE is the ability to modulate nearly all MASCHINE parameters both on the controller and in the software in a very easy way. In MASCHINE, modulation means the automatic change of MASCHINE parameters from an in- ternal source (e.g., manual changes recorded via Auto-write…).
Working with Patterns Recording and Editing Modulation This section describes how to use modulation in MASCHINE — for more information on using automation, please refer to section ↑11.2.3, Controlling Parameters via MIDI and Host Automation. Please note that modulation and automation are not mutually exclusive: You can modulate a parameter in MASCHINE and automate it (e.g., from your host) simultaneously! As a result, the parameter value will deviate (according to the recorded modulation) from its moving value defined by the automation.
Working with Patterns Recording and Editing Modulation Almost all parameters meeting these requirements can be modulated, the only exceptions be- ing: ▪ Plug-ins: ◦ Saturator: in Tube mode, the Bass Overload button (MAIN section) and Bypass button section). ◦ Percussion (Drumsynth): in Fractal mode, the Tune Hold button in the Main...
Page 492
Working with Patterns Recording and Editing Modulation Your movement are recorded into the Pattern and will be recalled as the playback is loop- → As soon as you create modulation for a parameter, the following happens: ▪ On the outer ring of the knob, the colored section (usually indicating the current parameter value) is replaced by a little segment indicating the modulated value.
Working with Patterns Recording and Editing Modulation Hold AUTO to enter Auto-write mode. At the bottom of the displays, non-modulatable parameters disappear. Among the remain- ing parameters (all modulatable), the value of each continuous parameter is replaced by a percentage. While holding AUTO, turn the desired Knob 1–8 under the displays to adjust the deviation to the actual value as you see fit.
Page 494
Working with Patterns Recording and Editing Modulation If the Control Lane is not visible at the bottom of the Pattern Editor, click the up-pointing arrow in the bottom left corner of the Pattern Editor to show it. Click the little bar icon left of the Control Lane to display the Modulation pane. The Modulation pane appears.
Page 495
Working with Patterns Recording and Editing Modulation ◦ Left of the modulation track, a vertical scale indicates the value range for that param- eter. In the modulation track you can create, edit, and delete modulation points (see below). The range of the vertical value scale left of the modulation track depends on the cur- rent, non-modulated value of the selected parameter: Since modulation points set new values relative to the non-modulated value of the parameter, this scale allows you to see at any time the real values that will be set by the various modulation points in the track.
Page 496
Working with Patterns Recording and Editing Modulation Mouse Edit Mode Available Mouse Actions (1) Select mode To create modulation points, double-click in the Control Lane — other points on this step will be replaced. To delete a modulation point, right-click it ([Ctrl]-click it on macOS). To edit an existing modulation point, drag it vertically (you can also drag the horizontal segment following the point instead).
Page 497
Working with Patterns Recording and Editing Modulation To create a new modulation track: To create a new modulation track for a parameter of a Sound, click the desired Sound in the Sound List (left of the Pattern Editor) and click the SOUND tab in the Control area.
Page 498
Working with Patterns Recording and Editing Modulation When you load a Plug-in in a channel (Sound or Group) its modulatable parameters will automatically show up in the menu of available parameters when this channel is fo- cused. Resetting a Modulation Track To reset the modulation track of a parameter, right-click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS) the de- ►...
Working with Patterns Creating MIDI Tracks from Scratch in MASCHINE 10.6 Creating MIDI Tracks from Scratch in MASCHINE Within MASCHINE you can create MIDI tracks from scratch for any Sound of your Project. MA- SCHINE’s MIDI automation tracks can have two purposes: ▪...
Page 500
Working with Patterns Creating MIDI Tracks from Scratch in MASCHINE Click the MIDI socket icon left of the Control Lane to display the MIDI pane. At the end of the list of MIDI controls nearby, click the “+” to add a new MIDI track. A new entry appears at the end of the list reading assigned.
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns 10.7 Managing Patterns This section describes how to organize your Patterns, Pattern slots, and Pattern banks. 10.7.1 The Pattern Manager and Pattern Mode In the software, all Pattern management operations are done in the Pattern Manager: To open the Pattern Manager, click the Pattern Manager button (a down-pointing arrow) at ►...
Page 502
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns Use the Pattern Manager to manage your Patterns. ▪ On the left you can see the list of the 16 Pattern slots in the selected Pattern bank. Slots containing a Pattern show a colored bar on the left along with the Pattern name. The other slots contain no Pattern.
Page 503
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns Closing the Pattern Manager To close the Pattern Manager, click anywhere outside it. ► The Pattern Mode on Your Controller The Pattern mode is where you select and manage your Patterns. To enter Pattern mode on your controller, press and hold PATTERN (you can pin it by ►...
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns 10.7.2 Selecting Patterns and Pattern Banks {Commented by Christian Schulz, 04.10.2017 18:30:17: Something is wrong with the frag- ments and taxononmy tagging.} In the topmost row of the Pattern Editor, you can see on the left the name of the Pattern se- lected: The selected Pattern is named Basics.
Page 505
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns The selected Pattern is loaded in the Pattern Editor and its events appear in the Event → area. Furthermore, this Pattern is referenced by a Clip for the selected Group in the cur- rent Scene in the Arranger. This Clip replaces any previous Clip for the Group in that Scene (see chapter ↑15.3, Using Arranger View for more on this).
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns 10.7.3 Creating Patterns First of all, you don’t need to explicitly create a new empty Pattern before filling it with events: ▪ If no Pattern is selected, as soon as you create an event (in the empty Event area of the software or by recording pads on your controller) a new Pattern will be created for it! See section ↑10.4.2, Creating Events/Notes...
Page 507
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns A new empty Pattern is created in the selected Pattern slot. The new Pattern is loaded in → the Pattern Editor with an empty Event area. Furthermore, this Pattern is referenced by a Clip for the selected Group in the current Scene in the Arranger. This Clip replaces any previous Clip for the Group in that Scene (see chapter ↑15.3, Using Arranger View more on this).
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns 10.7.4 Deleting Patterns To delete a Pattern: Open the Pattern Manager (see ↑10.7.1, The Pattern Manager and Pattern Mode). If necessary, select the Pattern bank containing the desired Pattern by clicking its pad grid on the right. The selected Pattern bank is surrounded by a white border and its Patterns appear in the list on the left.
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns Press Button 7 and 8 to select the desired Pattern bank. Press the pad corresponding to the Pattern you want to delete. Press Button 6 (DELETE). The Pattern is deleted. → Alternate Method Press and hold PATTERN to enter Pattern mode.
Page 510
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns Click the “+” symbol under the last pad grid on the right to create another Pattern bank. A new empty Pattern bank is created and its pad grid appears in place of the “+” symbol. →...
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns If the Patterns of the deleted Pattern bank were referenced by Clips in the Arranger, these Clips will be removed as well! 10.7.6 Naming Patterns You can replace the Patterns’ default names with custom names of your own. This can be done in the Pattern Editor, in the Pattern Manager or in the Arranger.
Page 512
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns On the right of the Pattern slot, click the little pen icon: You can also right-click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS) the Pattern slot or the corresponding cell in the pad grid and select Rename from the context menu: The Pattern name gets highlighted and editable.
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns Double-click any Clip referencing the Pattern you want to name. The Clip turns to a text field and waits for your input. Type a name and press [Enter] on your computer keyboard to confirm. The Pattern is renamed. All Clips referencing this Pattern will mirror the new Pattern →...
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns Right-click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS) the desired Pattern slot or the corresponding cell in the pad grid and select Color from the context menu. A Color Palette appears. In the Palette, the current color of the Pattern is highlighted. Select the desired color in the Palette.
Page 515
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns If necessary, select the Pattern bank containing the desired Pattern by clicking its pad grid on the right. The selected Pattern bank is surrounded by a white border and its Patterns appear in the list on the left. Right-click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS) the Pattern slot or the corresponding cell in the pad grid and select Duplicate from the context menu: A Pattern copy is inserted right after the original Pattern in the Pattern bank —...
Page 516
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns Right-click (on macOS: [Ctrl]+click) the Event area’s background and choose Copy from the slot’s context menu: Select the Group in which you want to paste the Pattern’s content. Open the Pattern Manager, select (or create) an empty Pattern, and close the Pattern Manager again.
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns The Pattern is copied to the target pad. The target pad starts flashing and you can further → copy/paste it to other slots! This procedure has following benefits: ▪ You can paste the copy into the Pattern slot of your choice — empty or not. If the target Pattern slot already contains a Pattern, it will be replaced by the copied Pattern.
Working with Patterns Managing Patterns While holding the mouse button, drag your mouse toward the desired location. As the mouse cursor moves, the potential target slots are highlighted or an insertion line appears at the potential places between slots where you can drop the Pattern slot. When the desired slot is highlighted or when the insertion line appears at the desired lo- cation, release the mouse button.
Working with Patterns Importing/Exporting Audio and MIDI to/from Patterns The Pattern Length can now be adjusted in finer increments according to the value of the → Step Grid. 10.8 Importing/Exporting Audio and MIDI to/from Patterns In the Pattern Editor you can quickly export MIDI and audio from Patterns and import MIDI to Patterns via drag and drop.
Working with Patterns Importing/Exporting Audio and MIDI to/from Patterns If you want to export a single Sound in the Group, you can switch the Pattern Editor to Keyboard view, put the focus on the desired Sound, and check that this Sound is not muted (see section ↑5.4.1, Mute and Solo) —...
Page 521
Working with Patterns Importing/Exporting Audio and MIDI to/from Patterns You can export MIDI files using two methods: via drag-and-drop or via the Group/Sound con- text menu. Exporting MIDI via Drag-and-Drop You can render the selected Pattern to a MIDI file by simply dragging it onto the target location on your operating system or directly into a MIDI channel of your host software: Select the Pattern you want to export MIDI from (see section ↑10.7.2, Selecting Patterns...
Page 522
Working with Patterns Importing/Exporting Audio and MIDI to/from Patterns Select the Pattern you want to export MIDI from (see section ↑10.7.2, Selecting Patterns and Pattern Banks). To export MIDI from the entire Group, switch the Pattern Editor to Group view and right- click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS) the desired Group in the Group List (left of the Arranger) to open its context menu.
Working with Patterns Importing/Exporting Audio and MIDI to/from Patterns 10.8.3 Importing MIDI to Patterns You can import MIDI files (extension “.mid”) to Patterns. This allows you to use in MASCHINE MIDI files prepared with another application. This function is only available in the software. Importing MIDI data into a Pattern that already contains data (note, modulation tracks, and MIDI tracks) will replace that data.
Page 524
Working with Patterns Importing/Exporting Audio and MIDI to/from Patterns Right-click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS) the Group in the Group List and select Import MIDI… from the context menu. You can alternatively right-click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS) the Group name in the header above the Sound List and select the same entry.
Page 525
Working with Patterns Importing/Exporting Audio and MIDI to/from Patterns Drag the MIDI file onto the desired Group in the Group List left of the Arranger. The MIDI file will be imported to the selected Pattern of the Group according to the im- →...
Page 526
Working with Patterns Importing/Exporting Audio and MIDI to/from Patterns ◦ For each Sound, MIDI notes will be imported at the default root note C3 — this en- sures that the imported MIDI data will correctly trigger all MASCHINE factory kits. ◦...
Page 527
Working with Patterns Importing/Exporting Audio and MIDI to/from Patterns Right-click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS) the desired Sound in the Sound List and select Import MIDI… from the context menu. In the Import MIDI dialog that opens, navigate to the desired MIDI file on your computer and click Open to confirm.
Page 528
Working with Patterns Importing/Exporting Audio and MIDI to/from Patterns Drag the MIDI file onto the desired Sound in the Sound List (left of the Pattern Editor). The MIDI file will be imported to the selected Pattern for that Sound according to the im- →...
Page 529
Working with Patterns Importing/Exporting Audio and MIDI to/from Patterns Open the FILES pane of the Browser and navigate to the desired MIDI file (see section ↑3.6, Loading and Importing Files from Your File System to know how to use the FILES pane).
Page 530
Working with Patterns Importing/Exporting Audio and MIDI to/from Patterns Select multiple MIDI files in your operating system or in the FILES pane of the Browser. Drag and drop the multiple selection onto the desired Group in the Group List. New Patterns will be created for that Group. Apart from this, each new Pattern receiving →...
Page 531
Working with Patterns Importing/Exporting Audio and MIDI to/from Patterns Drag and drop the multiple selection onto the desired Sound in the Sound List. New Patterns will be created for that Sound in the Group, each new Pattern receiving the → data from one of the MIDI files.
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls This chapter describes a few important topics and features of MASCHINE’s routing and assign- ment system. Understanding these will be of great help in numerous MASCHINE workflows: ▪...
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE 11.1 Audio Routing in MASCHINE MASCHINE offers a powerful audio routing system that you can finely customize to fit your specific needs. To make it short, by default the various channels of MASCHINE are structured in a simple, hi- erarchical way: ▪...
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE Mix View or Arrange View? When it comes to adjusting audio and MIDI routings, the Mix view can sometimes be the most efficient way to do: The familiar mixing desk layout allows you to quickly find the parameters you are looking for and adjust the routing on the fly.
Page 535
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE Audio page of the Input properties is available for Sounds only. MASCHINE 1.x owners: The Audio page of the Sound’s Input properties replaces and extends the features of the Input Module available in previous MASCHINE versions. The Audio page of the Input properties for a Sound in the software.
Page 536
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE Controls Description AUDIO Section Source Selects an external audio input to be routed to the Sound. Available entries are None (no external input) and the four external stereo inputs Ext. 1–4, as well as any additional output(s) of multiple- output Plug-ins loaded in other Sounds of the same Group.
Page 537
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE Open the extended view of the Mixer by clicking the down-pointing arrow on the left of the Mixer: Check that the button is active on the left of the Mixer — if not, click it to enable it and display the input/output settings of each channel strip.
Page 538
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE At the top of the channel strip of the Sound you want to configure, click the first field under the Sound name and select the desired external input in the menu. This is equivalent to setting the Source parameter described above.
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE 11.1.2 Configuring the Main Output of Sounds and Groups By default the outputs of all Sounds in a Group are sent to this Group, where they are mixed together and processed by the Plug-ins loaded in the Group, if any. Similarly, by default the outputs of all Groups are sent to the Master, where they are mixed together and processed by the Plug-ins loaded in the Master, if any.
Page 540
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE Please refer to section ↑2.3.9, Navigating Channel Properties, Plug-ins, and Parameter Pages in the Control Area to know how to access the Audio page of the Output proper- ties in the software and from your controller. Controls Description AUDIO Section...
Page 541
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE Controls Description Defines the pan position of the channel in the stereo field. Audio Mute (Sounds If you enable Audio Mute, muting this Sound will not only bypass only) its events but also mute its audio output, thereby muting any audio tails from notes already played.
Page 542
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE The pair of knobs for each Sound/Group allows you to quickly adjust the channel level and panoramic position. For Sound slots, the knobs are visible only when the Pattern Editor is in Group mode. In Keyboard mode, the knobs are not visible.
Page 543
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE Open the extended view of the Mixer by clicking the down-pointing arrow on the left of the Mixer: Navigate to the channel of which you want to configure the output: for a Sound click the header of its parent Group (or double-click it if the Mixer currently displays the Group channel strips), and for a Group simply ensure that its channel strip is visible (double- click the Group header if the Mixer currently displays the Sound channel strips).
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE To select another destination for the channel’s output, click the first area under the level meter, and select the desired destination in the menu. This is equivalent to setting the Dest.
Page 545
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE The Aux page of the Output properties (here for a Group) in the software. The AUX page of the Output properties (here for a Group) on the controller. Please refer to section ↑2.3.9, Navigating Channel Properties, Plug-ins, and Parameter Pages in the Control Area to know how to access the...
Page 546
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE Controls Description Level Adjusts the level of the signal sent to the Aux 1 or Aux 2 output. Order Order is set to Pre, the channel will be fed into Aux 1 or Aux 2 before the Level settings of the...
Page 547
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE Check that the button is active on the left of the Mixer — if not, click it to enable it and display the settings for the auxiliary outputs of each channel strip. Navigate to the channel of which you want to configure an auxiliary output: for a Sound click the header of its parent Group (or double-click it if the Mixer currently displays the Group channel strips), and for a Group simply ensure that its channel strip is visible (dou-...
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE Adjust the level for that auxiliary output via the little knob at the right of the menu. This is equivalent to setting the Level parameter described above. Set the pre/post state of the auxiliary output by clicking the Post (or Pre) label right under the menu.
Page 549
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE The Audio page of the Output properties for the Master in the software. The AUDIO page of the Output properties for the Master on the controller. Please refer to section ↑2.3.9, Navigating Channel Properties, Plug-ins, and Parameter Pages in the Control Area to know how to access the...
Page 550
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE Controls Description CUE Section Output Selects where you want to send the Cue bus of your MASCHINE Project. Available options are the 16 external stereo outputs Ext. 1– 16. By selecting a different output from the one used for the main stereo output, you can effectively pre-listen on this additional output (e.g., on your headphones) any channel(s) currently sent to the Cue bus.
Page 551
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE Open the extended view of the Mixer by clicking the down-pointing arrow on the left of the Mixer: Click the background of the last header in the top right corner of the Mixer. The Master/Cue channel strip appears underneath.
Page 552
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE To adjust the level and panoramic position of the main output, use the channel’s fader and balance control (above the fader), respectively. This is equivalent to setting the Level parameters in the MAIN section, respectively...
Page 553
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE Click the headphone icon in the strip’s header to show the controls for the Cue channel. To adjust the level and panoramic position of the Cue output, use the channel’s fader and balance control (above the fader), respectively.
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE 11.1.5 Mono Audio Inputs Each Sound can be configured to receive external stereo or mono audio signals. You may use audio signals from outside MASCHINE (from your audio interface if MASCHINE is used in stand-alone mode, or from your host if MASCHINE is used in plug-in mode).
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE 11.1.5.1 Configuring External Inputs for Sounds in Mix View You can also easily send stereo or mono external audio to Sounds in MASCHINE’s Mixer: Click the Mix View button on the left of the Arranger to switch from Arrange view to Mix view: Open the extended view of the Mixer by clicking the down-pointing arrow on the left of the Mixer:...
Page 556
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE Check that the button is active on the left of the Mixer — if not, click it to enable it and display the input/output settings of each channel strip. If the Mixer currently displays the Group channels, in the top row of the Mixer double- click the header of the Group containing the Sound you want to configure.
Page 557
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE The Mixer displays the channel strips of all Sounds in the selected Group. ▪ MASCHINE - Manual - 557...
Page 558
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Audio Routing in MASCHINE At the top of the channel strip of the Sound you want to configure, click the first field under the Sound name and select the desired external input in the menu. This is equivalent to setting the Source parameter described above.
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation 11.2 Using MIDI Control and Host Automation MASCHINE provides you with flexible MIDI remote control and host automation facilities that can be used in many situations. Incoming MIDI and Host Automation MASCHINE’s Master, Groups and Sounds can be controlled via MIDI and the host (when MA- SCHINE is running as a plug-in), both globally and individually: ▪...
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation Outgoing MIDI You can also sending MIDI data from Sounds. For example, when MASCHINE is running as a plug-in in a host environment, this allows you to record your performance on the pads as a MIDI pattern in your host application.
Page 561
MIDI channel 1 and all incoming notes on channel 2. ▪ The MIDI input settings described here also affect other MASCHINE features: ◦ The preset selection via MIDI Program Change for Native Instruments and External Plug-ins. See section ↑11.2.4, Selecting VST/AU Plug-in Presets via MIDI Program...
Page 562
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation The MIDI page of the Input properties (here for a Group) on the controller. Please refer to section ↑2.3.9, Navigating Channel Properties, Plug-ins, and Parameter Pages in the Control Area to know how to access the MIDI page of the Input properties...
Page 563
C2 upwards. If nothing is loaded on a Sound nothing can be triggered, and if you use a Native Instruments KOMPLETE KONTROL S-series keyboard the Light Guide will remain white to indicate that nothing loaded.
Page 564
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation Controls Description Source (stand-alone and Select the MIDI port on which the Sound or Group will receive MIDI in Manual mode only) notes. Available entries are None (MIDI note input disabled, default setting), All (MIDI notes are received on all enabled input ports), and each enabled MIDI input port.
Page 565
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation Some of these parameters also affect MIDI file import: The Channel parameter of a Sound will be used when importing a multi-channel MIDI file to its Group, while the Root Note parameter will be used when importing a single-channel MIDI file to the Group.
Page 566
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation Check that the button is active on the left of the Mixer — if not, click it to enable it and display the input/output settings of each channel strip. Above the fader area in the channel strip of the Sound or Group you want to configure, click the bigger field on the right (labeled MIDI IN...
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation Click the little field on its left to select a MIDI channel. This is equivalent to the Channel parameter described above. 11.2.2 Triggering Scenes via MIDI The MASCHINE hardware SCENE mode can be configured to send out MIDI (Notes/Program Changes) which can be used to trigger scenes.
Page 568
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation This opens the following dialog: ▪ Click Scene Enabled from the dialog. ▪ In the submenu that opens, select the source you want to use for changing the MIDI Pro- gram Change messages.
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation MIDI Scene change has priority over Lock change. If you select the same MIDI Source and Channel for Lock and Scene changes, only Scenes will be triggered by the corre- sponding events coming from the MIDI source.
Page 570
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation Modulation Automation Source of control Internal (e.g., changes External (e.g., an external recorded via Auto-write) MIDI sequencer or an automation track in your host) Duration of the change Temporary (until the end of Permanent the Clip)
Page 571
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation In the left part of the Assignment area, click the Automation tab: Automation tab lights up and the Automation pane appears on its right. You are now →...
Page 572
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation A MIDI CC assignment for the current Parameter page. A few host automation assignments for the current Parameter page. The following paragraphs describe in more details how to assign MIDI controls and host auto- mation IDs to MASCHINE parameters.
Page 573
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation ▪ Plug-ins: ◦ Saturator: in Tube mode, the Bass Overload button (MAIN section) and Bypass button section). ◦ Percussion (Drumsynth): in Fractal mode, the Tune Hold button in the Main page.
Page 574
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation On the left of the Assignment area, click the Automation tab to show the Automation pane, then in this pane click the Host tab. Click the Enable label in the Assignment field under any unassigned parameter to auto- matically assign that parameter to the next free automation ID.
Page 575
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation The previous automation ID is removed from the Assignment field and the parameter is → not available anymore for host automation. For more information on how to automate VST/AU plug-in parameters from your host, please refer to your host documentation.
Page 576
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation Click Learn in the Assignment field of a parameter to enter Learn mode for that parame- ter. The Assignment field shows a blinking Learning. Move the desired control element (knob, button, etc.) on your MIDI controller. The Assignment field automatically displays the MIDI message type received (CC number, →...
11.2.4 Selecting VST/AU Plug-in Presets via MIDI Program Change If you have a Native Instruments or third-party VST/AU plug-in loaded in a Sound, you can re- motely switch presets (or patches, programs, etc.) in your plug-in via MIDI Program Change messages.
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation 11.2.5 Sending MIDI from Sounds Your Sounds can output MIDI notes and automation data to the outside world, allowing you to control any MIDI-capable application and/or external MIDI gear from MASCHINE’s sequencer. With its MIDI output enabled, a Sound will send: ▪...
Page 579
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation The MIDI page of the Output properties for a Sound on the controller. Please refer to section ↑2.3.9, Navigating Channel Properties, Plug-ins, and Parameter Pages in the Control Area to know how to access the MIDI page of the Output properties...
Page 580
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation Control Description Channel Selects the MIDI channel on which the Sound will send MIDI data. By default Sound slot 1 will send MIDI data on channel 1, Sound slot 2 on channel 2, etc.
Page 581
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Using MIDI Control and Host Automation If the Mixer currently displays the Group channels, in the top row of the Mixer double- click the header of the Group containing the Sound you want to configure. If the Mixer currently displays the Sound channels, single-click the header of the desired Group.
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Creating Custom Sets of Parameters with the Macro Controls Click the little field on its right to select a MIDI channel. This is equivalent to the Channel parameter described above. 11.3 Creating Custom Sets of Parameters with the Macro Controls Macro Controls enable you to control in one same location a selection of parameters coming from different sources.
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Creating Custom Sets of Parameters with the Macro Controls The Macro properties (here for a Sound) on the controller. Please refer to section ↑2.3.9, Navigating Channel Properties, Plug-ins, and Parameter Pages in the Control Area to know how to access the Macro properties in the software and from your controller.
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Creating Custom Sets of Parameters with the Macro Controls Linking the same parameter to more than one Macro Control can be useful in the follow- ing example: If a parameter of a Sound is particularly important, you can link it to the same knob in the Macro Controls of that Sound, of its parent Group, and of the Master.
Page 585
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Creating Custom Sets of Parameters with the Macro Controls ⇨ The parameter is assigned as a Macro and you can see your assignments by selecting Macro in the Channel properties and selecting the Macro level (MASTER, GROUP SOUND) where you assigned the Macro Control.
Page 586
Parameter pages are not editable, and the Pages tab is grayed out and in- active. For more information on how to assign parameters of Native Instruments or Ex- ternal Plug-ins to Parameter pages, please refer to ↑6.3.3, Setting Up Your Own Param- eter Pages.
Page 587
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Creating Custom Sets of Parameters with the Macro Controls (3) Section Label fields: These fields allow you to define sections of parameters within the dis- played page. Double-click the field above the first parameter you want to include in the sec- tion, type the desired name for the section, and press [Enter] to confirm.
Page 588
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Creating Custom Sets of Parameters with the Macro Controls Click the Select menu (for now the only menu of the Target selector). The menu is organized into subcategories: Settings (listing the properties of the current channel), Slots (listing the Plug-ins loaded in the current channel), and possibly a third category listing the channels included at the next level: if you’re editing the Macro proper- ties of the Master you will see the Groups subcategory listing all Groups of your Project,...
Page 589
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Creating Custom Sets of Parameters with the Macro Controls The Macro properties context menu. The context menu contains following items: Menu Item Description Keyboard Shortcuts Rename Rename the Macro. Ctrl + R / Cmd + R Reset Reset the Macro.
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Creating Custom Sets of Parameters with the Macro Controls The Control Area Assignment Pages context menu. The context menu contains the following items: Menu Item Description Keyboard Shortcuts Delete Deletes current Page with all assignments.
Page 591
Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls Creating Custom Sets of Parameters with the Macro Controls The parameter is assigned as a Macro and a small icon will appear next to the parameter → name. You can see the Macro assignments for each level by pressing the MACRO button on your con- troller and selecting the Macro level (MASTER,...
Controlling Your Mix Mix View Basics Controlling Your Mix The default view of the MASCHINE software is the Arrange view, which contains the Arranger at the top, the Control area in the middle, and the Pattern Editor / Sampler Editor at the bot- tom.
Controlling Your Mix Mix View Basics The Mix View button. Click the Mix View button at the top left of the Arranger to switch between the Arrange ► view and the Mix view. Press the MIXER button to display Mix view on the controller. Press the MIXER button ►...
Page 594
Controlling Your Mix Mix View Basics The Mix view, with the Mixer (1) at the top, the Plug-in Chain (2) in the middle, and the Plug-in Strip (3) at the bottom. (1) Mixer: At the top, the Mixer shows you at a glance the level and routing settings for all Sounds of the focused Group, or all Groups in your Project.
Controlling Your Mix The Mixer 12.2 The Mixer Sitting in the top part of the Mix view, the Mixer is ideal to quickly see and adjust the level and routing settings of different channels in one go. The Mixer in the MASCHINE software. The Mixer provides a classic mixing desk layout containing a certain number of channel strips.
Controlling Your Mix The Mixer ▪ Which of the Sound or Group level is selected for displaying: ↑12.2.1, Displaying Groups vs. Displaying Sounds. ▪ Whether the Mixer is minimized or not, and which sections are enabled for display: ↑12.2.2, Adjusting the Mixer Layout.
Page 597
Controlling Your Mix The Mixer In this mode the desk’s input strips (1) represent all Groups of your Project, while the output strip at the far right (2) represents the Master/Cue channel. At the top of the Mixer you see the headers of all your Groups and of the Master/Cue channel (3).
Controlling Your Mix The Mixer If the Mixer was displaying Sound strips beforehand, it will display all Group strips in- → stead, and the Group you have double-clicked will be focused. If the Mixer was displaying Group strips beforehand, it will instead display all Sound strips of the Group that you have double-clicked.
Controlling Your Mix The Mixer Showing/Hiding Particular Sections of the Strips Both when displaying all Group channels or all Sound channels of a particular Group, the Mix- er allows you to select which sections you want to show or hide in the strips currently dis- played.
Controlling Your Mix The Mixer ▪ When the Mixer displays the Sound strips of a Group, when you click another Group header in the top row the Mixer will stay at the Sound level and directly display to the Sound strips of this other Group.
Page 601
Controlling Your Mix The Mixer The channel’s context menu provides the exact same entries as in Arrange view. Following management commands are available in the Mixer: Management Command Action Renaming channels Double-click the channel name in the header, type the desired name on your computer keyboard, and press [Enter] to confirm (or [Esc] to cancel).
Controlling Your Mix The Mixer 12.2.5 Adjusting Settings in the Channel Strips The layout of Sound and Group strips is close to that of a classical mixing desk. The signal travels from top to bottom: from the input routing settings at the top, it passes through the var- ious Plug-ins loaded in the channel, then goes through the pan and level controls, and finally arrives to the output routing settings at the bottom.
Page 603
Controlling Your Mix The Mixer Available Settings in Sound/Group Channel Strips We list here all the elements available in a full channel strip. For each element we indicate the basic operation and the corresponding parameter in Arrange view. If some of the settings are not visible, check that the Mixer is not minimized and that the relevant button is enabled at the left of the Mixer —...
Page 604
Controlling Your Mix The Mixer ▪ Switch the Mixer display between Sounds and Groups (see section ↑12.2.1, Displaying Groups vs. Displaying Sounds). ▪ Focus/select particular channels (see section ↑12.2.3, Selecting Channel Strips). ▪ Rename the channel: Double-click its current name, type a new name on your computer keyboard, and press [Enter] to confirm (or [Esc] to cancel).
Page 605
Controlling Your Mix The Mixer This Plug-in List is the exact equivalent of the Plug-in List in the Control area of the Arrange view. For all details, see section ↑6.1, Plug-in Overview. (5) Fader section: Allows you to adjust the channel’s level, panoramic position, Mute and Cue state.
Controlling Your Mix The Mixer (8) MIDI output settings (Sound strips only): Allows you to select a MIDI output. Visible only if button is enabled on the left of the Mixer. Click the MIDI OUT label to select a MIDI output port, then select a channel via the additional menu on the right.
Page 607
Controlling Your Mix The Mixer ▪ Pre-listening to Samples in the Browser (see section ↑3.3.3, Auditioning Samples). ▪ Metronome (see section ↑10.2.3, Using the Metronome). ▪ Pre-listening functions in the Sample Editor when recording (see section ↑16.2.2, Select- ing the Source and the Recording Mode) or slicing Samples (see section ↑16.4, Slicing a Sample).
Controlling Your Mix The Plug-in Chain Click the headphone icon in the Master header. The Master channel strip switches to the Cue channel strip. Here you can adjust the Cue → channel’s level and panoramic position, along with the destination you want to send the Cue channel to.
↑6.1.5, Bypassing Plug-in Slots more information. ▪ Right-click (macOS: [Ctrl]-click) a Plug-in name and use the Open…, Save As…, and Save As Default… (Native Instruments and External Plug-ins only) commands to manage your Plug-in presets. See section ↑6.1.9, Saving and Recalling Plug-in Presets ↑6.3.4, Us-...
Page 610
Native Instruments product: ↑12.4.4, Custom Panels for Native Instru- ments Plug-ins. ▪ Native Instruments and External Plug-ins can also be undocked and opened in a floating window: ↑12.4.5, Undocking a Plug-in Panel (Native Instruments and External Plug-ins Only).
Use the vertical scroll bar to display the rest of the Plug-in. 12.4.1 The Plug-in Header For all types of Plug-ins (Internal, Native Instruments, and External) the Plug-in panel displays a Plug-in Header at the top: MASCHINE - Manual - 611...
Page 612
The Plug-in Header at the top of the Plug-in panel. The Plug-in Header can contain following elements, from left to right: (1) Open Plug-in Window button (Native Instruments and External Plug-ins only): Click the little arrow icon to open/close the Plug-in interface in an external window. See section ↑12.4.4,...
Controlling Your Mix The Plug-in Strip 12.4.2 Panels for Drumsynths and Internal Effects For Drumsynths and Internal Effects, the panels in the Plug-in Strip provide intuitive visual representations of the Plug-ins and their parameters. The Plug-in panel of a Drumsynth and two Internal Effects. As with all other Plug-ins, the panels for Drumsynths and Internal Effects show the Plug-in Header at the top.
Controlling Your Mix The Plug-in Strip For an exhaustive description of the parameters available in each panel, please refer to chapter ↑8, Using the Drumsynths for Drumsynths and chapter ↑14, Effect Reference for Internal Ef- fects. Parameter modulation is not indicated in the panel for Internal Plug-ins. As a conse- quence, the value of modulated parameters might change even if their control element doesn’t move in the panel.
Page 615
Controlling Your Mix The Plug-in Strip Sampler – MAIN Pane The Sampler in the Plug-in Strip. (1) Pane selector: Click MAIN ZONE to show the corresponding pane in the Plug-in. (2) Sample waveform: Shows the waveform or the Sample used in the selected Zone. It provides the same features as the waveform found in the Sample view of the Zone page in the Sample...
Page 616
Controlling Your Mix The Plug-in Strip (4) AMP ENVELOPE section: Allows you to adjust the Type parameter and the envelope parame- ters from the Pitch/Envelope page in the Control area. For more details, see section ↑6.2.2, Page 2: Pitch / Envelope.
12.4.4 Custom Panels for Native Instruments Plug-ins The panels for Native Instruments Plug-ins provide an extra feature: one or two custom views that group the most important parameters of the Plug-in into a clear and concise interface while retaining the overall feel and look of each Native Instruments product: ▪...
Page 618
Controlling Your Mix The Plug-in Strip ▪ ABSYNTH 5’s Default view shows the main elements of the Perform window of AB- SYNTH 5: MASCHINE - Manual - 618...
Page 619
Controlling Your Mix The Plug-in Strip ▪ MASSIVE’s Default view shows specific parts of the Synth view (the eight Macro Controls at the top and the Modulation pages underneath): MASCHINE - Manual - 619...
Page 620
▪ GUITAR RIG’s Default view shows a mini Rack with a reduced version of the Global Header at the top: As with all other Plug-ins, the panel for Native Instruments Plug-ins shows the Plug-in Header at the top containing a button for opening the Plug-in in a floating window as well as the name of the current preset and the Quick Browse icon —...
Undocking a Plug-in Panel (Native Instruments and External Plug-ins Only) You can undock the panel of a Native Instruments or External Plug-in and open it in its own floating window by clicking the little diagonal arrow in the Plug-in Header: Click the little diagonal arrow to open the Plug-in in a floating window.
Page 622
Undocking a Native Instruments Plug-in When you open a Native Instruments Plug-in its own floating window, following things addi- tionally happen: ▪ In the Plug-in Strip the Plug-in panel is replaced with a thin vertical Plug-in placeholder containing only the little diagonal arrow —...
Edit view, which shows the full interface of the original Native Instruments product: Closing the Plug-in’s Floating Window To dock a Native Instruments or External Plug-in back into the Plug-in Strip and close its ► dedicated floating window, click the little diagonal arrow in the Plug-in placeholder (Na- tive Instruments Plug-ins) or in the header of the generic Plug-in panel (External Plug-ins) in the Plug-in Strip.
Controlling Your Mix Controlling Your Mix from the Controller When Mix mode is active, the MIXER button is lit. In Mix mode the displays show channel strips for your Sounds and Groups: 12.5.1 Navigating Your Channels in Mix Mode Like the Mixer in the software, the Mix mode lets you choose to display channel strips at the Group level (i.e.
Controlling Your Mix Controlling Your Mix from the Controller Mix Mode – Displaying the Sound Level To display the Sound channels of the focused Group, push the 4-D encoder downwards. ► The channel strips on the displays represent the Sound slots of the focused Group. At the top of the displays you see two rows: ▪...
Controlling Your Mix Controlling Your Mix from the Controller In each channel strip the peak value is indicated above the level meter. This peak value is re- set each time you start the playback via PLAY RESTART on your controller, or when you click the corresponding peak value in the software’s Mixer (see section ↑12.2.5, Adjusting Set- tings in the Channel...
At each Project level (Sound, Group and Master) it is possible to add effects in form of Plug- ins. Each Sound, each Group and the Master can have an unlimited number of insert effects loaded in their Plug-ins slots. In each Plug-in slot you can load an Internal, Native Instruments or External Effect Plug-in.
Page 628
Using Effects Applying Effects to a Sound, a Group or the Master Choose the Channel in Which the Effect Is to Be Inserted If you want to apply the effect to the Master (to process the audio of the whole Project), click the MASTER tab in the top left corner of the Control area.
Page 629
Using Effects Applying Effects to a Sound, a Group or the Master Load the Effect in a New Slot At the far left of the Control area, click the little Plug-in icon to display the Plug-ins of the selected channel: The icon lights up.
Page 630
Click the desired entry in the list. If you have VST/AU effect plug-ins installed you may also load them from the menu by selecting the Native Instruments (for Native Instruments products) or External (for third-party products) submenu at the top of the list.
Page 631
Using Effects Applying Effects to a Sound, a Group or the Master Notes and Hints on Loading Effects in the Software ▪ Instead of clicking the “+” icon to load the effect in a new slot, you can also click the down-pointing arrow on the right of an existing slot to open the Plug-in menu: The effect selected in the menu will replace the Plug-in currently loaded in that slot.
Page 632
Using Effects Applying Effects to a Sound, a Group or the Master If it’s not already open, open the extended view of the Mixer by clicking the down-pointing arrow at the left of the Mixer: Check that the Plug-in icon is active on the left of the Mixer — if not, click it to display the Plug-in List in each channel strip.
Page 633
Using Effects Applying Effects to a Sound, a Group or the Master To set the focus to a Sound channel: If the Mixer is currently displaying the Group channel strips, in the Mixer’s top row double-click the blank space in the header of the Group con- taining the desired Sound, then click the header of the desired Sound in the row below.
Page 634
Using Effects Applying Effects to a Sound, a Group or the Master If you want to apply the effect to the Master (to process the audio of the whole Project), press Button 1 to select the MASTER tab. If you want to apply the effect to a Group (to process the audio of the whole Group), press Button 2 to select the GROUP tab and press the Group button...
Page 635
Using Effects Applying Effects to a Sound, a Group or the Master 10. When you have found the Plug-in you want to use, press the 4-D encoder or Button 8 (LOAD) to load it. You can also use Buttons 5 and 6 to step through the list and load each effect directly.
Using Effects Applying Effects to a Sound, a Group or the Master 13.1.2 Other Operations on Effects You can manipulate effects like any other Plug-in loaded in a Plug-in slot. This notably in- cludes adjusting the effect parameters, removing effects, moving effects to other Plug-in slots, saving and recalling effect presets, etc.
Page 637
For detailed information on these topics, please refer to ↑6.1, Plug-in Overview. You will find more details on the specific operations available for Native Instruments and External Effects in section ↑6.2.6, Page 6: Velocity / Modwheel.
+ Button 2 (EDIT). You will find more details on Plug-in operation in section ↑6.1, Plug-in Overview. You will find more details on the specific operations available for Native Instruments and External Effects in section ↑6.2.6, Page 6: Velocity / Modwheel.
Page 639
The following Internal, Native Instruments, and External Plug-ins support side-chaining: ▪ Internal Plug-ins: Compressor, Maximizer, Limiter, Gate, Filter. ▪ AU plug-ins (Native Instruments and External): Any AU plug-in with side-chain input. ▪ VST plug-ins (Native Instruments and External): Any VST plug-in with multiple inputs.
Page 640
Using Effects Applying Effects to a Sound, a Group or the Master The SIDE-CHAIN INPUT page of the Compressor Plug-in on the controller. Please refer to section ↑2.3.9, Navigating Channel Properties, Plug-ins, and Parameter Pages in the Control Area to know how to access Parameter pages. The parameters of the side-chain input are not available in the Plug-in panel of the Plug-in Strip.
Using Effects Applying Effects to External Audio Parameter Description Gain Adjusts the input level of the side-chain signal fed into the Plug-in. FILTER Section Filter Activates a filter on the side-chain input. This filter can be useful to select only a specific frequency range of the side-chain signal to control the Plug-in.
Page 642
Using Effects Applying Effects to External Audio If you are using MASCHINE as a plug-in in a host application, MASCHINE can receive audio from your host on any of its eight mono virtual inputs. To know how to route audio in your host to the virtual inputs of the MASCHINE plug-in, please refer to your host documentation.
Page 643
Using Effects Applying Effects to External Audio Any audio source plugged into the first input of your audio interface will be available on the In 1 L input of MASCHINE, and so on. ↑2.6.2, Preferences – Audio Page for more information on the Audio page of the Preferences panel.
Using Effects Applying Effects to External Audio MASCHINE in Plug-in Mode If MASCHINE is running as a plug-in in a host environment, the MASCHINE plug-in can re- ceive audio from the host only. Please refer to your host documentation to find out how to route audio channels to the virtual audio inputs of the MASCHINE plug-in.
Page 645
Using Effects Applying Effects to External Audio Turn Knob 1 to set the SOURCE Ext. Now the external audio is routed to your Sound! You can adjust the level of the incoming → signal by turning Knob 2 (GAIN). Method 2: Using the Navigate Page Press Button 5 repeatedly until the Input properties are selected (you should see INPUT at the top left of the right display, under Button 5/6).
Using Effects Applying Effects to External Audio Now the external audio is routed to your Sound! You can adjust the level of the incoming → signal by turning Knob 2 (GAIN). 13.2.3 Step 3: Load an Effect to Process an Input Here we describe the procedure in Arrange view.
Page 647
Click the desired effect in the list. If you have VST/AU effect plug-ins installed you may also load them from the menu by selecting the Native Instruments (Native Instruments products) or External (third-party products) submenu at the top of the list.
Using Effects Creating a Send Effect When you have found the Plug-in you want to use, press the 4-D encoder or Button 8 (LOAD) to load it. You can also use Buttons 5 and 6 to step through the list and load each effect directly.
Page 649
Click the desired effect in the list. If you have VST/AU effect plug-ins installed you may also load them from the menu by selecting the Native Instruments (Native Instruments products) or External (third-party products) submenu at the top of the list.
Page 650
Using Effects Creating a Send Effect Upon selection the effect is loaded and its parameters are displayed in the Parameter → area. When you load an effect into the first Plug-in slot of a Sound, MASCHINE automati- cally configures the Sound’s input to receive any signal(s) coming from other Sounds and Groups in your Project and sends them through its own Plug-in slots —...
Page 651
Using Effects Creating a Send Effect Press SELECT + the unlit pad of the empty Sound you want to use (or simply hit its unlit pad if pads are in Group mode). Since we have selected an empty Sound, you see (NONE) under Button 7/8 and these buttons are inactive (i.e.
Page 652
Using Effects Creating a Send Effect When you have found the effect you want to use (e.g., the MASCHINE Compressor), press the 4-D encoder or Button 8 to load it. You can also use Button 5/6 to step through the list and load each effect directly.
Using Effects Creating a Send Effect 13.3.2 Step 2: Route Audio to the Send Effect Once you have configured a Sound or Group as send effect (see ↑13.3.1, Step 1: Set Up a Sound or Group as Send Effect), you can send the output of any other Sounds and Groups to that Sound or Group.
Page 654
Using Effects Creating a Send Effect Press Button 5/6 to select OUTPUT. The Output properties are shown in the displays of your controller (in the example under- neath we show the Output properties of a Sound). Press the right Page button to select the page of parameters.
Using Effects Creating a Send Effect and number followed by the Sound number (in the example underneath we selected the entry A1:S1-1 for the Aux 1 output). Use Knob 2 (Aux 1 LEVEL) to adjust the level of the signal sent to that auxiliary output. The signal of each auxiliary output is taken by default after the main output level control has been applied.
Using Effects Creating Multi-Effects When setting up complex routings, please take care to avoid feedback loops! In addition, the following points are worth noting: ▪ CPU load: Send effects can be of great help to save CPU power. Using one reverb for many Sounds and Groups instead of loading another reverb in each Sound/Group makes a big dif- ference on the CPU load.
Page 657
Using Effects Creating Multi-Effects ▪ The Sound List lets you keep a better overview of your effect sequence than the tiny Plug- in List in a single Sound. ▪ You can rename and colorize each Sound individually according to the effect(s) it contains. ▪...
Page 658
Using Effects Creating Multi-Effects However, take time to name every Sound in this multi-effect Group after the effect(s) inserted and to give it a name that allows you to recognize it as an effect; remember that you will be choosing this effect from a potentially large list in your user library. In the MASCHINE Library there are already a number of multi-effect Groups tagged Multi Groups of the Multi FX type in the LIBRARY pane.
Effect Reference Effect Reference MASCHINE provides a healthy selection of more than 20 different Effect Plug-ins that can be quickly applied to Sounds, Groups and the Master, all as insert effects. By using MASCHINE’s powerful routing system, it is also easy to setup send effects, build complex effect chains or apply an effect to an external source that is connected to your audio interface, such as an in- strument, vocals or a turntable.
Effect Reference Dynamics 14.1 Dynamics 14.1.1 Compressor This is a classic compression effect to control the dynamic information of an audio signal. You can use the Compressor to fatten up your drums or to control signals that have a very wide dy- namic range.
Page 661
Effect Reference Dynamics Parameter Description MODE Section Mode Selects between two operation modes: Classic (default setting) and Feedback. Whereas Classic mode generates a cleaner and more precise compression, Feedback mode introduces a subtle change in transient shape and frequency responsiveness. The memory-based envelope detection along with the knee- dependent ratio and gain give this mode a typical vintage feel.
Page 662
Effect Reference Dynamics The Compressor on the controller: MAIN page. Side-Chain Input Page The Compressor in the Control area: Side-Chain Input page. MASCHINE - Manual - 662...
Page 663
Effect Reference Dynamics Parameter Description INPUT Section Source Selects the audio signal you want to use as side-chain signal to control the Plug-in. Available options are None (side-chain disabled, default setting), the outputs of all (other) Sounds , and the outputs of all (other) Groups. In the menu these outputs are labeled as follows: For Groups: [Group name] (e.g., Drums) For Sounds: [Group name]: [Sound name] (e.g., Drums: Kick)
Effect Reference Dynamics Level Meters in the Compressor Panel (Plug-in Strip) In the Plug-in Strip, the Compressor panel offers a few extra features not available in the Con- trol area: ▪ The Threshold Gain faders (corresponding to the Threshold Gain parameters of the Main page in the Control area) provide level meters for visual monitoring of the input and...
Page 665
Effect Reference Dynamics Main Page The Gate in the Control area: Main page. Parameter Description DEPTH Section Threshold This value determines the threshold at which the Gate starts to work. Higher values will let only the loudest parts of the signal through the Gate.
Page 666
Effect Reference Dynamics The Gate on the controller: MAIN page. Side-Chain Input Page The Gate in the Control area: Side-Chain Input page. MASCHINE - Manual - 666...
Page 667
Effect Reference Dynamics Parameter Description INPUT Section Source Selects the audio signal you want to use as side-chain signal to control the Plug-in. Available options are None (side-chain disabled, default setting), the outputs of all (other) Sounds , and the outputs of all (other) Groups. In the menu these outputs are labeled as follows: For Groups: [Group name] (e.g., Drums) For Sounds: [Group name]: [Sound name] (e.g., Drums: Kick)
Effect Reference Dynamics Input Level Meter in the Gate Panel (Plug-in Strip) In the Plug-in Strip, the Gate panel offers an extra feature not available in the Control area: Threshold fader (corresponding to the Threshold parameter of the Main page in the Control area) provides a level meter for visual monitoring of the input level.
Page 669
Effect Reference Dynamics The Transient Master in the Control area. Parameter Description DEPTH Section Input Gain Adjusts the level of the input signal. This allows you to offset the overall level once you have set the desired effect, in order to counterbalance the gain or loss of level that might occur.
Effect Reference Dynamics The Transient Master on the controller. 14.1.4 Limiter The Limiter does two things: firstly it ensures that the signal level stays below 0 dB, thus pre- venting digital clipping. But it can also increase the overall perceived volume by reducing the threshold.
Page 671
Effect Reference Dynamics Main Page The Limiter in the Control area: Main page. Element Description MODE Section Mode Selects from two different limiter types. The available modes are Legacy and Transparent. DEPTH Section (Transparent mode only) Threshold This value determines the threshold where the Limiter kicks in. If you use it to prevent your signal from clipping, leave it at 0 dB;...
Page 672
Effect Reference Dynamics The Limiter on the controller: MAIN page. Side-Chain Input Page The Limiter in the Control area: Side-Chain Input page. The Modulation page contains one parameter: Velocity. MASCHINE - Manual - 672...
Page 673
Effect Reference Dynamics Element Description INPUT Section Source Selects the audio signal you want to use as side-chain signal to control the Plug-in. Available options are None (side-chain disabled, default setting), the outputs of all (other) Sounds, and the outputs of all (other) Groups.
Effect Reference Dynamics Input Level Meter in the Limiter Panel (Plug-in Strip) In the Plug-in Strip, the Limiter panel offers an extra feature not available in the Control area: Threshold fader (corresponding to the Threshold parameter of the Main page in the Control area) provides a level meter for visual monitoring of the input level.
Page 675
Effect Reference Dynamics Parameter Description DEPTH Section Amount This parameter is used to adjust the amount of the Maximizer effect. Turn the knob clockwise to increase the loudness of the signal. Curve Controls the compression knee; higher values tend to result in faster and more aggressive gain control.
Page 676
Effect Reference Dynamics Parameter Description INPUT Section Source Selects the audio signal you want to use as side-chain signal to control the Plug-in. Available options are None (side-chain disabled, default setting), the outputs of all (other) Sounds , and the outputs of all (other) Groups. In the menu these outputs are labeled as follows: For Groups: [Group name] (e.g., Drums) For Sounds: [Group name]: [Sound name] (e.g., Drums: Kick)
Effect Reference Filtering Effects 14.2 Filtering Effects 14.2.1 Use the EQ to boost or cut selective frequencies of the audio signal. The EQ is mainly a tool to tailor your audio signal to taste by cutting out selected frequencies or boosting others, but can also be used as a DJ-style cut-and-boost effect.
Page 678
Effect Reference Filtering Effects Parameter Description LOW Section Freq Frequency selector for the low frequency band. Ranges from 20 Hz to 8 kHz. Gain This determines how much the selected frequency is increased/ attenuated by. LOW-MID Section Freq Frequency selector for the first mid-frequency band. Ranges from 40 Hz to 16 kHz.
Page 679
Effect Reference Filtering Effects The EQ on the controller: FREQ / GAIN page. Width / Output Page The EQ in the Control area: Width / Output page. Parameter Description LOW-MID Section Width Bandwidth control for the first mid-frequency band. HIGH-MID Section Width Bandwidth control for the second mid-frequency band.
Effect Reference Filtering Effects 14.2.2 Filter Filter with selectable characteristics that can be modulated via LFO or envelope. There are many applications for a filter: it can be used to emulate a synthesizer more realistically or to filter out selected frequencies and create filter-sweeps. If this effect is used in a Sound or a Group, it provides a Side-Chain Input page (in the Control area and on your controller).
Page 681
Effect Reference Filtering Effects Parameter Description FREQ Section Cutoff Controls the cutoff frequency of the filter. Resonance Controls the amount of resonance, i.e. the amount of amplification near the cutoff frequency. It is not available with filter mode Notch. MOD Section Amount This defines how much the Filter gets modulated by the modulation source.
Page 682
Effect Reference Filtering Effects The Filter on the controller: MAIN page. Side-Chain Input Page The Filter in the Control area: Side-Chain Input page. MASCHINE - Manual - 682...
Page 683
Effect Reference Filtering Effects Parameter Description INPUT Section Source Selects the audio signal you want to use as side-chain signal to control the Plug-in. Available options are None (side-chain disabled, default setting), the outputs of all (other) Sounds , and the outputs of all (other) Groups.
Effect Reference Filtering Effects 14.2.3 Cabinet The Cabinet Emulation is a cabinet and microphone component that proves full control over all the (post-amp) stages of recording a guitar tone. Cabinet Emulation includes the four cabinet types, and the variable positioning of six different microphones. The Cabinet Emulation effect in the Plug-in Strip.
Effect Reference Modulation Effects Element Description ▪ Vintage Cabinet ▪ Modern Cabinet MICROPHONE Section Microphone Selects from six different microphone types, which includes: ▪ Dynamic 57 ▪ Dynamic 421 ▪ Dynamic 441 ▪ Ribbon 121 ▪ Condenser 47 ▪ Condenser 67 Distance Adjusts the distance of the microphone from the cabinet.
Page 686
Effect Reference Modulation Effects The Chorus panel in the Plug-in Strip. The Chorus in the Control area. Parameter Description MOD Section Rate Rate knob defines how fast the phase (and thus the perceived pitch) of the detuned signal is being modulated. Amount The amount of the Chorus effect.
Effect Reference Modulation Effects The Chorus on the controller. 14.3.2 Flanger Classic flanger effect with LFO and envelope modulation. The Flanger sounds a bit like the Chorus, but the difference between them is that the Flanger modulates the signal faster, it is equipped with a feedback mechanism, and can be synchronized to the tempo of the Project.
Page 688
Effect Reference Modulation Effects The Flanger in the Control area. Parameter Description MAIN Section Frequency This defines the center frequency of the Flanger. Feedback Adjusts the amount of output signal fed back into the input. Invert Inverts the Flanger. MOD Section Amount This defines how much the Flanger gets modulated by the modulation source.
Page 689
Effect Reference Modulation Effects The Flanger on the controller. 14.3.3 FM modulates the frequency of the audio signal based on FM synthesis. High frequency set- tings are useful for adding a subtle “gritty” texture to the input signal. The FM panel in the Plug-in Strip. FM in the Control area.
Effect Reference Modulation Effects Parameter Description FREQ Section Rate This is for adjusting the speed of the FM modulation. Split Split control determines the extent to which the FM effect is applied to high frequencies via a crossover. Turn to the right to affect higher frequencies.
Page 691
Effect Reference Modulation Effects The Freq Shifter panel in the Plug-in Strip. The Freq Shifter in the Control area. Parameter Description FREQ Section Coarse This is used to define the basic frequency of the Freq Shifter. Fine Fine-tune the frequency here. OUTPUT Section Feedback Adjusts the amount of output signal fed back into the input.
Effect Reference Modulation Effects The Freq Shifter on the controller. 14.3.5 Phaser Classic phaser with LFO and envelope modulation. The Phaser panel in the Plug-in Strip. The Phaser in the Control area. MASCHINE - Manual - 692...
Page 693
Effect Reference Modulation Effects Parameter Description MAIN Section Frequency This defines the center frequency of the Phaser. Feedback Adjusts the amount of output signal fed back into the input. 8Pole Activating this causes the Phaser to use the 8Pole mode, resulting in a more intense phasing effect.
Effect Reference Spatial and Reverb Effects The Phaser on the controller. 14.4 Spatial and Reverb Effects 14.4.1 This is a special reverb for getting cold and metallic sound. Ice includes a bank of self-oscillat- ing filters for interesting and colorful effects. In the Project “Come Into My Disco” from the MASCHINE factory library, you can hear how it creates deep soundscapes during the break in Scene 6.
Page 695
Effect Reference Spatial and Reverb Effects The Ice in the Control area. Parameter Description ROOM Section Color With lower settings, the general sound is a bit more muffled. The higher the Color value, the brighter it sounds. The “ICE” factor: higher values sound more metallic. Size Adjust the size of the virtual room here.
Effect Reference Spatial and Reverb Effects 14.4.2 Metaverb Like the Reverb, the Metaverb adds spatial room information. However, in contrast to the Re- verb it has a much more “synthetic” sound, which is particularly suited for melodic content. The Metaverb panel in the Plug-in Strip. The Metaverb in the Control area.
Effect Reference Spatial and Reverb Effects Parameter Description This pans the dry signal. This is useful because the dry signal can not be panned after the effect without panning the reverb itself, which is unnatural. OUTPUT Section lets you adjust the amount of the effect in relation to the dry original audio signal.
Page 698
Effect Reference Spatial and Reverb Effects The Reflex panel in the Plug-in Strip. The Reflex in the Control area. Parameter Description ROOM Section Color At lower settings, the general sound is a bit more muffled; the higher the settings, the brighter it sounds. Smooth With this parameter, you can soften the metallic character of Reflex.
Effect Reference Spatial and Reverb Effects The Reflex reverb on the controller. 14.4.4 Reverb (Legacy) This reverb is best for most common applications. The Reverb adds room information to the signal, making it sound more spacious and natural. It is particularly suited to drum sounds, but also useful to add a more “natural”...
Page 700
Effect Reference Spatial and Reverb Effects The Reverb in the Control area. Parameter Description ROOM Section Room This allows you to choose one of four basic characteristics of the Reverb: General, Bright, Guitar, and Shatter. Size Adjust the size of the virtual room here. EQ Section Low band EQ to cut or boost bass frequencies.
Effect Reference Spatial and Reverb Effects The Reverb on the controller. 14.4.5 Reverb The Reverb effect provides three different modes which are described in this section. The Room Reverb panel in the Plug-in Strip. 14.4.5.1 Reverb Room The Room mode is suited to drum and percussive sounds, and particularly sounds good when used on snares.
Page 702
Effect Reference Spatial and Reverb Effects The Reverb effect in the Plug-in Strip. The Reverb in the Control area (Main page depicted). Main Page Element Description ROOM Section Mode Allows you to choose one of three basic modes of Reverb: Room, Hall, and Plate (default: Room).
Page 703
Effect Reference Spatial and Reverb Effects Element Description Damping Adjusts damping of the high frequencies in the reverb signal. Damping refers to the rate at which the high frequencies decay. This effect causes the sound to become gradually muffled and warmer.
Effect Reference Spatial and Reverb Effects The Reverb Room on the controller. EQ page page contains parameters to adjust the EQ of the reverb. Element Description EQ Section High Cut Adjusts the high frequencies in the reverberated signal. Available values range in kilohertz from 20.0 kHz to 2.0 kHz (default: 20.0 kHz).
Page 705
Effect Reference Spatial and Reverb Effects The Reverb effect in the Plug-in Strip. The Reverb in the Control area (Main page depicted). Main Page Element Description ROOM Section Mode Allows you to choose one of three basic modes of Reverb: Room, Hall, and Plate (default: Room).
Page 706
Effect Reference Spatial and Reverb Effects Element Description Damping Adjusts damping of the high frequencies in the reverb signal. Damping refers to the rate at which the high frequencies decay. This effect causes the sound to become gradually muffled and warmer.
Effect Reference Spatial and Reverb Effects The Reverb Hall on the controller. EQ page page contains parameters to adjust the EQ of the reverb. Element Description EQ Section High Cut Adjusts the high frequencies in the reverberated signal. Available values range in kilohertz from 20.0 kHz to 2.0 kHz (default: 20.0 kHz).
Page 708
Effect Reference Spatial and Reverb Effects The Plate Reverb effect in the Plug-in Strip. The Plate Reverb in the Control area. Parameter Description MAIN Section Mode Allows you to choose one of three basic modes of Reverb: Room, Hall, and Plate (default: Room).
Effect Reference Delays Parameter Description Pre Delay Adjusts the time between the original signal and the early reflections. OUTPUT Section lets you adjust the amount of the effect in relation to the dry original audio signal. The Reverb Plate on the controller. 14.5 Delays 14.5.1...
Page 710
Effect Reference Delays The Beat Delay panel in the Plug-in Strip. Main Page The Beat Delay in the Control area: Main page. Parameter Description DELAY Section Time Time parameter defines the delay length in note values. The available values depend on the unit defined by the Unit parameter on the Unit...
Page 711
Effect Reference Delays Parameter Description Crossover Allows for panning the feedback signal rhythmically in the stereo field. Color Defines the basic frequency of the feedback circuit: lower values result in a deeper sound, whereas higher values brighten the sound. Split Controls the difference in frequency between left and right channel.
Effect Reference Delays Unit Page The Beat Delay in the Control area: Unit page. Parameter Description UNIT Section Unit Defines the unit used by the Time Offset parameters on the Main page. 14.5.2 Grain Delay By chopping the input into small “grains” and rearranging them as a cloud, the Grain Delay is useful for creating ambient textures.
Page 713
Effect Reference Delays Main Page The Grain Delay in the Control area: Main page. Parameter Description GRAIN Section Pitch Determines the pitch of the grains: low values result in a deep, slowly repeating grain, high values speed up the grain, making it sound faster and higher.
Effect Reference Delays The Grain Delay on the controller: MAIN page. Output Page The Grain Delay in the Control area: Output page. Parameter Description OUTPUT Section Stereo This parameter widens the stereo field of the effect. Values go from 0 % (no stereo) to 100 % (full stereo). 14.5.3 Grain Stretch The Grain Stretch effect uses granular synthesis to manipulate the speed and pitch of the in-...
Page 715
Effect Reference Delays The Grain Stretch panel in the Plug-in Strip. The Grain Stretch in the Control area. Parameter Description MASTER Section Enables the effect. Every time this control is switched on, the Grain Stretch effect buffers incoming audio for 32 x 1/16th step.
Effect Reference Delays Parameter Description OUTPUT Section lets you adjust the amount of the effect in relation to the dry original audio signal. The Grain Stretch on the controller. 14.5.4 Resochord The Resochord is a bank of 6 comb filters, each of which is individually tuned according to the selected chord.
Page 717
Effect Reference Delays The Resochord in the Control area. Parameter Description PITCH Section Mode Here you can select between the two modes of the Resochord: Chord and String. In Chord mode, the 6 combs are tuned according to various chords. In String mode, the 6 combs are centered around one frequency and can be spread for an intense chorus-like effect.
Effect Reference Distortion Effects Parameter Description OUTPUT Section lets you adjust the amount of the effect in relation to the dry original audio signal. The Resochord on the controller. 14.6 Distortion Effects 14.6.1 Distortion Combining overdrive, feedback and modulation, the Distortion produces a heavy distortion/fuzz effect, comparable to distortion stomp-boxes for guitars.
Page 719
Effect Reference Distortion Effects The Distortion panel in the Plug-in Strip. The Distortion in the Control area. Parameter Description MAIN Section Drive Determines the basic amount of distortion. Color At lower settings, the general sound is a bit more muffled; the higher the settings, the brighter it sounds.
Effect Reference Distortion Effects Parameter Description Release This parameter determines how fast the distorted sound dies down when the Gate is enabled. lets you adjust the amount of the effect in relation to the dry original audio signal. The Distortion on the controller. 14.6.2 Lofi The Lofi effect reduces the bit depth (or bit resolution) and Sample rate of the audio signal for...
Page 721
Effect Reference Distortion Effects The Lofi in the Control area. Parameter Description RESAMPLE Section stands for Sample Rate and ranges from CD-quality (44.1 kHz) to 99.5 Hz which results in a hissy crackle. BITCRUSH Section Bits Introduces a distortion based on bit reduction. Smooth Reduces the aliasing introduced by the Lofi effect.
Effect Reference Distortion Effects 14.6.3 Saturator The Saturator is a flexible tool allowing you to apply various types of saturations to your signal. The Saturator offers three modes: Classic (legacy mode), Tape, and Tube. You can select the desired mode via the Mode selector.
Page 723
Effect Reference Distortion Effects Classic Mode – Parameter Description Input Controls the input gain of the effect. Increasing Input will also increase the amount of compression performed on the audio signal. Contour Determines how closely the Saturator responds to the input volume.
Page 724
Effect Reference Distortion Effects Tape Mode – Parameter Description MAIN Section Mode Selects between Classic, Tape, and Tube saturation modes. All other parameters vary according to the mode selected here. Input Controls the input gain of the effect. This affects the amount of tape distortion and compression.
Effect Reference Distortion Effects Tube Mode – Parameter Description Charge In Tube mode the Saturator provides a negative feedback loop that attenuates the level at the Saturator’s input according to the amount of low frequencies at its output. This notably prevents the bass content “polluting”...
Page 726
Effect Reference Distortion Effects The Analog Distortion panel in the Plug-in Strip. The Analog Distortion in the Control area (Main page depicted). Main Page Element Description MODE Section Mode Select between two distortion modes: Analog Mulholland (default: Mulholland). DISTORTION Section Saturation Sets the amount of saturation applied to the signal.
Effect Reference Perform FX Element Description Tone Sets the frequency for the high cut filter. Filtering the harmonically rich distorted signal produces a softer tone. Available values range from 0.0 to 100.0% (default: 100.0%). Focus Switches the frequency range of the processed signal, pulling it slightly further forwards in the mix.
Effect Reference Perform FX ▪ Ring: Based on a bank of ring modulators, the Ring effect adds a bell-like quality to melod- ic sound sources. An additional plate reverb lets you pick out individual notes with your fin- ger and have them ring out for several seconds. For more information see section ↑14.7.5, Ring.
Page 729
Effect Reference Perform FX Filter Perform FX in the Plug-in Strip. Filter Perform FX in the Control area. Main Page Parameter Description MODE Section Mode Select an effect. TOUCHSTRIP Section MASCHINE - Manual - 729...
Effect Reference Perform FX Parameter Description Engage Activates the filter. Frequency Sets the cutoff frequency according to the min/max range parameters. FILTER Type Selects from Low Pass, Band Pass and High Pass modes. Resonance Sets the resonance of the filter. Values over 100% will lead to self-oscillation—be careful! Turn down the Output Gain (and turn up the Saturation to compensate) in order to avoid extremely loud ringing.
Page 731
Effect Reference Perform FX Flanger Perform FX in the Plug-in Strip. Flanger Perform FX in the Control area. MASCHINE - Manual - 731...
Page 732
Effect Reference Perform FX Main Page Parameter Description MODE Mode Select an effect. TOUCHSTRIP Engage Activates the effect. Frequency Controls the volume of the comb filter. FLANGER Decay Controls the decay time. SATURATION Controls the saturation in the feedback path, producing a dirtier, compressed sound.
Effect Reference Perform FX 14.7.3 Burst Echo A warm, versatile echo with plenty of character, designed for spontaneous splashes of echo. Strong, responsive attacks that taper off into hazy trails are perfect for dub and can also be tweaked for more extreme sound design. Burst Echo Perform FX in the Plug-in Strip.
Page 734
Effect Reference Perform FX Main Page Parameter Description MODE Mode Select an effect. TOUCHSTRIP Engage Activates the effect. When activated, feeds a burst of signal into the effect according to the length set by the Feed parameter. TS Assign Assigns the control to Feedback or Time. Feedback: Sets the delay feedback when the effect is activated.
Effect Reference Perform FX Setup Page Parameter Description ROUTING Mix Mode Mix mode sets the routing of the signal: ▪ In mode, the dry signal is passed unprocessed and the wet signal is added on top according to the Wet Level parameter.
Page 736
Effect Reference Perform FX Reso Echo Perform FX in the Plug-in Strip. Reso Echo Perform FX in the Control area. MASCHINE - Manual - 736...
Page 737
Effect Reference Perform FX Main Page Parameter Description MODE Mode Select an effect. TOUCHSTRIP Engage Activates the effect. Frequency Controls the frequency of the filters in the filter bank, altering the tonality of the signal. ECHO Time Sets the delay time. Feedback Sets the delay feedback.
Effect Reference Perform FX Setup Page COLOUR Saturation Controls the amount of saturation applied to the feedback path. Resonance Controls the resonance of the filters in the filter bank. More resonance emphasizes the "singing" effect. 14.7.5 Ring Built on a carefully selected bank of ring modulators, Ring adds a bell-like quality to melodic sound sources.
Page 739
Effect Reference Perform FX Ring Perform FX in the Control area. Main Page Parameter Description MODE Mode Select an effect. TOUCHSTRIP Engage Activates the effect. Frequency Controls the frequency of the ring modulators. Spread Controls the frequency spread of the ring modulators. At low Spread values, the ring modulators converge to a single modulation frequency.
Effect Reference Perform FX Setup Page Parameter Description ROUTING Mix Mode Mix mode sets the routing of the signal: ▪ In mode, the dry signal is passed unprocessed and the wet signal is added on top according to the Wet Level parameter.
Page 741
Effect Reference Perform FX Stutter Perform FX in the Plug-in Strip. Stutter Perform FX in the Control area. MASCHINE - Manual - 741...
Page 742
Effect Reference Perform FX Main Page Parameter Description MODE Mode Select an effect. TOUCHSTRIP Engage Controls a hard bypass. Activating the control commences looping, releasing the control bypasses the effect. Length Can be assigned to Length (loop length, by default) or Pitch (relative pitch) using Assign.
Effect Reference Perform FX Parameter Description Quantize Quantizes the loop length and start point to the song position and tempo. When Quantize is off, the loop length is continuously variable and measured in milliseconds, and no quantization takes place. Quantization is especially meaningful if direction is set to Reverse or Both, since it's...
Page 744
Effect Reference Perform FX Tremolo Perform FX in the Control area. MASCHINE - Manual - 744...
Page 745
Effect Reference Perform FX Main Page Parameter Description MODE Mode Select an effect. TOUCHSTRIP Engage Enables and disables the effect. Position Controls the tremolo and vibrato rate and depth, within the ranges defined by the Min and Max parameters on the second page.
Effect Reference Perform FX Setup Page Parameter Description DEPTH RANGE Depth Min Controls the amplitude of the modulation when the parameter position is set to 0%. Depth Max Controls the amplitude of the modulation when the parameter position is set to 100%. DEPTH RANGE Rate Min Controls the rate of the modulation when the parameter...
Page 747
Effect Reference Perform FX Scratcher Perform FX in the Plug-in Strip. Scratcher Perform FX in the Control area. MASCHINE - Manual - 747...
Page 748
Effect Reference Perform FX Main Page Parameter Description MODE Mode Select an effect. TOUCHSTRIP Engage Engages the turntable brake, enabling scratch control. When released, the effect is bypassed entirely. Position Controls the brake speed (higher = slower brake), the scratch position (higher = forward) and the delay time (higher = longer delay time).
Working with the Arranger Arranger Basics Working with the Arranger The Arranger is the big area located in the upper part of the MASCHINE window, right under the Header. The MASCHINE Arranger has two different views: Ideas view and Arranger view which are also reflected on your controller.
Page 750
Working with the Arranger Arranger Basics The Ideas View The Ideas view allows you to experiment with your musical ideas without being tied to a time- line or any kind of arrangement. Here you can create Patterns for each Group and combine them into a Scene.
Page 751
Working with the Arranger Arranger Basics Control Area). To mute a Group click the Group letter, for example A1, and right-click ([Ctrl] + click on macOS) on the letter to solo the Group. Using your mouse you can also right-click ([Ctrl] + click on macOS) on the name of a Group to access the many options available to man- age them.
Working with the Arranger Arranger Basics (4) Pattern area: In each Section of the Arrangement, you can see the name of the Scene as- signed to the Section along with the Scene's Patterns stacked vertically for each Group in the Project.
Page 753
Working with the Arranger Arranger Basics Navigating the Arranger Vertically (Groups) A classic scroll bar is available right of the Arranger. It allows you to scroll to hidden Groups in case all of them don’t fit in the Arranger. The classic scroll bar right of the Arranger. You can also adjust the height of the Arranger in order to display more/less Groups at once by dragging its bottom right corner vertically with your mouse: Drag the handle to adjust the Arranger’s height.
Working with the Arranger Arranger Basics 15.1.2 Following the Playback Position in Your Project If the Arranger doesn’t display the entire Loop Range currently selected, at some point the playhead will go beyond the portion of your Project currently displayed in the Arranger and you might loose track of the playback position.
Working with the Arranger Arranger Basics FOLLOW button lights up. In the software the Arranger will now switch to the next → portion of your Project (with the same zoom factor) as soon as the playhead reaches the end of the portion currently displayed. This way, you always see the portion that is cur- rently played.
Page 756
Working with the Arranger Arranger Basics ◦ If Retrigger is disabled (default setting), the next Section that is selected will play from the same offset to the beginning of the Section: e.g., leaving the current Section on beat 3 will cause the new Section to start playing on its beat 3. This ensures that the global groove of your track is not interrupted! 15.1.3.1 Jumping to Other Sections in the MASCHINE Software In the software, the Perform Grid and the Retrigger setting can be adjusted in the MASCHINE...
Working with the Arranger Arranger Basics The next time you select a new Section or group of Sections for looping, the new loop will → start from the beginning of the first Section (Retrigger enabled) or from the same position as where it left the current Section (Retrigger disabled).
Page 758
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View The Ideas view. ▪ At the top you can see Scene slots. The selected Scene is highlighted. ▪ The selected Scene displays the selected Patterns for the current Scene. Scene Mode on the Controller The Scene mode focuses on Scene selection and manipulation.
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View In addition, the Scene mode provides useful Scene management commands similar to those of the Scene Arrange mode. These are described in the following sections. 15.2.2 Creating Scenes You can create a new Scene directly in the Ideas view. Creating a Scene in Ideas View To create a new Scene, click the “+”...
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View 15.2.3 Assigning and Removing Patterns Each Pattern placed in the Arranger (Ideas view or Arranger view) references one of the Pat- terns available in the Pattern Editor for the corresponding Group. In the Ideas view, each column represents a Group. After selecting a Scene it is possible to assign and remove Patterns by clicking the Pattern slots.
Page 761
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View ▪ The Pattern displays its name and color. ▪ The corresponding Pattern will now be played by that Scene. ▪ Additionally this Pattern is loaded in the Pattern Editor, ready to be modified. Patterns and the Pattern Editor are described in chapter ↑10, Working with Patterns.
Page 762
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View Then create the Pattern for the desired Group: Press the desired Group button A–H to select the Group from which you want to select a Pattern. Press and hold PATTERN. Both your pads and the right display give you an overview of the available Patterns. Dim lit pads indicate the available Patterns.
Page 763
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View ▪ The Pattern itself is left untouched. ▪ If the Pattern was the longest one in the Scene, the Scene is automatically reduced to the next longest Pattern. Assigning a Pattern to a Scene on the Controller Assigning a Pattern is done in Pattern mode.
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View ▪ Additionally this Pattern is loaded in the Pattern Editor, ready to be modified. For further information regarding the Pattern mode, please refer to section ↑10.7, Man- aging Patterns. Removing a Pattern from a Scene on the Controller Removing a Pattern is also done in Pattern mode: To remove the Pattern for the selected Group from the selected Scene, press PATTERN...
Page 765
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View The Scene name is now highlighted to indicate that this Scene is selected. → Once a Scene Has Been Selected… Once you have selected a Scene, the following happens: ▪ The selected Patterns slots for the focused Scene are highlighted. The Pattern slot with a white frame is displayed in the Pattern Editor.
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View ▪ The Pattern Editor displays the Pattern for the focused Group in this Scene. If there is no Pattern for the focused Group in the Scene you have just selected, the Pattern Editor is empty.
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View Press the pad corresponding to the Scene you want to delete. Alternatively you can select the Scene by pressing the Page buttons. Press Button 6 (DELETE). The Scene is deleted with all its Patterns. Scenes to the right shift to fill the gap. →...
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View Press SHIFT + Button 6 (DELETE) to delete the selected Scene bank. The Scene bank is deleted including all its Scenes, if any. The following banks are shifted up to fill the gap. 15.2.7 Clearing Scenes Clearing a Scene allows you to remove all its Patterns, leaving the Scene empty.
Page 769
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View ▪ duplicate Scenes ▪ duplicate Scenes and Patterns ▪ link when duplicating Sections For more information on the Default page of the Preferences, read: ↑2.6.4, Preferences – De- fault Page. Duplicating a Scene in the Software To duplicate a Scene in the software: Right-click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS), and select Duplicate from the context menu.
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View The selected Scene is duplicated in accordance with the setting in the Default page of the → Preferences. For more information, read: ↑2.6.4, Preferences – Default Page. 15.2.9 Reordering Scenes Reordering Scenes in Ideas view allows you to visually organize your ideas and also place each idea on a specific pad of your controller.
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View The Scene takes its new place. On your controller in Scene mode, you can now select this → Scene via the pad corresponding to its new location. 15.2.10 Making Scenes Unique If a Scene is referencing the same Patterns you can make a separate (unique) copy of the Scene and its Patterns by selecting Unique.
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View Making Scenes Unique Using the Controller To make a Scene unique using your controller: Press SHIFT SCENE (Section) to enter Ideas view. Press and hold SCENE (Section) to enter Scene mode. Press Button 7 and 8 to select the desired Scene bank. Press the pad corresponding to the Scene you want to make unique.
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View Appending a Scene to the Arrangement Using the Controller Using your controller you can append a Scene to the arrangement. Press SHIFT SCENE (Section) to enter Ideas view. Press and hold SCENE (Section) to enter Scene mode. Press Button 7 and 8 to select the desired Scene bank.
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View the pad grid and select Rename from the context menu: The Scene name gets highlighted and editable. Type a name and press [Enter] on your computer keyboard to confirm (or press [Esc] to cancel you change).
Page 775
Working with the Arranger Using Ideas View Right-click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS) the name of the desired Scene in the Arranger or in the Scene Manager, and select Color from the context menu. A Color Palette appears. In the Palette, the current color of the Scene is highlighted. Select the desired color in the Palette.
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View 15.3 Using Arranger View In MASCHINE, a song is made of a variable number of Scenes, which represent the different parts of the song — e.g., intro, verse, chorus, break, another verse… By assigning your Scenes to Sections to the Timeline in the Arranger view you can start to organize your track.
Page 777
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View Use the Section Manager to manage your Sections. ▪ On the left you can see the list of the 16 Section slots in the selected Section bank. Slots containing a Section show a colored or white bar on the left along with the Section name. The other slots contain no Section.
Page 778
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View The top row of the Arranger. The only difference between the Section Manager and the Arranger’s top row is that the Sec- tion Manager allows you to manage your Section banks, which is impossible in the Arranger’s top row.
Page 779
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View The Section Arrange mode in the controller displays. In Section Arrange mode, the displays of your controller show the following: ▪ The left display provides an overview of the arrangement for your entire Project: ◦...
Page 780
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View ◦ Horizontally, the displayed time interval is variable: Turn Knob 5 and 6 to zoom and scroll in the right display to your liking, respectively. You can also enable FOLLOW and let the right display follow the playhead as it travels through your arrangement — see section ↑15.1.2, Following the Playback Position in Your Project for more infor-...
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View Your controller switches to Section mode. This is indicated by the highlighted SECTION → the upper-left corner of the left display. Apart from a few commands, the main difference between the Section mode and the Section Arrange mode is found in the right display of the controller: In Section mode you see all Sec- tion slots of the selected Section bank represented as a square of 4x4 cells: ▪...
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View ▪ A new empty Section is created after all existing Sections. You can then assign a Scene using your controller and software — see section: ↑15.3.3, Assigning a Scene to a Section. Creating a New Section on Your Controller To create a new Section on your controller: Press SHIFT...
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View Press SCENE (Section) then turn Knob 2 to select the Scene you want to add to the Sec- tion. The selected Scene is added to the Section. → By repeating this for each new Section, you can quickly add Scenes to the Arranger. 15.3.4 Selecting Sections and Section Banks You can select the desired Section via the Section Manager or directly in the Arranger view.
Page 784
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View If it is not already selected, select the Section bank containing the desired Section by clicking its pad grid on the right. The selected Section bank is surrounded by a white border, and the left part of the Sec- tion Manager displays the Section slots in that bank.
Page 785
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View ▪ The Pattern Editor displays the Pattern corresponding to the focused Group in this Section. If there is no Pattern for the focused Group in the Section you have just selected, the Pat- tern Editor is empty.
Page 786
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View Press the dim lit pad corresponding to the cell of the desired Section on the right display. The desired Section is selected. → Upon your selection, the following happens: ▪ The Pattern Editor displays the Pattern corresponding to the focused Group in this Section. If there is no Pattern for the focused Group in the Section you have just selected, the Pat- tern Editor is empty.
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View Selecting a Section To select a Section in the current Section bank, press SCENE + the dim lit pad corre- ► sponding to this Section. Upon your selection, the following happens: ▪ The Pattern Editor displays the Pattern for the focused Group in this Section. If there is no Pattern for the focused Group in the Section you have just selected, the Pattern Editor is empty.
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View When the insertion line appears at the desired location, release the mouse button. The Section takes its new place. On your controller in Section mode, you can now select → this Section via the pad corresponding to its new location. Moving a Section using the Controller To move a Section using your controller: Press...
Page 789
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View By default the length of a Section is automatically set to the longest Pattern used within the referenced Scene (Auto Length), unless the length of the Section is manually set to a specific bar range (Manual Length).
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View 15.3.6.1 Adjusting the Length of a Section Using the Software Variable Section length allows you to lengthen or shorten a Scene on the Timeline of the Ar- ranger without altering the referenced Patterns. This is particularly useful as it avoids the need to create a new version of a Scene when you only want to extend or truncate a Scene to make it fit an arrangement.
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View The Scene will be shortened, and if the adjustment is shorter than the referenced Pattern → a small Truncated Clip marker will appear on the right-hand side of the Section to indi- cate that a part of the Scene is hidden. Only the visible part of the Scene will be audible during playback.
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View Press SHIFT and turn Knob 4 to change the Section length in smaller increments. The Section length is adjusted accordingly. → To adjust the length of a Section using your hardware controller: Press NAVIGATE + Button 3 ARRANGER...
Page 793
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View Assigning a Pattern in Arranger View In the Arranger, click the cell located in the column of the desired Section and in the row of the desired Group. This selects both the desired Section and Group simultaneously. You can also click the desired Section label and Group separately.
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View Patterns and the Pattern Editor are described in chapter ↑10, Working with Patterns. Creating a New Empty Pattern in Arranger View You can also create a new empty Pattern: In the Arranger, double-click the cell located in the column of the desired Section and in ►...
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View Duplicating a Section Right-click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS), and select Duplicate from the context menu. ► ▪ The selected Section is duplicated in accordance with the setting in the Default page of the Preferences. Duplicating a Section on Your Controller To duplicate a Section on your controller: Press...
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View To make a Section unique in the MASCHINE software: Right-click (or ([Ctrl]-click on OS X) the Section you want to make unique in the Timeline. The context menu will open. Click Unique. The Section will become independent of any Sections it was linked to and the Patterns →...
Page 797
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View In the top row of the Arranger view, right-click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS) the name of the ► Section you want to remove and select Remove from the context menu: The Section is removed from the arrangement. The next Sections shift ahead to fill the →...
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View Alternate Method Press SHIFT SCENE (Section) to enter Arranger view. Press and hold SCENE (Section) to enter Section mode. Press Button 7 and 8 to select the desired Section bank. Press ERASE + the pad corresponding to the Section you want to remove. The Section is removed from the arrangement.
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View the pad grid and select Rename from the context menu. The Scene name is highlighted and editable. Type a name and press [Enter] on your computer keyboard to confirm (or press [Esc] to cancel you change).
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View Right-click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS) the name of the desired Section in the Arranger view, ► and select Clear from the context menu. The Section is cleared. → 15.3.12 Creating and Deleting Section Banks A new Section bank is automatically created once you fill an entire bank with Sections.
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View 15.3.13 Enabling Auto Length By default a Section is set to Auto Length allowing it to resize automatically to the content within the Section. If the length of a Section is manually adjusted by truncating or lengthening the Section end marker, Auto Length is discarded and the Section automatically set to Manual Length.
Working with the Arranger Using Arranger View Press the corresponding pad to select a Section. Press Button 3 AUTO LENGTH to enable Auto Length. The selected Section is automatically resized to fit the content of the Patterns within the → assigned Scene.
Working with the Arranger Playing with Sections Click and drag the Loop range left or right. ► The whole Loop range is moved. → Activating or Deactivating a Loop in the Software To activate a Loop using the software: Click the Loop button in the header to activate or deactivate the loop. ►...
Working with the Arranger Playing with Sections This may also be necessary if you are composing a studio track in your host sequencer and want to control which Scenes or Sections the MASCHINE plug-in has to play. This is where the MASCHINE tools described in the following sections come in handy.
Working with the Arranger Triggering Sections or Scenes via MIDI Example with playback on: Assuming that the Pattern Grid resolution is set to one bar, if you click around the mark (3rd beat of the 8th bar) in the timeline when the playhead reaches mark (2nd beat of the 3rd bar), the playhead will jump from the to the mark...
Page 806
Working with the Arranger Triggering Sections or Scenes via MIDI To enable or disable Section/Scene MIDI Change feature, do the following: In the MASCHINE Header, click the cog wheel icon. Click MIDI Change from the menu. The MIDI Change dialog appears. →...
Working with the Arranger The Arrange Grid In the Channel submenu, select the MIDI channel the Scenes or Sections should receive MIDI messages from. 15.6 The Arrange Grid The Arrange Grid is used to quantize all modifications related to the timeline. The value set here is used for following features: ▪...
Page 808
Working with the Arranger The Arrange Grid Click the current Arrange Grid value to open the drop-down menu. Select a new value for the Arrange Grid. The selected Arrange Grid value is applied. → On your controller: Press the SHIFT FOLLOW (Grid) button to access the Grid page.
Working with the Arranger Quick Grid The selected Arrange Grid value is applied. → To Disable the Arrange Grid Press Button 8 or pad 16 to select OFF. ► The Arrange Grid is disabled. → 15.7 Quick Grid The Quick Grid setting allows you to quickly and conveniently set the most common Pattern lengths using your controller.
Samples in only one Sound. All this can be done in the Sample Editor. Make sure you check out the tutorial videos regarding sampling on the Native Instruments website (http://www.native-instruments.com). Before recording an external source please consult the documentation that came with your audio interface for information on connecting audio devices and instruments.
Sampling and Sample Mapping Recording a Sample Click the Sample Editor button on the left of the Pattern Editor to switch to the Sample Editor. The Sample Editor appears and displays the Sample content of the focused Sound. In the Sample Editor, click the desired tab at the top to access the corresponding page: ▪...
Sampling and Sample Mapping Recording a Sample The Record page in the software. 16.2.2 Selecting the Source and the Recording Mode At the bottom of the Record page, the parameters in the RECORDING section allow you to ad- just which source should be recorded and how the recording should start and stop. Adjusting the source and mode of the recording in the software.
Page 813
Sampling and Sample Mapping Recording a Sample Click the INPUT selector to choose between the available inputs: ► ▪ If SOURCE is set to Ext. Ster., you can select either of MASCHINE’s four external stereo inputs In 1–4. ▪ If SOURCE is set to Ext.
Page 814
Sampling and Sample Mapping Recording a Sample Any input level reaching the slider position will start the recording! Double-click the slider to reset the threshold to its default value (-12 dB). Monitoring the Input Signal Visually controlling the input signal. The level meters above the RECORDING section show you at any time the level of the selected...
Sampling and Sample Mapping Recording a Sample 16.2.3 Arming, Starting, and Stopping the Recording The Start and Cancel buttons. Click Start to arm the recording. ► After the recording has been armed, its behavior will depend on the recording mode you have selected (via the MODE selector, see section...
Page 816
Sampling and Sample Mapping Recording a Sample In any case the recorded audio will be stored in the Sound that was under focus as you started the recording. When the Recording is Done… When the recording is done, the following things happen: ▪...
Page 817
Sampling and Sample Mapping Recording a Sample 16.2.4 Arming, Starting, and Stopping the Recording on Your Controller Starting and stopping the recording. Press Button 5 (START) to arm the recording. ► After the recording has been armed, its behavior will depend on the recording mode you have selected (via the MODE selector, see section...
Page 818
Sampling and Sample Mapping Recording a Sample ◦ Once the recording has started, press Button 5 (STOP) to stop the recording (it stops immediately) or Button 6 (CANCEL) to cancel the recording (the recorded audio will not be saved). If you want to start and stop the recording manually, you can set the MODE to DETECT, dial the...
Sampling and Sample Mapping Recording a Sample 16.2.5 Checking Your Recordings You can visualize the last recordings you have made in the current Sound: The waveform display and the information bar displaying a recording. (1) Waveform display Shows the waveform of the recording currently selected in the Recording History (5) — by de- fault your last recording: ▪...
Page 820
Sampling and Sample Mapping Recording a Sample Command Description Open containing folder Opens the folder on your hard disk containing the Sample, providing quick access to the original file. Save Sample As… Opens a Save Sample As dialog allowing to save the recorded Sample under another name and/or to another location on your computer.
Page 821
Sampling and Sample Mapping Recording a Sample ▪ Click the little cross at the top right corner of a mini waveform to delete this particular re- cording. ▪ Drag any mini waveform to another Sound slot to load it in that Sound. Right-click (macOS: [Ctrl]-click) any mini waveform in the Recording History to open a context menu with the following commands: Command...
Sampling and Sample Mapping Recording a Sample Using the Recording History All the recordings you have made since you opened the current Project are stored in the Re- cording History and displayed as mini waveforms on the left display. The following actions are available: ▪...
Sampling and Sample Mapping Editing a Sample 16.3 Editing a Sample Edit page of the Sample Editor in the software and its equivalent the EDIT page of the Sampling mode on your controller allow you to adjust the start and end points of a Sample or Slice and to apply various destructive audio processing functions to any part of the Sample.
Page 824
Sampling and Sample Mapping Editing a Sample The Edit page in the software. (1) Waveform display Shows the waveform of the Sample for the focused Zone. The waveform display provides fol- lowing tools: ▪ Drag any Sample onto the waveform to replace the current Sample for the focused Zone. If there is no Sample loaded yet, this automatically loads a Sampler Plug-in in the Sound and creates a Zone over the entire key and velocity ranges for the dragged Sample.
Page 825
Sampling and Sample Mapping Editing a Sample ▪ Loop range: If a loop has been defined in the Sample, it is also indicated on the waveform. You can then adjust the loop by dragging its borders, and move the entire loop by dragging its title bar.
Page 826
Sampling and Sample Mapping Editing a Sample Displays the file name and the length of the recorded Sample. Click and hold the little play icon on the left to play back the whole Sample on the Cue bus (see section ↑12.2.6, Using the Cue Bus for more information).
Page 827
Sampling and Sample Mapping Editing a Sample Using the EDIT Page on Your Controller In Sampling mode, press Button 2 to access the EDIT page. ► The EDIT page on the controller. The right display shows the waveform of the selected Sample: ▪...
Page 828
Sampling and Sample Mapping Editing a Sample The EDIT page on the controller, page 1 of 2: adjusting the play range of the Sample. Parameter Description START (Knob 1) Adjusts the start point of the play range in the Sample. (Knob 2) Adjusts the end point of the play range in the Sample.
Sampling and Sample Mapping Editing a Sample Hold SHIFT when turning the Knobs to adjust the parameters in finer increments. On the right display, the selection range is highlighted. Changing the play range automatically resets the selection range to the new play range. Audio Editing EDIT page provides several audio editing functions to process your Sample.
Page 830
Sampling and Sample Mapping Editing a Sample Command Description TRUNCATE This deletes the part of the Sample that is outside of the selected region. NORM. (Normalize) This adjusts the level of the selected region to the maximum possible value without clipping. REVERSE This reverses the selected region of the Sample.
Page 831
Sampling and Sample Mapping Editing a Sample The stretch controls at the bottom of the Edit page. These controls allow you to adjust the parameters of the time stretching / pitch shifting func- tion before applying it to the selected region. Pitch shifting and time stretching can be applied independently.
Page 832
Sampling and Sample Mapping Editing a Sample Parameter Description SRC BPM (Source Allows to define the tempo of the original audio (in BPM). This tempo BPM, Beat mode is defined in different ways according to the AUTO DTCT value: only) AUTO DTCT is enabled, you can set the length (in bars) of the original audio.
Page 833
Sampling and Sample Mapping Editing a Sample Audio editing functions on the right display of the controller. Use Button 5 and 6 to select the desired audio function. Press Button 8 to perform the selected audio function The audio function will be performed on the selected region in your Sample, as defined by →...
Page 834
Sampling and Sample Mapping Editing a Sample Parameter Description FADE IN This applies a fade in to the selected region of the Sample. FADE OUT This applies a fade out to the selected region of the Sample. FIX DC This removes the DC offset. DC offset (“Direct Current offset”) is an undesirable constant shift in the signal level that might be introduced by some audio processing units.
Page 835
Sampling and Sample Mapping Editing a Sample Parameters for the Stretch function. Following parameters are available via Knob 1–8: Parameter Description STRETCH section TUNE Adjusts the detuning (pitch shifting) to be applied (in semitones and cents). Leave this value to 0.00 to leave the original pitch untouched.
Page 836
Sampling and Sample Mapping Editing a Sample Parameter Description AUTO DTCT AUTO DTCT (Auto Detection) is enabled, MASCHINE automatically detects the tempo of the original audio. (Auto Detection, Beat mode only) SRC BPM SRC BPM (Source BPM) allows to define the tempo of the original audio (in BPM).
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample Once you have set the parameters to the desired values, press Button 8 (APPLY) to apply ► the pitch shifting and/or time stretching to the selected region in the Sample. If you don’t want to use the Stretch function, press Button 7 (SETTINGS) again to switch back to the audio function selection.
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample ▪ You can also drag a Sample onto the focused Sound slot or directly to the Slice page from the Browser or from your operating system. It will then appear on the page and replace any Sample already loaded in that Sound.
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample The SLICE page 1 on the controller. 16.4.2 Adjusting the Slicing Settings At the bottom of the Slice page, you can adjust the settings used to define where the various Slices will be created in the Sample. Adjust the slicing settings at the bottom of the Slice page.
Page 840
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample Parameter Description SLICER Section MODE Here you can select either Split, Grid, Detect or Manual: Detect mode: The Sample will be sliced according to its transients. Split mode: The Sample will be sliced into equally spread Slices. Grid mode: The Sample will be sliced according to note values.
Page 841
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample Parameter Description MONO The Sample Slicer Mono option when activated automatically sets the Voice and Choke Group of all sample slices to 1 when slicing to a Group. This time saving feature is useful when you don’t want to have lots of samples triggered or repeating at the same time, for example, when you slice a drum loop and trigger the individual hits to form a new pattern.
Page 842
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample Adjust the slicing settings via Knob 1–4. Any change to these settings will directly affect the number and position of the Slice markers shown in the waveform on the displays. Selecting and Pre-Listening the Slices with the Pads At any time, the proposed Slices are also available on your pads: The fully lit pad indicates the selected Slice, while the dim lit pads indicate the other Slices.
Page 843
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample Parameter Description TIME Section MODE Here you can select either DETECT, SPLIT, GRID, or MANUAL: Detect mode: The Sample will be sliced according to its transients. Split mode: The Sample will be sliced into equally spread Slices. Grid mode: The Sample will be sliced according to note values.
Page 844
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample Parameter Description (BPM Mode) Selects how the tempo is defined: If you select AUTO, MASCHINE will calculate the tempo automatically. If you select MANUAL, you can enter the tempo in BPM manually. ADJUST is set to AUTO, you can choose between the tempo that MASCHINE detected, or half or double of that tempo.
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample 16.4.3 Live Slicing Live Slicing is a quick and intuitive way to add slices to a sample using the pads on your con- troller. The first pad is used to trigger the sample and the subsequent pads are used to add slice points as required.
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample 16.4.3.2 Delete All Slices DELETE ALL option in SAMPLING EDIT mode is a quick and convenient way to delete all Slices at once from a sample using your controller. 16.4.4 Manually Adjusting Your Slices In addition to the Detect, Split, Grid, and Manual modes that create Slices automatically (see section ↑16.4.2, Adjusting the Slicing Settings...
Page 847
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample Shows the selected Sample with a couple of spread vertical lines in the waveform: this is where the Slices are going to be applied (i.e. cut). ▪ Hover a Slice with the mouse to select it (it is highlighted). Little “S” and “E” markers ap- pear at the bottom of the Slice borders to indicate the start and end point of that Slice, respectively.
Page 848
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample By moving the start and end points of Slices independently, you can create overlapping Slices or gaps between Slices. These default mouse actions are valid only if the SLICE REMOVE buttons are disabled in the edit tools (5).
Page 849
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample ◦ Click the start border of a Slice to delete that border and merge the Slice with the pre- vious one. ◦ Click inside a Slice (i.e. anywhere between its borders) to remove the entire Slice. The corresponding part of the Sample is grayed out and won’t be exported as Slice.
Page 850
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample The Edit mode in the SLICE page. Use the page button to access the following parameters and commands: MASCHINE - Manual - 850...
Page 851
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample Page / Parameter Description Slicer Page Mode Select the Slicer edit mode. AUTO-SNAP The Sample Slicer Manual mode Auto-Snap feature automatically aligns Slice points to the nearest transient as you manually trigger the slicing from the pads. It can be turned off so that slice points are instead placed exactly where you trigger them.
Page 852
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample Page / Parameter Description pattern. When Mono is selected and the slices are applied to a Group, the sampler polyphony is automatically set to 1 so only one voice will play at a time. The Choke Group is also automatically set to 1 so each new pad that is hit will always take priority over the previous one by cancelling it out.
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample 16.4.5 Applying the Slicing Once you are satisfied with the proposed and/or manually adjusted Slices (see section ↑16.4.2, Adjusting the Slicing Settings), you can apply the slicing in order to actually cut the original Sample and create these Slices.
Page 854
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample ▪ If you drag to a Sound (in the Sound List at the left of the Sample Editor): ◦ The Slices will be mapped to individual notes of this Sound, starting with the bottom C (C-2 in MASCHINE convention).
Page 855
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample ▪ Replace Pattern: Upon Slice export a sequence of notes will be created in the current Pat- tern so that the Pattern reproduces the original, unsliced Sample. If the sequence is short- er than the current Pattern it will be repeated to fill the Pattern; if the sequence is longer than the Pattern the Pattern will be extended according to the Pattern Grid and the content of other Sounds will be repeated.
Page 856
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample Dragging an individual Slice to another Sound. Applying a Sliced Sample to a Sound If you drag a Slice to a Group in the Group List (at the left of the Arranger), it will be exported to the first Sound slot of that Group.
Page 857
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample Exporting the Slices on the Controller Once you are satisfied with the proposed and/or manually adjusted Slices (see section ↑16.4.2, Adjusting the Slicing Settings), you can apply the slicing in order to actually cut the original Sample and create these Slices.
Page 858
Sampling and Sample Mapping Slicing a Sample Press Button 8 (OK) to export the Slices. The Slices will be mapped to individual notes of the selected Sound, starting with the → bottom C (C-2 in MASCHINE convention). The base key of the Sound will be set to the bottom C as well (see section ↑5.1.3, Adjusting the Base Key for more information on the...
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones Press Button 8 (APPLY) to export the selected Slice. APPLY: Exporting the Slices to the Same Sound On the SLICE page, press Button 8 (APPLY) to export all Slices to the focused Sound it- ►...
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones {Commented by Christian Schulz, 09.09.2016 14:45:16: this image doesnt show an emtpy Zone list}The Zone page (here for an empty Sound). Opening the ZONE Page on Your Controller In Sampling mode, press Button 4 to access the ZONE page.
Page 861
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones Zone page: an overview. (1) Zone List button: Shows/hides the Zone List (4). (2) Sample View button: Switches the Zone page between Map view and Sample view (5). (3) Information bar: Displays the file name and the length of the Sample in the focused Zone. Click and hold the little play icon on the left to play back the whole Sample on the Cue bus (see section ↑12.2.6, Using the Cue Bus...
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones ton (2) to switch between the Map view and the Sample view (the Sample view is visible when the Sample View button is enabled). The Map and Sample views are explained in detail in sec- tion ↑16.5.4, Selecting and Editing Zones in the Map View ↑16.5.5, Editing Zones in the...
Page 863
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones Drag a Sample from the Browser’s LIBRARY FILES pane or from your operating system ► onto the empty area in the Zone List. Click the “+” at the end of the Zone List. A Load Sample dialog opens up.
Page 864
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones Right-click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS) the desired entry in the Zone List and select Load Sample… in the menu that opens. A Load Sample dialog opens up. Navigate to the desired audio file on your operating system and press [Enter] to confirm. The dragged or selected Sample replaced the previous Sample in the target Zone.
Page 865
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones ▪ The other selected Zones are highlighted in white. Their settings are not displayed any- where, however they will be affected by your actions in the Zone List and in the Map view (see section ↑16.5.4, Selecting and Editing Zones in the Map View for more on this).
Page 866
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones In that menu selects Delete to remove the focused Zone only, or Delete Selected to re- move all selected Zones. Moving Zones in the List You can move your Zones across the Zone List via drag and drop: Select the Zone(s) you want to move.
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones Multiple selection is not possible from the controller. Hence, setting the focus to the previous/next Zone automatically deselects any other Zone, the focused Zone now being the only selected Zone. The Sample can be played back on the Cue channel at any time by pressing the corresponding pad on your controller.
Page 868
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones The Map view of the Zone page. (1) Sample Map The Sample Map shows all Zones contained in your Sound. ▪ The horizontal axis represents keys (or pitches) from C-2 to G8, while the vertical axis rep- resents velocities from 0 to 127.
Page 869
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones You can also add a Sample by dragging it directly onto the Sample Map. See section ↑16.5.7, Adding Samples to the Sample Map for more information. (2) Virtual keyboard Below the Mapping view, the virtual keyboard represents the entire key scale. The root note of the selected Zone is indicated by the colored key.
Page 870
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones Mouse/Keyboard Action Command Hold [Ctrl] ([Cmd] on macOS) and Selects all clicked Zones. Click a selected Zone to click several Zones deselect it (i.e. remove it from the selection). Hold [Shift] and click two Zones Selects both Zones and all Zones in-between.
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones For more information on the Edit Slice pages, please refer to section ↑16.3, Editing a Sample ↑16.4, Slicing a Sample, respectively. Sample Map Menu The Sample Map menu contains additional editing facilities. Right-click ([Ctrl]-click on macOS) a Zone to open the Sample Map menu.
Page 872
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones The Sample view of the Zone page. (1) Waveform display Shows the waveform of the Sample for the focused Zone. The waveform display provides fol- lowing tools: ▪ Use the scroll wheel of your mouse to zoom in/out. You can also use the zooming scroll bar (3).
Page 873
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones Command Description Open containing folder Opens the folder on your hard disk containing the Sample, providing quick access to the original file. Save Sample As… Opens a Save Sample As dialog allowing to save the Sample of the focused Zone under another name and/or to another location on your computer.
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones 16.5.6 Adjusting the Zone Settings At the bottom of the Zone page, the Zone settings allow you to adjust how each Zone should be played back. The Zone settings in the software. The various sections always display the values for the focused Zone.
Page 875
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones Parameter Description ACTIVE Enable this to define a loop in the Sample of the focused Zone. When the play position reaches the loop, the playback is looped as long as the note is held. This can be useful to loop either a whole Sample or part of it, e.g., to simulate a longer tone.
Page 876
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones Parameter Description Sets the panorama position of the focused Zone. ROOT KEY Adjusts the root key of the focused Zone, that is the key at which the Sample will be played back at its original pitch. The root key is also indicated by the colored key on the virtual keyboard;...
Page 877
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones Editing Your Zones on Your Controller At the bottom of the left display, the Zone settings allow you to adjust how each Zone should be played back. The Zone settings on the controller. The various parameters always display the values for the focused Zone.
Page 878
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones Parameter Description START (Knob 1) Adjusts the playback’s start point in the Sample of the focused Zone. (Knob 2) Adjusts the playback’s end point in the Sample of the focused Zone. Hold SHIFT when turning the Knobs to adjust the parameters in finer increments.
Page 879
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones Parameter Description (Knob 3) Adjusts the end point of the loop. XFADE (Knob 4) Allows you to blend a little of the material near the loop start and end points in order to get a smoother, less abrupt loop. This is particularly helpful if the loop is inducing any clicks.
Page 880
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones Parameter Description (Knob 3) Sets the panorama position of the focused Zone. ROOT KEY (Knob 4) Adjusts the root key of the focused Zone, that is the key at which the Sample will be played back at its original pitch. Page 4 –...
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones The ZONE page on the controller, page 5 of 5: MAP parameters. Parameter Description KEY LO (Lowest Key, Knob 1) Sets the lowest note (key) of the focused Zone. KEY HI (Highest Key, Knob 2) Sets the highest note (key) of the focused Zone.
Page 882
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones ▪ Drag your mouse vertically to adjust the key range: With your mouse in the lower half of the Sample Map the Zone will cover the root key only; dragging your mouse up in the upper half of the Sample Map will extend the Zone’s key range up to one octave above the root key;...
Page 883
Sampling and Sample Mapping Mapping Samples to Zones In the Browser, select the Sample you want to add to the map of the current Sound (see ↑3.2, Searching and Loading Files from the Library for more information on using the Browser on your controller).
Appendix: Tips for Playing Live Preparations Appendix: Tips for Playing Live MASCHINE is a very hands-on tool for producing music as well as for performing live. Here we have specifically gathered some tips to help you when playing live. If you are used to playing live, you may not need them, but maybe you will find some new ideas to integrate into your set.
Appendix: Tips for Playing Live Preparations 17.1.4 Name and Color Your Groups, Patterns, Sounds and Scenes 17.1.5 Consider Using a Limiter on Your Master This sounds rather conservative, but if you want to avoid digital distortion caused by an over- load of your audio interface, this is a useful safety measure.
Appendix: Tips for Playing Live Basic Techniques 17.2.2 Use Scene Mode and Tweak the Loop Range Scene mode is useful to trigger different parts of an arrangement by switching Scenes, while changing the Loop Range adds another layer of improvisation. By using a short value for the Perform Grid, you can quickly combine Scenes and create new variations.
Appendix: Tips for Playing Live Special Tricks 17.3 Special Tricks 17.3.1 Changing Pattern Length for Variation Try a short Pattern Grid resolution like a quarter or eighth note and change the Pattern Length (see section ↑10.1.6, Adjusting the Arrange Grid and the Pattern Length) to create variations of a Pattern.
Knowledge Base Troubleshooting If you are experiencing problems related to your Native Instruments product that the supplied documentation does not cover, there are several ways of getting help. Before getting help please make sure you have downloaded the latest MASCHINE soft- ware from Native Access.
18.4 User Forum In the Native Instruments User Forum, you can discuss product features directly with other users and with experts moderating the forum. Please be aware that the Technical Support team does not participate in the forum. If you’re encountering an issue that can’t be solved by other users, contact Native Instruments’...
Glossary Glossary In this glossary you will find short definitions for numerous terms used in the MASCHINE con- text. If you have any doubts about the meaning of a word, this is the place to check! Arranger The Arranger is the big area located in the upper part of the MASCHINE window, right under the Header.
Page 891
Glossary their audio. You then only have to set up the desired Sound(s) and Group(s) of your Project to send some of their audio to this bussing point. This basically is the way to set up send effects in MASCHINE! Channel Properties Channel properties are sets of parameters available at each Project level (i.e.
Page 892
Glossary Event Events are the individual drum hits or notes that make up a Pattern. In the Pattern Editor, events are visually represented by rectangles in the Step Grid. Depending on the current view in the Pattern Editor, you can see events for all Sounds slots (Group view) or for the select Sound slots only (Keyboard view).
Page 893
Glossary Header The Header is the topmost row of controls in the MASCHINE software window. It contains global settings, such as the Master Volume slider, the Transport controls, controls for global swing, tempo, time signature, etc. Keyboard View Keyboard view is the view of the Pattern Editor in which only events of the selected Sound are visible and editable.
Page 894
Glossary Mute and Solo Muting allows you to bypass a Sound or a Group, whereas Soloing is pretty much the opposite: It mutes all other Sounds or Groups so that only the soloed Sound or Group is played. The combination of muting and soloing is a useful means both to play live and to test different se- quences together.
Page 895
Glossary Plug-in A Plug-in is an instrument or effect unit, either Internal or External (by Native Instruments or a third-party manufacturer), that can be loaded into a Plug-in slot to produce or alter sound. When a Plug-in is loaded into a Plug-in slot, the Plug-in appears in the Plug-in List in the left part of the Control area.
Page 896
Glossary Scene A Scene is a combination of Patterns for each Group. They can be used to combine Patterns in order to create musical ideas. Scenes are created in the Ideas view and then added to Sections in the Arranger view to create an arrangement. Section Sections are references to a specific Scenes on the Timeline of the Arranger view and are used to arrange the Scenes into a larger musical structure.
Page 897
Glossary Step Steps are elementary time blocks. They are notably used to apply quantization or to compose Patterns from your controller in Step mode. All steps together make up the Step Grid. In the software’s Pattern Editor, steps are visualized by vertical lines. You can adjust the step size, e.g., to apply different quantization to different events or to divide the Step Grid into finer blocks to edit your Pattern more precisely.
Index Index Numerics 16 Velocities Ableton Link [229] [104] in Pad mode connecting to a network [104] joining a Link Session Amplitude Envelope (Sampler) [304] ARRANGE button [428] [778] Arrange Grid [439] Arranger [890] definition [749] switching views Arranger view [776] [29] [890] definition...
Page 899
Index Assigning Patterns [760] [792] Attribute Editor [153] Base key [231] [239] AU plug-ins [314] Beat Delay [709] Audio Bit depth [519] rendering from Patterns [220] exporting audio Audio driver (selecting) [72] reducing (effect) [720] Audio input [534] [641] BP2 (Filter mode) [307] Audio interface [885]...
Page 900
Index Compressor [660] Control area Channel [891] definition [246] Groove properties Control Lane [493] Input properties (Audio page) [534] [641] [891] definition [582] Macro properties Control mode [539] Output properties (Audio page) [891] definition [544] Output properties (Aux page) Controller Channel properties [532] [228]...
Page 903
Index Events vs. notes [460] Export Favorites [147] [520] MIDI from Pattern [147] Exporting audio Remove [147] [519] from Patterns [147] Show External audio [534] [641] FILE button [106] External Plug-ins [314] File Management [106] using the controller File type [126] selecting in Browser File Type selector...
Page 904
Index Output properties (Audio page) [539] [544] Output properties (Aux page) Gate [664] [206] pasting Grain Delay [712] [204] saving Grain Stretch [714] [212] saving with Samples Groove [246] [648] set up as send effect Groove properties [246] [241] soloing [892] definition [560]...
Page 905
Index [694] [231] [239] Ideas view KEYBOARD button [230] [29] [892] Keyboard mode definition [750] [230] Groups activating [750] Pattern area Scale [230] Scenes [750] [230] using Import Keyboard mode (controller) [230] [523] [477] MIDI to Pattern quick erasing events IMPORT button [168] [468]...
Page 906
Index Lock view [269] entering Latency [73] [884] [270] recalling snapshot in Lock view [680] [687] [692] [269] updating snapshot Library [108] Locking a mode (controller) [37] [38] [167] importing your own files Lofi [720] LIBRARY pane [110] Loop Optimize Limiter [670] [219]...
Page 907
Index automation [569] [101] connecting external equipment Macro Control [569] controlling parameters via [893] definition [272] disabling MIDI Lock Change Macro Controls [582] [567] disabling MIDI Scene Change [590] Assigning using the controller [272] enabling MIDI Lock Change [591] Unassigning using the controller [567] enabling MIDI Scene Change Macro Controls (controller)
Page 908
Index recording (software) [491] MUTE (controller) [244] [492] recording in Control mode (controller) [459] recording in Step mode (controller) Modulation effects [685] Modulation Envelope (Sampler) [308] Modulation mode of the Smart Strip [275] Morphing [270] between Lock snapshots parameters [271] Move [470] events/notes (software)
Page 909
Pattern [511] [465] [468] selecting (controller) [773] Scene [464] selecting (software) [188] Sound slot [476] transposing (controller) Native Instruments Plug-ins [314] [470] transposing (software) Native Kontrol Standard [60] NOTES button [276] [60] Notes mode Normalize [276] of the Smart Strip...
Page 910
Index adjusting length (software) [440] [513] color Pad mode options [516] copying and pasting (controller) [229] 16 Velocities [507] creating (controller) Fixed Velocity [229] [506] creating (software) Pad modes [515] cut/copy/paste content (software) [894] definition cut/copy/paste events/notes (controller) Pad modes (controller) [228] [481] Pad sensitivity...
Page 912
[275] [291] of the Smart Strip muting Plug-ins Performing live [314] [274] External using the Smart Strip Phaser [692] Native Instruments [314] Preferences [65] Pinning a mode (controller) [37] [38] [71] Pitch Bend :Routings Audio page [71] [274] applying using the Smart Strip...
Page 913
Index Preset [323] External Plug-ins Randomizing [323] Native Instruments Plug-ins [486] Pattern Variation [295] saving Plug-in presets Record [323] using VST/AU presets [452] Count-in Project [454] Input Quantization [30] [895] definition Overdub mode [447] saving with Samples [213] [450] Record Prepare mode (controller)
Page 914
Index Retrigger Scenes [755] Reverb [699] Sample Reverberation effects [694] [895] definition REX files exporting with Group [212] [221] importing to Sounds [213] exporting with Project Root key [167] importing into Library [876] [880] setting [169] missing Routing [627] pre-listening [143] [144] Sample Editor [810]...
Page 915
Index Group [204] selecting (controller) [765] [212] [764] Group with Samples selecting (software) [295] [755] Plug-in preset transitions [213] [772] Project with Samples unique (controller) [190] [771] Sound unique (software) Save button [106] Scene bank Saving files [767] creating (hardware) [767] using the controller [106]...
Need help?
Do you have a question about the MASCHINE MK3 and is the answer not in the manual?
Questions and answers