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MANUAL
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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 document is subject to a License Agreement and may not be copied to other media. No part of this
publication may be copied, reproduced or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose,
without prior written permission by Native Instruments GmbH, hereinafter referred to as Native
Instruments.
“Native Instruments”, “NI” and associated logos are (registered) trademarks of Native Instruments GmbH.
Mac, Mac OS, GarageBand, Logic, iTunes and iPod are registered trademarks of Apple Inc.,
registered in the U.S. and other countries.
Windows, Windows Vista and DirectSound are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation
in the United States and/or other countries.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners and use of them does not imply
any affiliation with or endorsement by them.
Document authored by: David Gover, Nicolas Sidi, Gustav Santo Tomas
Software version: 2.5.6 (12/2016)
Disclaimer
Hardware version: MASCHINE STUDIO
Special thanks to the Beta Test Team, who were invaluable not just in tracking down bugs, but
in making this a better product.
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NATIVE INSTRUMENTS GmbH
Schlesische Str. 29-30
D-10997 Berlin
Germany
www.native-instruments.de
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS North America, Inc.
6725 Sunset Boulevard
5th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90028
USA
www.native-instruments.com
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS K.K.
YO Building 3F
Jingumae 6-7-15, Shibuya-ku,
Tokyo 150-0001
Japan
www.native-instruments.co.jp
Contact
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS UK Limited
18 Phipp Street
London EC2A 4NU
UK
www.native-instruments.co.uk
© NATIVE INSTRUMENTS GmbH, 2016. All rights reserved.
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1 Welcome to MASCHINE! ............................................................................................
1.1 Where to Start? ........................................................................................................................... 24
1.2 Manual Conventions ................................................................................................................... 26
2 Basic Concepts .........................................................................................................
2.1 Names and Concepts You Should Know ...................................................................................... 29
2.2 Adjusting the MASCHINE User Interface ..................................................................................... 31
2.3 Common Operations ................................................................................................................... 35
2.4 Native Kontrol Standard ............................................................................................................. 55
2.5 Stand-Alone and Plug-in Mode ................................................................................................... 58
2.2.1 Adjusting the Size of the Interface ............................................................................. 32
2.2.2 Showing/Hiding the Browser ...................................................................................... 33
2.2.3 Switching between Arrange View and Mix View ......................................................... 33
2.2.4 Minimizing the Mixer ................................................................................................. 34
2.2.5 Showing/Hiding the Control Lane .............................................................................. 34
2.3.1 Setting the Focus on a Group or a Sound ................................................................... 35
2.3.2 Switching Between the Master, Group, and Sound Level ........................................... 40
2.3.3 Navigating Channel Properties, Plug-ins, and Parameter Pages in the Control Area . 41
2.3.3.1 Extended Navigate Mode on Your Controller ..............................................47
2.3.4 Undo/Redo ................................................................................................................. 51
2.3.5 Pinning a Mode on Your Controller ............................................................................. 53
2.3.6 Using Two or More Hardware Controllers ................................................................... 54
2.4.1 Installing KONTAKT Instruments with NKS Support .................................................... 56
2.4.2 Loading NKS and Third-party Plug-ins from the Plug-in Menu .................................. 57
2.5.1 Differences between Stand-Alone and Plug-in Mode ................................................. 59
2.5.2 Switching Instances .................................................................................................. 60
23
29
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2.6 Preferences .................................................................................................................................62
2.7 Integrating MASCHINE into Your MIDI Setup ............................................................................... 107
2.8 Syncing MASCHINE using Ableton Link ....................................................................................... 113
2.5.3 Controlling Various Instances with Different Controllers ........................................... 61
2.5.4 Controlling your Host’s Transport Functions in Plug-in Mode .................................... 61
2.6.1 Preferences – General Page ....................................................................................... 63
2.6.1.1 Usage Data Tracking .................................................................................67
2.6.2 Preferences – Audio Page .......................................................................................... 68
2.6.3 Preferences – MIDI Page ............................................................................................ 71
2.6.4 Preferences – Default Page ....................................................................................... 74
2.6.5 Preferences – Library Page ........................................................................................ 77
2.6.6 Preferences – Plug-ins Page ..................................................................................... 85
2.6.7 Preferences – Hardware Page .................................................................................... 90
2.6.8 Touch-Sensitive Knobs on MASCHINE STUDIO ............................................................ 92
2.6.8.1 List Overlay for Selectors ...........................................................................94
2.6.8.2 List and Tag Overlays in the Browser .........................................................95
2.6.8.3 Touch Auto-Write Option ............................................................................98
2.6.8.4 Zoom and Scroll Overlays ..........................................................................100
2.6.8.5 Adjusting the Knobs’s Touch Sensitivity ....................................................101
2.6.9 Controller Menu in the Hardware Page of the Preferences Panel ............................... 103
2.6.10 Preferences – Colors Page ......................................................................................... 105
2.7.1 Connecting External MIDI Equipment ........................................................................ 107
2.7.2 Sync to External MIDI Clock ....................................................................................... 108
2.7.3 Send MIDI Clock ......................................................................................................... 111
2.8.1 Connecting to a Network ............................................................................................ 113
2.8.2 Joining and Leaving a Link Session ........................................................................... 113
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2.9 Using Footswitches with Your MASCHINE STUDIO Controller ....................................................... 115
3 Browser ....................................................................................................................
3.1 Browser Basics ........................................................................................................................... 116
3.2 Searching and Loading Files from the Library ............................................................................ 118
3.1.1 The MASCHINE Library ............................................................................................... 116
3.1.2 Browsing the Library vs. Browsing Your Hard Disks ................................................... 117
3.2.1 Overview of the LIBRARY Pane ................................................................................... 118
3.2.2 Selecting or Loading a Product and Selecting a Bank from the Browser .................... 124
3.2.2.1 Browsing by Product Category Using MASCHINE STUDIO ...........................128
3.2.2.2 Browsing by Product Vendor Using MASCHINE STUDIO ..............................129
3.2.3 Selecting a Product Category, a Product, a Bank, and a Sub-Bank ........................... 129
3.2.3.1 Selecting a Product Category, a Product, a Bank, and a Sub-Bank on the
Table of Contents
116
3.3 Additional Browsing Tools .......................................................................................................... 148
3.4 Using Favorites in the Browser ................................................................................................... 153
3.5 Editing the Files’ Tags and Properties ........................................................................................ 159
3.2.4 Selecting a File Type .................................................................................................. 135
3.2.5 Choosing Between Factory and User Content ............................................................. 136
3.2.6 Selecting Type and Mode Tags ................................................................................... 137
3.2.7 Performing a Text Search ........................................................................................... 142
3.2.8 Loading a File from the Result List ............................................................................ 143
3.3.1 Loading the Selected Files Automatically .................................................................. 149
3.3.2 Pre-Listening to Your Samples .................................................................................. 150
3.3.3 Loading Groups with their Patterns ........................................................................... 151
3.3.4 Displaying File Information ........................................................................................ 152
3.5.1 Attribute Editor Basics .............................................................................................. 159
Controller ...................................................................................................134
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3.6 Loading and Importing Files from Your File System .................................................................... 165
3.7 Locating Missing Samples .......................................................................................................... 175
3.8 Using Quick Browse .................................................................................................................... 177
3.5.2 The BANK Page .......................................................................................................... 161
3.5.3 The TYPES and MODES Pages .................................................................................... 162
3.5.4 The PROPERTIES Page ............................................................................................... 164
3.6.1 Overview of the FILES Pane ........................................................................................ 165
3.6.2 Using Favorites .......................................................................................................... 167
3.6.3 Using the Location Bar .............................................................................................. 168
3.6.4 Navigating to Recent Locations ................................................................................. 169
3.6.5 Using the Result List ................................................................................................. 170
3.6.6 Importing Files to the MASCHINE Library ................................................................... 173
4 Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project ...............................................................
4.1 Overview of the Sounds, Groups, and Master .............................................................................. 181
4.2 Managing Sounds .......................................................................................................................189
4.1.1 The Sound, Group, and Master Channels ................................................................... 182
4.1.2 Similarities and Differences in Handling Sounds and Groups ................................... 183
4.1.3 Selecting Multiple Sounds or Groups ......................................................................... 184
4.2.1 Loading Sounds ......................................................................................................... 191
4.2.2 Pre-listening to Sounds ............................................................................................. 192
4.2.3 Renaming Sound Slots .............................................................................................. 193
4.2.4 Changing the Sound’s Color ...................................................................................... 193
4.2.5 Saving Sounds ........................................................................................................... 195
4.2.6 Copying and Pasting Sounds ..................................................................................... 197
4.2.7 Moving Sounds .......................................................................................................... 200
4.2.8 Resetting Sound Slots ............................................................................................... 201
181
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4.3 Managing Groups ....................................................................................................................... 202
4.4 Exporting MASCHINE Objects and Audio ..................................................................................... 217
4.5 Importing Third-Party File Formats ............................................................................................. 228
4.3.1 Creating Groups ........................................................................................................ 204
4.3.2 Loading Groups ......................................................................................................... 206
4.3.3 Renaming Groups ...................................................................................................... 207
4.3.4 Changing the Group’s Color ....................................................................................... 208
4.3.5 Saving Groups ........................................................................................................... 209
4.3.6 Copying and Pasting Groups ..................................................................................... 211
4.3.7 Moving Groups ........................................................................................................... 215
4.3.8 Deleting Groups ......................................................................................................... 216
4.4.1 Saving a Group with its Samples ............................................................................... 218
4.4.2 Saving a Project with its Samples ............................................................................. 219
4.4.3 Exporting Audio ......................................................................................................... 221
4.5.1 Loading REX Files into Sound Slots ........................................................................... 228
4.5.2 Importing MPC Programs to Groups ........................................................................... 229
5 Playing on Your Controller .........................................................................................
Table of Contents
233
5.1 Adjusting Your Pads ................................................................................................................... 233
5.2 Adjusting the Key, Choke, and Link Parameters for Multiple Sounds .......................................... 244
5.3 Adjusting the Base Key ............................................................................................................... 246
5.4 Playing Tools .............................................................................................................................. 247
5.1.1 The Pad View in the Software .................................................................................... 233
5.1.2 Choosing a Pad Mode ................................................................................................ 235
5.1.3 Adjusting the Base Key .............................................................................................. 238
5.1.4 Using Choke Groups .................................................................................................. 240
5.1.5 Using Link Groups ..................................................................................................... 242
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5.5 Performance Features ................................................................................................................. 260
5.4.1 Note Repeat ............................................................................................................... 247
5.4.2 Mute and Solo ............................................................................................................ 249
5.4.3 Choke All Notes .......................................................................................................... 252
5.4.4 Groove ....................................................................................................................... 253
5.4.5 Level, Tempo, Tune, and Groove Shortcuts on Your Controller .................................... 255
5.5.1 Overview of the Perform Features .............................................................................. 260
5.5.2 Selecting a Scale and Creating Chords ..................................................................... 262
5.5.3 Scale and Chord Parameters ..................................................................................... 265
5.5.4 Creating Arpeggios and Repeated Notes ................................................................... 271
5.5.5 Swing Also Applied to Note Repeat / Arp Output ........................................................ 278
6 Working with Plug-ins ...............................................................................................
6.1 Plug-in Overview ........................................................................................................................ 279
6.1.1 Plug-in Basics ........................................................................................................... 279
6.1.2 First Plug-in Slot of Sounds: Choosing the Sound’s Role ........................................... 283
6.1.3 Loading, Removing, and Replacing a Plug-in ............................................................ 283
6.1.3.1 Browser Plug-in Slot Selection ...................................................................289
6.1.4 Adjusting the Plug-in Parameters ............................................................................. 292
6.1.5 Bypassing Plug-in Slots ............................................................................................ 292
6.1.6 Using Side-Chain ...................................................................................................... 294
6.1.7 Moving Plug-ins ........................................................................................................ 295
6.1.8 Alternative: the Plug-in Strip ..................................................................................... 296
6.1.9 Saving and Recalling Plug-in Presets ....................................................................... 296
6.1.9.1 Saving Plug-in Presets ..............................................................................297
6.1.9.2 Recalling Plug-in Presets ..........................................................................299
6.1.9.3 Removing a Default Plug-in Preset ............................................................299
279
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6.2 The Sampler Plug-in ................................................................................................................... 300
6.3 Using Native Instruments and External Plug-ins ........................................................................ 314
6.2.1 Page 1: Voice Settings / Engine ................................................................................. 302
6.2.2 Page 2: Pitch / Envelope ............................................................................................ 303
6.2.3 Page 3: FX / Filter ...................................................................................................... 306
6.2.4 Page 4: Modulation .................................................................................................... 308
6.2.5 Page 5: LFO ............................................................................................................... 310
6.2.6 Page 6: Velocity / Modwheel ...................................................................................... 312
6.3.1 Opening/Closing Plug-in Windows ............................................................................. 314
6.3.2 Using the VST/AU Plug-in Parameters ....................................................................... 317
6.3.3 Setting Up Your Own Parameter Pages ...................................................................... 318
6.3.4 Using VST/AU Plug-in Presets .................................................................................... 323
6.3.5 Multiple-Output Plug-ins and Multitimbral Plug-ins ................................................. 326
7 Working with Patterns ...............................................................................................
Table of Contents
327
7.1 Pattern Basics ............................................................................................................................ 327
7.2 Recording Patterns in Real Time ................................................................................................ 350
7.1.1 Pattern Editor Overview ............................................................................................. 328
7.1.2 Navigating the Event Area ......................................................................................... 334
7.1.3 Following the Playback Position in the Pattern .......................................................... 336
7.1.4 Jumping to Another Playback Position in the Pattern ................................................. 338
7.1.5 Group View and Keyboard View .................................................................................. 339
7.1.6 Adjusting the Pattern Grid and the Pattern Length .................................................... 342
7.1.7 Adjusting the Step Grid and the Nudge Grid .............................................................. 346
7.2.1 Recording Your Patterns Live ..................................................................................... 350
7.2.2 The Record Prepare Mode .......................................................................................... 353
7.2.3 Using the Metronome ................................................................................................. 354
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7.3 Recording Patterns with the Step Sequencer .............................................................................. 359
7.4 Editing Events ............................................................................................................................ 366
7.5 Recording and Editing Modulation ............................................................................................. 392
7.6 Creating MIDI Tracks from Scratch in MASCHINE ....................................................................... 403
7.7 Managing Patterns ..................................................................................................................... 405
7.2.4 Recording with Count-in ............................................................................................ 356
7.2.5 Quantizing while Recording ....................................................................................... 358
7.3.1 Step Mode Basics ...................................................................................................... 359
7.3.2 Editing Events in Step Mode ...................................................................................... 363
7.4.1 Editing Events with the Mouse: an Overview ............................................................. 366
7.4.2 Creating Events/Notes ............................................................................................... 370
7.4.3 Selecting Events/Notes .............................................................................................. 371
7.4.4 Editing Selected Events/Notes ................................................................................... 376
7.4.5 Deleting Events/Notes ............................................................................................... 382
7.4.6 Cut, Copy, and Paste Events/Notes ............................................................................ 385
7.4.7 Quantizing Events/Notes ........................................................................................... 388
7.4.8 Quantization While Playing ........................................................................................ 390
7.4.9 Doubling a Pattern .................................................................................................... 391
7.5.1 Which Parameters Are Modulatable? ......................................................................... 394
7.5.2 Recording Modulation ................................................................................................ 395
7.5.3 Creating and Editing Modulation in the Control Lane ................................................ 397
7.7.1 The Pattern Manager and Pattern Mode .................................................................... 405
7.7.2 Selecting Patterns and Pattern Banks ....................................................................... 408
7.7.3 Creating Patterns ...................................................................................................... 410
7.7.4 Deleting Patterns ....................................................................................................... 411
7.7.5 Creating and Deleting Pattern Banks ........................................................................ 413
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Table of Contents
7.8 Importing/Exporting Audio and MIDI to/from Patterns ................................................................ 422
7.7.6 Naming Patterns ....................................................................................................... 414
7.7.7 Changing the Pattern’s Color .................................................................................... 416
7.7.8 Duplicating, Copying, and Pasting Patterns .............................................................. 417
7.7.9 Moving Patterns ........................................................................................................ 420
7.7.10 Adjusting Pattern Length in Fine Increments ............................................................. 421
7.8.1 Exporting Audio from Patterns ................................................................................... 422
7.8.2 Exporting MIDI from Patterns ..................................................................................... 423
7.8.3 Importing MIDI to Patterns ........................................................................................ 426
8 Audio Routing, Remote Control, and Macro Controls ....................................................
8.1 Audio Routing in MASCHINE ....................................................................................................... 436
8.2 Using MIDI Control and Host Automation .................................................................................... 462
8.3 Creating Custom Sets of Parameters with the Macro Controls ................................................... 484
8.1.1 Sending External Audio to Sounds ............................................................................. 437
8.1.2 Configuring the Main Output of Sounds and Groups ................................................. 442
8.1.3 Setting Up Auxiliary Outputs for Sounds and Groups ................................................. 447
8.1.4 Configuring the Master and Cue Outputs of MASCHINE ............................................. 451
8.1.5 Mono Audio Inputs ..................................................................................................... 457
8.1.5.1 Configuring External Inputs for Sounds in Mix View ..................................458
8.1.5.2 Configuring External Inputs for Sounds in MASCHINE STUDIO ...................462
8.2.1 Triggering Sounds via MIDI Notes .............................................................................. 463
8.2.2 Triggering Scenes via MIDI ........................................................................................ 469
8.2.3 Controlling Parameters via MIDI and Host Automation .............................................. 470
8.2.4 Selecting VST/AU Plug-in Presets via MIDI Program Change ..................................... 478
8.2.5 Sending MIDI from Sounds ........................................................................................ 479
8.3.1 Macro Control Overview ............................................................................................. 485
435
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Table of Contents
8.3.2 Assigning Macro Controls .......................................................................................... 486
9 Controlling Your Mix ..................................................................................................
9.1 Mix View Basics .......................................................................................................................... 492
9.2 The Mixer .................................................................................................................................... 495
9.3 The Plug-in Chain .......................................................................................................................508
9.4 The Plug-in Strip ........................................................................................................................ 509
9.5 Controlling Your Mix from Your Controller ................................................................................... 525
9.1.1 Switching between Arrange View and Mix View ......................................................... 492
9.1.2 Mix View Elements ..................................................................................................... 493
9.2.1 Displaying Groups vs. Displaying Sounds .................................................................. 496
9.2.2 Adjusting the Mixer Layout ........................................................................................ 498
9.2.3 Selecting Channel Strips ........................................................................................... 499
9.2.4 Managing Your Channels in the Mixer ....................................................................... 500
9.2.5 Adjusting Settings in the Channel Strips ................................................................... 502
9.2.6 Using the Cue Bus ..................................................................................................... 506
9.4.1 The Plug-in Header .................................................................................................... 512
9.4.2 Panels for Drumsynths and Internal Effects .............................................................. 514
9.4.3 Panel for the Sampler ................................................................................................ 515
9.4.4 Custom Panels for Native Instruments Plug-ins ........................................................ 518
9.4.5 Undocking a Plug-in Panel (Native Instruments and External Plug-ins Only) ............ 522
9.5.1 Navigating Your Channels in Mix Mode ..................................................................... 525
9.5.2 Adjusting the Level and Pan in Mix Mode .................................................................. 528
9.5.3 Mute and Solo in Mix Mode ........................................................................................ 528
9.5.4 Plug-in Icons in Mix Mode .......................................................................................... 529
10 Using the Drumsynths ................................................................................................
492
530
10.1 Drumsynths – General Handling ................................................................................................. 531
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10.2 The Kicks .................................................................................................................................... 535
10.3 The Snares ..................................................................................................................................554
10.1.1 Engines: Many Different Drums per Drumsynth ......................................................... 531
10.1.2 Common Parameter Organization .............................................................................. 531
10.1.3 Shared Parameters .................................................................................................... 534
10.1.4 Various Velocity Responses ....................................................................................... 534
10.1.5 Pitch Range, Tuning, and MIDI Notes ........................................................................ 534
10.2.1 Kick – Sub ................................................................................................................. 537
10.2.2 Kick – Tronic .............................................................................................................. 539
10.2.3 Kick – Dusty .............................................................................................................. 542
10.2.4 Kick – Grit ................................................................................................................. 543
10.2.5 Kick – Rasper ............................................................................................................ 546
10.2.6 Kick – Snappy ............................................................................................................ 547
10.2.7 Kick – Bold ................................................................................................................ 549
10.2.8 Kick – Maple .............................................................................................................. 551
10.2.9 Kick – Push ............................................................................................................... 552
10.3.1 Snare – Volt ............................................................................................................... 556
10.3.2 Snare – Bit ................................................................................................................ 558
10.3.3 Snare – Pow .............................................................................................................. 560
10.3.4 Snare – Sharp ........................................................................................................... 561
10.3.5 Snare – Airy ............................................................................................................... 563
10.3.6 Snare – Vintage ......................................................................................................... 565
10.3.7 Snare – Chrome ......................................................................................................... 567
10.3.8 Snare – Iron ............................................................................................................... 569
10.3.9 Snare – Clap ............................................................................................................. 571
10.3.10 Snare – Breaker ......................................................................................................... 573
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10.4 The Hi-hats .................................................................................................................................575
10.5 The Toms .................................................................................................................................... 585
10.6 The Percussions ..........................................................................................................................596
10.7 The Cymbals ............................................................................................................................... 607
10.4.1 Hi-hat – Silver ........................................................................................................... 576
10.4.2 Hi-hat – Circuit ......................................................................................................... 578
10.4.3 Hi-hat – Memory ........................................................................................................ 580
10.4.4 Hi-hat – Hybrid ......................................................................................................... 582
10.4.5 Creating a Pattern with Closed and Open Hi-hats ..................................................... 584
10.5.1 Tom – Tronic .............................................................................................................. 587
10.5.2 Tom – Fractal ............................................................................................................ 589
10.5.3 Tom – Floor ................................................................................................................ 593
10.5.4 Tom – High ................................................................................................................ 595
10.6.1 Percussion – Fractal .................................................................................................. 598
10.6.2 Percussion – Kettle .................................................................................................... 601
10.6.3 Percussion – Shaker .................................................................................................. 603
10.7.1 Cymbal – Crash ......................................................................................................... 609
10.7.2 Cymbal – Ride ........................................................................................................... 611
11 Using Effects .............................................................................................................
Table of Contents
614
11.1 Applying Effects to a Sound, a Group or the Master .................................................................... 614
11.2 Applying Effects to External Audio .............................................................................................. 628
11.1.1 Adding an Effect ........................................................................................................ 614
11.1.2 Other Operations on Effects ....................................................................................... 623
11.1.3 Using the Side-Chain Input ....................................................................................... 625
11.2.1 Step 1: Configure MASCHINE Audio Inputs ................................................................ 628
11.2.2 Step 2: Set up a Sound to Receive the External Input ................................................ 631
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11.3 Creating a Send Effect ............................................................................................................... 636
11.4 Creating Multi-Effects ................................................................................................................ 644
11.2.3 Step 3: Load an Effect to Process an Input ................................................................ 634
11.3.1 Step 1: Set Up a Sound or Group as Send Effect ........................................................ 636
11.3.2 Step 2: Route Audio to the Send Effect ...................................................................... 640
11.3.3 A Few Notes on Send Effects ...................................................................................... 643
12 Effect Reference ........................................................................................................
12.1 Dynamics ....................................................................................................................................648
12.2 Filtering Effects .......................................................................................................................... 666
12.3 Modulation Effects ..................................................................................................................... 675
12.4 Spatial and Reverb Effects ......................................................................................................... 683
12.1.1 Compressor ............................................................................................................... 648
12.1.2 Gate ........................................................................................................................... 652
12.1.3 Transient Master ....................................................................................................... 656
12.1.4 Limiter ....................................................................................................................... 658
12.1.5 Maximizer .................................................................................................................. 662
12.2.1 EQ .............................................................................................................................. 666
12.2.2 Filter .......................................................................................................................... 669
12.2.3 Cabinet ...................................................................................................................... 673
12.3.1 Chorus ....................................................................................................................... 675
12.3.2 Flanger ...................................................................................................................... 676
12.3.3 FM ............................................................................................................................. 678
12.3.4 Freq Shifter ................................................................................................................ 680
12.3.5 Phaser ....................................................................................................................... 681
12.4.1 Ice ............................................................................................................................. 683
12.4.2 Metaverb ................................................................................................................... 685
647
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Table of Contents
12.5 Delays .........................................................................................................................................697
12.6 Distortion Effects ........................................................................................................................ 707
12.7 Perform FX .................................................................................................................................. 715
12.4.3 Reflex ........................................................................................................................ 686
12.4.4 Reverb (Legacy) ......................................................................................................... 688
12.4.5 Reverb ....................................................................................................................... 690
12.4.5.1 Reverb Room .............................................................................................690
12.4.5.2 Reverb Hall ................................................................................................693
12.4.5.3 Plate Reverb ..............................................................................................696
12.5.1 Beat Delay ................................................................................................................. 697
12.5.2 Grain Delay ................................................................................................................ 700
12.5.3 Grain Stretch ............................................................................................................. 703
12.5.4 Resochord .................................................................................................................. 705
12.6.1 Distortion ................................................................................................................... 707
12.6.2 Lofi ............................................................................................................................ 708
12.6.3 Saturator ................................................................................................................... 710
12.6.4 Analog Distortion ....................................................................................................... 714
12.7.1 Filter .......................................................................................................................... 716
12.7.2 Flanger ...................................................................................................................... 718
12.7.3 Burst Echo ................................................................................................................. 720
12.7.4 Reso Echo .................................................................................................................. 723
12.7.5 Ring ........................................................................................................................... 726
12.7.6 Stutter ....................................................................................................................... 728
12.7.7 Tremolo ...................................................................................................................... 731
12.7.8 Scratcher ................................................................................................................... 733
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Table of Contents
13 Creating a Song Using Scenes ...................................................................................
13.1 Arranger Basics .......................................................................................................................... 736
13.2 Managing Scenes ....................................................................................................................... 751
13.1.1 Arranger Overview ..................................................................................................... 738
13.1.2 Navigating the Arranger ............................................................................................ 741
13.1.3 Following the Playback Position in Your Project ......................................................... 743
13.1.4 Jumping to Another Playback Position in Your Project ............................................... 745
13.1.5 Creating and Removing Clips .................................................................................... 747
13.2.1 Scene Management Overview .................................................................................... 752
13.2.2 Selecting Scenes and Scene Banks ........................................................................... 757
13.2.3 Creating Scenes ........................................................................................................ 761
13.2.4 Deleting Scenes ......................................................................................................... 764
13.2.5 Creating and Deleting Scene Banks .......................................................................... 767
13.2.6 Naming Scenes .......................................................................................................... 770
13.2.7 Changing the Scene’s Color ....................................................................................... 772
13.2.8 Moving Scenes ........................................................................................................... 773
13.2.9 Clearing Scenes ......................................................................................................... 775
13.2.10 Duplicating Scenes .................................................................................................... 776
13.2.10.1 Scene Linking Basics .................................................................................776
13.2.10.2 Duplicating Scenes ....................................................................................777
13.2.10.3 Link when Duplicating Scenes ...................................................................779
13.2.10.4 Making Scenes Unique ..............................................................................780
13.2.11 Adjustable Scene Length ........................................................................................... 781
13.2.11.1 Adjusting the Length of a Scene Using the Software .................................782
13.2.11.2 Adjusting the Length of a Scene Using the Controller ................................783
13.2.12 Enabling Scene Auto Length ...................................................................................... 784
736
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Table of Contents
13.3 Playing with Scenes ....................................................................................................................787
13.4 Triggering Scenes via MIDI (MASCHINE Plug-in Only) ................................................................. 796
13.5 The Arrange Grid .........................................................................................................................797
13.6 Quick Grid ...................................................................................................................................799
13.2.13 Looping ...................................................................................................................... 785
13.2.13.1 Setting the Loop Range in the Software .....................................................785
13.2.13.2 Setting the Loop Range Using the Controller .............................................786
13.3.1 Selecting a Loop Range ............................................................................................. 787
13.3.2 Jumping to Other Scenes ........................................................................................... 793
14 Sampling and Sample Mapping ..................................................................................
14.1 Opening the Sample Editor ......................................................................................................... 800
14.2 Recording a Sample ................................................................................................................... 802
14.3 Editing a Sample ........................................................................................................................ 818
14.4 Slicing a Sample ........................................................................................................................ 832
14.2.1 Opening the Record Page .......................................................................................... 803
14.2.2 Selecting the Source and the Recording Mode ........................................................... 804
14.2.3 Arming, Starting, and Stopping the Recording .......................................................... 810
14.2.5 Checking Your Recordings ......................................................................................... 814
14.2.6 Location and Name of Your Recorded Samples .......................................................... 818
14.3.1 Using the Edit Page ................................................................................................... 819
14.3.2 Audio Editing Functions ............................................................................................. 825
14.4.1 Opening the Slice Page .............................................................................................. 833
14.4.2 Adjusting the Slicing Settings ................................................................................... 835
14.4.3 Live Slicing ................................................................................................................ 840
14.4.3.1 Live Slicing Using MASCHINE STUDIO ........................................................840
14.4.3.2 Delete All Slices .........................................................................................841
800
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Table of Contents
14.5 Mapping Samples to Zones ........................................................................................................ 853
14.4.4 Manually Adjusting Your Slices ................................................................................. 842
14.4.5 Applying the Slicing ................................................................................................... 847
14.5.1 Opening the Zone Page .............................................................................................. 854
14.5.2 Zone Page Overview ................................................................................................... 855
14.5.3 Selecting and Managing Zones in the Zone List ........................................................ 856
14.5.4 Selecting and Editing Zones in the Map View ............................................................ 862
14.5.5 Editing Zones in the Sample View ............................................................................. 866
14.5.6 Adjusting the Zone Settings ...................................................................................... 869
14.5.7 Adding Samples to the Sample Map .......................................................................... 876
15 KOMPLETE KONTROL Integration .................................................................................
15.1 Switching the Keyboard Focus to/from a MASCHINE Instance ..................................................... 879
15.2 Controlling the Transport in MASCHINE ...................................................................................... 886
15.3 Navigating and Controlling Your Sounds within a Group ............................................................ 891
15.4 Browsing Your MASCHINE Library ............................................................................................... 898
15.5 Using the Perform Features ........................................................................................................ 903
15.6 Using the Touch Strips ............................................................................................................... 909
15.7 Recording Modulation from Your Keyboard ................................................................................. 915
15.8 Adjusting the Settings for Your Keyboard in the MASCHINE Preferences ..................................... 919
15.9 Arp Hold Mode ............................................................................................................................ 921
15.10 Support for KOMPLETE KONTROL S88 ......................................................................................... 922
16 Troubleshooting – Getting Help ..................................................................................
879
923
16.1 Troubleshooting .......................................................................................................................... 923
16.1.1 The MASCHINE Software Won’t Start .......................................................................... 923
16.1.2 Latency Issues ........................................................................................................... 923
16.1.3 The MASCHINE Software Crashes .............................................................................. 924
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16.2 Getting Help ............................................................................................................................... 925
16.1.4 Updates ..................................................................................................................... 924
16.2.1 Knowledge Base ........................................................................................................ 925
16.2.2 Technical Support ...................................................................................................... 925
16.2.3 Registration Support ................................................................................................. 926
16.2.4 User Forum ................................................................................................................ 926
17 Appendix: Tips for Playing Live ..................................................................................
17.1 Preparations ............................................................................................................................... 927
17.2 Basic Techniques ....................................................................................................................... 929
17.3 Special Tricks ............................................................................................................................. 930
17.1.1 Focus on the Hardware .............................................................................................. 927
17.1.2 Customize the Pads of the Hardware ......................................................................... 927
17.1.3 Check Your CPU Power Before Playing ....................................................................... 927
17.1.4 Name and Color Your Groups, Patterns, Sounds and Scenes ..................................... 928
17.1.5 Consider Using a Limiter on Your Master ................................................................... 928
17.1.6 Hook Up Your Other Gear and Sync It with MIDI Clock ................................................ 928
17.1.7 Improvise ................................................................................................................... 928
17.2.1 Use Mute and Solo ..................................................................................................... 929
17.2.2 Use Scene Mode and Tweak the Loop Range .............................................................. 929
17.2.3 Create Variations of Your Drum Patterns in the Step Sequencer ................................ 929
17.2.4 Use Note Repeat ........................................................................................................ 929
17.2.5 Set Up Your Own Multi-effect Groups and Automate Them ........................................ 930
17.3.1 Changing Pattern Length for Variation ...................................................................... 930
17.3.2 Using Loops to Cycle Through Samples ..................................................................... 930
17.3.3 Load Long Audio Files and Play with the Start Point .................................................. 930
927
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Table of Contents
18 Glossary ...................................................................................................................
Index ........................................................................................................................
931
943
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Welcome to MASCHINE!
1 Welcome to MASCHINE!
Thank you for buying MASCHINE!
MASCHINE is a groove production studio that implements the familiar working style of classical groove boxes along with the advantages of a computer based system. MASCHINE is ideal
for making music live, as well as in the studio. It’s the hands-on aspect of a dedicated instrument, the MASCHINE hardware controller, united with the advanced editing features of the
MASCHINE software.
Creating beats is often not very intuitive with a computer, but using the MASCHINE hardware
controller to do it makes it easy and fun. You can tap in freely with the pads or use Note Repeat to jam along. Alternatively, build your beats using the step sequencer just as in classic
drum machines.
Patterns can be intuitively combined and rearranged on the fly to form larger ideas. You can try
out several different versions of a song without ever having to stop the music.
Since you can integrate it into any sequencer that supports VST, AU, or AAX plug-ins, you can
reap the benefits in almost any software setup, or use it as a stand-alone application. You can
sample your own material, slice loops and rearrange them easily.
However, MASCHINE is a lot more than an ordinary groovebox or sampler: it comes with an
inspiring 7-gigabyte library, and a sophisticated, yet easy to use tag-based Browser to give you
instant access to the sounds you are looking for.
What’s more, MASCHINE provides lots of options for manipulating your sounds via internal effects and other sound-shaping possibilities. You can also control external MIDI hardware and
3rd-party software with the MASCHINE hardware controller, while customizing the functions of
the pads, knobs and buttons according to your needs utilizing the included Controller Editor
application. We hope you enjoy this fantastic instrument as much as we do. Now let’s get going!
—The MASCHINE team at Native Instruments.
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Welcome to MASCHINE!
Where to Start?
1.1 Where to Start?
MASCHINE provides you with many information sources. The main documents are meant to be
read in the following sequence:
1. MASCHINE Setup Guide
2. MASCHINE Getting Started and online video tutorials
3. MASCHINE Manual (this document)
The whole documentation set is available in PDF format and located within the MASCHINE installation folder on your hard disk. You can also access these documents
from the Help menu in the Application Menu Bar or from the Help submenu in the MASCHINE menu.
Please check the Service Center or the Native Instruments website regularly for up-todate and localized versions of these documents. You can start the Service Center by selecting Launch Service Center from the Help menu in the Application Menu Bar or from
the Help submenu in the MASCHINE menu.
Additional documentation sources provide you with details on more specific topics:
▪ MASCHINE Hardware Control Reference
▪ Controller Editor Manual
Hereafter is a quick description of each of these documentation sources.
Your First Stop: the Setup Guide
The Setup Guide will guide you through the software and hardware installation of MASCHINE,
from the very beginning to the first sound coming through your speakers.
First read the Setup Guide. Then proceed with this MASCHINE Getting Started to get more familiar with MASCHINE.
MASCHINE STUDIO - Manual - 24
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Welcome to MASCHINE!
Where to Start?
MASCHINE Getting Started
After reading the Setup Guide and following its instructions, your MASCHINE should be up
and running. The next step is to read the MASCHINE Getting Started. This gives you a practical approach to MASCHINE via a set of tutorials covering easy and more advanced tasks in order to help you familiarize yourself with MASCHINE.
Video Tutorials
The Native Instruments website provides you with a lot of video tutorials that give you a handson approach to many sides of the MASCHINE workflow. To see them, point your favorite browser to following URL: http://native-instruments.com/maschinemedia.
MASCHINE Manual
This MASCHINE Manual provides you with a comprehensive description of all MASCHINE software and hardware features.
MASCHINE Hardware Control Reference
The MASCHINE Hardware Control Reference provides an overview of a MASCHINE Project, the
quick access options performed using the MASCHINE hardware controller, and lots of keyboard shortcuts.
Controller Editor Manual
Besides using your MASCHINE hardware controller together with its dedicated MASCHINE
software, you can also use it as a powerful and highly versatile MIDI controller to pilot any other MIDI-capable application or device. This is made possible by the Controller Editor software,
a little application that allows you to precisely define all MIDI assignments for your MASCHINE
controller. The Controller Editor should have been installed during the MASCHINE installation
procedure. For more information on this, please refer to the Controller Editor Manual available
as a PDF file in the Documentation subfolder of the Controller Editor installation folder on your
hard disk.
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:
MASCHINE STUDIO - Manual - 25
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Welcome to MASCHINE!
Manual Conventions
▪ Knowledge Base
▪ User Forum
▪ Technical Support
▪ Registration Support
You will find more information on these in chapter ↑16, Troubleshooting – Getting Help.
1.2 Manual Conventions
This section introduces you to the signage and text highlighting used in this manual. This manual uses particular formatting to point out special facts and to warn you of potential issues.
The icons introducing these notes let you see what kind of information is to be expected:
This document uses particular formatting to point out special facts and to warn you of potential issues. The icons introducing the following notes let you see what kind of information can
be expected:
The speech bubble icon indicates a useful tip that may often help you to solve a task
more efficiently.
The exclamation mark icon highlights important information that is essential for the given context.
The red cross icon warns you of serious issues and potential risks that require your full
attention.
Furthermore, the following formatting is used:
▪ Text appearing in (drop-down) menus (such as Open…, Save as… etc.) in the software and
paths to locations on your hard disk or other storage devices is printed in italics.
▪ Text appearing elsewhere (labels of buttons, controls, text next to checkboxes etc.) in the
software is printed in blue. Whenever you see this formatting applied, you will find the
same text appearing somewhere on the screen.
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Welcome to MASCHINE!
Manual 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.
▪ Important names and concepts are printed in bold.
▪ References to keys on your computer’s keyboard you’ll find put in square brackets (e.g.,
“Press [Shift] + [Enter]”).
Single instructions are introduced by this play button type arrow.
►
Results of actions are introduced by this smaller arrow.
→
Naming Convention
Throughout the documentation we will refer to MASCHINE controller (or just controller) as the
hardware controller and MASCHINE software as the software installed on your computer.
The term “effect” will sometimes be abbreviated as “FX” when referring to elements in the MASCHINE software and hardware. These terms have the same meaning.
Button Combinations and Shortcuts on Your Controller
Most instructions will use the “+” sign to indicate buttons (or buttons and pads) that must be
pressed simultaneously, starting with the button indicated first. E.g., an instruction such as:
“Press SHIFT + PLAY”
means:
1. Press and hold SHIFT.
2. While holding SHIFT, press PLAY and release it.
3. Release SHIFT.
Unlabeled Buttons on the Controller
The buttons and knobs above and below the displays on your MASCHINE controller do not
have labels.
MASCHINE STUDIO - Manual - 27
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Welcome to MASCHINE!
Manual Conventions
The unlabeled buttons and knobs on the MASCHINE STUDIO controller.
For better reference, we applied a special formatting here: throughout the document, the elements 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. E.g., whenever you
see an instruction such as “Press Button 2 to open the EDIT page,” you’ll know it’s the second
button from the left above the displays.
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Basic Concepts
Names and Concepts You Should Know
2 Basic Concepts
This chapter will reintroduce you to MASCHINE’s main elements and terminology and explain
how they relate to one another. You will also learn how to set up your audio interface and how
to connect MIDI devices.
Before reading this chapter it is strongly recommended that you read the MASCHINE
Getting Started first.
2.1 Names and Concepts You Should Know
We will start with a list defining the most important concepts and names.
Browser
The Browser is the front end for accessing all the elements of your MASCHINE Projects:
Projects, Groups, Sounds, instruments and effect presets, and Samples. Each of these can be
stored and tagged in a way that allows you easy access to all of them. MASCHINE’s factory
library is already completely tagged, as well as factory libraries of any Native Instruments products installed on your computer. You can also import your own files to the Library and tag them
as well. To learn more about the Browser, please read chapter ↑3, Browser.
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.
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Basic Concepts
Names and Concepts You Should Know
Sound
Sounds are the building blocks of all sound content in MASCHINE. A Sound is made up of any
number of Plug-ins. Each Sound of the selected Group is mapped to one of the 16 pads on the
hardware controller, so you can play the Sounds by pressing the pads. Refer to chapter ↑4,
Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project for more information on Sounds.
Group
A Group contains 16 Sound slots. In addition to the Effect Plug-ins applied to each individual
Sound, a Group can have its own insert effect. These affect all the Sounds in the Group. A
Group can also contain any number of Patterns (grouped into banks of 16 Patterns each). Refer to chapter ↑4, Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project for more information on Groups.
Master
This is where all audio signals from each of the Groups and Sounds come together and get
mixed. The Master channel can also host any number of insert effects of its own, these effects
are applied to all Groups and the Sounds within them. More information on the Master can be
found in chapter ↑4, Managing Sounds, Groups, and Your Project.
Pattern
A Pattern is a sequence that plays Sounds from a Group. It belongs to that Group and will be
saved together with the Group. In every Scene you can choose for each Group which of its Patterns has to be played. More information on Patterns can be found in chapter ↑7, Working with
Patterns.
Scene
A Scene is a combination of Clips for your different Groups. Each Clip references a specific
Pattern of a Group. In a Scene you can create one Clip for each Group. Scenes are located in
the Arranger. They can be used to build up a finished arrangement or to trigger different parts
of a song during a live performance. Refer to chapter ↑13, Creating a Song Using Scenes for
more information on Scenes.
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Basic Concepts
Adjusting the MASCHINE User Interface
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 Event area. Depending on the current view
in the Pattern Editor, you can see events for all Sounds slots (Group view) or for the selected
Sound slot only (Keyboard view). Events are described in more detail in chapter ↑7, Working
with Patterns.
Plug-in
Each Sound, each Group, and the Master can hold any number of Plug-ins. Plug-ins can be
instruments or effects, and they can be internal (included with MASCHINE), from other Native
Instruments products (instruments or effects), or external (third-party VST/AU plug-ins). Instrument and Effect Plug-ins can be loaded in the first Plug-in slot of Sounds. The other Plug-in
slots of Sounds, as well as the Plug-in slots of Groups and of the Master can hold Effect Plugins only. At each level (Sound, Group, and Master), Plug-ins process the audio in series, according to the order in which they are stacked up. Refer to chapter ↑6, Working with Plug-ins.
Effect
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. For more
details on using effects in MASCHINE, refer to chapter ↑11, Using Effects. You will find an
exhaustive description of all internal effects included in MASCHINE in chapter ↑12, Effect
Reference.
Please refer to chapter ↑18, Glossary at the end of this Manual for more definitions!
2.2 Adjusting the MASCHINE User Interface
The MASCHINE software user interface is very flexible. You can choose what to display and
what not, allowing you to focus on your workflow. This section shows you how to adjust the MASCHINE GUI to suit your needs.
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Basic Concepts
Adjusting the MASCHINE User Interface
2.2.1 Adjusting the Size of the Interface
From the View menu in the Application Menu Bar and from the View submenu in the MASCHINE menu you can select one of four different sizes to display MASCHINE’s software GUI:
The View menu in the Application Menu Bar (Windows depicted).
The View submenu in the MASCHINE menu.
Full screen view is also available from your computer keyboard via [Ctrl]+[F] (Mac OS X:
[Cmd]+[F]).
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Adjusting the MASCHINE User Interface
2.2.2 Showing/Hiding the Browser
Click the Browser button (with the magnifier symbol) in the Header to show and hide the
►
Browser. You can also select Browser from the View menu in the Application Menu Bar or
from the View submenu in the MASCHINE menu.
The Browser button in the Header.
You can also show/hide the Browser from your computer keyboard via the [F4] function
key.
Basic Concepts
2.2.3 Switching between Arrange View and Mix View
Click the Mix View button at the top left of the Arranger to switch between the Arrange
►
view and the Mix view. You can also select Arranger or Mixer from the View menu in the
Application Menu Bar or from the View submenu in the MASCHINE menu.
The Mix View button.
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Basic Concepts
Adjusting the MASCHINE User Interface
You can also switch between Arrange view and Mix view from your computer keyboard
via the [Tab] key.
Switching between Arrange View and Mix View on Your Controller
Press SHIFT + NAVIGATE to switch between the Arrange view and the Mix view.
►
2.2.4 Minimizing the Mixer
When MASCHINE is in Mix view, you can minimize/maximize the Mixer in the top part of the
MASCHINE window:
Click the arrow button at the bottom left of the Mixer to show and hide the channel de-
►
tails in the Mixer.
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:
MASCHINE STUDIO - Manual - 34
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Click the arrow button on the bottom left of the Pattern Editor to show and hide the Con-
►
trol Lane.
Click the arrow button at the bottom left of the Pattern Editor to show/hide the Control Lane.
Basic Concepts
Common Operations
2.3 Common Operations
This sections introduces a few very common operations in MASCHINE you will encounter in
numerous situations.
2.3.1 Setting the Focus on a Group or a Sound
To display the content and parameters of a particular Sound or Group, you first need to put it
in focus.
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.
MASCHINE STUDIO - Manual - 35
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We show here how to put Sounds and Groups in focus when the MASCHINE software is
in Arrange view (default view). For instructions on putting Sounds and Groups in focus
in Mix view, please refer to chapter ↑9.2.3, Selecting Channel Strips.
Setting the Focus on a Group
To put a Group in focus, click this Group in the Group List of the Arranger:
►
The focused Group is highlighted. The Pattern Editor displays the Sounds and Patterns of
→
that Group.
Basic Concepts
Common Operations
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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. You can also extend the Arranger by dragging its lower right corner vertically with the mouse.
You can also select multiple Groups at once to apply changes to all of them. See section
↑4.1.3, Selecting Multiple Sounds or Groups for more information.
Setting the Focus on a Sound
To put a Sound in focus:
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Basic Concepts
Common Operations
1. 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.
2. Click the desired Sound slot in the Sound List of the Pattern Editor:
The focused Sound slot is highlighted.
→
The focused Sound slot is highlighted.
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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. See section ↑4.1.3, Selecting Multiple Sounds or Groups for more information.
Setting the Focus on a Group using the Hardware
1. If necessary, press SHIFT + the desired Group button A–H to switch to the Group bank
containing the desired Group.
2. Press the desired Group button A–H.
The corresponding Group is now in focus.
→
Once the Group is focused you can use Button 1–3 above the left display to quickly
switch between the Master, the focused Group and the last focused Sound in that
Group! See section Switching Between the Master, Group, and Sound Level for more information.
Setting the Focus on a Sound using the Hardware
1. If you want to set the focus on a Sound located in another Group, first set the focus on its
Group as described above.
2. Press SELECT + the pad of the desired Sound (or simply press its pad if pads are in
Group mode).
The corresponding Sound is now in focus.
→
Once the Sound is focused you can use Button 1–3 above the left display to quickly switch
between the Master, the containing Group and the focused Sound! See section Switching Between the Master, Group, and Sound Level for more information.
You can also select multiple Sounds at once to apply changes to all of them. See section Selecting Multiple Sounds or Groups for more information.
MASCHINE STUDIO - Manual - 39
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Basic Concepts
Common Operations
2.3.2 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 or SOUND tab in the top left corner of the Control area to
►
display the Plug-in parameters or Channel properties of the Master, the focused Group or
the focused Sound, respectively.
The selected tab lights up. The name of your Project, the focused Group or the focused
→
Sound appears under the MASTER, GROUP, and SOUND tabs (the Muddy Matt Sound in
the picture above), and the rest of the Control area displays the Plug-in parameters and
Channel properties of the Master, the focused Group or the focused Sound, respectively.
Switching Between the Master, Group, and Sound Level using the Controller
On your controller:
1. Press the CHANNEL or PLUG-IN button to enter Control mode.
2. Press Button 1 (MASTER), Button 2 (GROUP) or Button 3 (SOUND) above the left display
to show the Plug-in parameters and Channel properties of the Master, the focused Group
or the focused Sound, respectively.
The selected tab lights up. The name of your Project, the focused Group or the focused
→
Sound appears on the left display (under the MASTER, GROUP, and SOUND tabs), and
the displays show the Plug-in parameters and Channel properties of the Master, the focused Group or the focused Sound, respectively.
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Basic Concepts
Common Operations
2.3.3 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 the desired Sound.
1. To display the parameters of a particular Group or Sound, put it in focus by clicking it in
the Group List or Sound List, respectively (see section ↑2.3.1, Setting the Focus on a
Group or a Sound above).
2. In the top left corner of the Control area, click the MASTER, GROUP or SOUND tab to
display the parameters of the Master, the focused Group or the focused Sound, respectively.
The Control area now displays the Plug-in parameters and Channel properties of the de-
→
sired Sound, desired Group or the Master.
Selecting Channel Properties
1. At the far left of the Control area, click the Channel icon (showing a little knob) to display
the Channel properties:
The button lights up. The Channel Property selector appears in the left part of the Control
area, showing a square of four buttons representing the various sets of Channel properties
available for the selected Sound, Group or the Master:
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Basic Concepts
Common Operations
2. Click the desired button (Input, Output, Groove, or Macro) in the Channel Property selector 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).
Selecting a Plug-in
1. At the far left of the Control area, click the little Plug-in icon to display the Plug-ins:
The icon lights up. The Plug-in List appears in the left part of the Control area, showing a
stack of all Plug-ins loaded in the selected Sound, Group or the Master:
2. Click the desired Plug-in slot in the Plug-in List to select that Plug-in.
The parameters of the selected Plug-in appear in the Parameter area (the right and big-
→
gest part of the Control area).
If the Plug-in List only shows a “+” sign, it means that there are no Plug-ins loaded in
this Sound, Group or the Master. Clicking the “+” sign allows you to load a new Plug-in:
see section ↑6.1.3, Loading, Removing, and Replacing a Plug-in for more on this.
Navigating Parameter Pages
In some situations, the selected Plug-in or Channel properties provide more parameters than
the display(s) of your controller and the Parameter area in the software can show at once. Examples of this are the parameters for the Groups’ or Sounds’ Output properties and those for
the Sampler Plug-in. In these cases, the parameters are divided into several Parameter pages
that you can easily navigate with the hardware and software.
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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
►
Parameter page.
The Parameter pages of the Sound’s Output properties: Audio (currently displayed), Aux, and MIDI.
If all page names cannot be displayed at once at the top of the Parameter area, two small arrows are displayed on the left to click through the pages:
Click the left or right arrow to access additional pages.
►
Adjusting the Parameters
In the Parameter area, each parameter includes a control element and a label. Following types
of control elements are available:
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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.
Selector: Click the displayed value to open the drop-down list,
and click another value in the list to select it.
Navigating Channel Properties, Plug-ins, and Parameter Pages using the Controller
Basic Concepts
Common Operations
On the MASCHINE STUDIO controller, do the following:
1. Set the focus on the desired Sound, Group or the Master (see section ↑2.3.1, Setting the
Focus on a Group or a Sound).
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Basic Concepts
Common Operations
2. At the top left of your controller, press the CHANNEL button to display the Channel properties or the PLUG-IN button to display the Plug-in slots of the selected Sound, Group or
the Master.
3. Press Button 1 (MASTER), Button 2 (GROUP) or Button 3 (SOUND) to display the Plugins and Channel properties of the Master, the focused Group or the focused Sound, respectively.
4. Press Button 5/6 to navigate the Channel properties or Plug-ins (the name of the selected
Channel properties or Plug-in appears between the left and right arrows under Button 5
and 6).
Upon your selection the parameters of the selected Channel properties or Plug-in are
shown on the displays of your controller.
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Basic Concepts
Common Operations
5. 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.
6. Use Knobs 1–8 under the displays to adjust the value of the parameters available on the
selected page. For continuous parameters, hold SHIFT while turning the Knobs to adjust
the values in finer increments.
The displays showing the Audio page from the Group’s OUTPUT properties.
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:
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Basic Concepts
Common Operations
1. Hold NAVIGATE to enter Navigate mode (or pin it by pressing NAVIGATE + Button 1).
2. Press the CHANNEL button to display the Channel properties or the PLUG-IN button to
display the Plug-in slots of the selected Sound, Group or the Master.
3. Press Button 5/6 to navigate the Channel properties or Plug-ins.
The name of the selected Channel properties or Plug-in appears between the left and right
arrows under Button 5 and 6. Furthermore this Plug-in or set of Channel properties is
highlighted on the left display.
4. Press the dimmed pads to select the desired Parameter pages. The names of the available
Parameter pages are shown on the right display along with the corresponding pads.
Upon your selection the corresponding pad turns fully lit and the page name is highlighted on the right display.
5. If there are more than 16 Parameter pages, press Button 7/8 to switch to the previous/
next 16 pages, respectively.
6. Release NAVIGATE to get back to Control mode (or press NAVIGATE a second time if you
pinned the Navigate mode).
The selected Parameter page now appears on the displays. Use Knobs 1–8 under the dis-
→
plays to adjust its parameters.
2.3.3.1 Extended Navigate Mode on Your Controller
The Navigate mode on your controller can be used to navigate the Parameter pages of Channel
properties and Plug-ins and adjust the view settings of specific areas in the software interface.
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Basic Concepts
Common Operations
Press and hold NAVIGATE to enter Navigate mode. You can also pin Navigate mode by
►
pressing NAVIGATE + Button 1 above the left display so that your controller stays in Navigate mode when you release NAVIGATE — see section ↑2.3.5, Pinning a Mode on Your
Controller.
The Navigate mode now has two distinct submodes:
▪ 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.
You can switch between Software Navigation and Page Navigation mode at any time:
When your controller is in Navigate mode, press Button 2 (PAGE NAV) to switch between
►
Software Navigation and Page Navigation mode.
When PAGE NAV is off (default setting) your controller is in Software Navigation mode.
→
When PAGE NAV is on your controller is in Page Navigation mode.
By default, when you enter Navigate mode Button 2 (PAGE NAV) is off and your controller
shows the Software Navigation mode:
The Software Navigation mode on your controller.
The Software Navigation mode allows you to customize the user interface of the MASCHINE
software by showing or hiding specific parts of the interface (via Button 5–7 above the right
display) and changing the zoom and scroll settings in the Arranger and the Pattern Editor (via
Knob 1–2 and 5–7 or using the pads):
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Action Shortcut
Show/hide the Browser Press Button 5 (BROWSER)
Show/hide the Control Lane Press Button 6 (MOD)
Maximize/minimize the Mixer Press Button 7 (MIXER)
Zoom Arranger in/out Turn Knob 1 or press pad 14/10
Scroll Arranger left/right Turn Knob 2 or press pad 9/11
Zoom Pattern Editor in/out Turn Knob 5 or press pad 6/2
Scroll Pattern Editor left/right Turn Knob 6 pr press pad 1/3
Basic Concepts
Common Operations
Scroll Pattern Editor up/down
Turn Knob 7 or press pad 8/4
(Keyboard mode only)
These shortcuts affect the software layout in either Arrange view or Mix view (except for
the Browser, which is shown/hidden in both views). Hence, depending on the current
view the effect of some shortcuts might not be directly visible. Reminder: You can
quickly switch the software between Arrange and Mix view by pressing SHIFT + NAVI-
GATE on your controller.
Using the Pads
In Software Navigation mode the pads provide a convenient way of zooming/scrolling the Arranger and the Pattern Editor:
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Common Operations
▪ Fully lit pads indicate available actions.
▪ Dim lit pads indicate actions currently not available (e.g., scrolling left in the Pattern Edi-
tor when it is already at full left).
▪ Unlit pads have no function.
When your controller is in Navigate mode and Button 2 (PAGE NAV) is enabled, your controller
shows the Page Navigation mode:
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Common Operations
The Page Navigation mode on your controller.
The Page Navigation mode allows you to navigate the Parameter pages available in the Channel
properties and Plug-ins of the various channels (Sounds, Groups, and Master) in your Project.
Except for the Button 2 (PAGE NAV) — which allows you to switch back to Software Navigation mode — the Page Navigation mode is strictly identical to the Navigate mode in MASCHINE 2.0. For more information, please refer to section 2.3.3 “Navigating Channel Properties, Plug-ins, and Parameter Pages in the Control Area” in the MASCHINE 2.0 Manual.
2.3.4 Undo/Redo
Undoing and re-doing your last actions can be useful to cancel operations you have performed
or to compare two versions before and after a change. You can undo nearly everything you did
after loading or creating your Project.
Note: If you save your Project, you will no longer be able to undo or redo any actions
performed before saving!
MASCHINE 2.0 provides two different undo/redo features, each of them being suited for specific situations:
▪ Step Undo allows you to cancel your last single action.
▪ Take Undo allows you to cancel your last group of actions.
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Basic Concepts
Common Operations
Step Undo
Step Undo/Redo is the classic undo/redo found in most applications. It cancels or re-executes
each single action you have performed.
In the software use the following keyboard shortcuts for the Step Undo and Step Redo functions:
To cancel your last action (Step Undo), press [Ctrl]+[Shift]+[Z] ([Cmd]+ [Shift]+ [Z] on
►
Mac OS X). To re-execute your last action (Step Redo), press [Ctrl]+ [Shift]+ [Y] ([Cmd]+
[Shift]+ [Y] on Mac OS X). You can also select Undo Step and Redo Step from the Edit
menu in the Application Menu Bar or from the Edit submenu in the MASCHINE menu.
The commands in the Edit menu additionally shows which action will be undone/redone!
Take Undo
Suppose you have just recorded a 16th-note hi-hat beat over four bars, but then decide to cancel it. Normally you would have to cancel the 64 notes one at a time, repeatedly calling the
undo function 64 times in a row. This is what Take Undo has been made for!
Take Undo/Redo is an extended undo/redo available while recording that allows you to cancel
or re-execute a whole group of actions at once.
Take Undo/Redo is the default undo/redo in MASCHINE. In the software use the common keyboard shortcuts for the Undo and Redo functions:
To cancel your last group of actions, press [Ctrl]+[Z] ([Cmd]+[Z] on Mac OS X). To re-exe-
►
cute your last group of actions, press [Ctrl]+[Y] ([Cmd]+[Y] on Mac OS X). You can also
select Undo and Redo from the Edit menu in the Application Menu Bar or from the Edit
submenu in the MASCHINE menu.
The commands in the Edit menu additionally shows which action will be undone/redone!
Undo/Redo on the Controller
Both Step Undo and Take Undo are also available on your controller:
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Basic Concepts
Common Operations
On your controller, perform the Take Undo operation by pressing UNDO. To perform the
►
Take Redo operation, press REDO.
On your controller, perform the Step Undo operation by pressing SHIFT + UNDO. To per-
►
form the Step Redo operation, press SHIFT + REDO.
Take Undo is available in following situations:
▪ Recording in Control mode
▪ Recording in Step mode
▪ Recording modulation
Outside of these three situations, Take Undo has the same effect as Step Undo (see
above).
2.3.5 Pinning a Mode on Your Controller
Besides the default Control mode, your controller has various other modes of operation, which
you can enter by pressing their dedicated buttons. Depending on their purpose and workflow,
these controller modes are of two types:
▪ Temporary modes only stay active as long as you hold down their button on the controller.
When you release the button, your controller returns to Control mode. This is for example
the case with the MUTE button.
▪ Permanent modes stay active even if you release their button. To deactivate them, you must
press their button a second time. This is for example the case with the BROWSE button.
But in some situations you might want to release the mode button of a temporary mode without 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 permanent modes.
To pin a mode on your controller, press the relevant mode button (SCENE, PATTERN,
►
etc.) + Button 1 above the left display.
Now the mode is always pinned when you select it.
→
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Common Operations
To unpin a mode (i.e. make it a temporary mode again), press its mode button + Button
►
1 again.
Now the mode will only be active as long as you hold the mode button.
→
Here is a list of all buttons on your controller that you can pin by pressing Button 1 simultaneously:
▪ All buttons in the column at the left of the pads (SCENE, PATTERN, …, SOLO, MUTE)
▪ GRID button
▪ NOTE REPEAT button
▪ AUTO button: Instead of using Button 1, press SHIFT + AUTO to pin the AUTO mode.
Moreover, when you leave this mode it is automatically unpinned — it will be temporary
again next time you press AUTO.
2.3.6 Using Two or More Hardware Controllers
If two or more MASCHINE controllers of different types (MASCHINE STUDIO, MASCHINE
MK2, MASCHINE MIKRO MK2, MASCHINE, and MASCHINE MIKRO) are connected to your
computer, only one controller can be used to control the MASCHINE software at a time.
If you have more than one instance of the MASCHINE software running on your computer, you can control each instance with a different controller. See ↑2.5.3, Controlling Var-
ious Instances with Different Controllers for more information.
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 Controller Editor Manual for more information on MIDI mode.
You can choose which controller you want to use with the MASCHINE software. This can be
done both from your controller and in the software.
You can select the desired controller from the Controller menu in the Application Menu Bar or
from the Controller submenu in the MASCHINE menu:
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Basic Concepts
Native Kontrol Standard
Click the Controller menu (left) or the Controller submenu in the MASCHINE menu (right) and select the controller you want
to use (Windows depicted).
Hardware
On the controller you want to use with the MASCHINE software, do the following:
▪ 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 (MK2) controller: Press SHIFT + STEP, turn Knob 5 (or press Button 5/6) to
select the desired instance, and press Button 8 to load it.
▪ MASCHINE MIKRO (MK2) controller: Press SHIFT + F2, turn the Control encoder to select
the desired instance, and press the Control encoder to load it.
2.4 Native Kontrol Standard
Native Kontrol Standard (NKS) is a software instrument format that allows third-party developers to integrate with MASCHINE and KOMPLETE KONTROL hardware and software at the
same deep level as KOMPLETE Instruments.
The Native Kontrol Standard includes:
▪ Seamless integration into the MASCHINE and KOMPLETE KONTROL Browser for a unified
browsing experience.
▪ Full parameter mapping for instant hands-on control.
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Native Kontrol Standard
▪ Support of KOMPLETE KONTROL S-SERIES features such as the Light Guide.
This means that instruments supporting NKS can be found in the MASCHINE Browser next to
your KOMPLETE Instruments. All of their presets are fully tagged, so you can use filters to
search for sounds from all of your NKS and KOMPLETE Instruments. When you load a preset
from an NKS instrument, all of its parameters are mapped to the controls on your MASCHINE
hardware in a meaningful way, just like any preset from your KOMPLETE Instruments.
NKS instruments are automatically added to your Library when you start MASCHINE for the
first time after installing the instrument (except KONTAKT instruments with NKS support, see
below).
The folders containing the preset files for NKS support can be managed in the Factory
pane on the Library page of the Preferences.
2.4.1 Installing KONTAKT Instruments with NKS Support
Third-party developers of KONTAKT instruments provide you with a folder that contains all instrument files, including presets and samples. Instead of running an installer, this folder needs
to be stored on the hard drive and added to the KONTAKT Browser by using KONTAKT's Add
Library function.
As a MASCHINE user, you can add KONTAKT instruments with NKS support to your MASCHINE Library by dragging the folder onto the MASCHINE Browser. If you are using KONTAKT, the instrument is automatically added to your KONTAKT Browser, too.
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To add a KONTAKT instrument with NKS support to your MASCHINE Library, drag the
►
instrument folder onto the MASCHINE Browser.
Basic Concepts
Native Kontrol Standard
The KONTAKT instrument is now available in the Library pane of the MASCHINE Brows-
→
er.
The MASCHINE Library and the KONTAKT Browser reference the instrument files contained in the folder. Do not delete or move the folder afterwards, otherwise MASCHINE
and KONTAKT will not be able to access the instrument files.
2.4.2 Loading NKS and Third-party Plug-ins from the Plug-in Menu
The plug-in menu has been updated to display NKS and third-party plug-ins in submenus sorted by vendor in alphabetical order, both within the software and hardware.
The plug-in menu lists installed plug-ins in the following format:
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Stand-Alone and Plug-in Mode
Instrument Plug-ins Effect Plug-ins
Internal Plug-ins Sampler, Drumsynths MASCHINE internal effects
Basic Concepts
Native Instruments
Plug- ins
VST/AU instrument plug-ins from
Native Instruments’ range of
products
NKS and Thirdparty Plug-ins
Plug-in menu displaying NKS and third-party plug-ins
NKS and Third-party VST/AU
instrument plug-ins
VST/AU effect plug-ins from Native
Instruments’ range of products
Third-party VST/AU effect plug-ins
For more information on using Plug-ins and accessing the plug-in menu please refer to chapter
6 “Working with Plug-ins” in the MASCHINE manual.
2.5 Stand-Alone and Plug-in Mode
You can run the MASCHINE software as a stand-alone application or integrate it into your favorite Digital Audio Workstation (or DAW, in short) by loading it as a plug-in. The MASCHINE
software is available in the VST, Audio Unit, and AAX plug-in formats. For further information
on plug-in compatibility and for a detailed description of how to use plug-ins in your host,
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Basic Concepts
Stand-Alone and Plug-in Mode
please refer to the documentation included with your host software. If you did not install the
plug-ins when installing the MASCHINE software, please refer to the Setup Guide available
from the documentation folder in the MASCHINE software installation folder.
2.5.1 Differences between Stand-Alone and Plug-in Mode
Transport Functions
The most noticeable difference between the stand-alone and plug-in mode of MASCHINE relates to the interaction with MASCHINE’s sequencer. Indeed, when MASCHINE is used as a
plug-in within a host sequencer software (e.g., Cubase or Pro Tools), MASCHINE’s sequencer
is exclusively controlled by the host application: you cannot, e.g., manually start, stop or restart the playback in MASCHINE, nor modify the tempo or the time signature of your Project
within the MASCHINE plug-in itself — these are synchonized to your host’s own transport
functions and tempo settings. As a direct consequence, when MASCHINE is used as a plug-in
the Restart and Play buttons as well as the Tempo and Time Signature fields are grayed out
and inactive in the MASCHINE Header. Obviously you cannot control MASCHINE’s playback
and tempo settings from your MASCHINE controller either.
However from your controller you can directly control the transport functions of your host
application instead. See section ↑2.5.4, Controlling your Host’s Transport Functions in
Plug-in Mode for more information.
Audio and MIDI Handling
When MASCHINE is used in stand-alone mode, it directly communicates with your audio and
MIDI interface. You can select which physical audio/MIDI ports have to be used on your interface, and configure crucial audio settings like the sample rate. All this is done via the Audio
and MIDI Settings panel (for more information on this, please refer to ↑2.7, Integrating MA-
SCHINE into Your MIDI Setup).
On the contrary, When MASCHINE is used as a plug-in within a host application, the communication with your audio and MIDI interfaces is managed by the host — the MASCHINE plugin 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:
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Basic Concepts
Stand-Alone and Plug-in Mode
▪ How to route MASCHINE to multiple outputs in Ableton Live:
http://www.native-instruments.com/knowledge/questions/1705
▪ How to route MASCHINE to multiple outputs in Cubase:
http://www.native-instruments.com/knowledge/questions/1707
▪ How to route MASCHINE to multiple outputs in Pro Tools:
http://www.native-instruments.com/knowledge/questions/1709
▪ How to route MASCHINE to multiple outputs in Logic Pro:
http://www.native-instruments.com/knowledge/questions/1711
For all details on the audio and MIDI configuration of your host application, please refer
to its documentation.
Multiple Plug-in Instances
When you are using MASCHINE as a plug-in within a host application, you can open multiple
MASCHINE instances. Actually, you can load as many instances of MASCHINE as your computer and your host application can handle CPU-wise. In contrast to the stand-alone application, they are always synced to the host. In plug-in mode you can also send MIDI Program
Change messages from your host to switch between MASCHINE’s Scenes or between patches
of other plug-ins loaded into MASCHINE, or record automation for MASCHINE parameters. To
learn more about these, have a look at chapter ↑13.4, Triggering Scenes via MIDI (MASCHINE
Plug-in Only) and ↑8.2, Using MIDI Control and Host Automation.
2.5.2 Switching Instances
When two or more instances of the MASCHINE software are running (e.g., as plug-ins on different tracks of your DAW), you must choose which instance you want to control from your
hardware controller. You can do this both from your controller and in the software.
To select your controller from a particular MASCHINE instance, click the Connect button
►
in the MASCHINE Header of that instance.
Click the Connect button to connect the controller to that instance.
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Basic Concepts
Stand-Alone and Plug-in Mode
Switching Instances using the Controller
To switch from one MASCHINE instance to another:
1. Press SHIFT + PLUG-IN.
2. Turn the jog wheel to select the desired instance.
3. Press Button 4 to load that instance.
You can also use Knob 5 or Button 5 and 6 to select the desired instance, and Button 8
to load it.
2.5.3 Controlling Various Instances with Different Controllers
You can use two or more MASCHINE controllers of different types (MASCHINE STUDIO, MASCHINE MK2, MASCHINE MIKRO MK2, MASCHINE, and MASCHINE MIKRO) simultaneously
with different instances of the MASCHINE software (possibly with one instance in stand-alone
mode). In doing so, the following applies:
▪ Only one MASCHINE controller of any type can be connected to an instance at a time. You
can choose which instance you want to control from each controller as described in ↑2.5.2,
Switching Instances.
▪ When you start a new instance of the MASCHINE software, it connects to one of the MA-
SCHINE controllers according to following precedence rules:
◦ Rule 1: The MASCHINE STUDIO controller focus has priority over the MK2 controllers
(MASCHINE MK2 and MASCHINE MIKRO MK2), which themselves take priority over
legacy controllers (MASCHINE and MASCHINE MIKRO).
◦ Rule 2: The MASCHINE controllers (legacy and MK2) have prority focus over MA-
SCHINE MIKRO controllers (legacy and MK2).
◦ Rule 1 has priority over rule 2.
2.5.4 Controlling your Host’s Transport Functions in Plug-in Mode
When you are using MASCHINE as a plug-in within a host application, the Host Transport Control feature allows you to split the control elements of your controller into two groups:
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Basic Concepts
▪ All buttons in the TRANSPORT section except REC, SHIFT, and GRID control your host ap-
plication via MIDI.
▪ All other elements control the MASCHINE plug-in instance.
This allows you to simultaneously control the transport functions of your host and the various
elements of your MASCHINE Project!
The Host Transport Control can be activated in the MIDI Template loaded in the Controller Editor. When MASCHINE is loaded as a plug-in in your host application, do the following:
1. Start the Controller Editor.
2. In the Device menu in the top left corner of the Controller Editor window, select the entry
corresponding to your controller in order to edit its MIDI assignments of your MASCHINE
STUDIO Controller.
3. In the Templates page on the right, click the desired MIDI Template to load it.
4. Click the Host Transport Control option under the Template List to enable/disable it.
From now on the buttons in the TRANSPORT section (except REC, SHIFT, and GRID) will
→
send MIDI data as specified in the Template loaded in the Controller Editor, while all other elements will control the MASCHINE plug-in instance.
Preferences
For more information on the MIDI mode, please refer to the Controller Editor Manual.
2.6 Preferences
The Preferences panel lets you specify various settings for MASCHINE.
To open the Preferences panel, click Preferences… in the Maschine menu (Mac OS X) or
►
File menu (Windows) of the Application Menu Bar, or in the File submenu of the MA-
SCHINE menu:
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Basic Concepts
Preferences… in the File menu of the Application Menu Bar (Windows depicted), and in the File submenu of the MASCHINE menu.
The following pages are available in the Preferences panel:
▪ General: see ↑2.6.1, Preferences – General Page.
▪ Default: see ↑2.6.4, Preferences – Default Page.
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 ↑2.6.10, Preferences – Colors Page.
2.6.1 Preferences – General Page
The General page holds a few global settings.
To display the General page click the General tab on the left of the Preferences panel.
►
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Basic Concepts
Preferences
The Preferences – General page.
Setting
Description
Startup
Reload Last Project If this option is checked, the last Project you worked on will
automatically load the next time you start MASCHINE.
Recording Audio
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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 – Default Page).
MIDI
Clock Offset Depending on variables such as the speed of your CPU, your
audio interface, your MIDI interface and the Latency value you
selected in the Audio and MIDI Settings panel (see --- MISSING
LINK ---), you may experience a lack of synchronization between
MASCHINE and the external MIDI Master. To compensate, you
can adjust this Clock Offset value. An easy way to do that is to
play a 4/4 kick drum pattern or a metronome sound on both
MASCHINE and the external MIDI Master and mix them
together moving the slider until they are played at exactly the
same time. As soon as you can hear a flanger-like effect, you
know you are close to the correct Sync Offset value. Keep on
adjusting the Sync Offset control until you can neither hear the
flanging effect nor two separate signals.
Basic Concepts
Preferences
Default MIDI Input Mode
Metronome
MASCHINE lets you 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. In
addition, you can select that a Sound receives no MIDI input,
and also define the default setting for MIDI input by selecting
the Default MIDI Input Mode preference. The following default
MIDI input mode options are:
Focus: MIDI input from any connected controller can be used to
trigger the focused (selected) Sound slot.
None: The selected Sound will not receive MIDI data.
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Setting Description
Enabled Check this box to activate the metronome. You can also enable
the metronome by clicking the Metronome button in the
MASCHINE Header — see section ↑7.2.3, Using the
Metronome.
Basic Concepts
Preferences
Auto-Enable when
Recording
Auto-Enable option automatically turns on the metronome when
you start recording a Pattern. When you start recording a Pattern
(typically by pressing REC on your controller), the metronome is
automatically enabled. When you exit recording (e.g., by
pressing the lit REC button) the metronome returns to its state
before the recording (this can be on or off).
The Auto-Enable option can be activated/deactivated both in the
software and from your controller.
The Auto-Enable option does not affect the Count-in: Even if
Auto-Enable is disabled, the metronome turns on when you
press SHIFT + REC to start the Count-in. For more information
on the Count-in, please refer to section 7.2.4 “Recording with
Count-in” in the MASCHINE 2.0 Manual.
Volume
Adjusts the volume of the metronome.
Signature Selects the time interval between each tick of the metronome.
By default the metronome indicates the beats (the quarter
notes, 1/4). Here you can select another note value for the ticks.
Count-in Length Adjusts the duration of the Count-in, i.e. how long the
metronome will sound before the recording actually starts.
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Setting Description
Input
Quantize The Input Quantization setting can be set to one of the following
modes:
None: Input Quantization is disabled. Events you play or record
on the pads are not quantized.
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 record 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 —
possibly ahead of the event. When playing, on the other hand,
events occurring in the first half of the steps are left untouched
(since you cannot bring them forward in the timeline!) whereas
events occurring in the second half of the steps are quantized to
the next step.
Preferences
2.6.1.1 Usage Data Tracking
Usage Data Tracking technology enables MASCHINE to automatically track anonymous usage
data that you can choose to share with us.
Usage Data Tracking can be enabled or disabled in the General page of the Preferences in the
MASCHINE software. However, we encourage all users to keep Data Tracking enabled as it provides a valuable tool for understanding the performance of 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, please refer to the following Knowledge Base article on the Native Instruments website:
https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/209545029
To enable or disable Usage Tracking:
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1. Open the General page of the Preferences by clicking Preferences… in the Maschine
menu (Mac OS X) or File menu (Windows) of the Application Menu Bar, or in the File submenu of the MASCHINE menu.
2. Click the Allow usage data tracking checkbox to enable or disable user data tracking.
Preferences
Usage Data Tracking in the MASCHINE Preferences.
2.6.2 Preferences – Audio Page
The Audio page holds settings related to your audio interface.
The Routing section allows you to configure the connections between the virtual inputs/outputs
of MASCHINE and the physical inputs/outputs of your audio interface.
To display the Audio page click the Audio tab on the left of the Preferences panel.
►
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Preferences
Preferences – Audio page.
Setting
Description
Interface
Driver Select your audio driver here.
Device This allows you to choose from the available devices if you have
connected more than one audio interface.
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Setting Description
Status This shows you 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
Soundcard. Please consult the documentation that came with
your Soundcard for more information.
Latency Mac OS X: This slider allows you to adjust the latency of your
audio interface in samples. Lower values result in a more
immediate playing response but are heavier on both the CPU
and the audio driver, and may result in audible clicks and pops.
Larger values are easier on the CPU, but introduce a larger
latency (i.e., there may be a very small delay between when you
hit a pad and when you actually hear it). You should therefore
experiment with this setting so that it is as low as possible
without overloading your CPU or introducing any audio artifacts.
Basic Concepts
Preferences
Routing
Windows: When using an ASIO driver, the Audio and MIDI
Settings panel shows an ASIO Config button instead of the
Latency slider. Click this button to open the settings window of
the selected ASIO driver.
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Setting Description
Inputs By clicking Inputs, you can define 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. The choices
made here will determine which inputs can be used when
sampling external sources, for example.
Outputs By clicking Outputs, you will be presented with a list of the 16
stereo outputs from MASCHINE: In the right column, you can
assign them to the outputs of your audio interface. Click the
fields in the right column to select the desired outputs via a
drop-down menu.
2.6.3 Preferences – MIDI Page
The MIDI page allows you to set up the MIDI input and output ports that you want to use with
MASCHINE.
Preferences
To display the MIDI page click the MIDI tab on the left of the Preferences panel.
►
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Preferences
The Preferences – MIDI page.
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Setting Description
Sync
Mode 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. This could be hardware such as
a drum machine, another groovebox, or even another software
sequencer.
Slave (Receive Clock): If MASCHINE is running as a stand-alone
application, it can be controlled externally via MIDI Clock by any
device that is capable of sending MIDI Clock. This could be
hardware such as a drum machine, another groovebox or sequencer,
or even another software sequencer.
Please note that the Slave (Receive Clock) option is not available
when LINK is active. For more information on Link see ↑2.8,
Syncing MASCHINE using Ableton Link.
Basic Concepts
Preferences
Clock Offset (appears
when Mode is set to
Slave)
Devices
Use the Clock Offset control to compensate delay that may occur
during MIDI data transmission. Delayed MIDI Clock data will cause
external devices to respond too late, thus making your track sound
out of sync.
By adjusting the Clock Offset value you can set an amount of
latency to be compensated (in milliseconds). MASCHINE will then
send MIDI Clock events ahead of time as defined.
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Setting Description
Inputs Clicking Inputs displays a list of all the available MIDI inputs of
your system. You can activate/deactivate each input by clicking the
fields in the Status column, which displays the current status of the
corresponding port.
Outputs Clicking Outputs displays 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.
If you want MASCHINE to send other MIDI messages than MIDI Clock, in particular if
you want to control other MIDI-capable devices via the notes played in MASCHINE,
please refer to section ↑8.2.5, Sending MIDI from Sounds.
2.6.4 Preferences – Default Page
The Default page allows you to define a few default settings that will be used for every new
Project.
Preferences
To display the Default page click the Default tab on the left of the Preferences panel.
►
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Preferences
The Preferences – Default page.
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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. Any Project file can be used as a template,
this can be from the MASCHINE Library or you could create a
file, for example with your preferred instruments and effects
already loaded into the Plug-in slots. If you have already set a
Template Project, click the cross icon to unset it and start new
Projects from scratch instead.
Plug-in Here you can select a Project to load automatically when
MASCHINE is used as a plug-in within a Digital Audio
Workstation. The field displays the location of the Template
Project selected for use. Click the folder icon to select another
Template Project. Any Project file can be used as a template,
this can be from the MASCHINE Library or you can create a file,
for example with your preferred instruments and effects loaded
into the Plug-in slots. If you have already set a Template
Project, click the cross icon to unset it and start new Projects
from scratch instead.
Basic Concepts
Preferences
Sounds
Default MIDI Input Mode
Metronome Settings
Down Beat Sample and Up
Beat Sample
Scene
Here you can select audio files to be used as up and down beat
of the metronome, respectively. The fields display the locations
of the audio files selected for use. Click the fields to select
other files. Click the little crosses on the right of the fields to
remove the custom audio files and use the default metronome
sounds instead.
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Setting Description
Duplicate 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.
The new Scene and Patterns are now completely independent
from the originals.
Link when Duplicating When enabled, the Duplicate command will create a linked copy
of a Scene. A linked copy will automatically be updated when
any instance of a linked Scene is edited. This way, you don’t
need to keep track of which Scene is the “original.”
By default this feature is disabled. Click the check box to
enable Link when Duplicating.
Pattern Length
Bars Here you can define the default length of new Patterns. The
length is measured in bars:beats:16ths. To adjust the value,
click the desired number (bars, beats or 16ths) and drag your
mouse vertically. See ↑7.1.6, Adjusting the Pattern Grid and the
Pattern Length for more information on the Pattern Length.
Basic Concepts
Preferences
2.6.5 Preferences – Library Page
The Library page allows you to edit the locations of all MASCHINE library files (both factory
and user) that appear in the LIBRARY pane of the Browser.
The LIBRARY pane of the Browser is described in section ↑3.2, Searching and Loading
Files from the Library.
To display the Library page click the Library tab on the left of the Preferences panel.
►
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At the top of the page, the Factory and User buttons allow you to switch between the Factory
pane and the User pane.
Factory Pane
To display the Factory pane, click the Factory button at the top of the Library page.
►
Preferences
The Preferences panel – the Library page’s Factory pane.
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The Factory pane shows all factory libraries available. These includes the MASCHINE Factory
Library, libraries imported from other NI products, as well as installed MASCHINE EXPANSIONS.
These libraries will appear in the Factory view of the Browser’s Library pane.
Element Description
Location column Shows 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 Shows the name of each product. These names cannot be edited.
Rescan button If you have made any change to a library (e.g., changed its location),
select it in the list and click the Rescan button to rescan that library.
User Pane
To display the User pane, click the User button at the top of the Library page.
►
Preferences
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Preferences
The Preferences panel – the Library page’s User pane.
The User pane shows all user libraries currently used. These include MASCHINE’s standard
user directory as well as any other user directory you might have defined. These libraries will
appear in the User view of the Browser’s Library pane.
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Element Description
Location column Shows 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.
Alias column Shows the alias stored for each library. Click an alias to edit it.
Defining aliases for your user folders is not mandatory, but it can be
of great help when working on different computers (see description
below). After adding a location (see Add below), click the field in the
new row and in the Alias column to set the alias for that new
location. The alias of the default user folder, Standard User
Directory, cannot be edited — this is the location where all your user
files will be stored by default.
Add button Click Add to manually add directories to the user library. See below
for more details.
Remove button Click Remove to remove the selected user library. Files will only be
removed from the MASCHINE Browser, not from your hard disk.
Rescan button If you have made any change to a library (e.g., added/removed files),
select it in the list and click the Rescan button to rescan that library.
Basic Concepts
Preferences
Scan user content for
changes at start-up
Click this checkbox to allow MASCHINE to scan for changes to the
User content directory during start-up.
checkbox
You can resize the Preferences panel at your convenience using the usual method on
your operating system. You can also resize each column by clicking and dragging the
limit between both column headers.
User Content Folder Included in MASCHINE’s User Paths
Products from Native Instruments will store user-generated content in a centralized User Content folder. In MASCHINE this User Content folder is automatically added to the list of user
directories in the User pane of the Library page in the Preferences panel, and as a consequence its files are available in the MASCHINE Browser.
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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 in the Preferences panel. You can modify its path in the Location column.
Cancelling Library Rescan
In the Library page of the Preferences panel, the Rescan button allows you to rescan the selected library (or all your libraries if none is selected) so that the MASCHINE Browser mirrors
any changes you have made to the files. Clicking this Rescan button triggers the scan and an
Updating Database dialog shows you the progress of the scan.
The Updating Database dialog includes a CANCEL button allowing you to interrupt the scanning process without harming the database permanently:
Preferences
The Updating Database dialog now includes a Cancel button.
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1. Click CANCEL in the Updating Database dialog to interrupt the scan.
A 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.
2. If you still want to cancel the scan, click CANCEL RESCAN at the bottom right, and the
scan will be cancelled.
3. If you prefer instead not to cancel the scan, click CONTINUE or press [Esc] on your computer keyboard, and the scan will go on.
If you cancelled the scan, any inconsistencies or missing items in your MASCHINE Library will
be solved by rescanning the same path(s) again (via the Rescan button mentioned above).
Preferences
In opposition to the rescan process described here, you cannot cancel the import of files
into the MASCHINE Library (via the FILES pane of the Browser or via the Library page of
the Preferences panel) nor the process of applying changes to the file tags and properties (via the Attribute Editor in the Browser).
Using Aliases
The aliases available in the Alias column act as references to the paths shown in the Location
column. When you save a Project, the saved data includes both the path and the alias for each
file used in the Project. This will allow you to use a Project on different computers even if the
files used in the Project (e.g., Samples) are stored in different locations on each computer:
Simply define the same alias for these locations on each computer, and MASCHINE will replace the path saved on the first computer with the path set to the same alias on the second
computer in order to retrieve the files on this second computer, therefore avoiding the possibility of missing Samples.
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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 MASCHINE Library. To do this:
1. Click Add at the bottom of the pane.
A folder selection dialog opens up.
2. In the dialog, navigate to the desired folder on your computer and click OK (Choose on
Mac OS X).
All MASCHINE-compatible files found in the selected folder are added to your user con-
→
tent in MASCHINE.
Furthermore, the imported files will have their attributes (product/bank/sub-bank, Type/SubType/Mode tags, as well as properties) set as follows:
▪ For all file types, any attributes already in the files will be retained.
▪ For Samples, if the product/bank/sub-bank attributes are empty, they will be set to the
folders in which the Samples are located:
◦ The product will be set to the name of the folder you have selected.
Preferences
◦ If Samples reside in a subfolder of this folder, the subfolder name will be used as
bank.
◦ If Samples reside in a subfolder of this subfolder, the name of the lower subfolder will
be used as sub-bank.
By adding a folder to the user content of your MASCHINE Library, you make their files available in the Browser’s LIBRARY pane for quick searching and loading! For more information on
how to use the LIBRARY pane of the Browser, please refer to section ↑3.2, Searching and
Loading Files from the Library.
Paths to folders added via the IMPORT button in the Browser’s FILES pane will also
show up here. The only difference between adding folders via the Add button in Prefer-
ences panel, described here, and via the IMPORT button in the FILES pane of the
Browser is that the latter allows you to directly tag the files as they are imported. See
section ↑3.6.5, Using the Result List for more information on how to import folders via
the FILES pane.
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Please note that the selected folder cannot contain, or be contained within, a folder already
listed in the User or Factory pane. If MASCHINE detects such a folder as you press OK
(Choose on Mac OS X) in the folder selection dialog, a Duplicate Location message appears:
Click OK to return to the folder selection dialog and select another folder on your computer.
Removing Folders from the User Library
You can also remove any user folder from your Library — except the default user
2.6.6 Preferences – Plug-ins Page
The Plug-ins page allows you to manage the Native Instruments and External Plug-ins you want
to use in MASCHINE.
To display the Plug-ins page click the Plug-ins tab on the left of the Preferences panel.
►
At the top of the page, the Manager and Locations buttons allow you to switch between the
Manager pane and the Locations pane.
Manager Pane
Preferences
To display the Manager pane, click the Manager button at the top of the Plug-ins page.
►
In the
Manager pane of the Plug-ins page, you can enable/disable VST/AU plug-ins, rescan
their directories, and set default presets for your 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 controller). If, for example, you do not use certain VST plug-ins in MASCHINE, it could be useful to
disable them so that they do not overload the list of available Plug-ins.
For more information on Native Instruments Plug-ins, External Plug-ins, and other Plugins in MASCHINE, please refer to chapter ↑6, Working with Plug-ins.
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Basic Concepts
Preferences
The Preferences panel – the Plug-ins page’s Manager pane.
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Element Description
Plug-in column Lists all available VST/AU plug-ins from the directories specified in
the 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.
On the left of each plug-in in the list, a checkbox allows you to
enable/disable this plug-in in MASCHINE. When a plug-in is disabled,
it will not be available for loading in MASCHINE.
Default Config column For each plug-in you can set a default preset that will be loaded with
this plug-in when you load it. Click the folder icon on the left to
choose a default plug-in preset. You can also save a preset as default
for the Plug-in via the Save As Default… entry in the Plug-in menu. If
no default is set here, the parameters of this plug-in will be automapped when loading it into a plug-in slot.
To remove a default plug-in preset, click the little cross on the right.
Rescan button If you have changed the content of any directory specified in the
Locations pane (see below), you should rescan your plug-in
directories in order to keep the list of available external plug-ins up to
date. Clicking Rescan will check the integrity of your plug-ins and
allow you to automatically detect plug-ins that were added or
removed, or deselect any plug-ins that are not working correctly for
any reason. Note that the scan will ignore the plug-ins that are
disabled in the list above.
Basic Concepts
Preferences
Always Use Latest
Version of NI Plug-Ins
checkbox
The option to Always Use Latest Version of NI Plug-Ins selects
whether or not your Library content is always loaded with the latest
version of the associated plug-in. If this option is disabled, your
Library content is loaded with the lowest required version of the
associated plug-in found on the computer.
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Manager Pane: Use NI Audio Units Checkbox (Mac OS X Only)
On Mac OS X, the Manager pane contains an additional Use NI Audio Units checkbox. Check
this box to include the Audio Units (AU) versions of your Native Instruments plug-ins in the
software’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)
or in the Plug-in Browser (controller). Additionally, the remaining entries for Native Instruments Plug-ins (all of them VST) won’t display the (VST) mention next to their name.
▪ If you enable the Use NI Audio Units checkbox, all Native Instruments’ AU plug-ins are en-
abled in the list above and are available for loading in MASCHINE. In order to distinguish
them from the VST versions, Plug-in entries in the Native Instruments submenu of the
Plug-in menus and in the Plug-in Browser will display either (VST) or (AU) after their name.
You can also enable or disable Native Instruments’ AU plug-ins individually in the list via the
checkboxes described above — as soon as you enable one of them, the Use NI Audio Units
checkbox is automatically activated.
The Use NI Audio Units checkbox relates only to AU plug-ins from Native Instruments.
AU plug-ins from third-party manufacturers are not affected by this setting.
Preferences
When the Use NI Audio Units checkbox is disabled or the AU version of a Native Instruments plug-in is disabled, you can still load Projects that use AU plug-ins.
Location Pane
To display the Location pane, click the Location button at the top of the Plug-ins page.
►
In the Locations section of the Plug-ins page, you can manage the various plug-in directories
you want to use in MASCHINE.
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Preferences
The Preferences panel – the Plug-ins page’s Locations pane.
The 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.
Add button Click Add to add plug-in directories.
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Element Description
Remove button Click Remove to remove the selected directory.
Rescan button If you have changed the content of a directory (such as installed or
removed plug-ins), you should rescan your plug-in directories in order
to keep the list of available plug-ins up to date. Clicking Rescan will
check the integrity of your plug-ins and allow you to automatically
detect plug-ins that are added or removed, or disable any plug-ins
that are not working correctly for any reason.
2.6.7 Preferences – Hardware Page
The Hardware page enables you to customize how the pads react to your playing and to adjust
the brightness of the displays.
To display the Hardware page click the Hardware tab on the left of the Preferences panel.
►
Preferences
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Preferences
The Preferences panel – Hardware page.
Setting
Description
Pads
Sensitivity Use the Sensitivity slider to adjust how sensitive the pads
respond to your touch. This sets the minimum threshold at
which the MASCHINE STUDIO controller will register a “hit.”
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Setting Description
Velocity Scaling Velocity Scaling determines how your playing is translated into
velocity values: starting from Soft 3 (a soft touch is enough to
get a big velocity value) through Linear to Hard 3 (you really
have to hit the pad hard to get a big velocity value).
Display
Brightness The Brightness slider allows you to adjust the brightness of both
left and right displays of the MASCHINE STUDIO controller.
Adjusting the Settings from the Hardware
You also have access to the Sensitivity and Brightness settings from your controller. To do this,
you first have to enter MIDI mode:
1. Press SHIFT + CHANNEL (MIDI) to switch your controller to MIDI mode.
2. Press SHIFT + Button 3 (SETTINGS) to show the Settings Display mode.
3. Turn Knob 1 (PADSENS) to adjust the Pad Sensitivity described above.
Preferences
4. Press SHIFT + Button 4 (CALIBRATION) to show the Calibration Display mode.
5. Turn Knob 4 to adjust the Brightness described above.
6. When you’re done, press SHIFT + CHANNEL (MIDI) again to quit the MIDI mode and get
back to MASCHINE mode.
For more information on the MIDI mode, please refer to the Controller Editor Manual.
2.6.8 Touch-Sensitive Knobs on MASCHINE STUDIO
MASCHINE 2.2 enables a powerful feature on your MASCHINE STUDIO controller: Under the
displays of your controller, Knobs 1–8 are touch-sensitive: They can react to the slight pressure
of your fingers touching them. This pressure is detected before you actually rotate the knobs or
without rotating them at all!
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Following sections describe the various MASCHINE contexts in which touch sensitivity comes
into play.
You can adjust the touch sensitivity of Knobs 1–8 — see section ↑2.6.8.5, Adjusting
the Knobs’s Touch Sensitivity for more on this.
Important: Update the Controller Firmware to the Latest Version!
The touch-sensitive features will work on your MASCHINE STUDIO controller only if its firmware is in version 22 or greater.
If the MASCHINE software is running and the connected MASCHINE STUDIO controller has a
firmware version lower than 22, the touch-sensitive features will not be enabled. Furthermore,
in the Hardware page of the Preferences panel, the new Touch-Sensitive Knobs section won’t
provide any settings but instead show a message indicating how to update the firmware of your
controller:
Preferences
The message in the Hardware page of the Preferences panel helps you update your controller’s firmware.
To update the firmware of your MASCHINE STUDIO controller, do the following:
1. Connect your MASCHINE STUDIO controller to your computer and switch it on.
2. Open your favorite internet browser and open the following page of the Native Instruments
website:
http://www.native-instruments.com/en/support/downloads/
3. Click the “Drivers and other files” link and, in the “Maschine Controller” section, click
the Device Updater for your operating system to download it.
4. Once the archive has been downloaded, extract it to the desired folder.
5. In the Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac OS X), navigate to the extracted folder and open
it.
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6. Within that folder, double-click the “DeviceUpdater.exe” file (Windows) or the “DeviceUpdater” file (Mac).
The Device Updater starts up.
7. Follow the instructions of the Device Updater to complete the firmware update.
In the rest of this section, we assume that the firmware of your MASCHINE STUDIO controller
is in version 22 or greater.
2.6.8.1 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. parameter in the Audio page of the Sound’s/Group’s Output Channel settings).
A selector.
From your controller, you can adjust such a parameter by turning the corresponding Knob under the display of your controller.
Preferences
When you touch the Knob of that parameter, a list appears above the parameter on the display
of your controller. This list shows you at a glance all possible values for the parameter you are
touching along with the value currently selected, making the value selection much more intuitive.
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Touch the Knob under a selector (here the MODE parameter under the left display) to open a list with the values available
for selection.
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.
Preferences
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.
2.6.8.2 List and Tag Overlays in the Browser
When browsing your Library from the MASCHINE STUDIO controller in Browse mode, the
touch-sensitive Knobs 1–8 provide you with handy browsing aids.
For general information on how to use the Browse mode of your controller to browse the
MASCHINE Library, please refer to section 3.2 “Searching and Loading Files from the
Library” in the MASCHINE 2.0 Manual.
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List Overlays for Product Category, Bank, and Sub-Bank
As you select a product category, bank or sub-bank via Knobs 1, 3, and 4 under the left display, respectively), the corresponding list overlay appears above. These overlays are similar to
those for selectors described in section ↑2.6.8.1, List Overlay for Selectors. In each list, the
selected item is highlighted.
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… entry at the top allowing you
to deselect any selected item. Turn the corresponding Knob at full left to select this entry.
Preferences
Tag Overlays for Type, Sub-Type, and Mode
As you select a Type, Sub-Type(s), and/or Mode via Knobs 5–7 under the right display, a tag
cloud appears above. This tag cloud mirrors that of the Browser in the software. It shows all
tags for which items have been found in the Library. In this cloud, the selected tag is highlighted.
Like in the software, the Type and Sub-Type tags share the same tag cloud, while the Mode tag
has its own cloud.
A little down-pointing arrow under the cloud indicates which tag cloud is currently displayed.
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The right display, here when browsing Instruments: Selecting the Bass Type via Knob 5 (left picture) and the Digital Bass
Sub-Type via Knob 6 (on the right).
Using the Jog Wheel with the List and Tag Overlays
When your MASCHINE STUDIO controller is in Browse mode, you can also make use of the jog
wheel and FUNCTION buttons to navigate the Library (for all details, see the MASCHINE 2.0
Manual):
▪ Press the FUNCTION buttons to put the jog wheel’s focus on the desired field at the bot-
tom of the displays (the focused field is indicated by the surrounding brackets).
Preferences
▪ Turn the jog wheel to change the value in the focused field. If the result field (last field on
the right) is focused, turning the jog wheel will navigate the result list, and pressing it will
load the selected item.
These functions stay valid in MASCHINE 2.2, but now the jog wheel also interacts with the list
and tag overlays described above:
▪ When the jog wheel is focused on a field providing a list overlay (product category, bank,
and sub-bank) or tag overlay (type, sub-type, and mode), pressing and holding the jog
wheel opens that overlay. The overlay disappears as you release the jog wheel. If you turn
the jog wheel without pressing it, no overlay will show up and the value of the focused field
will be changed as in previous MASCHINE versions.
▪ When the jog wheel is focused on the product field (Knob 2), nothing happens when you
press it.
▪ When the jog wheel is focused on the result field (default focus, Knob 8), turning the jog
wheel closes any displayed overlay.
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2.6.8.3 Touch Auto-Write Option
Modulation recording also benefits from the touch sensitivity of Knobs 1–8 via the Touch Autowrite option.
Reminder: To record modulation from your MASCHINE STUDIO controller, activate playback, switch your controller to Auto-write mode by pressing and holding AUTO (or by
pressing SHIFT + AUTO, which will pin Auto-write mode), and turn the Knobs 1–8 as
you see fit. For more information, please refer to section 7.5.2 “Recording Modulation”
in the MASCHINE 2.0 Manual.
Enabled by default, the Touch Auto-write option allows you to record modulation events as
soon as you touch Knobs 1–8, even if you don’t rotate them:
▪ If Touch Auto-write is disabled, modulation events are recorded only when you rotate the
Knobs 1–8 (as in previous MASCHINE versions).
▪ If Touch Auto-write is enabled, modulation events are recorded as soon as you touch the
Knobs 1–8, whether you actually rotate them or not:
◦ If you rotate the Knobs, the new modulation values are recorded for the corresponding
parameters.
Preferences
◦ 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).
Enabling/Disabling Touch Auto-Write
The Touch Auto-write option can be enabled or disabled in the Hardware page of the Preferen-
ces panel:
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Preferences
The Touch Auto-write check box in the Hardware page of the Preferences panel.
To enable or disable the Touch Auto-write option, click the Touch Auto-write check box in
►
the Touch-Sensitive Knobs section of the Hardware page in the Preferences panel.
To access the Touch-Sensitive Knobs section in the Hardware page, your MASCHINE
STUDIO 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 MASCHINE instance, make sure that your MASCHINE STUDIO controller is selected in the Controller menu at the top of the Hardware page in order to see its settings!
For more information, see section Controller Menu in the Hardware Page of the Preferences Panel.
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The Touch Auto-write option is also available on the KOMPLETE KONTROL S-SERIES
keyboards. See section Using the Touch Strips for more information.
Example of Use
Touch Auto-write can be very handy if a parameter already has some modulation recorded in
the Pattern, and you want to re-record modulation for this parameter, this time at a constant
value:
▪ With Touch Auto-write disabled (and in previous MASCHINE versions), you have to con-
stantly rotate the Knob to ensure that the old modulation events are actually replaced by
the new ones. To simulate a new constant modulation value, you had no other choice than
slightly rotate the Knob incessantly around the desired value.
▪ With Touch Auto-write enabled, you just need to keep a finger on the Knob: The current
modulation value is recorded in new modulation events as long as you touch the Knob, automatically replacing any old modulation events at these positions.
2.6.8.4 Zoom and Scroll Overlays
Since MASCHINE 2.0, when your MASCHINE STUDIO controller is in particular modes, you
can use Knob 5 and 6 to respectively zoom and scroll horizontally through the content shown
in the right display. In some cases (e.g., in Keyboard mode) you can additionally use Knob 7 to
scroll vertically through this content.
Preferences
In MASCHINE 2.2, the zooming and scrolling functions are indicated, when available, by little
icons that appear as overlays above the relevant Knobs as soon as you touch any of them. This
way, in case of doubt, a simple touch on any Knob below the right display will indicate if some
zooming and scrolling functions are available.
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