Machine vs. MPC

Okay so...I am very excited about the potential of this product and hope that my expectations are not beyond the scope of the "target market" for it so here goes.
I am hoping that this is what I've been craving for so many years...an MPC on roids that utilizes the resources of my PC rather than locking me into the limitations of a hardware unit. I like the specs as far as what level of sound card can be used with it. I also love that my sample library is at my fingertips without having to dig out disks. But here is what I need to know.
Can I use it like a REAL MPC?
Can I trigger my sound modules yet with its sequencer?
Can it load Battery kits?
Can I use it to control Absynth, FM8, etc. knobs?
Does it come closer to the MPC feel when programming or is it like all the other "computer" sequencers?
When in plug-in mode are you recording your sequences into the host DAW or still into Maschine?
Are you able in any mode to trigger external sounds?:S

 

Welcome =)

I'll let someone else answer that; I'm not a MPC user

No

Samples- yes. Kits as kits? Not yet- that'll be in an update.

Yes

See my first answer

Into Maschine

Sure- in MIDI controller mode, the pads work like a keyboard if you have your pad pages programmed that way.

ew

 

Hey,

as a long time MPC2K and 4K user and abuser i have to say i love maschine even more. The workflow is just way more faster and i love to do beatz instead of loading kits for ages. There is not everything you can do with an MPC just yet in Maschine but you will get a lot more on the other hand like superb fx and way better control over your library. At least i would never go back to the MPC.

Cheers

 

i have used mpc 2k xl over 8 years and i totaly with you, i never go back. i love maschine like i love my 909/303 combi in the 90´s. in this period of 2k XL i miss the direct access to the sounddesign doing live gigs.

cheers
TheTunk aka Mike

 

if not now, then when?

So EW when do we expect the next update to show up and include MIDI out function so that I can make beats using my Triton-rack and K2661 and all of those VSTi's i've invested in? And is there really going to be a limit on how many tracks of midi Machine can handle? And what about Rewire capability?

 

1) I can't say when the next update will come out; it's still in development.
2) I'm not quite getting what you mean here. Explain, please?
3) Probably not

ew

 

Understandable.

What I mean is...
1) Will machine be able to source other VSTi's for sounds, i.e., route midi out from Machine to midi in of Massive?
2) Will there be an artificial limit on number of midi ports/channels Machine is able to address or will it be dependent upon the number of midi devices available to host computer? (i.e., Machine on a pc with 2 8-port midi controllers, say motu mtp's, with a rack of sound modules and keyboard synths all being controlled from Machine.)
3) An MPC 2000 has 2 midi outs, so it can sequence 32 midi channels at once. You can either connect two modules/synths directly to it, say a K2661 and a Triton-rack, OR you can connect it to a PC midi interface like a Midex-8 with 8 midi I/O and use it to control 32 midi channels distributed by a software sequncer like Cubase to 8 different synths triggering/utilizing 4 patches/programs from each of those 8 sound modules. Even better still, you could have a potential MACHINE hosted on its own PC taking full advantage of the use of those 8 midi I/O's itself to trigger internal samples and external ones on sound modules directly - like an MPC with 8 midi outs would. Maybe it could have soft midi outs to trigger VSTi's in a host like Cubase so that the track inspector would say something like MIDI IN: Machine 1 Ch.1, OUT: Electik Piano / Program: MK I (or something like that)...just as if it were a true hardware unit connected solely to the midi interface on the host PC.
Get it?

Disappointing but not surprising.

 

Oh- OK.

Yes, you'll be able to use Maschine's sequencers to drive other plugins. As far as multiple ports goes, whether or not you'll be able to assign channels by ports I couldn't say- as I said, I don't know what's happening in development at the moment. It would be nice though, and since it's been confirmed that it's a channel per sound, I could very well see it being able to address multiple ports in the way you're talking about. But, will it be that way? I can't say at the present.

ew

 

MASCHINE vs MPC.... If MACHINE, with the new update, can send out MIDI I will contect my Akai S6000 to MASCHINE....By doing this, I get a big ass MPC

 

So, Machine can't CURRENTLY address the one midi out that it has? It can't send midi data to a module or keyboard connected to its midi out?

 

No, it can't.

http://www.native-instruments.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84317

ew

 

Can Maschine assing all 16 pads to one sound at different velocities or pitches?

On the MPC, this is known simply as 16 levels.

 

Not at the present.

ew

 

Ok. Thanks for the info.

 

Hey Ew,

This is a big, big deal for people... not a deal breaker for me, but it needs to be included soon.

 

sure does

 

I hope that the upcoming MIDI out feature will also think of users of hardware synths. I would want to simply assign the MIDI output of a sound to a MIDI port & channel on my computer.

 

As a 4k user, this is a very promising statement, I can't wait to get my hands on it to try myself.

I love the thought of having my library right there, yet still being able to "get down" in a familiar workflow.

 

And dont forget it will be even better once the 1.1 Update is available. Let me know what you think about maschine once you got your hands on it.

Cheers

 

will do man, thanks for the info bro.