Maschine?

Is this thing for real? I read on KVR that NI was going to announce this new hardware/software kit called Maschine? A NI product without a 'K'? This looks doubtful...

 

Well ... it seems to be real :

http://www.zirconstudios.com/pics/EM_Scan2.jpg

 

MASCHINE looks great!

Maschine looks great, a Kore sibling for drums?

Perhaps NI will reward those of us who own Komplete and Kore 2 with a super introductory discount?

I'm pretty much game for picking this up right away if the price is heavily discounted off the $700 list, otherwise in this economy, I'll probably play it safe and wait.

 

i dunno... it pendens on what you can do with it.... currently there isnt enough information about the thing

The maschine hardware... ok... its nice... the software well see

i agree with you... its a rip off... we are going through a global crisis... they didnt take that into account.
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this people from NI want to make a killing... i think thar maschine would have been added to kore 3, i.e.

 

Just like you said... not enough info yet. So it is hard to classify Maschine as a rip off. IMHO, NI produces quality software and its prices are reasonable.

Maschine looks very cool though. Very nice looking. I am anxious to see what it can do. I could use a tool like that.

 

This looks like the official press release:

Berlin, Germany /Music Industry Newswire/ — Native Instruments today announced MASCHINE, a next-generation groove production studio that makes beat creation and arrangement more immediate and tactile than ever before. The system combines an advanced software sequencer and sampler with a seamlessly integrated, highly functional performance controller. Finally merging a fast and intuitive groove-box workflow with the power and versatility of software, MASCHINE enables an inspiring and spontaneous creative approach for today’s computer-based music production setups.

MASCHINE is built on an intelligent combination of timeless groove box and drum machine workflows, systematically refined and expanded to take advantage of the best aspects of computer technology. It brings together flexible step sequencing and real-time polyphonic recording in a forward-thinking pattern-based arrangement concept that makes it easy to jam out ideas, and turn them into full-blown songs in a way that is efficient, effortless and fun. MASCHINE was designed to accommodate and facilitate inspiration at any point in the creative process, from spontaneous beat creation to sophisticated multi-timbral arranging.

The advanced MASCHINE controller was designed as a natural extension of the software, and makes the system feel and respond as a true instrument. The 16 pressure-sensitive drum pads have been carefully engineered for the best possible response and durability, and they illuminate to visualize sequence patterns and other crucial information. Eight rotary encoders, a concise layout of dedicated buttons and dual high-resolution displays give immediate access to all functions of MASCHINE without touching the computer mouse or keyboard. By design, all features are quickly accessible “on the surface” rather than hidden away in hierarchical sub menus. The MASCHINE hardware also doubles as a powerful universal controller for any MIDI compatible music gear, thanks to an included MIDI mapping application and support of the MCU protocol for sophisticated DAW control.

Based on a powerful high-resolution sample engine, MASCHINE is a versatile instrument that renders intricate drum kits and percussion, loops and multi-sampled polyphonic instruments with uncompromising sonic accuracy, assisted by automatic sample mapping, beat slicing, note repeat and more. The advanced real-time audio recording and resampling features in MASCHINE also allow producers and performers to capture, map, sculpt and transform any external or internal signal immediately, and seamlessly integrate the result into a running track without ever breaking the flow of the music. Multiple performance effects sections on the sample, group and master level provide a versatile arsenal of 20 high-quality algorithms ranging from conventional to experimental, all optimized for profound sound shaping and creative real-time control through the MASCHINE hardware.

MASCHINE lets everyone get into making music right away through its massive library of drum and instrument sounds for contemporary urban and electronic music styles, created in collaboration with international cutting-edge producers and sound designers. Based on several GByte of studio-quality samples, the arsenal of MASCHINE provides hundreds of drum kits, synthesizer sounds and acoustic instruments, with around ten thousand individual sounds overall. All kits, instruments, samples and effects can be efficiently managed and located through a highly convenient browser that uses categories and concise metadata.

With MASCHINE, all crucial functions including parameter automation, sample mapping and sound editing are always immediately accessible through the controller and within the concise single-window user interface of the software. Usable both as a self-contained standalone instrument and within any DAW or music sequencer, MASCHINE utilizes all the benefits of computer integration like total recall, superior processing power, memory and file handling, project transfer and more, while retaining the inspirational handling and tactile appeal of a hardware instrument.

MASCHINE will be available in March 2009 for a suggested retail price of $669 / 599 EUR.

 

Interested to see where they sourced the pads. Last fall I bought the Korg padKontrol and Akai MPD32 triggers and from my perspective the Akai pads were unusable. I took it back.

ouch. As long as the pads are better than the AKAI's I will want this, but I will have a hard time dropping that kind of cash in 2009.

 

Here's a YouTube demo of it: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYVQR-YdVJI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYVQR-YdVJI[/ame]

 

I still think it costs a arm and a leg and love NI software too.

It didnt even have an built-in audio interface. It doesnt seem you can add VST / AU plugins. On the other hand i like the resampling concept, the MIDI hardware and so

I bought Kore 2 software + Kore 1 hardware and cost 250 euros

To be honest if the price were lower I would buy it...

@ iaminsane: im sure youll get one by the middle of july in ebay half price lol

 

Where has MASCHINE been all this time? I could have used something like this years ago. It seems a little pricey, but it looks really cool. I'm pretty satisfied using Guru with my padKontrol, but depending on how things go with MASCHINE, I might be convinced to switch. For NAMM, I was really expecting something that would integrate with Kore. MASCHINE definitely looks cool. We just need to see a little more of what it can do.

 

I'm just hoping the maschine can be used in an ableton-live-esque sort of way to record and play back midi/audio loops on the fly with as a midi effect in kore, or host VSTs and allow for loops. My dream of ableton live *inside* another daw might finally be coming true (rewire sooo doesn't count)

 

watching the video, the pads look very similar to the padKontrol. I hoping they are sourced from same.

Is the included 5GB library NEW , or do i already own it all :-(

 

It already looks better than the padKontrol. The lights actually work right when you're playing *back* sequences (I know some people consider it gimmicky, but that alone almost made me by an Akai XR20 when they came out). I only hope the touch response is similar - that's what sets the pK miles above the MPC as a controller.

As far as NI's advertising campaign is concerned with the maschine, I just hope they release a demo version. Above all else, that's what made me interested in kore and komplete in the first place. Advertising's everywhere these days, but a demo (be it a floor model in a store or a trial/limited version of just the software) really sets you apart, and at above $600, the maschine had better combine the best of ableton live (on the fly loop recording/switching) and a padkontrol - or most of us will end up staying with our current setup. That said, if it does - SOLD!

 

My thoughts:
Price = Fair (after MSRP)
Idea = Great (could be excellent if it's straightforward, bug-free and MIDI mapping works with all the layers)

I bought a pad kontrol to do this kind of thing with reaktor (with much headache), so if it lives up to its promises I'll def ditch the pad kontrol
Question:
1- Is the automation recorded as 'offsets'? Seemed so from the clips, which would be great.
2 - Is sample switching automateable ala Reaktor's sample maps?
3 - Lfos?

 

I have no question over it being more functional than padKontrol. The question is how playable is it.

The MPD32 was WAY more functional than the padKontrol. But the padKontrol is significantly more playable than the MPD. I took the MPD back and kept the korg.

 

Hello, does anyone know- if Maschine runs on it's own engine (like Virus TI)? Or will it tax my CPU, and how much? I just did the first of many live performances with Ableton (ableton pretty much controlling and playing everything), and I'm wondering if it will help conserve CPU- to generate a lot of material from Maschine rather than taking up CPU using multiple tracks, efx, etc in ableton. The set was a 5 song, live set, continous play, and while the computer ran smoothly- my CPU % was pretty high, and that's pretty scary.


MacBookPro 2.33 Ghz, 2GB RAM
Ableton Live 7 and Sampler
Waves Diamond
Korg Legacy Analog
Battery, Reaktor, Absynth, FM8, Pro 5, Vokator
Reason 4
Cubase 4

 

It doesn't look like it has any built in cpu. My guess is it runs 100% off of your computer.

 

Like I said in the Maschine thread in the battery forum, there are a couple of things I noticed missing that I couldn't see in the demo vids. I didn't see a tap tempo function (a must, imo), I think in-order to compete with something like an MV8800 they need timestretch ( the one Kontakt is fine but needs to be worked on a bit to increase quality/decrease artifacts). I also am having a bit of issues with the layout but since I don;t have one in front of me its really hard to tell. Another thing I heard no mention of on the site or saw in the pics was an audio interface, it would have been nice to do everything off of one box. I was also hoping the LCD's would be red like Kore, but that is a minor preference on my part. If its anything like Kore (I have the first one) the build quality is going to be superb and the interface will probably have some heft to it if they stuck with the metal casing (which it looks like they did). Luckily most of the issues I have so far can be fixed via software. ts definitely a must buy for me (pending reviews ofcourse).

 

I am sure it runs off the host CPU. The demo videos are done on a TI Powerbook which is promising in terms of CPU usage. Also glad to see a working version of Machine software as an RTAS instrument (PT LE version is 7.4.2 = must be Leopard).

As for the price - I think this is entirely fair. Having watched all the videos it looks like the closest you can have to getting full MPC functionality within a software environment - and a lot of extra bits as well.

I like the fact that you can flick between Machine and MIDI control instantly. Would love to se how this works with other NI products, namely Battery.

Having sold my MPC many years ago and always regretted it I will be looking at Maschine very closely when it comes out.

 

Some of it uses samples from Battery kits, but there's new content for kits. And, the loop and a lot of the single sample (non-kit related) content's new.

I've been using Maschine for a few months now; it's an amazing piece of gear.

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