The competition - Akai

...still sampling every now and then. but today most of the time I'm quite unhappy that I can't use them the way I want in Maschine. That's why I did a script for them in Kontakt. Now if I could just route midi between groups in Maschine...

 

If NI responds to this product by revamping the sequencer and the overall way that you make scenes/music, I would be willing to learn from scratch. But the question is will everyone else?

 

All this has got me thinking. So I started remote desktop from Windows, and connected to it via my Android Tablet via the Microsoft RDC app, and I can get Geist running on this pretty good. Now my Maschine Studio is mounted on a music stand and it tilts at at 20 degree angle or so... If I can get that android tablet firmly fixed at the top of the Maschine controller (maybe another stand)... well there is my pseudo AKAI touchscreen sequencer! And it friggin is soo much better than a mouse... Think three displays for the controller, two inside it and one on top that is touch sensitive.

I do have to get it to scroll around a little bit with the Android app, but only a little.... so a little bit of a work in progress... I will rid the world of mice and keyboards... one day!

I think the ultimate answer is to buy something like a MS Surface book.

 

Well that is that then. Maschine 3 GUI HAS to be MORE touch screen friendly now. If they are clever they will write a dedicated android/Apple/Metro app that receives screen display data, much like it does to the Maschine studio controller screen, and in addition receive touch commands. It's own dedicated VNC if you will...

 

Wouldn't that be redundant though? I mean if the controller has screens and let's you do everything what will an iPad add to the equation? If NI adds touch to their controller on the other hand that makes more sense. However I don't see this happening , mainly because at the end of the day NI uses Maschine to sell and prop up it's Komplete line and you aren't going to run Komplete on an iPad, nor will you be downloading must-gig libraries on the iPad since space is pretty limited on that device. NI is not going o give up their nice margins on hardware to sell an iPad controller app either.

Akai did the smart thing and built a touch screen into a controller. Not only has touch screen tech become pretty cheap, especially if you go with a lower resolution screen, but functionality relies squarely with software and you don't have to worry about shoehorning or hamstringing software functionality because of the number of knobs or buttons your hardware has.

Like I said another plus i that according to the CDM quote Akai is using display link which means you can effectively mirror your computers screen on the device which opens up a whole different world of possibilities,

 

I think they really did this right looking at the layout. Can't really judge how it will perform until it hits the streets but looks good so far. I prefer tactile controls over touch but there are advantages to both. They really seemed to have struck a good balance here for a more compact portable controller. Doesn't look cheaply made either but hard to say without using it. The new software adds independent track lengths on top of all the other goodies that came with 1.8x. Seems like Akai is just on fire right now.

Not interested in the so-called stand alone that has been rumored. If they are smart they will release a slightly larger unit like the touch but with more tactile controls.

 

1/4 of platinum producers The Freshmen. They sequence in maschine and export into pro tools. They will be at Native Sessions tomorrow. Maybe not the best track, but they have the placements and track record to back it up.


They might use the mpc I don't know.

 

What are the benefits for me as a producer using maschine studio/komplete kontrol vs mpc touch/akai advance? Other than layering or preset browsing?

 

Fair arguement but almost all windows laptops come with touchscreen nowadays. People often use the GUI and controller side by side, and some people want to lay back on the couch and play around sometimes.

 

But everyone using Mac laptops don't have touch screens. And it seems everybody, to include NI product specialists (see You Tube if you doubt what I am saying) have Maschine + MacBook setups.

You may want to do like the rest of us that use products from all manufacturers to see what best works for you. That is why my profile lists "NI Product owner" as opposed to "Forum Member."

But I will share one tip...if you are trying to mix in your sample drum machine workstation...Maschine's Mixer is significantly better than the MPC Software. It is not even close. With the MPC, it is better to just create your music then export as stems to import into Pro Tools (or your favorite DAW).

 

I for one would love if there was a Maschine controller extension-type app for iPad. Especially if it let you do certain things you can't quite so easily do from the controller such as selecting a range of notes/automation, or renaming patterns/scenes or if it gave you constant access to certain parameters (for the selected sound/group) such as the audio and MIDI routing/settings, or even just would work as a window for plug-ins or either the mixer/arrange window.

There are a number of things they could implement, and I would be willing to pay $ if it's done right.

 

Cool. But these hardware controllers are marketed as "tactile, creative beat making with unprecedented physical control." It seems logical that these companies with improve the software so that a keyboard, mouse, and iPad are not necessary.

That is like buying a new car and needing an app to engage the turn signals.....

 

Only a matter of time when all new Macs will have them. It's pretty much default in windows 10. It's one if those things that once you stop using it, you miss it. I find myself using mice less and less,there are still specific uses for them, but most of the time they are an annoyance.

I suspect some people said similar things when mice were introduced...

 

Was just having a conversation with some producers about touch screens and what Slate is bringing to the table with the new Raven. It was pretty much a consensus that it was cool at first but they quickly grew tired of it.

It may be a matter of time for Apple to add them to MacBooks. But it is likely not happening soon and I doubt people will be getting rid of their current MacBooks to get an updated one with a touch screen. Strictly my opinion of course.....

 

Well yea, like using a $700 smartphone just to make phone calls.

 

Regardless if you are using a mouse to drag around, point and click to create new notes in a sequencer grid, or knobs in a controller, and then change to simply proding your fingers to create a note on the screen.. the experience is liberating...

If people getting getting tired of a touchscreen UI they either need a controller to compliment it,or they are just doing the UI wrong (or UI badly designed).

 

Not exactly. Try it on geist works surprisingly well. There is a good reason why NI bothered to develop a real controller mode, and it ain't a bad one.

 

My desire or "vision" isn't about eliminating the tactile nature of the Maschine/MPC controllers, but rather just allowing for a logical extension of the parameters that make sense to be manipulated via a touch screen. With that said, I very much want NI to focus on the software development of Maschine because there are a number of areas that need addressing. Also as I've stated earlier (or in another thread), I'm not about to buy a new Maschine controller, and have grown tired of the seemingly endless incremental hardware improvements that NI makes from MK1 to MK2 to MK3 an so on. So for me some kind of tablet based controller extension would be ideal, and perhaps the easiest way NI could counter the MPC Touch (IMO).

I do however feel inclined to mention that the MPC touch is the first one that I might consider getting out of all the hybrids they have released. But I'm not about to spend $800 USD for one, when I could get a Moog Mother 32 for the same price!

 

If NI took time away from the things many users in the forum desire to do an iPad app, it will break the internet. And I am talking about in a bad way. But of course, everyone has their own personal requests. I think this one is a long shot but who knows. I was one of the first around here asking for a bigger controller when the MKI came out and took a lot of heat. Years later...the Studio drops....

 

yeah but more than any other controller to day i think the studio is the one that can claim the most returns, I know allot of people who've traded the studio for a mk2. the studio even made people buy new furniture. I like the screens but they could have been put on a smaller unit, better formfactor and actually native is good at these things, the way they are doing the new traktor controllers is the direction I hope they go with the mk3, it's just unnecessary to be making beat machines that are as big as the mpc 4000 anymore especially when they aren't even stand alone machines, that's why the touch is hitting a sweet spot with allot of people. I might not like all it's look but the form factor is great, and I bet the ten 2 is going to be more streamlined as well.