Wishes for Maschine hardware mkIII/mkIV

I'm dreaming of a new (not too expensive) Maschine :

A real independant Maschine "classic" hardware controller mixed with a reborn sampler like old Yamaha Ax000 or E-mu/Akai sampler.

With 2013 technology : eg : ssd -and/or - ram (4go to 64go)/micro sd reader...

- Is it possible ?

A sampler that keeps the presets (ram like rom ) with an internal battery (not your soft :lol like the battery for bios settings in old pcs. The power is off but it keeps the "kits" ready to go (even a kontakt drum kit for eg).

Perfect dream : a classic Maschine controller + a classic (1U or 2U) sampler rack extension to put under.

"...maybe I'm just too demanding..."

cheers to your team and forumers

 

It's possible, but the entire point of Maschine is that it isn't that

 

ok, you can call it Maschine "standalone sampler extension for NI Maschine" if you want :lol:.

 

I'll just call it 'my laptop', most of the parts of which you'd have to cram into the box you are suggesting in order to create something far more limited than Maschine is currently.

 

I was just thinking about this last night. Here's what I came up with.

Integrated audio interface (2 in 8 out).
SD Card slot

The ability to send your project and samples to the hardware so you could work on it away from your computer.

Store samples on SD Cards (or sample into the hardware).

I know we went from a full analogue studio down to digital synths then to everything on your laptop/desktop but there's still something said about a standalone sampler/sequencer (MPC, SP, etc). Maschine is great but it could be better. Not looking for a full blown standalone sampler but the ability to detach it and sample stuff and do some sequencing.

VST support would need to stay on the laptop/desktop but everything built into Maschine could probably run onboard.

The form factor could be kept (maybe a bit thicker). Would also need an external power supply.

MK2 didn't offer enough for me to want to buy it but something like this would make me drop my money!

 

I wonder if :

1° an independant power supplied ram could store sounds like "old" sampler (expensive) roms did. So as we can switch off the sampler and keep the sets/kits ready to go? Is it technically possible ?

2° NI could keep it simple and make an "easy" software for making a backup of every single ram module to save your sets/kits. And simply dump from computer to ram.

I imagine a sampler motherboard with 4 ram slots :
eg : 4x4go
1st ram module : your Maschine kits
2nd ram module : pianos - Orchestra strings...
3rd ram module : rock drums - rock bass... or anything you want

 

mk2 came out october with unused buttons

so expect that to to be the only controller for at least 2 years

but the hardware roms seems like a pointless idea being that there is more storage available on the pc

 

+1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

 

Make the pads with a little more give to cushion hits. Find that perfect balance between responsiveness, sensitivity and comfort.

Those of us with aching hands will thank you!

 

I agree with this part but being able to use Maschine in a limited way while disconnected from your computer would be great. Only 1 thing to carry around instead of three (Maschine, Laptop, Audio Interface). Plus the speed of a hardware only device instead of relying on your computer to boot, load Maschine, etc...

Not looking for something to replace what it is now, just something to augment.

 

I like the idea but there is a downside. This would take a considerable development effort that would draw from Maschine's current development. It would also demand a higher price tag due to the on board proprietary computer and R&D. With the current Maschine and the Ren around, would there be enough sales at the higher price point to make it profitable? I would rather have more features then see progress slowed to make such a niche device.

But I would love to see a slightly larger controller with flip screen, a few more buttons, pedal inputs etc. But that wouldn't take quite the development effort as one with a built in computer. I think it would be more profitable too.

 

That's implying that there is in fact development going on... heh.. (I joke but it does seem quiet. NI seems fairly active in other forums though (Traktor).

I would pay more money to have a built in audio interface. The Ren has this BUT, just like Maschine, will not run standalone. It needs a computer. This is a huge step away from the core MPC users who were used to a standalone product. IMO, I see this as a great way to capture those users. I don't think it would be niche. Also, incorporating an audio interface into the unit means one less peripheral to connect. If you're using a small laptop/ultrabook/macbook air, etc as your computer then you only have a limited number of ports (2, maybe 3 USB).

Yeah those would be cool additions. Why not introduce multi-tiers like Akai did with the MPC?

The reason I'm all for a unit that operates standalone is because NI has put so much work into allowing the users to do everything from just the hardware. Why not just allow the user to remove the computer from the equation when the situation calls for it?

I'm so close to buying an MPC1k or 2k just so I could not be attached to anything but love what Maschine offers. I just want the best of both worlds and probably just have to come to terms with the fact that this isn't going to happen any time soon! lol

 

Because nothing will work without a computer, whether it's your laptop, or the extremely expensive and limited computer that NI would have to develop and then slam inside your 'standalone' device, which would also have the dual side-effects of only appealing to a niche audience, and also instantly restricting the shelf-life of the device (for those who can afford it) to the time until the proprietary technology NI have stuck in there reaches obsolescence.

And that's just the hardware considerations...

I suspect we'll get more portable solutions in the shape of tablet integration etc, but I don't think 'computer inside Maschine' will be one of them I'm afraid.

 

Ok, E-mu, Akai, Yamaha stopped sampler developement. But let me the pleasure to do not share your point of view. I agree, Maschine is in a niche, but this "reborn sampler" idea is the same way :lol:.

For eg, take the guitar hardware amp/cab sim universe :
Torpedo Two Notes are keeping on developing hardware cab simulations for guitarists on a much more restrained niche http://www.two-notes.com/materiel/torpedo-reload/
Fractal audio and Kemper are developing expensive guitar racks.
Nobody would have bet a single $/€/£ on this a few months ago. Except "little" brands/companies.
The question is : are there customers for a Maschine like this (hardware rompler) ?

 

NI already makes audio interfaces. Don't see how hard it would be to integrate one with Maschine. Mind you they were probably thinking, "Hey, everyone and their dog already owns an audio interface, let's reduce the cost by not including one". That's great but I'm looking to replace my old interface (M-Audio Conectiv) as it's starting to act funny (randomly stops communicating with Maschine), but that's another story.

 

Sure NI or AKAI would already have made a "modern up to date sampler" if it was bankable. But who knows ? Tell me if I'm wrong, we can see Maschine in Will I Am-Britney and Bruno Mars Locked out of heaven videos. Dr Dre Beats headphones are on screen and in the street. Marketing and fashion can build or destroy a product from day to day (iphones and SIII...)
Think NI uses this forum to smell the air and see what the musicians want.
The pros and cons are always enormous for a new product, and yes Maschine is a mature device. But mkII and III are logic evolutions.

 

I think new hardware should get a touch pad / little multitouch screen for sound manipulation and changing parameter. But please without reducing knobs or pads.
With such a multitouch screen in hardware many great things are possible.

Sometimes i think that a vst controller (touch, encoder and maybe fader) with a standalone mode (fast enough and optimized for running one good vst without crackling) in addition to maschine would be nice

 

Mp3 sampling

It would be nice to drag and drop Mp3's to the sampler.

 

This may already exist but I would like to be able to lock scenes so I don't accidentally change something when I have moved on to the next scene.

I would like to be able to record vocal or instrument track live in one solid take across all scenes.

 

If you hold duplicate + pattern and press button 2 for +pattern, this will make scene duplication have independant patterns. This way, editing a pattern in the duplicated scene will not affect the pattern in the original.

Not yet possible, but these and the MP3 support are software feature request. This thread is specifically about physical new hardware wishes and not software features.