Workflow - Saving that perfect clap FX? (Image)

I know how to save an fx chain as a group. I am however interested in the most efficient way to do it.

Now lets say you have a perfect mixed clap and you would like to use those exact same FX inserts on another clap in another project. How would you go about to save that FX chain to make it easily accessible for future claps?



How I do it today
1. At the moment I copy FX inserts
2. Paste in another sound/group
3. Save as Multi-Fx (group)
(In my new project with another clap)
4. I send the clap to another group where I load the saved multi-fx.
This is too many steps in my opinion!

 

It would be very nice and helpful to be able to save these FX chains. It's been asked for many times for a long time.

I've usually saved the Sound (complete with the instrument module) and then, if you just want the effects, you can load the Sound and just switch the instrument module. Bit roundabout, but it works.

 

But if I already have the clap loaded I will need to re-load it right? In other words, go look for it in my browser. Do you tag the sound as an "FX" to keep track of it?

 

Yes, unfortunately, this is essentially loading a Sound for its effects and then reloading the instrument part. Tagging is, of course, possible for these saved elements to help things be found more easily.

 

If you don't tag them they will end together with your sounds in the browser right? You are basically mixing FX strips with individual sounds if I am not mistaken.

 

That's what you would be doing, yes, so tagging would be recommended. Unless you just name them accordingly e.g., FX newexcitingname. Though tagging it still recommended.

 

I have to come to realize that your approach is not very suitable. You are eliminating the ability to 'browse' effects.

Lets say I have 10 different Multi FX chains that are perfect for claps. With your approach I will not be able to give all of them a test-drive on already loaded clap.

I believe that the approach that is suggested by NI is the "best" one. Which is a bit weird. You are basically dedicating an entire group for one clap. If you want to insert another previously saved multi fx on another sound you have to load another group. There is going to be a lot of groups by the time I am finished with my music.

It's bizarre how they have a menu called "FX" but forces us to save our "Multi FX" in groups?! Someone at that meeting must have said "wait guys..."

 

Woah, woah, woah, tiger! I wasn't giving you the be-all and end-all method of saving your effects! I just addressed your question in your OP:

As I also said, unfortunately, Maschine does not cater and easily allow this kind of saving and browsing. Ideally, we'd have a Guitar Rig container or Ableton Live effect rack type module that we could load Maschine and other plugins into and that could be saved as an effect in the FX part of the library. This is not yet the case, so workarounds are required.

To be honest, this kind of "quirk" or "limitation" just makes me work in Maschine in a different way e.g., having certain effects already loaded on different Groups that are dedicated to different types of Sounds, and not working with so many different effects modules i.e., focusing on one or two to get an interesting sound out of.


One other possible approach that might be to your liking (even though it's still not direct) is to save the individual FX modules e.g., Trueverb and EQ in your initial example as effects into the library, but with names that start with the same thing. At least then you can browse the different elements of the multi-FX (arguably a bonus) and then quickly insert one after the other on your Sound.
Basically, in that example, you could either save Trueverb as "Clap reverb 1" and EQ as "Clap EQ 1" (to allow a number 2 of the same type of effects i.e., reverbs and EQs for claps) OR Trueverb as "Clap verb 1" and EQ as "Clap verb 2", which would cement them next to one another in the browser. These individual presets could then even be tagged with a made-up preset name too if you wanted.
These are just examples and the naming/tagging convention is up to you though.

 

I am realising that my routing the group containing Multi FX is removed whenever I load a new Multi FX. I mean seriously. It's 2015. The year "Back to the future" chose as the "year in the future".

Guitar rig 5? Why should I use something for a guitars when Native Instruments have created the whole concept of "Multi FX"? I mean, doesn't make sense on paper to be honest.

The whole thing with Battery 4 as well. They create this fantastic sampler (Battery) and this amazing sequencer (Maschine), and to use them together you gotta route sounds and pads for 15 minutes.

 

My mention of GR was not a suggestion to use it, just that it has a feature (its container module) that Maschine and therefore we would benefit immensely from.

Though Guitar Rig is now a misnomer and is far from being just for guitars.

 

both of you guys avatars just look so hilarious attached to this particular conversation, you can almost hear steve carells voice and 36 your expression is appropriately classic. : )

 

I really would love to avoid a workaround of any sort. Both you and I have different suggestions on solutions. That's not the problem. I have learned with time that it is always best to do it the way the creators of the software want you to do it. The problem here is that I can't even understand how NI wants us to do it?

If routing a sound(clap) to a group is the intended workflow, then why does it reset my routing every time I load a new Multi-FX? I mean, isn't browsing effect a normal behaviour or am I crazy?

 

I managed to hack into NI server and steal some documents with the title "Workflow for Maschine" (Using my Michael Scott voice).

I think NI wants us to use a group as a container for 16 Multi FX. That means you can save 16 different Multi FX chains in one group. Then you have the option to browse your different effects by simply changing the output of your sounds. Check image below.



Any feedback on this? It seems to be the most efficient way to do it. I can create another "container" with 16 MFX for kicks, hihats etc...