Glossary

In this glossary, you will find short definitions for essential terms used in the Maschine context.

Arranger

The Arranger is the big area located in the Maschine software and Maschine+. The Arranger contains two views: Ideas view and Song View. For more information, refer to Arranging Your Project.

Autoload

When Autoload is activated, any Group, Sound, Pattern, Plug-in preset (instrument or effect), or Sample selected in the Browser is instantly loaded into the selected Group, Sound, Pattern, or Plug-in slot. By using Autoload, you can listen to any of these objects in the current context of your song.

Browser

The Browser is the front end for accessing all Maschine content: Projects, Groups, Sounds, Patterns, presets for instrument and effect plug-ins, and Samples. Each of these can be stored, tagged, and categorized in a way that provides easy access to them. Maschine’s factory library is already completely tagged, and you can also import your files to the Library and tag them. For more information, refer to Using the Browser.

Bussing Point

A bussing point is a point in the signal flow that can accept signals coming from various locations in the audio routing system. In Maschine+, for example, the first Plug-in slot of a Sound usually contains a sound source (which you will hear by pressing the corresponding pad). If you load an effect plug-in in this first Plug-in slot, though, the Sound won’t generate audio itself. Instead, it becomes available for other Sounds and Groups to process their audio. You only have to set up the desired Sound(s) and Group(s) of your Project to send some of their audio to this bussing point. This basically is the way to set up send effects in Maschine.

Channel Properties

Channel properties are sets of parameters available at each Project level (for instance, for each Sound, each Group, and the Master) independent of the Plug-ins loaded in that Sound/Group/Master. Like the Plug-in parameters, the Channel properties are displayed in the Control area. For example, the volume, pan, or swing controls are properties of their respective Sound/Group/Master channel.

Clip

Clips exist in the Song view and are sound bites that can be used in addition to Patterns. They are similar to Patterns, although they are much more flexible and have the advantage of being freely positioned on the Timeline. They can be part of a Section but can also exist outside a Section or span across multiple Sections. Clips are great for adding transitions or audio to your song. For more information, refer to Working with Patterns and Clips.

Control Area

The Control area is located in the middle of the Maschine window, between the Arranger (above) and the Pattern Editor (below). This area allows you to adjust all Plug-in parameters and Channel properties for the selected Sound/Group or the Master level: routing, effects, Macro controls, etc.

Control Mode

Control mode is the default mode of your Maschine+. In this mode, you can play or record your actions in real-time. Control mode also allows you to easily adjust any parameter of your Groups and Sounds via the Control section.

Effect (FX)

An effect modifies the audio material it receives. Maschine already includes many different effects. You may also use VST/AU plug-in effects. Effects can be loaded as Plug-ins in any Plug-in slot of the Sound, Group, and Master levels. In addition, Maschine’s flexible routing allows you to apply insert effects, create send effects and multi-effects.

Event

Events are the individual drum hits or notes that make up a Pattern. In the Pattern Editor, events are visually represented by rectangles in the Step Grid. Depending on the current view in the Pattern Editor, you can see events for all Sounds slots (Group view) or the selected Sound slots only (Keyboard view). For more information, refer to Working with Patterns.

Groove Properties

The Groove properties control the rhythmic relationship between events for the selected Group/Sound or the Master level. By shifting some of the events, you can, for example, give a shuffling, ternary touch to your Patterns. The main parameter of the Groove properties is the Swing control. For more information, refer to Applying Groove and Adding Swing.

Group

A Group contains 16 Sound slots, each of which can hold one Sound. In addition to the effects applied to individual Sound, a Group can have insert effects loaded in its Plug-in slots. These affect all the Sounds in the Group. A Group can also contain an unlimited amount of Patterns organized into Pattern Banks.

Group View

Group view is a view within the Pattern Editor in which events for all 16 Sound slots of the selected Group are visible and editable. In Group view, each row of the Step Grid represents a different Sound slot. This mode is well suited for rhythmic instruments (for example, a drum kit).

Ideas View

The Ideas view allows you to experiment with your musical ideas without being tied to a timeline or arrangement. For example, you can create Patterns for each Group and combine them into a Scene. These Scenes can then be added to Sections in the Song view to create a larger musical structure. For more information, refer to Using Ideas View.

Insert Effect

An insert effect is an effect directly inserted in the signal path of the audio to be processed.

Keyboard View

Keyboard view is a view within the Pattern Editor in which only events of the selected Sound are visible and editable. The Keyboard view provides a vertical on-screen keyboard that indicates the pitch of each event (one row per semi-tone). Keyboard mode is well suited for melodic instruments (for example, a synthesizer). For more information, refer to Recording Melodies and Harmonies in Real-time.

Macro Control

Each Sound/Group/Master channel provides a page of eight Macro Controls to which you can assign almost any parameter from that level or the underlying one. Thus, using Macro controls, you can define eight parameters accessible for each Group or Sound. For more information, refer to Creating Custom Sets of Parameters with the Macro Controls.

Master

The Master is where all audio signals from each of the Groups and Sounds come together and are mixed. The Master bus can also have insert effects loaded in its Plug-in slots. These effects are applied to all Groups and the Sounds within them.

Modulation

Modulation allows you to record changes of parameter values so that you do not need to actuate these parameters in real-time. Any modulated parameter is displayed in the Control Lane (at the bottom of the Pattern Editor) and as a movement of the chosen parameter itself in the Control area. For more information, refer to Recording Modulation.

Mute and Solo

Muting allows you to silence a Sound or a Group. In contrast, Soloing does the opposite: It mutes all other Sounds or Groups so that only the soloed Sound or Group is played. The combination of muting and soloing is a useful means to play live and test different sequences together.

Pad Mode

Your controller offers various Pad modes that allow you to play your Sounds from the pads in different ways: Depending on the selected Pad mode, you can either assign one Sound to all 16 pads (Keyboard mode and 16 Velocities mode) or trigger each Sound with a distinct pad (default mode and Fixed Velocity mode). The Keyboard mode and the Keyboard view in the Pattern Editor are bound together: If you enter Keyboard mode, the Keyboard view is automatically displayed. For more information, refer to Playing and Programming Beats.

Parameter Pages

The Parameter pages constitute the most significant part of the Control area in the Maschine window. They contain the adjustable Plug-in parameters and Channel properties of the selected Sound/Group or those of the Master. For more information, refer to Navigating Channel Properties, Plug-ins, and Parameter Pages.

Pattern

A Pattern is a sequence that plays Sounds from a Group. Patterns are the building blocks for Scenes. One Pattern from each Group can be added to a Scene. You can reference the same Pattern in different Scenes. When you modify a Pattern in the Pattern Editor, all references are updated in the Arranger. For more information, refer to Recording Patterns.

Pattern Editor

Located at the bottom of the Maschine window, the Pattern Editor, allows you to select Sound slots (on the left), display and edit your Patterns, change the Step Grid settings and create/edit automation.

Plug-in

A Plug-in is an instrument or effect unit, either Internal or External that can be loaded into a Plug-in slot to produce or alter Sound. When a Plug-in is loaded into a Plug-in slot, the Plug-in appears in the Plug-in List in the left part of the Control area.

Prehear

The Prehear feature allows you to listen to Samples and Instruments directly from the Browser without loading them into Sound slots first. This way, you can quietly choose a Sample or Instrument before modifying anything in your Project. For more information, refer to Auditioning Samples and Auditioning Instrument Presets.

Project

A Project contains all data needed for a song: Groups, Patterns, Sounds, Samples, Scenes, and all settings, automation, effects, routings, etc. It’s like a snapshot of the entire state of Maschine+.

Quantization

To quantize a Pattern is to make its events snap to the musical grid, also called the steps of the Pattern. This ensures that these events are on the beat. You can also let Maschine+ automatically quantize events that you play or record live. For more information, refer to Quantizing Your Pattern.

Sample

A Sample is any piece of audio that can be used, for example, to build a drum kit or a melodic instrument or as a distinct loop in your song. You can load one or more Samples into each Sound slot.

Sample Editor

The Sample Editor can be displayed in place of the Pattern Editor. The Sample Editor is the all-in-one editor for Samples. It notably allows you to record Samples, edit them, split them into slices, and map them across notes and velocities on your keyboard. For more information, refer to Editing a Sample.

Scene

A Scene is a combination of Patterns for each Group. They can be used to combine Patterns to create musical ideas. Scenes are created in the Ideas view and then added to Sections in the Song view to create an arrangement. To learn more, refer to Using Scene Mode.

Section

Sections are references to specific Scenes on the Timeline of the Song view and are used to arrange the Scenes into a larger musical structure. The benefit of using Sections is that any changes made to a Scene are replicated in each Section when the Scene is referenced, making the process of changing parts of a song quick and easy. For more information, refer to Creating Sections.

Send Effect

A send effect is an effect available for audio signals located on other Sounds and Groups. Audio signals can be routed to a send effect for them to be processed. Send effects notably allow you to reuse the same effect on different Sounds and Groups, limiting the overall CPU load. For more information, refer to Creating a Send Effect.

Sequencer

Generally, speaking, a sequencer is a hardware unit or software tool that arranges musical sequences, for example, drum patterns or chord progressions. Hardware sequencers typically function as a set of steps, where every step can be filled with musical content. The steps are then played back as a musical sequence. Maschine+ has its own sequencing abilities: you can record and play single Patterns and arrange Patterns into Scenes and Sections to create complete songs.

Solo

See Mute and Solo.

Song view

Song view enables you to combine Sections (references to Scenes) and arrange them into a song in the Arranger. For more information, refer to Using Song View.

Sound

Sounds are the building blocks of all sound content in Maschine+. They are organized into Groups that can hold up to 16 Sounds each. Sounds can be played directly from the pads. In addition, a Sound can be loaded with Plug-ins of various types (sound source or effect).

Step

Steps are elementary units of time that represent the musical grid. They are notably used to apply quantization or to compose Patterns in Step mode. All steps together make up the Step Grid. In the Pattern Editor, steps are visualized by vertical lines. You can adjust the step size, for example, to apply different quantization to different events or to divide the Step Grid into smaller units to edit your Pattern more precisely.

Step Grid

The Step Grid is a set of parallel lines that divide the Pattern into steps. By changing the resolution of the Step Grid (for instance, the step size), you can adjust the note values and the number of steps available in Step mode. For more information, refer to Setting the Step Grid.

Step Mode

In Step mode, Maschine+ can be used as a traditional step sequencer, where each of the 16 pads represents a step in the Step Grid. Just as on classical drum machines, a light representing the sequence runs from pad 1 up to pad 16, highlighting each step during playback. By pressing pads, you place events at chosen steps in the sequence. By repeating the process Sound by Sound, you can build up a whole Pattern. For more information, refer to Sequencing Beats with Step Mode.

Swing

The Swing parameter enables you to shift some of the events in your Pattern to create a shuffle effect. For more information, refer to Adding Swing.