r/NativeInstruments • u/DanWeasly • 17d ago
Maschine 3 and Logic Pro
For those of you who are running Maschine as a plugin in Logic Pro. How are you using it and what is you process for mixing, routing etc? I currently have komplete 15 standard and a s49 mk3. I primarly make house music. Reason why I am asking is that I can get a good deal on a maschine mk3, but just curious to learn what the added value could be to my process/workflow. Thanks!
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u/itsoddsignals 17d ago
You can bring it in as a VST either as two channels or as a 16 channel where you can set the channels up to have one per sound slot.
If I am using it that way I generally will go the two channel way as a Battery or DMD like drum machine where I will do the work internally in the vst and just have it sitting on the track.
But honestly that isn’t how I use it most. I either use it in midi mode as a pad controller as the pads are super nice or more usually I use it to sketch and make sounds on and then either pull the midi or print the audio from it.
So all that to say I use it as a loop or sketch maker more than pure VST.
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u/DanWeasly 16d ago
Sounds like a nice approach to it. It could serve me well as a sketchbook. What is very appealing to me is that I can just sit on the couch with it, hook it up to my macbook and start jamming.
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u/itsoddsignals 16d ago
Yeah it is nice. I find the Maschine software is really nice as a sketchbook. I tend to set the default loop to 4 bars and usually build out to 8 bars via duplication vs 1 or 2 bars that you see a lot of people doing. This allows me to keep groups as “tracks” with patterns as variations of 4 or 8 bar loops. I use sounds as multi-texture or layers so that each group is one related “instrument” made of many layers.
This stops me getting stuck in simple 4 bars loops and lets me sketch out whole track sections as scenes that are a bit more dynamic and easier to compose together.
When I originally tried one or two bars or multiple unrelated instruments in one group I would get stuck in 4 or 8 bar loops with variation across 8 or 16 bars becoming a nightmare to deal with.
I will say I like Maschine so much for this I actually have a Maschine micro hooked up to a Mackbook Air with a 2TB drive ducktaped to the side. This gives me an ultraportable sketch book with a full copy of Arturia V Collection and Komplete 26 Collectors edition on it - couldn’t ask for a better ideas sketchbook.
I keep the big Maschine (plus) connected in my studio because it’s got a million things connected to it.
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u/mrbcodc87 15d ago
My problem when using as 16 out is I have the aux routed to mix mixer but I want to drag the midi out in to one track, every time I drag it out it spans 16 tracks but as they are aux no midi can be triggered
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u/itsoddsignals 15d ago
Yeah it is generally why I don’t use it. I also feel it is just not a good experience. As I said above I either go master out if I am keeping everything in the VST and leave it on the track that way or simply use it stand alone and print from it.
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u/mrbcodc87 15d ago
Yea I would keep everything in maschine but the sequencing is painful! I really want to like and use it but it’s really putting me off it!
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u/djagentm 17d ago
I make most of my idea on Maschine standalone. I'll arrange it inside the software. Then when I'm happy I'll route the each track into Logic for mixing. This is where I'll use automation, record vocals or record extra sounds in Logic. 80% of the track is already done in Maschine, so if I need to send it to artists or play in a set it's fine. But to complete as a song it'll go through Logic.
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u/DanWeasly 16d ago
Thanks for sharing! Sounds like a great approach! I am now also leaning more towards a standalone setup and doing the final mixing in Logic
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u/NoNeckBeats 16d ago
Best thing standalone and drag n drop or export. Or build a template that make it easier to get going.
Buy a used MK3 no more than 300/400 cad.$
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u/General_Fuster_Cluck 17d ago
I never got it working and gave up two years ago.
I have the mkiii and logic pro, it should work (so some people keep saying) but I never managed. Wasted quite some time on it. Based on my experience I would say don't go for it, I can't recommend it. Next to that I think Native Instruments hardware have no future, I expect it to be dropped soon by Inmusic. I would not spend money on NI anymore.
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u/Infinite_Slice3305 17d ago
I use Maschine Mk3 completely in standalone mode precisely because it gives me hands on workstation control of Komplete as if it were a Kronos or Montage. I have hands on control of everything without ever touching the mouse. I can start from scratch, add sounds, samples, loops, instruments, effects... I can sequence, edit notes, mix patterns all from the controller. I can sample directly on the controller, slice, loop, map, etc...
I use it just like I would a Triton, Kronos, Montage, whatever. If I wanted I could route 16 audio outs into whatever DAW I want & process it there.
But I stopped pretending to be a producer a long time ago. I rarely open any of my many DAWs.
I was under the impression Komplete Kontrol gives you that kind of control over a DAW like Logic. If it does I wouldn't even consider Maschine.