Maschine users have been anxiously awaiting their next update for a number of months, and finally today version 2.3 is just hitting the NI Service Center downloads. In addition to a number of major usability updates (full changelist below), the new version of Maschine includes access to Komplete Select, which is a selection of some of the best instruments from the Komplete library, including Massive, Monark, Reaktor Prism, and more.
Native Instruments has also added a few new effects and sounds to Maschine’s own collection, including the addition of new drum synth engines and new reverb modes.
The update to the Maschine software is available now in the Service Center – but for access to Komplete Select, registered users will have to wait for an email with access details in the next few days, according to a post on the NI forums.
USABILITY IMPROVEMENTS:
- Empty Sounds are exported as MIDI when exporting Group Patterns. (ie. Sound one is always on MIDI channel one, sound two is always on MIDI channel two, sound three is always on MIDI channel three and so on, even if the group contains sounds with no MIDI.)
- Komplete Kontrol Keyboards can now be connected to a Maschine instance using a toolbar icon.
- MIDI input options have changed. “None” now actually means none (ie. no MIDI input even if the sound is in focus), and a new “Focus” entry has been added which allows MIDI input only when the sound is focused.
- Scene changes can now be recorded in the DAW.
- It is now possible to navigate between plugin slots when in the browser by pressing SHIFT.
- A timer has been added to the page numbers on the Maschine classic HW, meaning that the page number no longer blocks the display of sections names.
- Macros and plugin parameters can now be cut and pasted between pages, as well as renamed.
- Plugin pages can now be cleared and deleted.
- Events can now be quantized from the software (using the right click context menu in the pattern area)
- Root note is automatically selected when slicing sounds to a new group (partial fix for a bug introduced in 2.2)
- NIS roundtrip (saving presets in KK will update Maschine and the standalone version of the plugins browser with the preset)
NEW INSTRUMENTS AND EFFECTS:
- A new “Analog” mode has been added to the distortion module (based on the Skreamer module in Guitar Rig). The old distortion is the “Mulholland” mode.
- A new Cabient Emulation effect has been added (based on control room from Guitar Rig)
- A new “Breaker” engine has been added to the snare drumsynth.
- A new “High” engine has been added to the Tom drumsynth.
- A new “Cymbal” drumsynth has been added, with two modes “Crash” and “Ride”.
- A new “Hybrid” engine has been added to the Hi-Hat module.
- The limiter has been updated. The old limiter is available as a “Legacy” mode.
- Two new reverb modes have been added “Hall” and “Room”. The plate reverb has been moved, so it is in the reverb module. The old reverb has been renamed as “Reverb (Legacy)”
SHARED CHANGES FROM KOMPLETE KONTROL 1.1
- PluginHost refactoring
- Arp Hold added
- Scale Key Mode “Guide”
- Master/Sound Volume Control added
- Octave Display added
- Touchstrip Modes “Tempo”, “Spring” and “Stepped”
- Touchstrip Controller Page added
- Kontakt Key Switch String Display
- Foldable Tag Clouds functionality added
- Common Abbreviations Update
MASCHINE 2.3 also includes KOMPLETE SELECT – a premium selection of instruments and effects (free for all registered MASCHINE 2 software users):
- MASSIVE – definitive synth for basses and lead
- MONARK – iconic monophonic syntheisizer
- THE GENTLEMAN– vintage upright piano
- DRUMLAB – acoustic and electronic drums
- REAKTOR PRISM – vibrant modal synth and effects
- SCARBEE MARK I – classic electric piano
- RETRO MACHINES – vintage analog synth and keyboards
- VINTAGE ORGANS – five drawbar legends reborn
- WEST AFRICA – polyrhythmic percussion and melodies
- SOLID BUS COMP – versatile compressor effect
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Still no colors change from the hardware, still VERY poor midi management and in/outs management, still a disapointing DAW for any serious musician. But we have a D2 now, yeah NI you,re on the right way to the fail.
I really don’t think it’s meant to be a DAW on it’s own, but rather a companion to whichever DAW you prefer.
I don’t know why i would overload my CPY with Maschine inside a DAW since 1 – every DAW is capable of doing what Maschine do and 2 – Interactions between Maschine and hosts is very limited unless you load multiple instances of the plugin (lol…)
My CPU handles maschine and anything else I want fine. i7 2600k.
Why would you want more than one instance of maschine, though?
Not everybody has a 2k laptop and I strongly believe that progress in electronic music performance is more about optimization than gear war. Ofc if you,re more into studio creation it’s another thing.
You would like more than one instance to get more than 16 outs.
I see your point in regards to 16 out.
My i7 is in a desktop computer that cost me (quite a bite) less than £1k – if you don’t mind loosing portability desktop is the way to go. It’s also Windows, which can be a sticker for some. But thats another topic.
that’s ridiculous what you said…. c’mon!! do some research…
Run it insisde a DAW just to reduce the CPU usage!
last week i had about 15 open tracks inside a DAW that where Maschine only! Even more if i didn’t record audio loops from the others. My laptop is rather “average” with 6gb of RAM and cost about 700 bucks. 2k is ridiculous…
I use it as my core base DAW and am not alone.
If ONLY it was Vista compatible so i can use it on my desktop next to my laptop! tits
wasn’t Komplete Selection always included? – I got it with my MK2 – have it twice now.
EDIT: nvm – Selection was included, but this is Select which has more VSTs on board.
Lol! I had the same confusion in regards os Select vs Selection. NI have a lot of issues naming stuff.
SSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTOOOOOOOOOOOOOKKKKKKKEEEEEEEEEEEDDDDDDDD
I bought monark too soon
does maschine still not allow you to create automation that spans across patterns? I stopped using it when I realized I just couldn’t find a decent workaround, and wondering if any recent updates have addressed this…
good point, with maschine software build up, all settings will be stored in the pattern. I understand why it is so, and I don’t like it at all too. need to duplicate the pattern and use duplicates in the new scenes as far as my logic goes, extra work.
damn was really hoping they had addressed this. just adding a single “Global Automation” track would be enough. duplicating patterns to tweak a single parameter is just nuts, especially if you decide you want to change that pattern later… maschine is GREAT for noodling and beat making but until they add a real timeline for automations it will never be a standalone DAW, which is a shame because it would be a damn good one!
Hmmm…. I never knew NI claimed Maschine as a DAW! Maschine is a LOOP based sequencer compared to DAW’s, which are linear. What are you looking to automate on a global basis. There is a way to automate FX and volume on a global level by routing all audio to a group (making it a Multi-fx group patch) it’s not straight forward track automation like a DAW, but it can be done.
You would create a dummy pattern (no notes) in the FX audio group you created and make the patterns the length needed, then automate the controls of the FX you inserted as desired. You can then create various automation patterns of differing lengths to insert into scenes.This is actually a lot more powerful way of implementing automation, because you simply insert the patterns where needed.
Don’t get me wrong I didn’t mean to imply that its not something its not supposed to be, but rather that if they ever fixed this one flaw it would finally be more of a full featured DAW instead of a beat maker. I’ll keep waiting and hoping 🙂
You can duplicate Pattern Automations. That does the trick.
Just duplicate the Automations and start writing.
It really is intuitive and fast.
Good luck.