MASCHINE MIKRO!!!!!!

[Damon_Chambers]

to me this is a lot like the virus ti snow. they took away a lot of the functionality. for studio use i personally want a knob / button for everything i can get. i dont like digging through menus.

im perfectly happy with my maschine, but the mikro may be good for some for the pricepoint and some may love it.

[23kon]

One of the things that puts me off Maschine is that it's a controller with pads that light up.
You either have to remember what these pads are in your head - which could get a lot to know if you have a lot of tunes - or you have to check the screen to see what everything is.

You're not realizing that Maschine has two LCD displays directly on the hardware itself that does show you what everything is. People aren't making it up when they say that you really can use it like it was self-contained hardware without looking at the computer screen or touching the mouse/trackpad.

Yeah but its on a pissy little LCD.
Sorry, i've never been one for piss LCDs on hardware - they frustrate me. I'd rather see something visual in front of me. That's why I love Touch-Able, it's both a representation of what is in Ableton as well as being a controller.

Later in my post I suggest that NI make a iPad controller version of the Maschine rather than the imaschine sketchpad. This would allow labels ON the buttons. Imagine how much easier that would be than checking out your LCD?

[humnumb]

Later in my post I suggest that NI make a iPad controller version of the Maschine rather than the imaschine sketchpad. This would allow labels ON the buttons. Imagine how much easier that would be than checking out your LCD?

There are already many controller apps like TouchOSC that lets you make your own custom touchscreen controllers.

Maschine's LCD displays are decently sized and very easy to read. The immediate visual feedback you get on those displays is what allows for Maschine to be used without looking at the computer screen or touching the mouse.

[icedsushi]

Later in my post I suggest that NI make a iPad controller version of the Maschine rather than the imaschine sketchpad. This would allow labels ON the buttons. Imagine how much easier that would be than checking out your LCD?

But with a touchscreen you're missing out on the tactile feel. And the "pads" on a touchscreen cannot be velocity sensitive. Except the pseudo velocity sensitive way of making the velocity higher as you touch more to the center of the "pad". Then there's the slight latency I've noticed with some of these kind of apps, like beatmaker for example. It just doesn't seem as accurate to me as hitting a real pad. It seems like there's a little more sludge in the timing when hitting virtual touchscreen pads.

Sure an iPad version might be nice for those who have an iPad, but there would be some definite compromises compared to a real hardware version with pads just like there will be with iMaschine. I like the idea of having a tiny display between each of the pads on the actual hardware better than there being an iPad version of Maschine. Hitting virtual "pads" on a touchscreen is cool now & then, but the uses are limited and it's no replacement for real pads.

[supamonsta]

you loose:

-1 additionnal hardware MIDI port to your setup
- 8 excellent pots directly linked to whateva inside maschine
- 2 clear and functionnal LCD displays, with function buttons above for fast navigation

= you loose all the live tweaking power of the beast...

you win:

nothing.

IMO

[delicioso]

Later in my post I suggest that NI make a iPad controller version of the Maschine rather than the imaschine sketchpad. This would allow labels ON the buttons. Imagine how much easier that would be than checking out your LCD?

But with a touchscreen you're missing out on the tactile feel. And the "pads" on a touchscreen cannot be velocity sensitive. Except the pseudo velocity sensitive way of making the velocity higher as you touch more to the center of the "pad".

Actually GarageBand for iPad is not like that and has a pretty decent velocity response. But yeah, nowhere near the super sensitive and tactile pads on Maschine. And it's so useful to have all the names of device and parameter values directly on the LCD displays right next to each knob and button. So while touchscreens can't replace the Maschine controller for everyone, I can imagine Maschine software running on the iPad eventually with the ability to use the Maschine controller with it.

[delicioso]

Hey supa, how'd you get on with the MPC2500?

[The Carpet Cleaner]

you loose:

-1 additionnal hardware MIDI port to your setup
- 8 excellent pots directly linked to whateva inside maschine
- 2 clear and functionnal LCD displays, with function buttons above for fast navigation

= you loose all the live tweaking power of the beast...

you win:

nothing.

IMO

Haha well said

[starving student]

Later in my post I suggest that NI make a iPad controller version of the Maschine rather than the imaschine sketchpad. This would allow labels ON the buttons. Imagine how much easier that would be than checking out your LCD?

But with a touchscreen you're missing out on the tactile feel. And the "pads" on a touchscreen cannot be velocity sensitive. Except the pseudo velocity sensitive way of making the velocity higher as you touch more to the center of the "pad".

Actually GarageBand for iPad is not like that and has a pretty decent velocity response. But yeah, nowhere near the super sensitive and tactile pads on Maschine. And it's so useful to have all the names of device and parameter values directly on the LCD displays right next to each knob and button. So while touchscreens can't replace the Maschine controller for everyone, I can imagine Maschine software running on the iPad eventually with the ability to use the Maschine controller with it.

you know they've gotta be headed this way, now that would make me cough up the scratch for an ipad

[projoosa]

So Ive been seriously toying up between a big fat Maschine and the Mikro - suprised to see such a hands down to the Mikro. I thought the price difference was a win and more portable factor would be cool but pretty concerned that the lack of knobs would mean you could twiddle less stuff. There seems to be 0 hands on review yet to indicate how badly the lack of knobs etc affects the experience.

How portable is the full-fat maschine ? Looks pretty chunky ? Hmm maybe I should just go full size....

[djadonis206]

The big one is portable. I haul mine from my studio to my couch most nights.

With that said, I'm probably going to get a Mikro so I can leave my big one in one place, all the time.

[projoosa]

The big one is portable. I haul mine from my studio to my couch most nights.

Hmm that wasn't quite the kind of portability I was thinking off could you stick it in a backpack with a laptop ?

[djadonis206]

The big one is portable. I haul mine from my studio to my couch most nights.

Hmm that wasn't quite the kind of portability I was thinking off could you stick it in a backpack with a laptop ?

I'm sure you could. NI has a nice carrying bag for the Maschine

http://www.native-instruments.com/#/en/ ... chine-bag/

[23kon]

The big one is portable. I haul mine from my studio to my couch most nights.

Hmm that wasn't quite the kind of portability I was thinking off could you stick it in a backpack with a laptop ?

I'm sure you could. NI has a nice carrying bag for the Maschine

http://www.native-instruments.com/#/en/ ... chine-bag/

Hrm, i'm not sure I need that bag or not.
However, maybe if they had some marketing adverts on YouTube with famous musicians and DJs telling me how good the bag is and showing me what it can REALLY do then I might be tempted.

[djadonis206]

Hrm, i'm not sure I need that bag or not.
However, maybe if they had some marketing adverts on YouTube with famous musicians and DJs telling me how good the bag is and showing me what it can REALLY do then I might be tempted.

I'd like to recommend a new business strategy for for-profit firms.

Tell your customers everything your product WILL NOT do