What's Your Workflow using Maschine and Ableton

[nomadjames]

I have a re sampling channel set up to record audio from Maschjne. I drag and drop out beats and record fills and stuff. It's really good for sound design.

[Mikhailmusic]

Group preset in Ableton? Unfortunately, when dealing with Maschine routed as midi into Ableton, I have zero patience with that workflow and can't really guide you on that workflow. It's way too lengthy and complicated for me. However, routing Maschine sounds individually as audio tracks into Ableton is what I can help you with. You set up the routing in Maschine's output section on each sound. Then, open 15 audio tracks in Ableton, assuming the first track is already routed on the vst track itself. Save the Maschine Project as Maschine to Ableton track out or whatever you want to call it. Group the tracks in Ableton. Save the Ableton Project as the same name you give the Maschine Project. Then, whenever you open that Ableton project. Your settings are in place for you to work. No re-routing necessary. It's a one time set up.

If you're not willing to try the above workflow. I would recommend you check out Saint Joe's tutorials on how to route Maschine into Ableton using midi channels on YouTube. He has a few of them on there via the Maschine Tutorials channel.

Since the OP, I've just resorted to draw and drop audio from Maschine into Logic. I'm gonna try this out though. With all the new recent updates from Maschine and Push 2, gonna wipe the dust from my push and get it going again (thank god for fixed chops in push 2)

[dj secret]

I personally just use maschine for its step sequencer qualities in session view of Ableton. I start jamming and if I hear something I like, I'll arm a separate audio track and record the loop or piece of music . Maschine has a lot of great kits and when you mix them along with material your creating in Ableton, you get some great sounds. Record your maschine loop, eq to taste, and arrange it.. I like keeping it simple.

[Mikhailmusic]

I don't save the Maschine Template with a sound kit. I saved the template with no sounds, but track out routings so you can load kits accordingly and the settings have never been reset that way. Maybe that's a part of the issue you're experiencing. Also, what version of Maschine are you working on? Nothing should be reset when you save as and load sounds or kits accordingly.

Hey man just tried your setup. Thing is when I route everything properly, once I load a kit in Maschine, each sound that was properly routed for ableton defaults. Even when I save the maschine kit and the ableton template itself. Your method only works when I individually load samples into each sound. Once I start loading kits, the outputs of maschine default and its not longer routed to each ableton track.


Sigh, back to the drag and drop...

[alpertt]

I don't save the Maschine Template with a sound kit. I saved the template with no sounds, but track out routings so you can load kits accordingly and the settings have never been reset that way.

Are you sure you use maschine 2.x?
What you say may be true with the 1.x versions but absolutely wrong with maschine 2.

Maschine resets audio and midi in-out settings every time you load a kit.
Sad but true.

[cfr]

I only use groups in maschine, so if I have an instrument on the first sound of a group then I consider that group used. I just route the groups audio to a track in ableton so I can add fx chains there. Eventually I get annoyed at everything and recreate everything in ableton or drag the audio over. Push 2 has taken over whatever I liked about maschine and after the next update 9.7 I will finish moving all my maschine tracks over and probably box the thing up! But really the groups thing kept things simple it's annoying to lose where sounds are coming from diving into groups looking for vsts on pads. In ableton I just make a maschine group of tracks. If maschine ever defaults to the stereo output its immediately apparent because the signal shows up on the main vst track rather than the corresponding group track

[dj secret]

Sounds like we're doing basically the same thing. really just enjoy jamming between Ableton and Maschine. Have some clips loaded with a bunch of different what ever in session view and have a bunch of kits loaded up on Maschine. Muting and adjusting stuff on the fly. I have an APC 40 also, so just firing off clips with what is just great to me. Of course I always have an audio track armed if I like a hard lead I have going. Push 2 is bad ass huh? I wish I could afford it. I have live 8 suite still, but integrating maschines library with the XFER sample cd, I get rocking man...plus a little phatty:)

[Mikhailmusic]

Sounds like we're doing basically the same thing. really just enjoy jamming between Ableton and Maschine. Have some clips loaded with a bunch of different what ever in session view and have a bunch of kits loaded up on Maschine. Muting and adjusting stuff on the fly. I have an APC 40 also, so just firing off clips with what is just great to me. Of course I always have an audio track armed if I like a hard lead I have going. Push 2 is bad ass huh? I wish I could afford it. I have live 8 suite still, but integrating maschines library with the XFER sample cd, I get rocking man...plus a little phatty:)

Push 2 is badass. I come from using Push 1 and Maschine Studio. When Push 2 first came out, I still used Maschine to chop up samples because it was easier. Now with all the Push 2 updates (Region/beat chops), it can almost do everything Maschine can do. Some things are still harder to do in Push 2 where Maschine still has its advantages but overall I've been leaning towards the Push 2 as of lately. Don't get me wrong, I still love Maschine for its amazing workflow with sampling but arranging your track in Maschine is straight ass. Maschine integration with other DAWs just flat out suck.

[Willyum]

Now that we have 16 'Levels' in Drum Racks layouts, If they give us 16 Semitones (Keyboard Mode) (or even better if they do it with scales) it will be 'Game Over'! Vote for it.

[mkell424]

I was thinking about picking up Maschine, but after reading this thread I changed my mind.

[Willyum]

I was thinking about picking up Maschine, but after reading this thread I changed my mind.

Hmmm... I love live, most of the people here prefer Live... it's the live forum. Maschine is incredible for getting down ideas quickly, and honestly... a lot of people that record at my place prefer to use my maschine all day over my Push. The pads feel nicer and are more forgiving and Live still can't compete with Keyboard mode on any pad as well as maschine sound library and extensions in my opinion. However maschine is not even in the same room when compared to Lives sound manipulation. But a lot of people don't want that... most guitar players are not interested in building their own guitar, just want to play and record good guitar tracks. Maschines simplicity and quality sounds to begin with, often gets me making better music quicker instead of being a knob/button jockey all day. Maschine is one of the top dogs for a good reason. Don't dismiss your interest in it just yet. Find someone who will teach you some things about Maschine, then let you sit and tinker on your own before you dismiss it because of us ableton lovers.

[dj secret]

I have to agree with this gentleman. Maschine gas a simple, yet effective work flow capability. You can get down to business quick. Abletons elastic audio capabilities however, are out of this world. Plus the 2 different views offer different work flow abilities, especially session for jamming and arrangement for finalizing. You can't loose with maschine though. I wish I knew more about my maschine actually, but I enjoy it every time I use it. The 2 together, great for a live set;

[mkell424]

Some good points about Maschine's workflow and usability. The main thing that bothers me is what people said about the diffulty transferring audio from Maschine to Live.

I already have Push 2. Still it's always good to have more than one way to skin a cat.

[benbts]

If only there was a ROUTING LOCK - it´s funny, reading all your comments, I realize that I have tried every option out there. The only fix would be to be able to lock it.

What I do now is finish a song in Maschine standalone by duplicating scenes and editing patterns, once I´m done I go to Live to mix it down. Pretty annoying, but I love Maschine´s workflow and I love how easy Live is to use

Seriously, if anyone figures it out or if there´s an update or whatever, please let all of us know.

[alpertt]

Some good points about Maschine's workflow and usability. The main thing that bothers me is what people said about the diffulty transferring audio from Maschine to Live.

I already have Push 2. Still it's always good to have more than one way to skin a cat.

Actually there is no difficulty transferring audio from Maschine to Live.
You just drag and drop.
Difficulty lies elswhere: When you want to record midi directly into Ableton and use its sequencer. That needs unnecessarily complex midi routings and it breaks when you change a kit.

My workflow is: i use them side by side standalone and sync.
Master is sometimes Ableton sometimes Maschine, depending what i do.
In the end everything goes into Ableton of course.