APC-40 Versus Maschine says a lot about these two companies

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:35 pm

that was Sparklepuff's point exactly. what are you talking about?

sparklepuff · Post by **sparklepuff** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:38 pm

Tone Deft wrote:that was Sparklepuff's point exactly. what are you talking about?

Yeah, but I'm a dick.

Homebelly · Post by **Homebelly** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:49 pm

chris ott wrote:
Tone Deft wrote:
chris ott wrote:
nice way to dodge the topic. just answer the question.
You have eyes.

I wanted to extrapolate some of the ideas regarding the trends, products and branding both companies have developed. Maschine and APC 40 presented a unique lens through which to examine these differences. The industry is at a critical point and I wanted to flush out some thoughts about what clues Maschine and the APC 40 might give us as to the future of these two important companies and perhaps the industry as a whole.

While I mentioned that they are different products I still think that they both deserve some contemplation as would two software releases.

Both products are hardware controllers being released at a pivotal time. Furthermore both companies specialize in software not hardware. To add weight, there have already several posts on this forum which compare the two on a feature by feature basis. I thought this wasn't possible because they're are a bit different but they could be examined in a more general sense.

Parallels can be drawn although I am sorry that I was mistaken as to the APC chassis but I will not apologize a fourth time. I also removed that statement from my original post.

I'm sorry,,,
That was rude of me...

Nope, can't help my self...

This is one of the silliest threads i think i have ever seen out side of KvR.
Its awesome...
I, for one, will be trying to take it to at least 10 pages.
How long before some one brings up Hitler and the Holocaust?

sparklepuff · Post by **sparklepuff** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:53 pm

as soon as this thing hits 50 replies I'm throwing up a 1600x1200 Goatse JPG.

six_o_clock_crow · Post by **six_o_clock_crow** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:54 pm

chris ott wrote:I wanted to extrapolate some of the ideas regarding the trends, products and branding both companies have developed. Maschine and APC 40 presented a unique lens through which to examine these differences. The industry is at a critical point and I wanted to flush out some thoughts about what clues Maschine and the APC 40 might give us as to the future of these two important companies and perhaps the industry as a whole.

While I mentioned that they are different products I still think that they both deserve some contemplation as would two software releases.

Both products are hardware controllers being released at a pivotal time. Furthermore both companies specialize in software not hardware. To add weight, there have already several posts on this forum which compare the two on a feature by feature basis. I thought this wasn't possible because they're are a bit different but they could be examined in a more general sense.

Parallels can be drawn although I am sorry that I was mistaken as to the APC chassis but I will not apologize a fourth time. I also removed that statement from my original post.

Chris, personally speaking, I think the premise of your original post is flawed. You see an interesting parallel between the APC40 and Maschine. I personally just don't get the comparison, and haven't understood similar threads comparing them directly.

Hypothosising on potential features/uses of each product seperately, I can understand. Comparing them, I don't get, because neither mirrors the function of the other.

Maschine vs. an MPC: I can see why you'd compare.
Maschine vs. an MPD & sequencer: I can see a comparison.
APC40 vs. a UC33 & Monome: yep, I can see a comparison

Mixing/live performance control surface (APC40)
vs.
Hardware/software drum machine hybrid (Maschine)

I get that they are both hardware controllers made by software companies, and were announced at the same time. But they serve completely different purposes and will be sold at a different price point.

Like I say, I think the premise of your comparison is flawed.

To be honest, Chris, I suspect the reason you are getting a hard time is that - like me - some people have read your original post as comparing Ableton and NI, and taken some of your statements as Ableton-bashing.

For example, the comparison you make between FM8 and Operator. While you have tried to say something good about Operator, the way the full comment reads (to my eyes at least) is that you feel FM8 is far superior simply because it's more complex. The statement you make seems patronising to me, and is flawed in my view because plenty of users find it more productive to use a less complex synth.

There are other comments in your original, and subsequent posts, that also come across as bigging up NI and having a go at Ableton. You may not have meant this, but that's how it reads to me.

Incidentally, I think a comparison between NI and Ableton as companies is as flawed as the Maschine/APC one, until NI release a sequencer.

hoffman2k · Post by **hoffman2k** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:30 pm

sparklepuff wrote:as soon as this thing hits 50 replies I'm throwing up a 1600x1200 Goatse JPG.

sparklepuff · Post by **sparklepuff** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:35 pm

hoffman2k wrote:
sparklepuff wrote:as soon as this thing hits 50 replies I'm throwing up a 1600x1200 Goatse JPG.

You nasty pervert

glitchrock-buddha · Post by **glitchrock-buddha** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:18 pm

chris ott wrote:
Tone Deft wrote:
chris ott wrote:
nice way to dodge the topic. just answer the question.
You have eyes.

I wanted to extrapolate some of the ideas regarding the trends, products and branding both companies have developed. Maschine and APC 40 presented a unique lens through which to examine these differences. The industry is at a critical point and I wanted to flush out some thoughts about what clues Maschine and the APC 40 might give us as to the future of these two important companies and perhaps the industry as a whole.

While I mentioned that they are different products I still think that they both deserve some contemplation as would two software releases.

Both products are hardware controllers being released at a pivotal time. Furthermore both companies specialize in software not hardware. To add weight, there have already several posts on this forum which compare the two on a feature by feature basis. I thought this wasn't possible because they're are a bit different but they could be examined in a more general sense.

Parallels can be drawn although I am sorry that I was mistaken as to the APC chassis but I will not apologize a fourth time. I also removed that statement from my original post.

Ohh..... so you're saying PCs are better than macs?!!

How dare you...

djsynchro · Post by **djsynchro** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:45 pm

Sorry I got in late...

Is this comparing the materials of the housing of controllers?
Is the new NI made of metal?
Do they use real paper for their manuals?
Does APC stand for "all plastic controller"?

Chang · Post by **Chang** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:52 pm

So APC all cheap plastic junk? Not metal after all?

nuxnamon · Post by **nuxnamon** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:58 pm

on a lighter note:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090210/ap_ ... kfc_secret

LoopStationZebra · Post by **LoopStationZebra** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 1:10 am

Even lighter...

The origins of Muppets...

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflif ... index.html

Geezus · Post by **Geezus** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:27 am

sparklepuff wrote:as soon as this thing hits 50 replies I'm throwing up a 1600x1200 Goatse JPG.

DO IT ANYWAY

Geezus · Post by **Geezus** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:38 am

LoopStationZebra wrote:Even lighter...

The origins of Muppets...

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflif ... index.html

pffft you wanna see some shit?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftqdwlw_9kU

^^^
The original muppet show pitch, i.e. the greatest pitch ever to be produced by any television show. evar

dredd i knight · Post by **dredd i knight** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:49 am

this thread got out of hand real quick!

@OP i can see what you're saying, and here's my take on it.

Maschine looks like its trying to muscle in on the groove box/ mpc idea, with added midi/controller action in a sequencer of your choice. i've got battery 3 and like the library, have guru and love its sequencing and have a padknotrol so can tap out basic rhythms.... this means i can use all 3 in a combo fashion which i think maschine could replicate out the box. this makes my mouth water, but my wallet is dry.

the apc40 is more geared at total intergration into live, triggering the scenes, and automating effects. it can be used with other sequencers, but the set and look echo live strongly, i cant really see it helping me much with my other sequencer (sonar

. it does make my mouth water too, and depending on price, might try and get it in a year or so.

both of the above are good when looked at, but since i havent played on or read reviews yet, i cant say if that will translate when you get stuck in. i reckon the NI box is trying to get a slice of the mpc/ mpd/ padkontrol markets, and as such comes across as a bit false, or maybe oppurtunistic (thats business).

the apc is kinda like a monome for live, and with max for live i can see it really making a difference to somones work/ effects/ live set up/ sequencing etc. so for me its more focussed. at first when i saw it i thought that it was stupid that they hadnt included velocity mpc type pads on it, especially coming from akai, but now i can see why they decided to take a different path; most people have or can get a 16 pad type device easily, and cheaply, wheras that scene triggering is something many have been looking for (well me anyway

)

if i didnt have battery 3, guru and a padkontrol, maschine might seem like a good option for me, but as it is the apc is a cleaner, more focussed, and fills a gap in my setup. i see maschine as a beat making, sampler, and apc as a song making control surface.

my 2 pence, i mean sense.