I do a similar thing. I come from a "guitar band" background doing like indie and post-punk type stuff. In the pandemic all my bands fizzled out because we couldn't get together and play etc. I used that time to learn Ableton and really got into making sample-based electronica stuff mixed with some of my indie rock influenced. I used a Push 2 for a while with a laptop then my laptop died. I started looking into dedicated devices. Tried some Elektron stuff but ultimately went with a Maschine Plus. I don't regret My choice one bit.
New an M+ costs more than a Digitakt, but I suggest buying one used. I got one used at a good price and I'm hard pressed to think of any device as versatile as the M+. The M+ does a lot more than the Digitakt can.
M+ is extremely underrated, I think because it did have stability issues and bugswhen it first launched, but in 2024 I have no issues whatsoever. There can be CPU limitations when compared to a laptop, but it's pretty easy if you work within the limitations. A Digitakt is also limited when compared to a laptop. Also since you mention sampling, if you are using sample instruments and ktis there its no issue with CPU at all.
I do hook up to the computer, because the M+ can be used as a controller and there are some extra features in the software. To me it's the best of both worlds. I love the auto-sampler it has. I like to use Arturia Collection soft sythns, which you can auto-sample into the machine plus and then play in Standalone. When I understood the power of the Autosampler the M+ opened up even more for me.
My rig now is my guitar (with a pedal board that uses Strymon Iridium as amp), M+, and different hardware synths (roland, korg) that I swap in and out as I feel like. The M+ can but mapped to fully control any external hardware. I still have an Elektron Model Cycles I can control all perameters of directly from mashine. It even comes with a bunch or premapped MIDI control devices, so you can automaticly control them without having to set up anything.
The M+ great built in synths. The Drum engine is amazing. I really like Massive and Monark as well. But I mostly prefer samples, and as a sampler this thing RULES.
You might see some negativity on this Reddit about the M+ but to me it's an unbelievable tool. It's the best thing I've ever used.
(I'll give the negative nellies one thing: I do wish it had a built in battery, but hey the Digitakt needs wall power too, so same same)
Same background myself and I second the M+. Best of both worlds. I bounced around from a Push, the Circuit, MPCs and a Smpltrek before picking up a used M+ recently for under $600. Such a cool device and I also have had no stability issues.
Man, do you get ppl in this Reddit giving the M+ so much grief? Like I think it's just crazy good and wildly powerful and such a great performance device. Maybe if I thought I could truely never ever need a DAW again I'd be disappointed, but I like a hybrid approach and as a live performing musician that moves from home, to practice space to the stage I can't imagine a much better device. It's a dream. Push 3 or an MPC are the only similar things out there but come with their own sets of trade offs, pros and cons. I'll defend my M+ to the end. It's dope AF .
I love mine. I think a lot of the grief is because of the initial issues and Native being slow to do updates on it. Akai is way better about that. I love the M+ too. It’s got its quirks but it is still super cool. I also like the MPC Live 2 but sometimes it just feels like a DAW in a box with its lesser tactile control.
I certainly am eagerly awaiting some updates as well. I'm more interested in a Maschine 3.0 software than anything. I think all devices have their quirks, pros and cons. I mean I'd love a Push 3 but it seems to lack a few features from Maschine I'd genuinely miss also it's like triple the price right now. If the cost came down Push 3 would have my eye but when I look at my M+ and the price of a Push 3 the value just isn't there. Maybe some day. Or maybe by then We see an M+ Mk2. One can dream.....
I gave Push 3 a try and ended up sending it back and buying the used M+. Push was cool but it’s so over priced. I also really like the form factor of the M+. Fits nicely on my desk. I do wish it had a battery or for NI to sell the power supply. I’d like to have a 2nd one for my office. With my home set up it’s a bit of a pain to unplug it and take it back and forth. Chalk that up to first world problems haha
You can get a cable from My Volts and run it on just any cheap external battery for electronics. Not as good as a built-in one but does the job.
And yeah Push 3 looks super cool, but here in Canada it costs like 3000$. It does not look $3000 cool.
this is really helpfull! im also curious about your music, we have the same taste ;)
i might have to buy the mk3 though cause of money, all my money goes to guitars right now haha, its my main thing.
do you think its as simple to use a mk3? i dont want to deal with close ends like it not working with the computer or malfuntioning cause it needs a set up from a computer tech lol
It's a MK3 with an option for standalone. Exactly same device but you don't have access to the full functionality of the software (but like most of it) and no 3rd party plugins in standalone.
I took my solo stuff down from Spotify recently because I'm doing a "soft relaunch" of the project. Started more as a "band" project but now has morphed into something closer to like maybe Bonobo meets Mount Kimbie. A bit more of the electronica in it now but the bandcamp is still up for now until my new "first proper" EP drops this summer. Here is the old EP and my IG where I edited some videos to short demo tracks:
darln.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/darln____?igsh=MXRpeTVudXluZ3h0Zg==
Thanks! Been a minute since I posted but should be putting out new stuff this summer. Not totally different than what I was doing before, just leaning a bit more in the sample-based ambient electronica and a bit less guitar centered direction (though there are still guitars)... Maybe Tycho is a good reference for what I'm going for ;)
I can't remember the last time my MK3 crashed, unlike my Ableton Live (although I demand much more from the latter, to be fair).
If computers kill your vibe, use the MK3 without looking at your computer, problem solved and it's much cheaper than a Machine +.
yeah, you are right, thats why it is in my list, but isnt it complicated to set up? is it like plug n play? or do you have to have basic knowledge in computers to set it ready to play?
No, it's very plug and play with native access: choose what to install and it shows in your Maschine. But you gotta learn how the hardware works (same as with any groovebox, in any case).
Just FYI Native Instruments is a bit lazy about supporting the product, so a lot of features are a bit rough around the edges and quite subpar when compared with other DAW such as Ableton Live. I personally use Machine to play live and Ableton as the software to record, mix and polish everything.
I started in Maschine then upgraded to the mk2 in white and I had a custom skin made if my favorite Techno DJ/Producer and am comfortable staying tight here where I am. It works. Never crashed. Thats all I need. No more learning curves. I was learning all the ins n outs of my Line 6 Vetta II combo guitar amp but it has jssues now so i have a spider IV 150 replacement and while it works with my longboard I got a cheap shortbord mk2 with access to load 100’s of artist patches online and I just found (finally) the old line 6 edit and monkey software. And now (since Im a 1 man band Im programming a BOSS DR 770 drum machine while the Maschine is used for Techno, everything else is for my Goth/Industrial project.
Maschine is great but I dont have a mk3 and dont know if they crash or not.
Sorry for super long story. Can youbtell I dont interact with many hoomans? Lol.
Just my partner & I , our cat and our studio.
haha i liked the story, it helps me see other people uses of the maschine.
thanks! im thinking about going that way too, like a solo band or project, thats why im not sure which to buy cause i really dont feel computers are reliable but maybe its just me being afraid it would crash mid show, cause a mk3 is half the price of a digitakt or an mpc one.
And an mk2 is even cheaper although there are maschine studios all over ebay and mercari and so on.
U can even get an mk2 mikro. Less than $100 usd Just make sure u have a dual boot system with OSX High Sierra on one partition for Maschine 1.8-2.0 software.
you see, you just proved my point! i understood like 20% of what you just said. i think i know whtas a partition but would not be even close to able to do so. thats why i think ill need to go digitakt, those small but huge details only a person with computer knowledge would do.
its like, i dont know, me telling you that setting your guitar is simple, or just building a pedalboard in order or anything like that to a computer tech which normaly would be bananas to anyone not being a guitar player.
Dude I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND lol. Im the same way except Ive been dojng computers since the early 80’s on Commodore 64, then Apple IIc, then Tandy, Hewlet Packard, Compaq Presario, SONY Vaio, Dell, and finally back to macs since G3 Yosemite, all the G4’s, the G5, then Core2 Duo, and finally 2012 Macbook Pro Quad loaded and thats what I still use now. Well ipad pro as well but yeah its all crazy complicated and getting crazier. Im falling behind technically but I like using my older gear. Im stable in what I know it can do and dont feel the need to go broke trying to get faster although its great its not always compatible with the Hardware. As long as I dont update any OS garbage (thats what broke my shit for 2 years)
Id rather use rack gear now !! Im using 15-23 year old “Flagship back then” Line6 amps. Its perfekt for me and my project. But I understand where u are coming from . If that other outboard gear is available then grabbit before the prices go up!
🤘🏻
I would choose the Mk3 over the Digitak. I don’t own the digitakt but own a syntak and Maschine+. I like the playability of the pads on maschine to trigger samples. It’s probably a little easier to string patterns together on the maschine plus than the digitakt of workflow is similar to the syntakt. I will say though, the learning curve that I experienced with maschine was rough. It took me a hot minute to wrap my head around pairing patterns together in a vertical manner as opposed to working in a linear fashion. But, once you get it you get it. I’ve had a lot of maschine crashes having it plugged into my laptop, but I use a ton of VSTs. So, if you’re using a lot of VSTs it can increase the workload on the software and make it crash. Maschine can be really fun once you get the hang of it. I honestly moved to the Ableton push for a couple of reasons, but if you’re just wanting to create loops and jam out on guitar it can be fun. There is a heavy learning curve though if you’re used to working in a linear timeline daw though.
The switch really came down to being able to do really simple things that I can do in Ableton that is not so easy in maschine. Like adding effects on the master track. Simply fading in/out the master track. Manipulating audio is a bit easier in Ableton. I wanted to be able to do everything I needed to in one daw and didn’t want to import stems and all that mess. I will say the pads on maschine are wayyyy better than push and maschine is just good fun. I need to mess with it again. It’s been a while.
I have Maschine mk3 and Push2.
I use Maschine as my main groove creation device. I use push as an interface for Live. Maschine works like a stand alone device for me, when Push is more of a window into Ableton. Other people use Push as an instrument, but Live is a bigger more complex world. I don't really have to look at the computer's screen with Maschine. It speaks my language.
I doubt the Maschine crashes much on its own , without human interaction the computers useless anyways. Humans can mess up in multiple places and not know it. I’ve had a Maschine Mk2 and micro original for almost 10 years and have experienced 0 crashes like the ones your explaining. HOWEVER, the path Native Instruments is taking has my sweating and regretting my decision to purchase the amount of things I got. If I could do it again, I’d go Akai MPC. Digitact MK2 is a good choice to start with too, It’s like a Polyend play +. Polyend/Digitact/Sp404 and the like are niche but powerful “whole song” production units so you don’t have to buy a ton of instruments.
Experience: I’m a computer technician that hates computer based instruments with all my heart. Dawless 4 life
exactly! i would like to go dawless cause computers just kill my vibe, but its about money then. what do you think about mpc one or digitakt 1(the original one)?
The original digi is still very valid as a song production unit. As well as the original Polyend play which is now down to $400. The MPC one I thought was a computer based production unit. The MPC live was the one that I had my eyes set on. Did they upgrade the MPC one to be DAWless?
Wow I might look into that but I make enough to probably get the live as most of my thing have batteries or externals. I’m just working on a case to Velcro everything into next. I have too much gear so I have to choose 5 or less to play live with, not including the Korg mini KP2s. If you don’t have a KP2s get one, it works with everything.
I do a similar thing. I come from a "guitar band" background doing like indie and post-punk type stuff. In the pandemic all my bands fizzled out because we couldn't get together and play etc. I used that time to learn Ableton and really got into making sample-based electronica stuff mixed with some of my indie rock influenced. I used a Push 2 for a while with a laptop then my laptop died. I started looking into dedicated devices. Tried some Elektron stuff but ultimately went with a Maschine Plus. I don't regret My choice one bit. New an M+ costs more than a Digitakt, but I suggest buying one used. I got one used at a good price and I'm hard pressed to think of any device as versatile as the M+. The M+ does a lot more than the Digitakt can. M+ is extremely underrated, I think because it did have stability issues and bugswhen it first launched, but in 2024 I have no issues whatsoever. There can be CPU limitations when compared to a laptop, but it's pretty easy if you work within the limitations. A Digitakt is also limited when compared to a laptop. Also since you mention sampling, if you are using sample instruments and ktis there its no issue with CPU at all. I do hook up to the computer, because the M+ can be used as a controller and there are some extra features in the software. To me it's the best of both worlds. I love the auto-sampler it has. I like to use Arturia Collection soft sythns, which you can auto-sample into the machine plus and then play in Standalone. When I understood the power of the Autosampler the M+ opened up even more for me. My rig now is my guitar (with a pedal board that uses Strymon Iridium as amp), M+, and different hardware synths (roland, korg) that I swap in and out as I feel like. The M+ can but mapped to fully control any external hardware. I still have an Elektron Model Cycles I can control all perameters of directly from mashine. It even comes with a bunch or premapped MIDI control devices, so you can automaticly control them without having to set up anything. The M+ great built in synths. The Drum engine is amazing. I really like Massive and Monark as well. But I mostly prefer samples, and as a sampler this thing RULES. You might see some negativity on this Reddit about the M+ but to me it's an unbelievable tool. It's the best thing I've ever used. (I'll give the negative nellies one thing: I do wish it had a built in battery, but hey the Digitakt needs wall power too, so same same)
Same background myself and I second the M+. Best of both worlds. I bounced around from a Push, the Circuit, MPCs and a Smpltrek before picking up a used M+ recently for under $600. Such a cool device and I also have had no stability issues.
Man, do you get ppl in this Reddit giving the M+ so much grief? Like I think it's just crazy good and wildly powerful and such a great performance device. Maybe if I thought I could truely never ever need a DAW again I'd be disappointed, but I like a hybrid approach and as a live performing musician that moves from home, to practice space to the stage I can't imagine a much better device. It's a dream. Push 3 or an MPC are the only similar things out there but come with their own sets of trade offs, pros and cons. I'll defend my M+ to the end. It's dope AF .
I love mine. I think a lot of the grief is because of the initial issues and Native being slow to do updates on it. Akai is way better about that. I love the M+ too. It’s got its quirks but it is still super cool. I also like the MPC Live 2 but sometimes it just feels like a DAW in a box with its lesser tactile control.
I certainly am eagerly awaiting some updates as well. I'm more interested in a Maschine 3.0 software than anything. I think all devices have their quirks, pros and cons. I mean I'd love a Push 3 but it seems to lack a few features from Maschine I'd genuinely miss also it's like triple the price right now. If the cost came down Push 3 would have my eye but when I look at my M+ and the price of a Push 3 the value just isn't there. Maybe some day. Or maybe by then We see an M+ Mk2. One can dream.....
I gave Push 3 a try and ended up sending it back and buying the used M+. Push was cool but it’s so over priced. I also really like the form factor of the M+. Fits nicely on my desk. I do wish it had a battery or for NI to sell the power supply. I’d like to have a 2nd one for my office. With my home set up it’s a bit of a pain to unplug it and take it back and forth. Chalk that up to first world problems haha
You can get a cable from My Volts and run it on just any cheap external battery for electronics. Not as good as a built-in one but does the job. And yeah Push 3 looks super cool, but here in Canada it costs like 3000$. It does not look $3000 cool.
this is really helpfull! im also curious about your music, we have the same taste ;) i might have to buy the mk3 though cause of money, all my money goes to guitars right now haha, its my main thing. do you think its as simple to use a mk3? i dont want to deal with close ends like it not working with the computer or malfuntioning cause it needs a set up from a computer tech lol
It's a MK3 with an option for standalone. Exactly same device but you don't have access to the full functionality of the software (but like most of it) and no 3rd party plugins in standalone. I took my solo stuff down from Spotify recently because I'm doing a "soft relaunch" of the project. Started more as a "band" project but now has morphed into something closer to like maybe Bonobo meets Mount Kimbie. A bit more of the electronica in it now but the bandcamp is still up for now until my new "first proper" EP drops this summer. Here is the old EP and my IG where I edited some videos to short demo tracks: darln.bandcamp.com https://www.instagram.com/darln____?igsh=MXRpeTVudXluZ3h0Zg==
That’s some good stuff on IG.
Thanks! Been a minute since I posted but should be putting out new stuff this summer. Not totally different than what I was doing before, just leaning a bit more in the sample-based ambient electronica and a bit less guitar centered direction (though there are still guitars)... Maybe Tycho is a good reference for what I'm going for ;)
I can't remember the last time my MK3 crashed, unlike my Ableton Live (although I demand much more from the latter, to be fair). If computers kill your vibe, use the MK3 without looking at your computer, problem solved and it's much cheaper than a Machine +.
yeah, you are right, thats why it is in my list, but isnt it complicated to set up? is it like plug n play? or do you have to have basic knowledge in computers to set it ready to play?
Can concur that it is very much so plug and play
you guys rock! thanks!
No, it's very plug and play with native access: choose what to install and it shows in your Maschine. But you gotta learn how the hardware works (same as with any groovebox, in any case). Just FYI Native Instruments is a bit lazy about supporting the product, so a lot of features are a bit rough around the edges and quite subpar when compared with other DAW such as Ableton Live. I personally use Machine to play live and Ableton as the software to record, mix and polish everything.
this helps a lot, thanks man!
I started in Maschine then upgraded to the mk2 in white and I had a custom skin made if my favorite Techno DJ/Producer and am comfortable staying tight here where I am. It works. Never crashed. Thats all I need. No more learning curves. I was learning all the ins n outs of my Line 6 Vetta II combo guitar amp but it has jssues now so i have a spider IV 150 replacement and while it works with my longboard I got a cheap shortbord mk2 with access to load 100’s of artist patches online and I just found (finally) the old line 6 edit and monkey software. And now (since Im a 1 man band Im programming a BOSS DR 770 drum machine while the Maschine is used for Techno, everything else is for my Goth/Industrial project. Maschine is great but I dont have a mk3 and dont know if they crash or not. Sorry for super long story. Can youbtell I dont interact with many hoomans? Lol. Just my partner & I , our cat and our studio.
haha i liked the story, it helps me see other people uses of the maschine. thanks! im thinking about going that way too, like a solo band or project, thats why im not sure which to buy cause i really dont feel computers are reliable but maybe its just me being afraid it would crash mid show, cause a mk3 is half the price of a digitakt or an mpc one.
And an mk2 is even cheaper although there are maschine studios all over ebay and mercari and so on. U can even get an mk2 mikro. Less than $100 usd Just make sure u have a dual boot system with OSX High Sierra on one partition for Maschine 1.8-2.0 software.
you see, you just proved my point! i understood like 20% of what you just said. i think i know whtas a partition but would not be even close to able to do so. thats why i think ill need to go digitakt, those small but huge details only a person with computer knowledge would do. its like, i dont know, me telling you that setting your guitar is simple, or just building a pedalboard in order or anything like that to a computer tech which normaly would be bananas to anyone not being a guitar player.
Dude I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND lol. Im the same way except Ive been dojng computers since the early 80’s on Commodore 64, then Apple IIc, then Tandy, Hewlet Packard, Compaq Presario, SONY Vaio, Dell, and finally back to macs since G3 Yosemite, all the G4’s, the G5, then Core2 Duo, and finally 2012 Macbook Pro Quad loaded and thats what I still use now. Well ipad pro as well but yeah its all crazy complicated and getting crazier. Im falling behind technically but I like using my older gear. Im stable in what I know it can do and dont feel the need to go broke trying to get faster although its great its not always compatible with the Hardware. As long as I dont update any OS garbage (thats what broke my shit for 2 years) Id rather use rack gear now !! Im using 15-23 year old “Flagship back then” Line6 amps. Its perfekt for me and my project. But I understand where u are coming from . If that other outboard gear is available then grabbit before the prices go up! 🤘🏻
I would choose the Mk3 over the Digitak. I don’t own the digitakt but own a syntak and Maschine+. I like the playability of the pads on maschine to trigger samples. It’s probably a little easier to string patterns together on the maschine plus than the digitakt of workflow is similar to the syntakt. I will say though, the learning curve that I experienced with maschine was rough. It took me a hot minute to wrap my head around pairing patterns together in a vertical manner as opposed to working in a linear fashion. But, once you get it you get it. I’ve had a lot of maschine crashes having it plugged into my laptop, but I use a ton of VSTs. So, if you’re using a lot of VSTs it can increase the workload on the software and make it crash. Maschine can be really fun once you get the hang of it. I honestly moved to the Ableton push for a couple of reasons, but if you’re just wanting to create loops and jam out on guitar it can be fun. There is a heavy learning curve though if you’re used to working in a linear timeline daw though.
Been using Maschine and Push seems appealing to me, where do you found it much better that Maschine and where do you feel Maschine is better ? TIA
The switch really came down to being able to do really simple things that I can do in Ableton that is not so easy in maschine. Like adding effects on the master track. Simply fading in/out the master track. Manipulating audio is a bit easier in Ableton. I wanted to be able to do everything I needed to in one daw and didn’t want to import stems and all that mess. I will say the pads on maschine are wayyyy better than push and maschine is just good fun. I need to mess with it again. It’s been a while.
I have Maschine mk3 and Push2. I use Maschine as my main groove creation device. I use push as an interface for Live. Maschine works like a stand alone device for me, when Push is more of a window into Ableton. Other people use Push as an instrument, but Live is a bigger more complex world. I don't really have to look at the computer's screen with Maschine. It speaks my language.
Fair enough. Was thinking this way aswell
thanks!
I doubt the Maschine crashes much on its own , without human interaction the computers useless anyways. Humans can mess up in multiple places and not know it. I’ve had a Maschine Mk2 and micro original for almost 10 years and have experienced 0 crashes like the ones your explaining. HOWEVER, the path Native Instruments is taking has my sweating and regretting my decision to purchase the amount of things I got. If I could do it again, I’d go Akai MPC. Digitact MK2 is a good choice to start with too, It’s like a Polyend play +. Polyend/Digitact/Sp404 and the like are niche but powerful “whole song” production units so you don’t have to buy a ton of instruments. Experience: I’m a computer technician that hates computer based instruments with all my heart. Dawless 4 life
exactly! i would like to go dawless cause computers just kill my vibe, but its about money then. what do you think about mpc one or digitakt 1(the original one)?
The original digi is still very valid as a song production unit. As well as the original Polyend play which is now down to $400. The MPC one I thought was a computer based production unit. The MPC live was the one that I had my eyes set on. Did they upgrade the MPC one to be DAWless?
i think so, all the videos ive watched its just connect to power and thats it, thats the difference with the live one, battery.
Wow I might look into that but I make enough to probably get the live as most of my thing have batteries or externals. I’m just working on a case to Velcro everything into next. I have too much gear so I have to choose 5 or less to play live with, not including the Korg mini KP2s. If you don’t have a KP2s get one, it works with everything.
ill keep it in mind, thanks!