I've never used Maschine but I use Geist a lot and I should imagine that some aspects of it are similar, e.g. getting used to the workflow of moving back and forward between two timelines. I use the Song Mode in Geist to arrange patterns, but I also have MIDI and audio tracks in Sonar because I can't do everything in Geist, and sometimes it's a little confusing because I basically have my song arrangement split into two places. And this creates problems when, for example, I want to insert some measures in the Sonar timeline. Immediately, my Geist timeline is out of sync because the Geist does not update in reaction to me inserting measures in Sonar. So I have to take all of my Geist patterns and shift them the appropriate number of measures in the Geist timeline. I've never worked with Maschine but I'm sure there are similar annoyances that you have to get used to. 
 
But you develop a workflow of sorts, which for me involves using Geist to arrange sequences and then bouncing them to audio in Sonar. Sometimes I don't really try and arrange my song in Geist, I just use Geist as a tool to experiment with and create sequences which I eventually bring into Sonar. 
 
But as others will tell you, the actually hardware of Maschine is very good quality and it's a pleasure to bang on those pads. I've only done so in a store, but it did make me want to buy one. 

I am a relatively recent owner of a Maschine Mikro - I bought it secondhand and cheap because I wasn't sure it would be for me, but I'm very pleased with it.  The workflow is very quick and this is crucial because it means you can get your ideas out of your head and recorded before they disappear.  I have found I am more creative.
 
Next step for me (as others have already said above) is to export to Sonar so that I can refine, polish, mix and master.  I haven't done this yet and ideally would prefer to get the midi (including any automation) across as well as audio.  Don't know if this is possible though.  Does anyone do this?

To OP

Get your daughter to read the getting started guide and then the manual with it it. Get her to master it. Aftet that you/she will be able to see how Sonar can benefit here.

@Keyloid if you start your own thread discussion rather than piggy back, happy to respond. As you can see everybody here is addressing the OP (his thread) and it gets confusing otherwise.

I have the Maschine Mikro and I find it's a really good way to get an idea going. You can also set it up to use a keyboard controller to play/record parts that would be less intuitive with the pads. The browser is great for checking out the Komplete library and you can load up your other vst's in the user section. The hardware is solid. Not a power user with it, but the more I delve into it the more I'm able to do. You can do everything in Sonar. I agree it does depend on your workflow and what your trying to accomplish. 

SGodfrey
 
 
Next step for me (as others have already said above) is to export to Sonar so that I can refine, polish, mix and master.  I haven't done this yet and ideally would prefer to get the midi (including any automation) across as well as audio.  Don't know if this is possible though.  Does anyone do this?

I haven't tried recording the midi so I'm not sure about that, but you can do automation in Maschine and record the audio into Sonar.

ok ...someone PLEASE set me straight on this one ....I am using Sonar X1, and NI Maschine (First version) I am also using a focusrite saffire 01 audio interface. we all know that the Maschine has no audio outs, everything runs via a fire wire cable directly to my computer ....I can load the Maschine as a VST and I have also loaded it as an ACT controller.....when i insert softsynth, VST32 i see Maschine, I hit it and it loads perfectly ...I have complete control of the Maschine on screen as a track in sonar x1...I can hit the pads, I can see the midi signals perfectly ...excelenyt response...I mean everything is lightning fast and crystal clear.....BUT......(It can never be easy) 1....Sonar does not recognize the NI Maschine as an audio device, so how in the hell do I record its output?....2 when I arm the track for record i get INSTANT heavy latency ...I can literally hit a pad on the machine while the track is armed for record and the sound that its supposed to play (Say a snare drum) doesnt actually sound for (Im not joking 15-12 seconds after striking the pad) ....I unarm the track and its back to perfect again...so whats up with that?......I want to use my Machine as a MIDI drum machine, as if it is just another instrument in my rack that I can call up from my master keyboard ....why in the heck does Native Instruments have to make things so freaking complicated....why cant their stuff just play nice with everything else .....I was planning on buying the whole Komplete system, but if this Machine is any indication as to how many rings of fire i will have to jump through to get it to work , I aint gonna touch it with a 10 foot pole ....I am a sonar/IBM guy and no, im not going to buy a 5000 dollar mac just to run it ..(Plus all the other software) I have way too much invested in my current system...I need this Maschine to work....any suggestions?
 
another odd thing ...when I play the VST through sonar , I can see the audio coming out of the focusrite main outs, but for some reason the audio signals are invisible to Sonar ..why is this?...I cant record the Machine on an audio track in sonar ...whats up with that ?
 
I have googled the creap out of this subject, I have scoured Youtube....nothing usefull.....some talk about it, but nobody ever goes into any real detail 

No...I dont want to "Export audio from the Maschine into Sonar...I want Maschine to slave to sonar so when i hit the play button in sonar the machine chases just like any other midi machine in my system ...
 

@steve pabst -
 
 
I'm just getting ready to take the Maschine plunge myself, but I'll offer what I can.
 
Maschine is not an audio interface, so it's not going to show up as an audio device in Sonar.
It's a MIDI controller that works over USB.
 
Any Maschine audio is going to have to come out of & into the Maschine software VSTi.
It sounds like you might have a MIDI and/or audio routing issue ~
 
Make sure your Saffire is routed correctly for DAW use with the MixControl app.
Try disabling the Maschine controller as an ACT control surface, and use it strictly as a dedicated controller for the Maschine software, and see if that makes a difference with the latency.
 
You'll probably need to spend some time with the Maschine manual ~
Maschine has so many features it can be a bit intimidating!
 
Keep in mind that Sonar has changed considerably since X1, and the Maschine software is up to version 2.4;
so, the versions of software you're running might not be as cooperative as the current versions.
 
Also, FWIW, Groove 3 has their videos on special through midnight tonight - 
and they do have Maschine tutorials (heading to their site shortly...)
 

I had that extreme latency issue with Machine, and iirc it went away after I uninstalled/reinstalled the driver.

I use Maschine 2.4 as a vst in Sonar. Sonar is the midi sequencer, Maschine is acting as a multitimbral synth. I'm able to use the Maschine drum pad or my midi keyboard to trigger drums and/or synths in Maschine and record the midi in Sonar.

Maschine sequencer software was a huge disappointment to me,and yes I read the manuals top to bottom. The main problem is patterns always loop on scenes regardless of their size. There are also about 5 really annoyong bugs (would not be hard or take long for NI to fix). e.g. If you use multiple hardware midi outs in windows only, the sequencer breaks. NI ignores their customers here and do not communicate. Consequently I use Geist.