ba_midi
syntheticpop
if Maschine didn't exist, would you guys be able to do what you do in Maschine with Sonar, the software and gear I listed above? or is Maschine really that special?
how far a long has the software been improved since its release. a lot of the complaints derived from earlier versions of the software coupled with Cubase from my understanding. Do you guys recommend using it or just using Sonar and Maschine?
so is Maschine better to play with one hand or both hands similar to actual drumming? this will help with my placement of Maschine on my workstation. it can either be in front of me or off to the side.
From my perspective, one can do many things many ways these days. You could use Battery3 for example, and get pretty much what you want with the right samples. So is Maschine "necessary"? That's debatable. But is it ALSO a great tool/instrument/device? Yes.
I recently sold my AKAI MPC to pick up Maschine. With most modern controllers, including Maschine, you can play one part at a time or play multiple parts. Its basically about what you're most comfortable with.
Maschine was created targeted at a specific market of which I happened to be a part of. Folks that like the rapid-fire beat creation style of working with 4x4 drum pads using built-in pattern sequencers, but who also want to easily integrate these beats into their DAW environment. Prior to getting Maschine, I spent a lot of time trying to integrate the MPC into SONAR using Battery 3 to attempt to do just some of what the Maschine software does right out of the box. Now I no longer have to do the extra steps of transferring beats from the MPC using MIDI Sync or configuring kits in Battery.
As far as layout goes, I decided to place my Maschine right next to my mouse pad. Since its relatively light and only has one USB connection (unless you need to use the MIDI ports), you have a lot of flexibility in where you can place it...you can even pick it up and put it in your lap.
The beauty of Maschine is its elegant integration of hardware & software. Its basically an AKAI MPC with all of the MPC's limitations replaced by a really nice software interface. I would have to say that if you've never used an MPC, then you may or may not be able to appreciate the style of beat creation that Maschine provides. Because of that I would recommend that if you buy one that you get it from somewhere with a decent return policy. There are also quite a few in-depth Maschine tutorial videos up on NI's website that might help you with your decision.
-eB