You’ll be able to see functions for browsing sounds and plug-ins, activating effects, and features for sampling, arranging, mixing, and performing. Native Instruments built it with high-resolution color displays, which let the user focus on the hardware rather than the computer screen. For usage, it offers twin displays and eight knobs and buttons, with the latter, made out of rubber, clearly lighting up. The physical plastic design itself is fairly sturdy, if not slightly on the large side. Both aspects integrate well, although the software can be used alone or as an AU/VST/RTAS plug-in, and the hardware as a software controller or general MIDI controller. Work flow is extremely smooth, while hardware gives a sensitive response. Now considered Native Instruments’ top-tier groove production studio, Maschine, with the Maschine 2.0 software, provides unprecedented control and visual feedback.
Its functionality bypasses Akia’s MPC, while serving as a high-quality studio hub (but not a full DAW) with built-in sequencing, sampling, and loop slicing. Out for nearly five years now, Native Instruments’ Maschine has set a new industry standard as a hardware-software beat-production workstation.
