After a brief delay Native Instruments has announced the public version of Maschine 1.7 is now available for download. To access this update just head over to N.I.’s downloads page and click on the Product Updates link. You’ll need a registered version of Maschine and a user log in to access this download. The update was originally scheduled for September 1 but faced a delay that we can only assume has to do with the other exciting news that N.I. dropped on us today (read on for more on that below.)
The release of Maschine 1.6 brought many updates that users had been asking for so the launch of Maschine 1.7 has caused quite a stir on forums and production boards. The biggest news about Maschine 1.7 is a software change that allows seamless integration with Komplete 8 that allows users to search and load ALL presets from the Maschine browser (as opposed to using the graphic interface to find presets.) This is a move that will allow Maschine users to experience what N.I. achieved with the Kore system previously.
Maschine Mikro combines a smaller package and lower price for new users
While Maschine has become very popular amongst professional musicians and continues to gain momentum, the platform comes at a hefty price that many consumers can’t afford on a whim. In a move that addresses this issue N.I. have announced the release of MASCHINE MIKRO: a smaller hardware controller that comes with the same software package for approximately $399 US.
From N.I.’s website:
MASCHINE MIKRO is the perfect entry into the world of MASCHINE, giving you tactile, hands-on control for beat production, sampling and performance. This latest addition to the family has the same powerful software and 6 GB+ sample library as its big brother, as well as the same responsive pads on a more compact and portable controller. MASCHINE MIKRO makes a perfect addition for any production setup – get hands-on with your rhythms and grooves both in the studio and on the stage. MASCHINE MIKRO is a professional music production tool, combining the flexibility of software with the immediacy of hardware. Create rhythms, bass lines, chords and melodies, and build tracks on-the-fly with the intuitive, clip-based sequencer. MASCHINE MIKRO also gives you a high-performance sampler, professional effects and full support for VST and Audio Units plug-ins. What’s more, you can also run MASCHINE MIKRO as a plug-in in your DAW.
Native Instruments launches their first iOS app: iMaschine
The last bit of news that we have for Maschine users should excite those of you who use iPad/iPhone for music creation. iMaschine looks to be a robust creation tool for Maschine users on the go. The app includes 16 pads, threshold-based pad sampling, note repeat, auto-loop length feature, professional on-board mixer with six studio effects and an audio recording function. iMaschine will run on iOS 4.3 or higher, iPod touch 3G or higher, iPhone 3GS or higher and the iPad 1 or 2. Features include:
- 16 pads for playing the included drums and one-shot samples
- Library includes 10 projects, 25 kits and over 400 individual samples (100 MB of WAV sounds)
- Pad sampling mode: record your own one-shot sample through the built-in iPhone® microphone
- Keyboard mode with two manuals for playing chords, bass and melodies
- Note repeat function with 4th, 8th, 16th, 16th triplets, 32th for keyboard and drum pad mode
- Audio recorder mode lets you record vocal ideas through the built-in iPhone® microphone
- Assign any of the 4 groups to pad, keyboard or audio recorder mode (e.g. use it as pocket 4-track recorder)
- Mixer page includes two send effects with Delay, Flanger, Chorus, LoFi, HP, BP and LP filters
- The live-mode sequencer automatically detects the recorded loop length
- Finished song idea can be exported with one touch as an audio file or uploaded to SoundCloud
- Project (including samples) can be exported to MASCHINE for finalizing in your studio environment
- Additional drum kits and instrument sounds can be easily purchased through the in-app store
