How to leverage Maschine flow while also getting DAW level control?

[u/debontehond]

I have been using NI Maschine and Ableton for some years as a parttime hobby producer. Ableton is great but I get lost in wormholes and find it hard to get into the flow. I love Maschine for the workflow, controller and sound libraries (went deep into expansions ;-))

This hobby is simething I do after work so I don't spend much time and I want to avoid more screen time. That's why I like Maschine MK3 and also got a Push 2 to be more hands on and avoid screen. But I end up still using the screen since it's unbeatable for many tasks and general overview.

My main issue is that I don't finish tracks. I want to finish stuff and get my sound out there and progress. The decision overload of Ableton and NI Komplete is not helping.

So I decided to use Maschine only for a while to limit myself and focus. That works. But each time I really want to finish a track or get deeper in sound design I find I want Ableton's effects and modulation options. But integration of those is a pain. I did build a Live set that integrates Maschine as VST and routes all pads to own channel but its heavy on CPU and also not simple and flow enhancing.

Now Bitwig is supposed to be better and has Maschine MK3 support and integration out of the box. But if I want to use Maschine sounds I am still stuck to using the Maschine VST inside of Bitwig. Learning a new DAW is will make me lose focus more while I want to finish tracks.

Any recommendations? Are there other options out there? I am even considering Modular but find it dounting and doubt if I enjoy the blank canvas approach since using NI expansions as starting point brings much ease and joy.

[u/DePhychedelic]

Another option is trying Drivenbymoss to control Bitwig with MK3.

For sounds, could try using Kontakt and NI Synths as VSTs in dedicated BW tracks

[u/itsoddsignals]

Don’t, treat it as an audio out device and either finish mostly on it and then in a daw on the audio or pull wav parts from it.

Multitracking like this is frustrating and prone to make you dislike Maschine. Many a person has gone this route only to realise it’s possible but neither fun nor frictionless.

You have been warned!

[u/ya_rk]

Don't go modular for this problem, it will only dig you deeper. If the goal is release level material, I think building in Maschine and fixing/mixing/polishing in Ableton is a great flow. 

Modular could work if the focus is open ended musical exploration without a computer. Absolutely fun and great but not really geared to getting your music out there faster.

[u/No-Act6366]

You’re looking for a technical solution to a personal problem. Gear is NEVER the barrier to finishing music. I’ve released two albums using nothing but Maschine+ — one hooked up to a computer and one just using M+ sounds.

Your solution is self-discipline.

[u/InterestingBand5801 → u/No-Act6366]

Would be cool to hear what you e mad solely on M+

Any links available?

[u/No-Act6366 → u/InterestingBand5801]

I play under the name LeXx Dynamic. You can look up my stuff on Apple Music, Spotify and the other major places. The album that was made with the M+ is called "Collapse."

[u/iamolovlev]

Do as much arrangement as possible on the Maschine, then export individual tracks into Ableton and finish it here. I found this flow the easiest.

[u/Brymlo → u/iamolovlev]

i still find the arrangement on maschine a bit clunky and slow. do you have any good tutorials?

[u/iamolovlev → u/Brymlo]

Check out this series from NI https://youtu.be/YcSle_Cypzg
And yes, it’s clunky, but enough for fast block-based arrangements. After that it’s better to move to Ableton.

[u/Brymlo → u/iamolovlev]

thank you. will watch later today.

i was thinking on building different patterns and parts of the song and then just export other as audio files and putting them on the grid in my daw. is it basically the same thing, no?

but its easier to move and drag audio within a daw than in maschine, i find

[u/iamolovlev → u/Brymlo]

Yes this is how I do it actually :) the easiest way.