What musical tasks exactly are going to be easier or better done with Maschine than with Live and an APC?ġ) MIDI control mode: as controller for Ableton, Battery, Massive, Traktor and more.
Generally some tasks can better be done with the software (computer) and some better with the hardware controller. This makes for an intriguing experience, and surmises what is novel about Maschine (whereas an APC is solely mirroring and controlling some functions of the software). The software and plug-in complement the hardware, and they both not only replicate but enhance each other so the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. It’s charm is all about eliminating too many options and focusing on the essential functions of midi programming while mapping them out to a well designed piece of hardware. There is a lot to be said for having a dedicated and specialized controller for a specific task: Maschine shines when it comes to loop style midi recording in a grid/step environment. Of course, it’s also fun to spend your time building and inventing new devices and set ups, but ultimately we be better of getting started with making some music right away.
If you optimize an environment for a certain task you can improve your workflow and be more creative…resulting in less headaches and more fun with actual music making.
More than the APC40, Native Instruments’ Maschine strongly says ‘yes,’ and after some initial reluctance to go down that road I can now clearly see the benefits. Should we take the time to learn a software-specific piece of hardware, rather than focusing on open and freely configurable control surfaces that can be programmed however we want?
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