NATIVE INSTRUMENTS MASCHINE MUSIC PRODUCTION STUDIO

MASCHINE, Native Instruments' brand new groove production studio is the next milestone in NI history. The unparalleled integration of hardware and software found only in MASCHINE is your launching pad for creating pattern-based music with an incredibly fast and fun workflow.

The first of three whopping announcements from Native Instruments to arrive to Gearwire studio through the old news-pipe was the release of MASCHINE at Winter NAMM 2009. MASCHINE is a modern groove production studio that must be screamed when its name is spoken! Easing and speeding the processes of beat creation and arrangement, MASCHINE dream teams an advanced soft sequencer and sampler with a heavily functional controller, capped off with fluid workflow.

Designed with drum machines and grooveboxes in mind, MASCHINE's step sequencer handles everything from spontaneous beat making to focused multi-timbre arrangements. It combines familiar step sequencer operation with realtime polyphonic recording.

The MASCHINE controller included with the system is almost like a limb of the software program, adding the tactility of real instrumentation. It contains 16 pressure-sensitive drum pads which were built to provide both excellent response and mighty durability. These pads, which illuminate to display visual sequences, are joined by eight rotary encoders, a wealth of buttons and two high-res displays, meaning your computer mouse and keyboard can sit these sessions out. Everything you need to control MASCHINE is right there on the software controller. It's such a nice surface I bet you wish you could control any MIDI compatible music gear with it. Well guess what . . . YOU CAN!

With a high-resolution sample engine under the hood, MASCHINE is a versatile virtual instrument that accurately represents intricate drum kits, percussion loops and multi-sampled polyphonic instruments. Automatic sample mapping, beat slicing and note repeat sweeten the deal. MASCHINE's realtime recording and resampling capabilites let you take any signal, external or internal, and capture, map, sculpt and transform it without interrupting musical flow.

Even if your sound library is a bit slim, MASCHINE will fatten it up with virtual shelves full of drum and instrument sounds that cover a wide range of modern and electronic-dependent styles. There are about 10,000 individual sounds overall, so you've got a lot to work with. A browser that works with categories and concise metadata brings this overwhelming amount of samples to an acceptable level of whelming.

Having first dipped their toes in the hardware-manufacturing pool some years ago with products such as Kore and Guitar Rig, Native Instruments have announced what looks to be their most extensive hands-on product yet. Maschine is part-hardware, part-software, the main part of which is a controller that connects to a Mac or PC via a USB cable. This controls a piece of software that has a variety of features designed to appeal to both fans of the classic drum machines and grooveboxes of the "80s and "90s, and ultra modern sound-manglers alike.

The controller has 16 touch-sensitive trigger pads, which have polyphonic aftertouch and LED backlighting. These control samples assigned in the software, and can be set to run in step sequencer mode, or as simple, playable pads. They can also be set to control other functions, by using modifier keys. A suite of 20 effects, including filters and delays, are built into the software, and a pair of LCD screens on Maschine's hardware controller feed back parameter information, while a bank of eight rotary encoders enable the user to tweak settings without touching the mouse.

Delving deeper into Maschine's functions, users can sample and re-sample from internal and external sources (relying on the user's existing audio interface) on the fly, and automation can be recorded and edited during playback. There's even a keyboard mode for playing tonal material, and the hardware isn't locked to the software - it acts as a fully assignable MIDI controller for any DAW - so it can be used to control your favourite virtual drummer software application. What's more, Maschine works either as a plug-in or as a stand-alone application, and it comes with a 5GB library of samples to suit "electronic and urban" styles, so the system can be used on its own as a live performance tool.

• Combines intuitive sequencer, sampler and over 20 high-quality effects with real-time control and flexible routing into an inspiring Groove Production Studio
• Dedicated controller with 16 high-quality pads, 41 buttons, and 11 rotary encoders for playing, recording, sequencing, automation and arrangement
• Fastest workflow with pattern-based arrangement and perfect hardware, software and host environment integration
• Features step sequencing, real-time recording, note repeat, slicing, and auto-mapping for intuitive jamming
• Over 5 GB of inspiring, studio-quality sounds with over 15,000 samples and hundreds of patterns perfectly suited for electronic, urban and "indietronic" genres
• Extensive MIDI-mapping capabilities to control other hardware and software
• Easy-to-use browser with tagging of kits, instruments, samples, and effects
• Intuitive automation recording and step automation editing
• Sampling from external and internal sources with threshold detection
• Works as a plug-in for any software sequencer supporting VST, AU, or RTAS

General Interface Specifications

• Width: 320 mm / 12.6"
• Length: 295 mm / 11.6"
• Height: 60 mm / 2.4"
• 1811 Grams / 4 lbs

• 2 displays with 64x256 pixels
• 16 high-quality, illuminated pads with velocity and aftertouch
• 11 endless rotary encoders
• 41 backlit buttons

• Midi-In/Out
• USB 2.0
• Kensington Lock

Windows XP (SP2, 32-bit)/Vista (SP1, 32-bit, 64-bit), Pentium or Athlon XP 2 GHz, 2 GB RAM

Mac OS X 10.4, Intel Core Duo 2 GHz, 2 GB RAM

USB 2.0 Port, DVD drive, 5 GB free disk space for full installation

Stand-alone, VST, Audio Units, RTAS under Pro Tools 7

ASIO, Core Audio, DirectSound, WASAPI

MASCHINE's built-in effects section contains a powerful arsenal of studio-quality effects to shape and supercharge your sound, including dynamic effects, modulation, distortion, delays, reverbs, filters and EQs.

• Flexible routing possibilities: Two effects units each for every sound, group and the master slot
• Create multi-effect chains by combining effects into their own groups
• Record automation of all effect settings via hardware or software on the fly
• Effects can be applied (and automated) to external input signals
• Assign effects via drag-and-drop from the browser or using the hardware controller

The MASCHINE Controller can not only be used with the MASCHINE software - it is also a powerful universal hardware controller for use with any MIDI-compatible hardware or software.

• Easily assign any button, pad and knob to a MIDI function – from software to hardware synths, samplers, sequencers and effects
• Switch control from MASCHINE to other gear instantly with a dedicated hardware button
• Pre-produced templates for many Native Instruments and third-party instruments included
• Easily create your own custom MASCHINE Controller settings using the included MIDI mapping software
• DAWs with Mackie Control Universal (MCU) support can be controlled easily with the MASCHINE Controller. Information from the sequencer/DAW is shown on the hardware displays.*

MASCHINE lets you easily create rhythms, bass lines, chords and melodies, and arrange them into complete tracks on the fly.

• Pattern-based sequencer with 64 patterns per group
• Eight groups can be arranged in the 'scene" arranger
• Two recording modes: step sequence programming and realtime recording
• High-resolution drum grid and piano roll editors
• Scene arranger for linear and non-linear playback
• Live automation for effects, sampler and mixer parameters for dynamic sounds
• Four Note Repeat settings: Play the selected sound automatically at a given quantization

MASCHINE is based on a high-performance sampler engine, allowing audio recording of internal or external sources and precise sample playback with maximum audio quality.

• Features extensive voice, velocity and pitch settings as well as diverse envelope and modulation pages
• Record all internal audio paths or external audio through your soundcard - all without stopping your audio: sample an external audio source or rearrange/remix the loops you created in MASCHINE
• Audio recording with threshold detection or sequencer sync
• Resample in a pre-selected length (e.g. 4 bars)
• Audio editing page with loop function to quickly trim your samples
• Slice loops by transient detection or a preselected grid
• Auto-map the slices to the controller pads and re-arrange on the fly without stopping audio
• Convenient mapping editor with velocity and key layers
• Eight individual stereo outputs (16 mono outs)

In contrast to conventional groove boxes, MASCHINE provides seamless integration as a plug-in to your host sequencer. Produce the whole song in MASCHINE or move it to another sequencer for further processing and arranging.

• MASCHINE offers the same incredible feature set both as a stand-alone application and as a plug-in within any DAW or sequencer that supports VST, AU or RTAS. As a plug-in, MASCHINE retains all of its capabilities including total recall and routing up to eight stereo outs to your host's mixer.
• Export audio files: Bounce individual files from all patterns, groups, scenes or the master channel
• Import audio files: Drag and drop sounds from your hard disc to the MASCHINE browser
• Instant navigation: Open several instances of MASCHINE in your host sequencer and easily switch between them using just one controller

The MASCHINE hardware is both instrument and controller in one. Sixteen illuminated, velocity-sensitive pads form an interface to intuitively make beats, tweak sounds, create patterns and sequence whole songs with the powerful MASCHINE software. Two large, high-resolution displays with eight corresponding rotary encoders, buttons, and transport controls integrate perfectly with the MASCHINE software.

MASCHINE unifies and vastly improves on familiar groove production workflows. Using the MASCHINE hardware controller you can jam out ideas in a pattern-oriented environment, and use them as the building blocks to create your track within MASCHINE. New samples, loops, effects or arrangements can be added, edited and tweaked in the same intuitive way, utilizing the ultra-convenient hardware interface.

About Native Instruments: Native Instruments is the pioneer and market leader in the field of software instruments, and one of the key players in the market of computer-based audio production technology. The company's mission is to develop outstanding musical tools for all styles and genres. The resulting products regularly push technological boundaries and open up new creative horizons for professionals and amateurs alike. Native Instruments opened up the fascinating world of real-time sound synthesis on standard computers in 1996, and today offers an extensive product range for the Instruments, Guitar and DJ markets, designed and developed by three corresponding divisions within the company. Native
Instruments currently employs more than 150 people in its two offices in Berlin and Los Angeles, and works closely with more than 40 international distribution partners to ensure its future growth and
success.

Native Instruments products cannot be returned once the manufacturer's seal has been broken. Any defective merchandise must be dealt with directly through Native Instruments. If a product is found to be defective, you must contact Native Instruments customer support at 866-556-6487 for service.

Native Instruments warrants its products to be free from defects for 1 year from the date of purchase.

FOR SUPPORT WITH YOUR PRODUCT CONTACT:
Native Instruments: 866-556-6487