GETTING STARTED WITH MASCHINE+

Welcome to the MASCHINE+ Quickstart Guide

In this guide you will learn the essential workflows for making music with MASCHINE+. If you have some experience already, feel free to jump straight into any section using the navigation above. For beginners, we recommend spending some time reading through this guide.

Getting Started With MASCHINE+

BROWSE BUTTON

Cycle through the results list of the MASCHINE browser to quickly switch between kits, presets, and sounds without stopping the music.

SMART STRIP CONTROLS

The buttons select the feature controlled by the dual-touch Smart Strip: Pitch Bend, Modulation, Perform FX, and Notes, which enables strumming of scales and chords.

MODE BUTTONS

Toggle various modes for interacting with your track: switch Patterns, select Events, and Mute and Solo your Sounds and Groups.

INPUT MODE BUTTON

Switch between different input behaviors of the Pads: Drum, play melodies, trigger chords, or step-sequence. The active mode is indicated by the lit button.

SAMPLING MODE

Record your own sounds, create audio loops, and edit samples.

SETTINGS

Update your system, access your plug-in library, Wi-FI settings, and switch to Storage mode to transfer files, or Controller mode to control the MASCHINE desktop software.

GROOVE BUILDING TOOLS

Quick access to tempo, tune/pitch, swing, and volume - try turning the encoder while pressing and holding a pad.

GROUP BUTTONS

The eight dedicated Group buttons, labeled A to H, provide instant access to groups of 16 Sounds. Use Groups to make kits that can also include melodic instruments.

4D-ENCODER

Combines the functionalities of a conventional joystick, a button, and an endless rotary encoder. A highly versatile control element that can be used for navigation, for adjusting values of parameters, and for controlling instruments.

16 PADS

Each of the pads can trigger Sounds, but they also give quick access to Groups and various helpful features like Undo and Quantize, if you hold down SHIFT.

TRANSPORT CONTROLS

Dedicated buttons to record and control playback, and to engage the metronome. Use SHIFT for quick access to deeper features and fine-tuning when using the 4D-encoder.

SETUP CHECKLIST

Before you begin, make sure everything is set up and ready to go.

Connect power and audio cables to your MASCHINE+.
Remove the protective strip from the SD card found inserted on the left side of MASCHINE+, and then reinsert the SD card.
Switch on MASCHINE+ and follow the onscreen instructions. This one-time process helps you to set up the following:
- Connect to WiFi (you’ll need your WiFi password)
- Register your MASCHINE+ (you’ll need your Native ID log-in credentials)
- Connect to your Native Instruments account and download your plug-ins.
Make sure you're running the latest software. Once you’re connected to Wi-Fi go to SETTINGS, select Update and hit UPDATE.

MASCHINE CONCEPTS

MASCHINE+ includes a Welcome+ project which gives you a great starting point for learning. Watch the following video for an overview of the demo project and the basic workflows.

Now you are ready to start exploring MASCHINE+ by yourself.

UNDERSTANDING MASCHINE

The basic elements of any MASCHINE project are Sounds. They represent a single instrument, such as a kick, a snare, or a synth, but also a sample or an audio loop. A set of 16 Sounds is called a Group – and one example of a Group is a drum kit. Each of the 16 Sounds within a Group can be triggered live using the pads or sequenced from a Pattern or Clip. For each Group, the notes you record and program are stored in Patterns and Clips: They are the building blocks of your MASCHINE project.

NEXT: MAKING A BEAT