Virus TI, Komplete, Keyboard, Maschine

[MBTC]

Congrats, I'm sure you'll have fun with it.

[IanT]

I'll let you know...

Currently having an unfeasibly difficult time just trying to download the installation software! Had to do if from Safe Mode but it's still ongoing.

Grrr!

[MBTC]

Originally Posted by IanT

I'll let you know...

Currently having an unfeasibly difficult time just trying to download the installation software! Had to do if from Safe Mode but it's still ongoing.

Grrr!

Windows 10? Should be no problem under an account with admin rights. It would be the same on OSX.

[IanT]

Yep, I'm an admin. It's a bit more complicated that that. Extensive googling reveals lots of probs installing the software, from having a password with non-alphanumeric characters (as mine has/had) to firewall probs and, well, I won't bore you

It's not helped by the fact that the installation discs in the box have been superseded by online downloads and the instructions are not really Komplete (Ha! Ha!).

Anyway...

Have only just managed (I think!) to install and activate all the software bits (apart from one driver update which insists on being reinstalled each time I run the Service Centre) but not yet plugged in the hardware or tried my K10U upgrade.

Software, eh...?

[Berni]

Originally Posted by IanT

Well, I went for the Maschine (middle one)...

Nice...I started with that one then upgraded to the studio when they where on sale. The new screens & features on the studio are well worth the extra money to me. Still you get plenty of bang for your buck with all the bundled software & should keep you happy for a long time. You'll still probably want to add a keyboard at some point to the set up & the Komplete package of course, after that you don't really need much else

[IanT]

Hey Berni - really nice stuff on SoundClound!

The story so far...

I'm just running through the Getting Started bit but I've got the Maschine and the Virus linked through the PC's USB ports so I can play the Virus and hear it through the speakers AND play and hear Maschine. Well, that counts as 'clever' for me!

Alternatively, I can map the sounds to the Virus (just done drum kits so far) and play them which might be more useful for sounds than drums.

I'm still finding selections, replacements and general fiddling much easier on the screen at the moment, tho.

Not installed K10U yet. Might be a while...

[Berni]

Originally Posted by IanT

Hey Berni - really nice stuff on SoundClound!

The story so far...

I'm just running through the Getting Started bit but I've got the Maschine and the Virus linked through the PC's USB ports so I can play the Virus and hear it through the speakers AND play and hear Maschine. Well, that counts as 'clever' for me!

Alternatively, I can map the sounds to the Virus (just done drum kits so far) and play them which might be more useful for sounds than drums.

I'm still finding selections, replacements and general fiddling much easier on the screen at the moment, tho.

Not installed K10U yet. Might be a while...

if you have enough bandwith/usb the virus plug-in works just like any VST with the Maschine software. The trouble is the new mashine software is a resource hog just like the virus software so depending on your set up it might not work smoothly. The Ti software is not the best but the NI stuff is pretty good once you get it up & running.

[MBTC]

Yeah, that brings up a good point, I think I read somewhere that Maschine software is single-threaded, so it works optimally as a plug-in in your actual DAW, or in stand-alone mode.

Plug-in to the DAW has some obvious benefits, but one thing nice about standalone is you can drag entire patterns as audio clips into your DAW. That was one of the features of Maschine that originally sold me. Also in this way if the DAW or Maschine becomes unstable, all your editing eggs aren't in one basket and you can restart them independently. Downside is you have to save/edit in two different environments.

I personally would run Virus and as many synth plugins in the main DAW as possible. Use samples on Maschine where possible.

[Thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by IanT

Well, I went for the Maschine (middle one)...

Sweet. I think you made the right choice. I was surprised how the conversation was mostly "pad vs keyboard" when you're actually looking at a lot more than that. Maschine is the pad controller, plus the groovebox sequencer. The S-controller is the keyboard & the kontrol plug-in.

The plug in is pretty cool & if you've already settled in on a DAW would be a good choice. However, I think the Maschine sequencer is the best environment for creating, bar none. & you pretty much get the kontrol functionality

So anywho...how's it going with Maschine?

[IanT]

Hey, yeah. Interesting and fun!

I'm mainly a keyboard player and I read music and it took a good while to get familiar with Maschine. Don't use all its features and, to be honest, don't always record drum parts with it but it's useful for trying the sounds in various drum kits, selecting patterns for auditioning, quick quantising and so on.

I also got the S-49 and did the full K10U upgrade. I like its integration into the system. Obviously use it for melodic lines and auditioning sounds in Kontrol.

The Maschine software is good but the restrictions and limits on pattern arranging I find frustrating. You have to create several variations of a pattern for 1st and 2nd time bars, etc. and can't just play a pattern one time if it's 2-bars, for example, and sitting alongside a 4-bar pattern.

But most of the sounds seem well balanced and fit together well.

I've been using an old version of Cubase, too. Never tried running Maschine as a plug-in but have used the sounds in K10U as VSTs and that works fine.

Already made a few tracks and working on new stuff all the time. Many of the sounds and patterns provide instant inspiration!

Fun!