Hardware Control for Sound Software: Native Instruments Machine, APC40 for Ableton Live, and Euphonix MC Control and MC Mix
So I wanted to share with you some gear I’ve been checking out… brand new, just announced gear… from Native Instruments and Ableton.. the theme here is hardware control of software.. the integration of the two.. which is something I’ve been thinking about a good deal lately. So.. without further a-do…
Native Instruments Maschine
I’ve been looking into these kinds of.. groove box style controllers for a little while now… What sets Maschine a part from its competition is that it’s an integration of hardware and software.. Usually you get full on hardware.. which is capable of controlling software to a more limited extent.. or you get just a controller, which again is only able to control the software to a limited extent.. here we get the two married together..
Generally.. the full on hardware devices a bit more expensive, sometimes a lot more expensive.. and often are somewhat limited with respect to expandability.. where as here.. you have access the the full set of sounds you got going on your computer, basically.. I’ve been seeing Maschine (why must they spell it this way) retailing for around $600.
There’s a good deal more that Maschine is capable of then this one little video shows.. Native has the rest of there videos on they’re site.. which can give you a fuller appreciation of the devise..
[editors note, Matt figured this was worth adding, about a day after this was written]>>
I imagine that the economics of a tool like Maschine versus a full on hardware unit are worth mentioning at this point… Most full on hardware units of these types.. well the higher end ones anyways.. the ones that go for a few grand.. are units that try to do everything in one box. This can be economical if you’re not some one with a larger studio..
Like.. take the new Akai MPC 500 sampling work station.. lists for $3500.. this unit has a built in 80 GB hard drive, 2 XLRs, usb, ADAT.. various outs.. blah blah blah.. you’re limited to a 64 track MIDI sequencer, 16 bit 44 kHz audio.. you’ve got limited effects routing.. and the effects are not really all that.. it’s ability to slice up loops is some what iffy..
Now, if you break all this down.. you could get a MacBook Pro for 2K, a Focusrite Pro 4 audio interface for $500.. which has like 8 XLRs in.. all of which actually have phantom power.. and the pres are of way higher quality.. you could pick up a copy of Logic for $500, Maschine for $600.. So for $100 more.. you’re on a whole other planet.. I mean you’re just light years beyond..
I would assume.. if you’re serious about music making.. you must have a decent computer to start with, as well as a DAW like Logic.. and an audio interface.. so at this point things are stacked even further against the full on hardware units.
This is not to say that the full on hardware units don’t have there advantages.. you are, after all, just carrying around one piece of gear.. all the features are made to work together in such a way that.. can sometimes be quite elegant.. but generally these kinds of devices are favored more by “old school peeps” who are intimidated by computers.. and the more complex DAWs. <<
APC40 for Ableton Live
This is what has me REALLY excited. As near as I can tell from the video.. the integration between the controller and Live is awesome.. which isn’t quite to say that it’s without limitations.. though one would have to play with it to really get a sense of what those limitations look like.. and many of those, I’m sure, evaporate when you add Max for Live to the equation.
Why is Matt Excited about this sort of stuff
I guess I learned a valuable lesson from Kore 2.. when you have hardware control over software, you experience the software in a whole other way… and you can work with the software in a whole new way.. I don’t quite know how to over state this..
Ok.. so there’s one.. well actually two.. other things to share.. This is gear I’m actually a whole lot more sold on the above mentioned tools..
Euphonix MC Control
The guy presenting here is a bit more annoying then the fellows in the above videos… don’t you kinda wanna slap him around a little bit? …But if you can look past this.. this is some pretty amazing stuff…
Euphonix MC Mix
These tools aren’t totally perfect.. they’re probably not worth the investment, from what I’ve heard, if what you’re looking to control is purely Reason or Ableton Live.. as it doesn’t control them so well.. MC Control’s touch screen has a very narrow angle by which you can view it, so you kinda need to be on top of it to use it.. and the screen is known to flicker a bit. There’s apparently a few other sniglets here and there.. but they’ve been doing a good job of updating how these work..
That said.. from my point of view its a pretty amazing controller.. and for my studio what I’m thinking of investing in is the Euphonix MC Controller and the Euphonix MC Mix.. which.. and don’t I wish there was some kind of a special bundle deal when you buy them both at once.. run at $2,500 for both.
The price is.. well a lot of money.. but, if you compare it’s features and price versus similar control surfaces.. you really can’t beat them.
Next day:
I want to continue this bit on talking about using hardware to control software.. particularly as it relates to the Euphonix stuff… or at least how I’m thinking about it.
The first thing is.. when you have touch sensitive motorized sliders.. and in the set up I’m talking about you have 12 of them.. you’re in a situation where you can see what’s going on with your mix automation just from the controller.. as a pose to having to switch on over to your mixer view window in your software..
I think the really big thing here is.. tactile control.. when you mix in the box without these kinds of tools.. you’re controlling the software via a mouse.. via one pointer.. so you can really only move one parameter / one slider.. at once… and you don’t really have the same kind of control over things.
Further, if what you are controlling is effects or a synthesizer program.. you’re in a situation where different parameters interact.. which is a situation where you’d really like to be able to work in a way where you can fully explore that interaction… which is hard to do with a mouse!
The implications are bigger and deeper then this.. but.. I figure that’s probably enough for one post.