Triggering Maschine Instruments from MIDI Tracks in Ableton Live

This article explains how to trigger Sounds (Instruments) loaded in Maschine from separate MIDI Tracks in Ableton Live.

Note: If you want to trigger a Maschine drum kit with MIDI Notes, please see this article.

We will set up two Instruments in Maschine and trigger them using two additional MIDI Tracks in Ableton Live.

Setting Up Maschine

Here we demonstrate how to load two Instruments to Maschine Sound Slots and configure them to respond to their own MIDI channels.

Note: This technique can be further applied to use 16 MIDI Tracks in Ableton Live to control all Instruments loaded in a Maschine Group.

Setting up the First Instrument in Maschine

  1. Create a new MIDI Track in Ableton Live and load the Maschine 2 plug-in.

    Note: Please see this article for more information about inserting NI plug-ins in Ableton Live.

    Initial_Maschine_Track.png
  2. Load an Instrument from the Maschine Browser to the first Sound Slot. In this example, we select a MONARK Bass sound (Basix) and drag it to the first Maschine Sound Slot on Group A1.
    Load_First_Monark_Sound.png
  3. Click the Channel Icon and select SOUND > Input >  MIDI.
    Sound_MIDI_Input_Setup_MIDI_CH_1.png
    - Set the Source field to Host.
    - Set Channel to 1.
    - Keep Thru activated.

Now the first Maschine Instrument (Basix) is set to receive notes over MIDI Channel 1.

Setting up the Second Instrument in Maschine

  1. Load another Instrument from the Maschine Browser to the second Sound Slot. In this example, we select a Monark Piano / Keys sound (Organ C) and drag it to the second Maschine Sound Slot on Group A1.
    Load_Second_Monark_Sound.png
  2. Click the Channel Icon and select SOUND > Input > MIDI.
    Sound_MIDI_Input_Setup_MIDI_CH_2.png
    - Set the Source field to Host.
    - Set Channel to 2.
    - Keep Thru activated.

Now the second Maschine Instrument (Organ C) is set to receive notes over MIDI Channel 2.

Click to expand the next section below, for instructions to configure the additional Ableton Live MIDI Tracks.

Setting up MIDI Tracks in Ableton

Here we demonstrate how to set up additional Ableton Live MIDI Tracks. These are used to send MIDI note events over separate MIDI channels to the Monark Instruments loaded in Maschine.

Note: The first MIDI Track in Ableton Live contains the Maschine 2 plug-in, and is referred to here as an "Instrument Track". The second and third Ableton Live MIDI Tracks are used for sending MIDI note events to the Maschine Instrument Track. 

Setting up the Initial Maschine Instrument Track

  1. On the Maschine Instrument Track (1 Maschine 2), set the upper MIDI From the drop-menu to All Ins.
  2. Set the lower MIDI From the drop-menu to All Channels.
  3. Set Monitor to Off.
    MASCHINE_Track_Setup.png

Setting up the First MIDI Track

Create a new MIDI Track and configure it to send MIDI to the first Monark Sound loaded in Maschine.

  1. On the new MIDI Track (2 MIDI), set the upper MIDI To drop-menu to 1-Maschine 2 (i.e. the first Ableton Track where the Maschine 2 plug-in is loaded).
  2. Also, set the lower MIDI To drop-menu to 1-Maschine 2 (i.e. MIDI Channel 1, where the first Monark Instrument is assigned in Maschine).
  3. Set Monitor to Auto.
    Second_MIDI_Track_CH_1.png

Setting up the Second MIDI Track

Create another new MIDI Track and configure it to send MIDI to the second Monark Sound loaded in Maschine.

  1. On this new MIDI Track (3 MIDI), set the upper MIDI To drop-menu to 1-Maschine 2 (i.e. the first Ableton Track where the Maschine 2 plug-in is loaded).
  2. Set the lower MIDI To drop-menu to 2-Maschine 2 (i.e. MIDI Channel 2, where the second Monark Instrument is assigned in Maschine).
  3. Set Monitor to Auto.
    Third_MIDI_Track_CH_2.png

The Ableton Live MIDI Tracks (2 MIDI & 3 MIDI) are now set to control the first and second Monark Sounds loaded in Maschine (1 Maschine 2). Click the Record Enable tab for the MIDI Track you wish to play.

Tracks_Overview.png

You can play them using a MIDI keyboard or launch a clip containing MIDI notes.

Note: For reference, you may also download the attached Ableton Live project. This shows the result of the steps outlined above.