Maschine, Push & MPC

Figuring out a name for this post was harder than writing it because I couldn't think of a general category to place all three. Groove boxes? Sure, but they do much more than that. Midi controllers? Yes but that still doesn't nail it. DAW controllers? Yes but the MPC live and X can operate solo. So what the hell are they?

Maschine, Push and MPC.

They're pretty, they're stylish, they make you feel like you're actually doing something not just looking at your monitor as you drag the mouse around. They give you a hands-on feel during production.

But the most important question still remains this, will they improve your sound?

Let's find out!

What do they do?

In a nutshell, these controllers have embedded in them - literally all the important functions needed in music production and these functions can be accessed using the pads, buttons, knobs and encoders found on the machines.

That means you can comfortably make a beat from start to finish on these hardware without your mouse or even your computer screen and in the case of MPC, without even your computer!

Why is my PC or Mac not enough? 

Hands-on feel: For some people, it's a more intuitive way of production to have a physical experience with hardware rather than using a mouse and keyboard. This tactile approach to making music will appeal to finger drummers, electronic music producers, DJ's and just about anybody who's a control freak.

Live Performance: All three are clip/pattern based music sequencers and these clips and scenes (a combination of different clips) can be triggered at will on the hardware giving you real time control on the arrangement of the song.

Also special effects like filter sweeps, LFO modulations e.t.c. can be done during a live performance to get the crowd going crazy.

Imagine electronic music producer David Guetta on stage with a laptop and a mouse,  squinting and shift - dragging the mouse to simulate a noise sweep.

I know right?

In this modern age where DJ's are turning into producers and producers are playing live like DJ's, hands-on and real time control is needed and the dynamic trio (Maschine, Push and MPC) are here to the rescue.

Focus on the music: The human brain is used to combining experiences from the eyes and ears to help you make a decision. You SEE someone pull the trigger, you HEAR a gun shot so your brain tells you RUN. But sometimes you might apply a high pass filter on a hi-hat and because u SEE the filter knob set  to cut 500hz and below, your brain tells you you've removed the low end of the hi-hat when in fact that hat originally has no frequencies in that range.

Sometimes you put a compressor on a channel and imagine a compressed sound when in fact the compressor had been bypassed all along.

These mistakes arise when your ear is not the main sense organ used when making music or mixing. Your eyes and imaginations have taken centre stage and are giving your ears false information, telling you it's okay when it's not.

Turning a filter's frequency using a 'physical' knob has cut off the eye from interfering and you can now listen to hear when the filter actually starts working or whether the filter is on or not.

These hardware controllers help you focus on the most important thing - the sound by eliminating a lot of visual distractions that come with a computer screen.

Studio Aesthetics: There's just something about dancing lights and flashing colors. It adds a feel of excitement to the studio and makes it look modern. 

A Maschine, Push or MPC might just be the reason your client is willing to pay your fees because his mind is already in the euphoria of dancing lights and flashing colors. Make sure you dazzle them all the more with your sounds, thank me later ;)

Will Maschine, Push or MPC improve my sound?

It's hard to say but my answer is leaning towards the 'Not Really' side and I say this because these controllers improve workflow, convenience and listening, not necessarily the quality of your sound.

Granted, a better workflow and listening can yield better sonic results but it's not enough to take you from rookie to pro. A rookie will still sound like a rookie on a Push or Maschine as he did on his computer, so will a pro.

If you want to improve your sound, get better sounding samples and plug-ins, watch production and mixing tutorials, learn more about music theory, learn an instrument and read more about the plug-ins you use. Apply this new knowledge using these controllers and trust me your sound will definitely improve.

Final notes

It's a glorious thing to see those pads light up and change color during production or playback but deciding to invest in them should be well thought out.

Some people aren't performance oriented naturally, a hardware controller might even stifle their creativity. But for those who love the rush and feel of finger drumming, knob twisting and button pressing, you can't go wrong with these beasts.

Spend time knowing all their functions and you'll be well on your way to staring at your computer screen only when watching movies.

Written by

Chidi 'Tite' Nnadi