One of my favorite aspects of the full-size MK3 is being able to slice samples and effects from the hardware itself – tasks that are impossible on the Mikro hardware. On the other hand, some users may find themselves squinting to see it properly and it can only be used for a few simple tasks. The Mikro MK3 is much less cluttered and the extra space gained has allowed NI to fit in a touch strip for tweaking effects and performing.
![mk3 maschine mk3 maschine](https://www.mixingtable.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/maschine-mikro-mk3-classic-mixingtable.png)
In fact, it’s so small that it can only display two lines of text.Īs a design choice, it makes sense.
![mk3 maschine mk3 maschine](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JgHtQjBd6pA/maxresdefault.jpg)
The Mikro MK3 doesn’t inherit its older sibling’s color screen though. The new Mikro, which is a smaller version of last year’s Maschine MK3, takes a similar approach: it’s only got one knob but keeps the useful buttons for toggling between pad, keyboard and chord modes, as well as variation and duplication.
#Mk3 maschine portable#
The first Maschine Mikro, released in 2011, reduced the controller to a more portable size by making a few compromises – the dual screens became a single LCD and all the knobs were jettisoned in favor of just one. The core idea – an MPC-style controller hooked up to a software host – hasn’t changed (except on 2016’s sequencer tool, Maschine Jam), but with each successive generation NI has added new features (a touch strip for effects, audio interface, color screens) to make it a more useful studio and performance tool. The new Maschine Mikro, however, is more notable for what it cuts back on – namely screen size.
![mk3 maschine mk3 maschine](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KmKTXFm3z7s/maxresdefault.jpg)
Native Instruments’ beat-making hardware Maschine has undergone a lot of facelifts over the years. Scott Wilson finds out if the new format makes the portable controller more challenging to use. Native Instruments’ latest Maschine controller is a refreshed version of its cut-down Mikro model with almost no visible screen.