# Maschine Mikro Mk3 - Only Top 2 Rows Lighting Up **URL:** \ **Category:** Finger Drumming Gear / Software / Setup\ **Created:** [January 9, 2026, 10:42am UTC](https://questforgroove.discourse.group/t/maschine-mikro-mk3-only-top-2-rows-lighting-up/1827 "2026-01-09T10:42:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iDuncan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/43a26b/32.png) [@iDuncan](https://questforgroove.discourse.group/u/iDuncan)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 10:42am UTC](https://questforgroove.discourse.group/t/maschine-mikro-mk3-only-top-2-rows-lighting-up/1827/1 "2026-01-09T10:42:06Z")
Something strange has started to happen with my Maschine Mikro Mk3. I noticed that it’s started showing the top 2 rows as red and nothing on the bottom 2 rows. All of my mapping gets lost. If you press any of the red pads, they light up brighter red and stay bright until you press another - ie only one can be bright at a time. ![PXL_20260109_102342333](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/questforgroove/original/1X/7d0bb6e03a66f1416e9744a2c6fe4e9048786e8f.jpeg) If I open the Controller Editor software, it goes back to my previous setup with all the lights on and pad mappings as the were. ![PXL_20260109_103135140](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/questforgroove/original/1X/e945162a5b5b1244a0889ceed58e8a597d58cf15.jpeg) As soon as I close Controller Editor, it goes back to the top 2 rows being red and it basically not working. I’ve had this for 18months I think and can’t recall this ever happening. I don’t understand what’s happening. Any ideas please? Edit: I’ve also logged a ticket with NI support. ---
**Author:** ![Robert\_Mathijs](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/questforgroove.discourse.group/robert_mathijs/32/335_2.png) [@Robert\_Mathijs](https://questforgroove.discourse.group/u/Robert_Mathijs)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 6:44pm UTC](https://questforgroove.discourse.group/t/maschine-mikro-mk3-only-top-2-rows-lighting-up/1827/2 "2026-01-12T18:44:58Z")
It could be that what you are seeing is the “Maschine software mode”. So basically what the controller does when used with Maschine software. When using controller editor it’s just a midi controller. I personally do not boot up Maschine software and also not use it as a plugin. Could that be it? ---
**Author:** ![iDuncan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/43a26b/32.png) [@iDuncan](https://questforgroove.discourse.group/u/iDuncan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 9:09pm UTC](https://questforgroove.discourse.group/t/maschine-mikro-mk3-only-top-2-rows-lighting-up/1827/3 "2026-01-12T21:09:26Z")
Thanks, but I don’t think so as it still says Midi Mode on the screen. ---
**Author:** ![Robert\_Mathijs](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/questforgroove.discourse.group/robert_mathijs/32/335_2.png) [@Robert\_Mathijs](https://questforgroove.discourse.group/u/Robert_Mathijs)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 10:18am UTC](https://questforgroove.discourse.group/t/maschine-mikro-mk3-only-top-2-rows-lighting-up/1827/4 "2026-01-13T10:18:21Z")
Maybe it switches to a different “pad bank” ? ---
**Author:** ![iDuncan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/43a26b/32.png) [@iDuncan](https://questforgroove.discourse.group/u/iDuncan)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 11:40am UTC](https://questforgroove.discourse.group/t/maschine-mikro-mk3-only-top-2-rows-lighting-up/1827/5 "2026-01-13T11:40:49Z")
I wasn’t sure how to do that directly on the controller so Googled it. I now know that you hold the GROUP button and then select from pads 9 to 16. Weird thing is, as soon as I pressed the GROUP button, my normal pad layout came back instantly. Now when I press GROUP, it temporarily changes the pads to the same top 2 rows red. As soon as I let go, it goes back to the normal pad layout. I can also change pad banks by pressing any of pads 9 to 16 whilst still holding GROUP. It’s like the GROUP button was stuck down and only became unstuck when running the software and then when I pressed that button, only this time it released it permanently. All very strange, but I think I’m all good now. Thanks for the suggestion Rob, much appreciated 😁