With my Korg Padkontrol-FL Studio combo, I could assign everything I wanted so far, but I have to do everything manually (otherwise it’s all over the place); either learning the notes for a certain action in the VST, or adjusting the notes on my drumpad.
Anyways, because Ableton doesn’t natively support Maschine for control surfaces, you have to do this magic: https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000605109-How-to-Set-Up-the-MASCHINE-MK3-Integration-for-Ableton-Live
I can’t comment on your issues with Ableton as I don’t use that DAW. I’ve owned a Maschine MK3 which is the big brother to the Mikro for about a year now, I had the Mikro for about a week as I wanted something a little more portable but sent that back recently because of issues with the Pads.
Using the Controller Editor software you can map the buttons and knobs to whatever midi CCs and controls that you want. I can certainly map the smart strip to pitch bend. It’s pretty flexible as well as being able to map different controls to different CCS you can map them to different midi channels. What I can’t see in the Controller Editor software is anyway to send NRPNs or Sys-ex
I use my Maschine MK3 as a midi controller. Other than a passing look I’ve not yet used the Maschine software. I use Logic Pro but I have also use Maschine to control external synths & groove boxes too.
I came across this which may or may not be of some use to you
https://www.lotsofnoise.technology/post/maschine-script-ableton
Thanks to @Robin and @ungoleth for your replies, I had found both of the support pages but very kind of you to research them for me too. Unfortunately, the script from Lots of Noise Tech doesn’t seem to work. The NI section that is copied into the Ableton Scripts looks fine but might not be much different to the Maschine Mk3 script, I’m not sure how to find that out as they are all marked as .py docs. The other document that goes with it, which I would have assumed is the template, is just a text file. I haven’t been able to get that one going and it doesn’t show up as a Control Surface.
You are right, I can midi map anything that is obviously available to map in Ableton, I am guessing that by using different midi channels I can use the same buttons and sliders to multi-function them, i.e. put drums on channel 16 (old school channel for drums) then you can use the pads for other things by changing the channel. This is all great but for one thing, in Ableton midi mapping is done per project, quite a long process every time you start a new project which is where a proper template from NI would be helpful.
In retrospect, I probably should have bought a Launchpad Pro X. This is fully Ableton compatible, but the buttons for finger drumming are quite small (and I’m not!!). If I don’t get on with this, I will probably end up selling it on and starting again looking for something more suitable.
Ivan
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You may well find if you get into finger drumming that you end up with multiple controllers. I’ve got more than one and they all see some use
I can quite believe that actually, but finger drumming for me is to train myself to play more in time for recording purposes. I’m not that bad, but sometimes it’s a little to far out to say that it’s the ‘human’ effect. I’m not planning to become a professional finger drummer, far too old for that.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the budget to buy several of these devices. I thought I was buying the ultimate best for the money that I could only just afford (really stretching the budget). So you can see my disappointment when the thing doesn’t really function in the preferred mode. Since the last post, I have found a list of supported control devices on the Ableton site. NI only have 3 listed, they are all the KK range of keyboard controllers and none of the pad controllers are listed. It is highly possible and quite likely that this webpage has not been updated for years and may be incorrect, but it does seem that the scripts are developed by the DAW manufactures. So I have pinged out an email to Ableton asking about scripts and I sent another to NI last night (which probably wasn’t quite such a pleasant one and more of a complaint).
For me to buy another controller, I’ll need to sell this one on first. I’ve only had it 4 days.
I’m 50, so no spring chicken. Historically I’ve been a, bad, keyboard player. Played in a couple of bands in my youth. Recorded demos etc then making music fell by the wayside as having to make a living became a necessity. A random jamming session with my old band buddies after many years of music inactivity reignited the desire to make music.
Timing has never been my forte. And I got into finger drumming a few years back solely for the purpose of improving my timing. That’s worked to a degree, I’m better at keeping time than I ever was including when playing keyboards. Though, as with most things, the more I get into it the more I realise I’ve got to learn. I can now hear timing mistakes that I would have previously thought of being in time. I probably enjoy finger drumming more now than I do keyboard playing. Though I have no real music aspirations outside of my own enjoyment (maybe a youtube video or a song release on band camp - never say never).
Good luck with finding your ultimate controller. The novation stuff or the Push controllers seem to be the devices of choice for Ableton users. Second hand Mikros seem to retain their value better than 2nd and Launchpads so if you choose to sell you shouldn’t lose too much money
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Just realized that you might have looked at my profile pic that makes me look younger, That one I think is probably 20 years old now. I’m 63, also no spring chick. My first study instrument is Clarinet and obviously followed by Sax, I had to take up piano for Uni (that was 1991) but I am still fighting with that. Not a confident pianist, or very good and I really struggle with trying to play lounge style piano or keyboard style because there isn’t really any dots to read. I’ve played in a couple of orchestras and in the late 80s ran a jazz band. More recently, a little like you, the need to earn a wage got in the way of trying to be serious about music. I am currently putting together a raft of jazz backing tracks for me to practice with, arranged in a typical jazz band style. I tend to put everything in using a mouse, so some of the parts are a little simplistic (piano for example) because I don’t really know what they play.
I’ll look closer at the Novation stuff, Push I really can’t afford. I thought that there might be a demand for the Mikro should I go down the route of selling. I looked today at the licensing, that seems to be one thing NI have got right as they are transferable. Keep safe.
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Sorry I have not quite understood what’s the issue with the guide from native instruments supports site. You did the steps written there, but you still cannot find the control surface in Ableton?
Not related to the issue:
Of course, it depends on the subgenre of jazz, but if it’s like dixieland, Rob has a great fingerdrumming tutorial about it on youtube.
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Ah I wasn’t aware that the mapping in Ableton get erased with every project… The only thing that might work here is have a “standard” empty project with the mapping applied already and always open that one and then save as new version… but that’s as far as I get 
@ungoleth, the guide on NI site is fine, that’s not the issue. There are several control surfaces to choose, that may do something with the Mikro but because they are not bespoke for the Mikro Mk3 (e.g. I have a Mk2 that I found installed, that does more but there are no instructions with it) they can do some weird stuff which is not configurable. The least weird that I have setup is to use the control surface for the Maschine Mk3, the inputs then recognize the Mikro but there is nothing mapped, its a blank canvas. The download from Lots of Noise Tech I think was incomplete, the .zip file was missing a template. I have found someone who has made quite a clever template, it changes the use of all the buttons in the MIkro, but he wants $15 for that and based on missing items on the LONT download I’m a little reluctant to spend the money. http://jamanybox.com/maschine-mikro-mk3-ableton-script/
@Robert_Mathijs, Thanks Rob, as it happens I thought of that late last night. I already have developing templates for the backing tracks based of genre or in my case jazz genre. I therefore have one for Dixie, one for standards and a basic drum and base. Developing that I have been experimenting with fully setting the sounds up with basic effects assigned, this helps reduce the clipping when I am in composition mode but also means that I have already tailored the sound (mostly) to what I want from the outset. These templates could have some mapping added to them as you say, so they will also work for every project that I start. I should also bare in mind that I have a keyboard controller too, M-Audio Oxygen 49. That has two modes of operation in terms of mapping to Ableton (and works). The first is to turn on Auto, that does automatically map the faders for each track (up to 8 tracks), the Track on/off buttons for 8 tracks and some random pot mapping. The second mode is to map everything manually which again could be done in my project templates or as I need them.
I have worked out, because on the Mikro the only button that does anything is the group button, that by using the group button I have 128 pads that are selectable, assignable and can be mapped to the rows and columns in session view (for those that don’t know Ableton, its the same idea that NI pinched for Maschine 2’s Scenes and Patterns) to trigger the clips and rows. But I think that apart from using the pads to trigger anything that is in a Drum Rack (could be drums, instruments or sounds) that is about all I will get out of the Mikro as a controller. The finger drumming part of it is good though, I can use a variety of drums for that and I think that I ready last night how to change the mapping of instruments in Maschine 2 so that its in like a drum rack. That would enable another method for finger drumming because I would be able to setup the Q4G finger drumming template there too.
Although things are not looking quite so bad, it is disappointing that neither Ableton for NI have sorted this out particularly as the Mikro Mk3 has been out for a couple of years now. There are loads of complaints about this on both the NI forums and Ableton’s forums. Its just a shame that I found them after I spent the money, I might have thought differently about what I bought.
Sorry for the dissertation!!
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Further, this makes me dislike NI more and more. There response to my email, not even an explanation.
Hello,
Thank you for contacting Native Instruments.
Your email was received on our general company email address and is unable to reach our support teams.
For support related requests or individual assistance, we would like to encourage you to visit our support website where you can find contact options and self-help resources: https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/
For any questions before buying one of our products, we also offer live-chat on our website directly between 1 and 4 PM CET/PST.
Please note that this request will be closed automatically.
We kindly ask for your understanding,
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS
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I think I understand. Having an old secondhand drumpad, spending time to make kit presets and layout presets in the plugins, project templates in the daw, and note-layout scenes on the drumpad was natural for me. That being said, I only use my device for drumming and playing samples, and that’s it.
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I noticed this too. NI really made a big change in their business model and fired a lot of people. My opinion about is that if they can rebuild their company in a sustainable way by doing this, it will be better for everyone in the long run. So I’m not completely pissed (yet). This type of customer service does have to change in the near future though. It’s just too barebones. For now, I’m willing to ‘sit through’ this transition since it’s a fairly recent move that they made / had to make.
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Howdy all - I am now in the same boat. Saw the hype of the Mikro Mk3 here and got one a month ago. Only now just really getting into it and seeing that it’s my pad 4 that does the same things described (Sticks/no response/comes back on). Seems to do better at 80% sensitivity. I just set it up with addictive drums 2 with the suggested QFG layout and that’s when I noticed my issue. Tried then in Pro Logic with Maschine 2 plugin and will do same thing when trying to change a scene during play. Have latest firmware, newest Logic Pro x, updated Mac OS and happens to be a brand new OS install 2 days ago. Guess I also need to contact NI and do same thing. Bummer.
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Sorry to hear this. The best thing to do is indeed to go through an exchange process because we’ve now established it’s clearly a hardware issue with the latest batch of Maschine mikro mk3 units. Big bummer.
So, I’ve been searching the interwebs for other people having problems like these and I noticed another thread somewehere where someone with a Maschine studio and a pad that got stuck and the solution was, just like mentioned here, to set the sensitivity slider to less sensitive.
In my experience, what this means, is that the pad that get’s stuck is so ‘sensitive’ that it will permanently stay triggered on the most sensitive setting. The other pads on the device are not that sensitive so they will function normally on the most sensitive setting.
Obviously, increasing the threshold for triggering is not a real solution to the problem, but rather a workaround of an inconsistency in the pads.
In my experience however, the maschine mikro mk3 set to a little less sensitive is still the best 4x4 controller out there for the money by far. (The $350 Nekar Aura seems to maybe be a little better but its more than $100 extra) I tested it out a little and here’s a screenshot of the sensitivity setting that to me still feels comfortable to play.
So anything between that and most sensitive might be an acceptable workaround for those who just wanna start playing and stop dealing with NI customer support. If you use this sensitivity and you start playing and it feels good, this might be the best option in some cases.
I do understand that as a matter of principle this should not happen, NI “should not get away with this” so to speak. I understand that point of view and in a way I agree. However, you can also look at it this way:
NI tweaks their firmware to make their devices function on the edge of being as sensitive as possible while at the same time not ghost triggering or permanently triggering too much. Their engineers probably decided upon this “sensitivity threshold” in controller editor as the best they could do.
Now, there are a bunch of Mikro devices triggering too much on the most sensitive setting. If NI keeps getting reports of this, and they want to deal with this quickly and cost-effectively, they will probably release a firmware update and/or a controller editor update that effectively does the exact same thing as us scaling back the sensitivity setting.
So just to clarify: If we consider the current slider to go from 0 to 100, they will just make the slider go from 0 to 90. It will look the same, everybody will set it to most sensitive and will feel like that’s good and they’ll be happy (just like I was with the setting in the screenshot) and NI doesn’t have to deal with units being returned.
So… My suspicion is that if there’s gonna be a firmware update, or controller editor update after which the problems are gone, that could very well be what happened. They will just make the Mikro’s ever so slightly less sensitive and nobody will notice/care and the difference is that not just a few unlucky folks are dealing with less sensitivity, but everybody who upgrades their firmware / controller editor will be dealing with it, including me with my ‘impeccable’ maschine mikro devices
This is just to illustrate how NI can get away with not changing anything about how they make their hardware or quality control or factory calibration while at the same time making it seem as if they “fixed” the problem (which if you look at it a certain way is actually what they did… I mean, if that happens they did fix it, just not in the way we sensitivity hungry people would like). So with that in mind, I think everybody deserves the best Mikro mk3 unit and if you can easily return it or are willing to wait you have my blessing! That is probably the only way to get a ‘10/10’ maschine mikro unit and honestly it’s what I would personally do (but I have other units to play with in the meantime). However, if you adjust the slider a little and all your problems are gone and you play the device and it responds fine… just keep this story in mind. Maybe you’ll feel like “f it, im just gonna keep this and play this thing” and that to me would not be a completely stupid decision either.
@Robert_Mathijs, Sorry to butt in but I have to put my 5 eggs in on this one.
I understand that a work around is probably the fastest and cheapest solution for most people, so from that perspective I agree. However, if NI don’t have faulty units returned (even marginally faulty), they might assume that there hardware is perfect and no issues are arising. So from that perspective, all faulty units should be returned else NI really won’t do anything to fix the problems. I do hope that they do bring out a decent firmware update though, it just might resolve some other issues.
I have mine set below 100%, not that I had an issue, but there does seem to be a fine line between not sensitive enough and just right. I also think that might be different for everyone to some degree. For example, when I play piano (proper one), I call myself hammer hands. My touch is fairly rubbish but I’m not a professional pianist. So I reduced the pad sensitivity with ‘hammer hands’ in mind.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but as part of the setup particularly for finger drumming on the Mk3 you need to turn off the press function in the Control Editor? I was playing with that yesterday, makes quite a difference.
Ivan
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Yeah you’re right as well. NI has to know about this so they can fix it… thats true.
Just saying that some folks might prefer the quick solution for themselves personally but it is not the 100% ‘right’ thing to do.
And Yeah the press function turned off is for sure the best way to go with regards to drumming!
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Just to clarify about my particular situation since it does shed some light on the sensitivity suspicion.
My controller had 3 pads that were intermittently sticking or not triggering. This was happening when sensitivity was set to 0. I adjusted sensitivity up to 100 and down to 0 and tried different settings and the issue seemed to be the same. In fact, I discovered the issue right out of the box when the sensitivity was set to the factory setting of 0.
So, in my particular case, it wasn’t a problem that was happening only at peak sensitivity and would have been masked by lowering the sensitivity ceiling with a firmware update, it was apparently faulty pad trigger hardware.
My replacement unit is rock solid on all pads at all sensitivity levels and it plays like a dream. I’m not exactly Clyde Stubblefield yet, but I’m making progress with ghost notes and dynamics, whereas the other controller was wholly unplayable.
- Ken
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Thanks for sharing. “The plot thickens” as they say… apparently there’s a bunch of things that could be wrong and apparently they don’t necessarily have to have the same cause / solution
All of this is very useful for me when recording a future recommendation video on what to buy.