Native Instruments release Maschine 1.8 software

Native Instruments have just released the latest update to their Maschine software, including new effects and time shift capabilities.

Timed to tie in with impending release of the Maschine MK2, the new software is nevertheless available to owners of the existing hardware, with the updates further positioning the software and hardware combination as a viable alternative to programs like Ableton for live performance.

The most notable improvements are new time stretch and pitch shift functions, allowing beats to be matched harmonically – something that has attracted users to Ableton for many years. These are joined by new effects, as NI’s Transient Master is integrated into the software, offering a solution for those needing a dynamics effect for positioning drums and percussion, while tube and tape saturator effects allow users to add analog warmth to their productions.

Of course not all the updates are available to users of the old hardware; some features, such as the colour coding, will only be visible to owners of the new hardware. However, Native Instruments are also throwing in a free copy of their popular softsynth Massive for anyone upgrading – no doubt a canny move to encourage producers to start using the software alone rather than as an integrated part of Ableton or other DAW.

The Maschine MK2 will be released by Native Instruments soon – for full details visit the Native Instruments website, and for details of its release, keep an eye on Juno.