iMaschine 2 Lets You Create Entire Tracks

imaschine-2

Native Instruments today released a major new release of its beatmaking app for iOS, iMaschine 2.

While the original iMaschine focused on beatmaking, iMaschine 2 is designed to let you create entire tracks. It adds new arranging options, new note entry options, an arpeggiator, color-coded pads, 3D Touch support and more.

Unfortunately, the specs make no mention of Audiobus, MIDI support or Audio Copy/Paste.

Here’s what’s new in iMaschine 2:

  • The Arranger lets you turn your loops and scenes into full tracks with the swipe of a finger
  • Create different patterns for each group and arrange your scenes
  • Step Mode lets you quickly create beats without finger drumming
  • The Smart Play keyboard lets you play chords, melodies, and basslines that are always in-key
  • The arpeggiator lets you add dynamic motion to your tracks
  • Multi-colored pads and groups help you better organize your sounds
  • Quick Actions with Apple 3D Touch help you optimize your workflow with shortcuts*
  • 3D Touch lets you control the velocity or rate of note repeat depending on how hard you press the screen, bringing you closer to a true hardware experience*
  • Major library update, now including over 300 MB of content: 19 projects, 38 drum kits, and over 750 samples
  • Open your existing iMASCHINE projects effortlessly in iMASCHINE 2
  • Expand your sonic arsenal with ULTIMATE COLLECTION – 36 iMASCHINE
  • Expansion packed into one ultra-affordable bundle

Here’s the official video intro:

In the video, LA-based producer TK Kayembe uses iMaschine to create an entire track.

imaschine-padsFeatures:

  • Use 16 pads for real-time drum sequencing on your iOS device
  • Quickly create beats without finger drumming using Step Mode
  • Use the Arranger to structure your track by adding, moving, and deleting different patterns on the fly
  • Play always-in-key melodies and basslines by combining Chord, Scale, and Arpeggiator features with the Smart Play keyboard
  • Use Note Repeat in Keyboard and Drum Pad Modes to create rolls, fills, and fast note attacks with note ranges from 1/4 notes to 1/32 notes
  • Better organize your sounds using multi-colored pads and groups
  • Optimize your workflow using Quick Actions with Apple 3D Touch for app and pad shortcuts*
  • Control the velocity or rate of note repeat depending on how hard you press the screen using 3D Touch*
  • Capture vocals, field recordings, or any audio from the microphone on your iOS device
  • Sample directly from your iTunes library
  • Mix your sounds and choose from professional audio effects
  • Open your existing iMASCHINE projects effortlessly in iMASCHINE 2
  • Start building tracks immediately with the included extended iMASCHINE 2 library, featuring over 300 MB of content: 19 projects, 38 drum kits and over 750 samples
  • Choose from a huge collection of additional drum kits, projects and instrument sounds from top sound designers and renowned artists with iMASCHINE Expansions – available at the In-App Expansions Store
  • No matter which iOS device you use, iMASCHINE adapts to your screen size – a compact workflow for iPhone and an optimized iPad workflow for two-handed groove production
  • Learn how to use the app and discover helpful tricks with the New Features Notification function
  • Export your mix as an audio file or directly upload it to SoundCloud and share it with the world
  • Export your project (including samples) to MASCHINE STUDIO, MASCHINE, and MASCHINE MIKRO. Projects exported to MASCHINE support multiple Scenes as well as Pad and Group colors.
  • Universal App. Purchase the app and iMASCHINE Expansions once and use them on all iOS devices registered to that iTunes account

iMaschine 2 is available now with an introductory price of US $4.99 (normally $9.99).

45 thoughts on “iMaschine 2 Lets You Create Entire Tracks”

    1. They’re only charging $5 and additionally they’re offering every Maschine 1 expansion for only $1 in app purchase until Dec 1. I’d say everyone is getting a deal.

            1. I’ve seen it all now. Complaining that there’s no upgrade for a $5 app? There really is no pleasing some.

              That being said. I’ve used the first iMaschine maybe more than any other app, and found it’s a great way to not only sketch ideas out, but to occasionally form the building blocks of some of the tracks I create. It’s easy to use and a lot of fun. I’ll definitely be getting v.2.

              1. I’m the one that’s seen it all, this app has always sucked and the extremes you guys go through to act like it doesn’t never ceases to amaze me… NI know it, that’s why they are basically paying people to buy it….
                I don’t care if it was free I’d still pass. No thanks.

      1. THIS. We can get VST quality plugins for $5 that also act as hardware grooveboxes…. and everyone is complaining (???)

  4. I always liked the first app, but it was an island unto itself since it didn’t play well with other apps. Just a Maschine sketch pad. But this version looks like it’s worth a look again.

    1. almost definitely not. they could implement this easily but they probably wont. would pretty much make machine a stand-alone unit…

        1. I mean it would be amazing…. But for whatever reason I think NI believes it will reduce the value of the machine software possibly?

    2. Would love it if NI came out with a Reaktor controller app. Imagine being able to export a Reaktor ensemble’s interface directly to iPad instead of having to muck about in Lemur or TouchOSC…

  8. I’m sticking with version 1 as long as there’s no midi support, I totally like its GUI and don’t see version 2 as big improvement in that respect, to be honest

  9. Is this better than iMPC Pro in any way?

    It seems to be missing a LOT of features that more serious users would want, that iMPC Pro already has.

    1. one neat feature of impc pro (as well as impc) is being “”tabletop”” ready, a program similar to korg gadget and caustic

    2. Probably way better file management system I’d assume, wouldn’t be hard to outdo Akai’s mess of a design for that…

  10. Is this app only for iPhone6s and iPhone6s plus ? or only some features work with theses models ?

    Sorry for the question but i really didn’t understand the product description for that issue

    Thanks

  11. I can not find a way to hear the audio out of my ( Duet ) class compliant USB interface – only from headphone out…what the heck?

    1. I have the same issue with my Alesis iO Dock. I have 2 ipads, one with iOS8 and the other iOS9. iMaschine2 audio out on iOS8 works as it should. With iOS9, only headphone/speaker out…

  12. there are so many features better in the impc pro that I wouldn’t know where to begin in listing them.
    in this day and age the way NI is hamstringing you guys along is nothing short of embarrassing. I’ve heard many bad stories about retronyms customer service and probably told some myself but at least the impc pro does not suck. literally every feature it has is better than imaschine in every conceivable way. People used to boast that imaschine lets you transfer your projects to it’s desktop counter part and I have to admit that’s a great feature but what does it matter if the rest of the app sucks, I’d never use that feature as long as I had the impc pro on my iPad!

  13. All the sound packs ever made for imaschine (most from the full machine packs) for 0.79p (1 buck) makes this a complete no brainer…yes, there are better MPC type devices in terns of features, but the step sequencer (for the drums at least) and song mode is a step in the right direction, and the sound packs are awesome even if its just to get a taste of the sounds before you spend fifty bucks on the sound pack for you Maschine proper!

  14. I own a Maschine MKII, and Komplete ultimate ok. I also own iMaschine ver.1. Here is the thing guys. It really isn’t about the cost. Yes we know $5 isn’t a lot of money. But a smart person invests his money where he will get the most for it. And NI continue to prove that they just aren’t a smart investment. There are FAR AND AWAY better apps for the same price, that I bought before iMaschine and they have added WAYYYYY more functionality without trying to squeeze an extra 5 dollars out of me. There is no loyalty from NI WHAT SO EVER. The fact that the iMaschine soundpacks are not free to people who have already purchased the full Maschine versions of them is ludacris. The fact that the iPad version of Tracktor DJ is separate purchase even tho I already paid for the iPhone version + the in app purchases is BEYOND ASININE! Are you starting to see the pattern? NI isn’t interested in adding any functionality to keep their customers. iMaschine being as limited as it is, makes it a marketing tool to nickle and dime new users all the way to purchasing a full Maschine. There is no added value for people who already own Maschine and iMaschine ver 1. This is just the straw that broke the camels back for me.
    I like the new features in iMaschine 2, but I just have to refuse to pay for them on principle. I already paid for them when I bought iMaschine ver 1. For a contrast please look at the app touchable. look at ver. 1 and then look at the current version. ALL of that functionality was added for FREE. You mean to tell me a company with the profit margins of NI can’t afford to do the same as a small independant company? Pure GREED. Their track record shows they will do the same with iMaschine 2. They will never add midi support because they stupidly think it would affect Maschine sales smh. I’ve had enough.

  15. It’s amazing to me that so many people think this is just a cynical cash grab. The Mk1 version, has been around since 2011 and since Apple don’t allow devs to charge for updates and since IAP is still seen as a bit, well, not seen in the best light (thanks mainly to fremium games), how exactly are devs supposed to make money? – this applies less to NI, obviously, but the point is valid.
    If I’d made an app, for some strange reason, I think I would like to be paid for my work and in this case, I think a new version, after four years, is fair enough.
    I’m the greedy one – I selfishly want to keep these developers (well, maybe not Retronyms!) making apps that I can faff around on, for a few quid, and if I make anything interesting, all the better. The cost of these apps are frankly nothing and as I said, it’s just a shame that a lot of peeps are angry about a new version only four years after the original.
    Apologies for the rant, I’ll get back to Fallout 4 now.

    1. The people that complain about paying for apps or app upgrades are, by definition, not people that developers pay attention to.

      The whiners complain about anything that isn’t free, but their attitude makes them impotent, because developers just completely tune them out.

  16. NI deliberately hamstringing their Machine apps is really dumb and annoying IMO. They should have come out with a $50-$200 version of Machine studio for iOS to compete with Korg Gadget. They have lost me and probably a lot of other users with this approach. I can make almost complete songs at the beach using Gadget and then thanks to its integration with Ableton, finish the track off on my laptop. The Maschine app is so frustratingly basic that I’m not compelled to use it, and then I don’t end up using the hardware Maschine either because I’m starting all my tracks in Gadget – dumb strategy NI.

    1. Totally agree with you. I am so pissed at N.I. for deliberately crippling their products that i sold my Maschine Studio. Bought an Akai MPC Element. Now I can chop, create kits, program beats, use my portable controllers (MPC Element) and transfer the projects to the desktop from iMPC Pro.

      I got the Touch on Ebay for $600 with free shipping:)

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