The Native Instruments Maschine MK3 is quite a popular beat-making and audio production tool. It has dozens of nifty features, allowing you to create all manner of patterns and beats.
In this review, we’re going to take a closer look at everything it offers. We’ll explain how it works, who it’s good for, and we’ll give our overall verdict to let you know if it’s worth the money or not.
The Native Instruments Machine MK3 has a built-in 24-bit/96kHz audio interface, allowing you to connect it to a DAW on a computer to expand the potential.
On the surface of the machine, you have two colorful screens that allow you to navigate between different features.
You get a bunch of pads to create beats with, along with controller knobs to apply different effects.
You can use either a USB cable or power supply to power the machine, giving you versatility in how you use it.
There are dozens of other features as well, including sequencers, samplers, included VSTs, and extensive input and output options.
This is essentially the perfect machine for anyone wanting to be a one man band. It has so much potentially to create anything, making it far more than a simple drum machine.
If you love to write and create music, this is a really good option for you. You can create samples, write out beats, and use it as a general controller when plugging it into a DAW.
The overall quality of the machine is fantastic, and it’s definitely one that most bedroom producers are in love with.
The construction quality of the machine is fantastic. We mainly based this on the user interface.
With two large screens, you get to see things a lot clearer than you do with other audio production machines.
There are also a huge number of buttons and knobs, allowing you to play patterns and change effects very easily.
Those things are just on the surface, though, as there is so much more to this machine when you really learn how to use it.
We thought the performance quality was very quick and smooth. The machine reacts well when connected to a DAW, and the onboard samples sound and respond just as smoothly as ones coming from your computer.
The only drawback of this machine is that it’s very tricky to learn how to use. We’ve heard of plenty of beginners dropping it after a while, as the skill gap was just too big for what the machine offered.
If you’re already experienced, you’ll love it.
The machine has a decent price tag. We wouldn’t say it’s too much or too little. It’s exactly what we’d expect it to be, and you get plenty of value when using it.
We will say that the money you pay for it will be worth it if you use all the features on offer.
If you just want a beat machine to create a few simple beats, there are much better and more affordable options out there.
Beat machines allow you to make beats without needing to program them on a DAW. They’re a lot faster, but they also work well as MIDI controllers if you’re looking for more performance capabilities.
Native Instruments is a fantastic audio brand. Many of the brand’s products have been industry-standard options at one point or another, so you’re guaranteed great performance quality.
Overall, we mostly recommend getting this if you’re already experienced with beatmaking and music production. It’s a fantastic machine with dozens of useful features to help you create music.
If you’re just getting into that world, you may find it a bit overwhelming. It takes a long time to learn how to use, and there are easier and simpler tools available.
Founder of TheDrumNinja
I’m crazy about drums, it’s been my passion since I was 12 years old. I played in numerous bands going through different styles like Rock, Progressive, Pop & Jazz-Rock. After being featured in major music publications (Drumeo, Guitar Guitar, AudioIssues, MusicThinkTank) I started this website to share my knowledge and create a resource for drummers of all levels.
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