Alongside the evolution of more powerful and affordable home computers, the pain of a hardware recall soon became forgotten, replaced by the convenience of ‘saving all’. The start of this new era was when the accessibility of music-making started to broaden through virtualised studio environments. The sonic limitations which then became characteristics of classic sample based drum machines have been approximated in Maschine’s sampler to borrow some of that classic vibe VST plug-ins had already arrived in 1996, but coupled with VST Instruments (VSTi) in 1999, this represented a sea change in the standardised software-based studio and a move away from the costs of what were becoming perceived as dusty old hardware studio tools. Around this time, a turning point occurred, as PCs (and pricey Macintoshes) were becoming powerful enough to run modest audio/MIDI sequencing and audio recording. This would require all sound sources to be external ie, hardware drum machines, sound modules, synthesisers and samplers. Towards the late 1990s, unless you were running a Commodore Amiga as your affordable 8-bit, domestic priced sequencer and sampler, the main accessible choice for bedroom producers was an Atari ST running Cubase for MIDI sequencing. To set the scene for Maschine’s first arrival, it’s important to understand the major shifts through the 2000s. Akai’s MPC60 set the early standard for workstation design, it was later expanded and relaunched in 1994 as the MPC3000 Computer love These later hardware-based incarnations all have their own stories of success, but there was soon a major shift in music-making which happened towards the end of the 1990s that would alter the course the entire music production landscape forever. Some catered towards MIDI sequencing and sampling, others focussed purely on standalone sampling units with the user needing their own form of MIDI sequencer. Alongside Akai, other major companies created sampling machines with higher quality capabilities, larger memory capacities and higher polyphony.

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