Berlin, Germany (MuseWire — Native Instruments today released MASCHINE 1.1, a free software update for its innovative groove production studio. The new version further optimizes the workflow and increases the creative potential of MASCHINE through new MIDI I/O capabilities, support for the REX loop format, enhanced controller interaction, and more.

To allow producers to easily incorporate external gear into their MASCHINE projects, the new version adds MIDI I/O functionality. Hardware synthesizers and similar devices can now be controlled from the MASCHINE sequencer both through polyphonic tracks and from individual monophonic sounds within a Group, while a special “Batch Setup” function makes it easy to set up MIDI input configurations in existing projects. MASCHINE 1.1 also adds support for REX files, enabling users to include pre-sliced loops in their projects that sync to tempo automatically. Any pattern in MASCHINE can also be directly exported as an audio file into a host sequencer or other audio software through a convenient drag-and-drop feature.

Further enhancements in MASCHINE version 1.1 include additional slicing options, advanced scene triggering, new metronome and record count-in options, extended controller integration for parameter adjustment and file saving, and a wide range of minor optimizations.

The 1.1 update is now available as free download for all owners of MASCHINE.