MachFive QuickStart

This guide shows you how to use the MachFive sampler plug-in within a Digital Performer sequence and how to create a simple multisampled program.

  1. Make a new Instrument track, with MachFive assigned to it:

    Project > Add Track > Instrument Track > MachFive2 (stereo)

    You should see the MachFive window.

    Make sure that the audio output of the track is correct (e.g., Analog 1-2).

  2. Set the output of a MIDI track to: MachFive2-1 : A-1

    You trigger notes on the sampler using the MIDI track; the audio plays on the Instrument track. It's helpful to drag one of the tracks in the track list so that the two tracks are adjacent in the list.

  3. Record-enable the MIDI track.
  4. When you play the keyboard, you should see a MIDI input light flicker in the top MachFive part (for MIDI channel A1).
  5. To use one of the factory presets, you have to load it from a DVD disk image.
    1. Double-click "No Preset" in the picture below.

      You should see the Load preset window.
    2. Click on "Macintosh HD" in the upper left part of the window.
    3. Click on "Applications" in the column to the right.
    4. Use the right-most scroll bar to look for "MOTU MachFive 2 Sounds" in the long list of folders in the Applications folder.
    5. You should see four files, with names ending in ".ufs".
    6. Double-click the top file ("MachFive2DVD1-Universal.ufs), and be patient while it tells you to "please wait."

      Then you should see a new list of folders: "00 Loops," "01 Piano & co," "02 Organ," etc. The "MacFive2DVD1-Universal.ufs" file should now appear in the left column, so that you shouldn't have to go looking for it again.

    7. Click on any of these folders to see a list of presets.
    8. Double-click on any ".m5p" file to load a preset into slot A1 of MachFive.
    9. You can now play the preset, as long as you have a record-enabled MIDI track with its output set to MachFive2-1 : A-1.
  6. To make your own sampler program, first click on the NEW button in the preset section of MachFive:

    This makes a new preset in the selected part. You should see a keyboard in the middle of the MachFive window.
  7. You can drag a soundbite (from the Tracks, Sequence or Soundbites windows) onto one of the keys on this keyboard. This presents a dialog asking you to choose the directory to save the soundbite as an audio file. We strongly recommend that you put this file somewhere inside your project folder — say in a new folder called "MachFive Samples," or some such. The file will have the same name as the soundbite, so it makes sense to name your soundbites first. (Alt-click the soundbite name in the Sequence or Soundbites window to edit it.)

    You can also drag a sound file from anywhere on the disk onto the keyboard. Then MachFive just refers to this sound file without copying it. The danger is that the sound file might become separated from your project. So copy the file into your project folder before dragging it into MachFive.

  8. Once you've dragged the soundbite or sound file onto the keyboard, it will be assigned to that key. Then you can play the key on a MIDI keyboard and hear that sound at its original pitch. You can drag the yellow rectangle to another key.

    You can drag the left and right edges of the yellow rectangle to expand the range of keys that will trigger the sound file. MachFive calls a set of keys, with a sample assigned to them, a keygroup.
  9. Once you've assigned several sound files to the keyboard, you can adjust the parameters of each independently. If you click on one of the keygroup rectangles, it will turn yellow to show that it's selected. Then any of the settings in the bottom half of the MachFive window — such as filters, pitch, amp, LFO, envelopes — will apply only to the selected keygroup.
  10. When you save your DP sequence, it should store all the settings you've made in MachFive. Just keep track of your sound files!
  11. There's a lot more to know about MachFive. Click on the '?' icon in the top left corner of the MachFive window for more help. Consult the manual for all the details of programmming.

©2007, John Gibson