Finger drumming on the Native Instruments Maschine
Maschine’s pads are a favourite of finger drummers — Jeremy Ellis’s Maschine performances are some of the best-known finger-drumming videos. Any current Maschine works for the patterns on this site: the Mikro MK3, the Maschine MK3 and the standalone Maschine+.
By 
Re: TUNES · Updated
Maschine at a glance
| Current models | Maschine Mikro MK3, Maschine MK3, Maschine+ (standalone) |
|---|---|
| Pads | 16 velocity-sensitive pads, numbered 1–16 from the bottom-left |
| Software | Maschine 3 (released November 2024) |
| Supported by Maschine 3 | Mikro MK3, MK3, Studio, Jam, and Maschine+ in controller mode |
| No longer supported | Maschine MK1/MK2 and Mikro MK1/MK2 |
| Company status | Native Instruments entered preliminary insolvency proceedings in January 2026 and says business continues while it looks for a buyer |
Watch it played
Is the Maschine good for finger drumming?
- Pads that finger drummers and reviewers regularly rate among the most sensitive — ideal for ghost notes.
- Pad numbering matches fingerdrum.io: pad 1 bottom-left.
- The Mikro MK3 is a small, relatively affordable way into Maschine-style pads.
Things to watch
- Make sure Fixed Velocity is off, or every ghost note will play at full volume.
- Given Native Instruments’ 2026 insolvency proceedings, check the current support situation before buying new hardware.
Set up the Maschine to practise with fingerdrum.io
- Load a drum kit into a group so each pad plays one sound.
- Put the closed and open hi-hat in the same choke group, so an open hat is cut by the next closed one.
- Arrange the pads in the layout you want to learn (Standard 4×4 or hand isolation) and set the same one on the Pads page here.
- Turn Fixed Velocity off and tap softly: you should hear quiet ghost notes.
- Open a pattern, loop the main groove slowly and play along, following the finger labels on the pad view.
Recommended pad layout
Start with the Standard 4×4 — kick and snares on the bottom row, hats above them — or, if you want to play like a drummer, the hand-isolation layout with kick and snare under one hand and the hats under the other. Read the pad layout guide for how to choose.
Patterns to start with on the Maschine
- Sixteen Pocket — funk sixteenths in the style of Jeremy Ellis on Maschine Mikro.
- Epic Drop — a house build-and-drop in the style of basskleph on Maschine.
- First Bap — the easiest place to start on any controller.
Questions
Which Maschine is best for finger drumming?
All current models have 16 velocity-sensitive pads. The Mikro MK3 is the smallest and cheapest; the MK3 adds screens, knobs and an audio interface; Maschine+ runs without a computer.
Does fingerdrum.io work with Maschine?
fingerdrum.io doesn’t receive MIDI from your controller yet. Open a pattern, set your layout on the Pads page so the pad view matches your hardware, and play along on your own sounds while the site plays the groove and shows which pad and finger comes next. Slow it down and loop the bars you’re working on.
Is Maschine still supported in 2026?
Native Instruments entered preliminary insolvency proceedings in January 2026 and has said business continues as usual while a sale is arranged. Maschine 3 supports the Mikro MK3, MK3, Studio, Jam and Maschine+; older MK1/MK2 hardware is no longer supported.
Other controller guides
- Finger drumming on the Akai MPC Sample
- Finger drumming on the Akai MPC Live III
- Finger drumming on the M-VAVE SMC-PAD
Sources
Specs and prices as published at launch; checked 2026-09-28.