If you’ve been using Maschine for any amount of time, you no doubt have a mess in the tag attribute/browser area.
Even if the tags aren’t being used, they are still there, and for me…it bugs me!
Maschine’s tagging system can be a bless and a curse, but knowing how to use it efficiently can really help you out.
In this tutorial, I’m showing the best way to get rid of old tags, or how to actually change the tag you’ve used on some items to a new one.
I also give some tips on the suggested ways to do it and why I’ve found them to be the most efficient
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Very handy!
No doubt fam!
Thanks for this. It would be nice if N-I implemented a utility just for managing the tag database, not so much like the controller manager, but that open a new window/GUI. One in which could show last modified date, file directory, provide warnings that show related material before deletion, prompt for duplicate files, etc.. Just a thought.
Yeah a deeper file/tag editing system would be very welcomed lol.
Hey hey… a new visual style on the site?
Lookin’ good Fam!
yessir, did it last week, thanks 🙂
Cool tutorial – I know this sort of stuff would be a big help to new users of Maschine… I know I made a lot of boo-boos when I first started tagging things.
I think tutorials on general approaches to sample/ organisation and tagging are of a hug importance.
If you don’t give it enough forethought, you can end up wasting a lot of time developing a system that you eventually realise isn’t that good – and undoing it all can be a real pain!
yeah lol, I remember your troubles 🙂
We’ve all been there man
Snap, i still managed to screw my tags up smh. Somehow i got double tags (did a new reinstall) now i deleted the wrong one i think.
man lol, check your duplicate folders bro lol
So when it says “delete bank” it is only asking if I want to delete the tag, correct? Don’t want to delete sounds by mistake. Also, is there a way to reset the tags to default? Just to start over?
Yes just the tags, but make sure your sounds have another bank or tag so you can find them otherwise they will just be all over the browser 🙂
If you watch the video on backing up your database, you can actually remove that database file to reset your browser to default.
Removed the locations from user paths leaving only the standard user directory. Clean slate!
That’s works but if you use a file that was tagged previously it will bring back all the tags with it too 🙂
Well that blows. 🙁 not sure what I’m missing to stop that. Definitely don’t want the old tags.
Did you watch the video I did on backing up the database? It will give you the location of the db file you can delete to completely clean the tags. You can’t find it in the preferences at all.
Yessir I did. But still finding my content in places it shouldnt be once I start tagging again. Say I tag a folder of subs under the bank “user”. They also show up under the bank “drums” but I want them separate.
You can highlight them in the browser and remove the extra bank from them all at once then click apply, the tag info is embedded in the header of the wav files
Well that’s a pain. But still easier than 1 by 1. So I’ll take it!
Can’t highlight them all. Only 1 at a time :/
You should be able to highlight multiple files using ctrl or highlight one, then click shift and click on the last one, I do it all the time 🙂
Make sure you’re doing it in the actual browser results and not in the tag section
Could we do a video JUST LIKE this one for Maschine 2.0? By that, I mean, one regarding management of tagging samples / groups for user content in 2.0? There is one about tag management, but it mainly talks about Maschine / NI’s content
The process is going to be pretty much the same in terms of tagging and removing tags from your content, anything specific you want to see or need help with?
I notice a few options arnt available in 2.0 anymore, mainly with the banks.
Deleting a bank is no more possible? (Atleast not with a simple mouseclick lol)
Just like adding a bank is history.
Why did they do this? Or am i overlooking something (knowing me LoL) and is there a way?
They changed it man it’s not as flexible now Smh
Exactly, and i like flexebilaty and having options. No reason to remove options like naming or deleting banks , thats a freaking downgrade lol . Guess they didnt had enough time to write all code and skipped some featerus lol its cool though i assume at some point they bring it back in a update 🙂 Altho it would suck to change all the tags again when they do that LOL
Well, it took some time to get used to, but I think I like it better overall, even though it’s not as flexible. Just had to get used to the “product type” thing, then it’s actually pretty good (to me) – ’cause you can have samples within easy reach tagged under their product / folder, and don’t really have to tag ’em to be able to find them in the future, UNLESS you want to be able to browse them by some criteria OTHER than manufacturer / product folder – for about 90% of my samples, this is true. So,… Read more »
Yeah it just takes some getting used to. There are still things I want to see improved but I’m working with it just fine also.
Hey Joe!
How can i delete kits, sounds and groups from my library in 2.0? I imported twice a sound kit that is tagged at the user ” all samplers “user and i cant delete it…and what about sounds-samplers i dont like?How can i delete all that?
Go into preferences and remove the location from your user area, because if you try to delete it from the browser it will also delete it from the disk.
Do we have this video in 2.0?
Didn’t redo it because it works the same, we just don’t have bank level tags anymore but the tag system in the browser is still handled the same way.
I wish it was just that simple, but we don’t have the option to delete subtypes, we have to do some other way, I believe we have to untag it, but this doesn’t always work right or I’m doing something wrong.
I’m just trying to get my kits really organized, and learn how to untag the previous made banks that I no longer want.
Yep, you don’t delete, but to untag you would highlight everything that has the tag you want to remove, and then remove that tag and click apply. Just make sure you’ve highlighted everything that has that tag you want to remove or it will still show up on other stuff. What I do, is clear everything except the tag I want to remove, that way I only see results for that tag, then I’ll highlight all of the results and click edit, remove the tag, and click apply. Unfortunately while updating the browser to be more Komplete friendly, they removed… Read more »
I was understanding and then I got taking back by, the what I do is clear everythin except etc. I truly wish they would have never remove the user control, this process would be so much easier…
So let just say I want to make a kit by doing the file and going directly to my sounds and just making a kit from sounds on my hard drive, the best way to avoid losing this would be to use the save with samples feature?
I’m gone make a screen recorded video to show you the ways I’m doing stuff and I would like your feedback on what is the best method… Where Would I post the video?
Upload to youtube then post the link in the forum, you can make it unlisted on youtube and just post the link here and I can see it.
Well I meant, just use the one tag that you want to change, so if it’s “drums/boombap” don’t have “drums/boombap/electric” lol, just incase there are some in there that don’t use both. I just find it easier to only click on whatever tag I want to work on at the time, so if it’s drums then acoustic, that’s all I will have active.
I always suggest using “save kit with samples” if you plan on moving anything around or just to be safe. And I always save my projects with it’s samples.
Thanks! Will do
No problem fam!
Hey Joe – just wondering if there is a more recent tutorial on importing and tagging?
I’m going to have to import my (much smaller now!) sample library, and I’m already noticing some weird things about the way it works.
Do you have a tutorial for how it works on the MK3/with the more recent software than is shown here? I didn’t see anything on the subject of tagging on the MK3 QuickStart series.
Hey John, I haven’t done an updated one since they haven’t added any new features to the browser tagging. They’ve actually removed features over the years. For example we can no longer create our own banks. This change happened when they introduced NKS so we only have a couple levels of tagging for our own samples. If you import a whole folder that folder name will get brought into the browser but still no option to manually set banks and such. What are you trying to do specifically?
Hey Joe – just wondering If there is a more recent video about sample management? I’m having some VERY confusing issues with importing and tagging samples since upgrading from my MK1 to the MK3. Before getting the MK3 – on my new laptop, I decided to create smaller, custom samples packs which were hand selected from various sources – just the best stuff that I knew I would use from different vendors, including NI. (I did this initially to streamline my process of creating 128 racks to rapidly browse samples for Ableton Push. My entire custom sample library for Ableton… Read more »
If you’re working with content that was already/previously tagged for use in Maschine, then Maschine will always read that content. The way Maschine tags samples is at the actual file level, so if they are from expansions, or from packs that that vendor made specifically for Maschine, those tags will be there. Unfortunately NI hasn’t given a really clean way to manage the tag database. They handle it this way to make it “easier” but it is way less customizable for those that really want to manage their own library in their own way. You aren’t doing anything wrong, this… Read more »
OK, thanks for clearing that up Joe – appreciated. I think its always going to be a bit of a juggling act trying to optimise sample management for both Ableton Live and Maschine. After a few rounds of importing, tagging, and then removing and trying with a different naming structure, think I’ve found something that will work. FWIW, I did previously read the NI entry on importing samples: https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001013937-Managing-User-Samples-in-MASCHINE-2-8-0-and-KOMPLETE-KONTROL-2-1-0 …and while it’s somewhat helpful, I think they should do a video clearing it up a bit. Even just showing some best practice tips for labelling, and some mistakes to avoid,… Read more »
Yeah, I’m really not a fan and do not use Maschine to categories my sounds. I just use my own folders and access any sounds I want of my own from the files tab.