Chapters
  1. 1 Using this manual
  2. 2 Getting started
  3. 3 Differences from Maschine
  4. 4 The Maschine MK3
  5. 5 The Launchpad Pro MK3
  6. 6 Modulation
  7. 7 Expressive recording
  8. 8 Multi-output plug-ins
  9. 9 DECKARD's own synths
  10. 10 Controlling modular synths
  11. 11 Themes and controller scripts

DECKARDManual

2. Getting started

Install DECKARD, open your Maschine projects, and connect an MK3 or a Launchpad Pro.

What you need

  • A computer running macOS, Linux or Windows.
  • Speakers or headphones. DECKARD plays through your system’s audio output. Choose the device in Preferences ▸ Audio.
  • Optional: a Maschine MK3, or a Maschine+ in controller mode. DECKARD drives its pads, buttons, knobs, lights and both screens itself, so Maschine doesn’t need to be installed.
  • Optional: a Novation Launchpad Pro MK3, connected over USB.
  • Optional: Maschine’s libraries. Maschine projects use samples, kits and expansions from NI’s libraries. DECKARD finds the ones you have installed, but doesn’t come with any. Without them you can still use your own samples and DECKARD’s built-in instruments.

Installing

Download the build for your system from the releases page.

System Download Install
macOS DECKARD-<version>-macos-universal.zip (Apple Silicon and Intel) Unzip it and move DECKARD.app to Applications.
Linux the .deb or .rpm package sudo apt install ./deckard_<version>-1_amd64.deb or sudo dnf install ./deckard-<version>-1.x86_64.rpm. The package also installs the menu entry, the .mxprj file type and the rule that lets you use the MK3 without root.
Windows DECKARD-<version>-windows-x64-setup.exe Run the installer. It needs no administrator approval. DECKARD isn’t signed yet, so SmartScreen may ask you to confirm.

The first time DECKARD starts, it offers to download the model that STEMS uses to split samples (84 MB). You can also leave that until you first use STEMS.

Updates

At launch DECKARD asks GitHub whether a newer release exists. When one does, a dot appears on the DECKARD wordmark in the header. Help ▸ About DECKARD then shows an Update button that downloads it, installs it the way yours was installed, and restarts DECKARD. Preferences ▸ General turns the check off.

Opening and saving projects

  • Open with File ▸ Open…, File ▸ Open Recent, or by dragging a Maschine project (.mxprj) onto the window. Audio files dropped onto a sound load into it.
  • Save with File ▸ Save. It writes a normal Maschine project. The first time you save over a file in a session, the previous version is kept beside it as <name>.mxprj.bak.
  • If DECKARD closes with unsaved changes, it brings them back the next time it starts.
  • Export with File ▸ Export Audio… (the song, or stems per group or per sound) and File ▸ Export MIDI….

Projects saved by DECKARD open in Maschine 3, and Maschine projects open in DECKARD.

Connecting a Maschine MK3

  1. Quit Maschine and NI’s hardware agents (NIHardwareAgent and NIHostIntegrationAgent). While they run, they hold on to the controller’s screens.
    • On macOS, DECKARD offers to quit NIHostIntegrationAgent when it finds it holding them.
    • On Windows, NI’s driver owns the screens, so DECKARD asks to switch just the screens to Windows’ WinUSB driver (with administrator approval). Maschine can’t use them until you give them back in Preferences ▸ Hardware.
  2. Plug in the MK3. DECKARD finds it on its own.

The MK3 then works as described in the Maschine MK3 manual, with the changes in The Maschine MK3.

Connecting a Launchpad Pro MK3

Plug it in over USB. DECKARD switches it to DAW mode and the status bar says “Launchpad Pro [MK3] connected”. When DECKARD quits, the Launchpad goes back to standalone. See The Launchpad Pro MK3.

Sync with other apps

  • Ableton Link: LINK in the header shares tempo and start/stop with other apps on your network.
  • MIDI clock: Preferences ▸ MIDI ▸ Sync sends clock to, or follows clock from, the MIDI ports you choose.