Producers Asked, NI Delivered: Maschine 3.1 Now Lets You Build Your Own Chords

Maschine 3.1 is finally out, and it’s giving producers what they’ve been asking for: custom user chords. Native Instruments rolled out this free update on March 18, 2025, making it available through Native Access.

Whether you’re a seasoned beatmaker or just getting into music production, this update has something that’ll speed up your workflow and open up creative options. And let’s be real—anything that lets you skip the chord theory and get straight to the groove is worth a look.

Maschine 3.1 At a glance

• Maschine 3.1 adds user chord banks so you can save, tweak, and share your own progressions
• Fullscreen mode hits the standalone app for a cleaner, distraction-free workspace
• It’s a free update—just hit Native Access and you’re good to go

Custom Chords Make Maschine 3.1 a Creative Playground

Maschine 3.1 puts custom chord creation front and center. You can now build and save your own chord banks right inside the software. That means you can dial in progressions that fit your vibe, no matter what genre you’re working in. Whether you’re building lush pads for ambient tracks or tight progressions for trap beats, you’ve got more control than ever.

This feature’s been one of the most requested by the community, and Native Instruments finally delivered. You can save these chords into banks, share them with others, and bring them back into future projects. It’s a simple shift that opens up a ton of flexibility, especially if you want to move fast without diving into music theory every time you start a new idea.

If you’re using Maschine hardware, it integrates smoothly—just like you’d expect. And for folks running Maschine as standalone software, you’ll still get full access to these features. The update also adds fullscreen support to the standalone app, cleaning up the interface so you can focus more on sound and less on screen clutter.

Maschine’s Getting Stronger—And This Is Just the Start

Maschine 3.1 builds on the solid groundwork laid by Maschine 3.0. That version brought in big moves like stem separation (thanks to iZotope’s RX tech), Maschine Central’s loaded library, and deep MIDI editing tools. Now, 3.1 keeps that momentum going by focusing on the user experience.

There’s more to come too. Native Instruments outlined a 2025 roadmap that includes Maschine 3 support on Maschine+, bounce-to-audio features, Kontakt 8 support, and fresh content drops throughout the year. It’s clear they’re stacking upgrades to keep producers locked into the Maschine workflow.

Maschine’s also staying visible in the culture. From Jon Batiste using it to trigger vocals at Super Bowl LIX, to Kaytranada featuring it in his “Witchy” video with Childish Gambino, to live sets from Phantogram, Maschine is staying present both in the studio and on stage. It’s making waves in both pop and underground scenes, and updates like this help keep that momentum alive.

Conclusion

Maschine 3.1 is a smart update. It doesn’t overhaul the whole system but adds tools producers will use every day—especially those who want faster, custom-built chord progressions. It’s clean, focused, and it’s free. So if you’re already in the Maschine world, it’s worth updating right now. And if you’re not? This might be the nudge that gets you to check it out.