Kit Maker can convert your Maschine Expansions into drum kits for various DAWs, it is as simple as dragging and dropping your Expansion folders and pressing “Make Kits”. Kit Maker was even promoted by Native Instruments themselves on their blog, as a recommended way to use Maschine kits with other software and hardware!
Maschine Libraries are an accepted source of samples to convert for other various DAWs, but Kit Maker does not directly create Maschine presets to be used inside the Maschine software.
If you want to convert Sample Packs into Maschine Kits, you will need to use the Numbered Files format. It is a quick and easy way to make kits for Maschine, but does not create the encrypted Maschine kit presets directly.
About the Maschine Expansion folders
When you installed your official Maschine Expansions via NI, the folders were named after the Expansion title and are installed along with your other Native Instruments installed libraries. Each Maschine Expansion folders typically has these subfolders inside titled: Groups, Documentation, Projects, Samples, Sounds etc.
To import an expansion folder, drag the Expansion folder itself (such as “Amplified Funk”) into Kit Maker.
These folders on Mac computers will often have the word “Library” at the end of them (ie “Amplified Funk Library”).
Kit Maker also works with the Machine Factory Library (titled “Maschine 2” or “Maschine 2 Library”).
The pad names in Maschine mode reflect the most common sounds in a typical Maschine kit. Each Maschine kit preset will be made using the same samples and kit name of the original Maschine Kit.
Where are the Maschine Expansion folders located?
In the Maschine app Preferences, go the the Library tab. Click on the small Directory icon next to the Maschine 2 Factory Library path. This will show the directory of the Factory Library. The Expansions are installed in the same location. More info on finding your Maschine Library locations can be found on the Maschine Mode help page.
For Mac users, the default Maschine Library install locations are in the Users/Shared directory.
Note: When using the Classic layout, the pads will be in a very similar order to the original kits as they appear in the Maschine software. The primary (orange labeled) pads will be in the same positions as the original Maschine kits, but some of the more obscure sample sounds may be in slightly different positions.
Unofficial third party libraries will not process correctly in Maschine mode and I do not advertise the app to do this. Please only use official Expansions in Maschine Mode.
However, if the third party expansion is organized by either folders or filenames, you can try and process the expansion in Sample Pack Mode.
Having issues with your kits in Maschine Mode?
There is more info on the Maschine Mode Help page!