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  • Welcome to Massive XL

Welcome to Massive XL

Abstract

Welcome to the Massive XL user guide. In this user guide, you will learn about key features and workflows to get started making music with Massive XL.

Massive XL builds on its iconic heritage to guide you to your own distinctive sound with grit, weight, and character. Massive XL carries the legacy of Massive and Massive X, including the Massive X sound, presets, and Expansions, into the next chapter.

Begin with a preset, an Expansion, a sample, or an idea, then take it somewhere only you would. Mutate offers guided preset mutations and instant module randomization. Lock in what you love, change what you don’t, stay in control. The Morpher turns expressive movement into something you can perform.

Generate turns a sample into a real, playable preset, with every parameter ready to shape – stem separation included. You can also build sounds from scratch in Edit view, where semi-modular patching meets expressive, playable modulation.

We hope you enjoy using this fantastic instrument!

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User guide formatting and styles

You will find the following formatting and styles in this user guide:

  • Italics: Paths to locations on your computer

  • Bold: Names of user interface elements and important concepts

  • [Brackets]: Keys on your computer keyboard

  • An instruction with a single step

    The expected result when following instructions

Tip

A useful tip, suggestion, or interesting fact

Notice

Essential information in a given context

Caution

Potential risks and important issues

What's new in Massive XL

The following features have been added or improved in Massive XL:

  • Generate: Use your samples to automatically create a fully tweakable patch from scratch. You can find more information in Generate.

  • Mutate: Come up with new sounds based on existing presets by introducing algorithmically generated variations. You can find more information in Mutate.

  • User wavetable import: Import audio files into Massive XL and build your own wavetable library. You can find more information in User wavetables.

  • Module sub-presets: Save and load sub-presets in the Filter, Inserts, and Effects. The Performers and Trackers offer the same functionality for their shapes. You can find more information in Sub-presets.

  • Morpher Freeze mode: Lock the Morpher position for every note you play, giving you instant, per-note variations of your sound. You can find more information in Animator.

  • Polyphonic aftertouch: Play sounds expressively using polyphonic aftertouch, including existing presets. You can find more information in Polyphonic aftertouch.

  • New Effects: Load Raum, Replika Shimmer, and Tape Wobble in the Effects module to create new sounds.

  • New wavetables and noisetables: Explore more than 100 new wavetables and more than 100 new noisetables across various categories, including vintage PPG and original Massive wavetables. You can find more information in Wavetables categories.

  • New Massive XL Factory Library: Find presets that span a huge range of styles and genres in the new and expanded Factory Library. You can find more information about browsing in Browse view and presets.

  • User banks: Organize user presets in your own custom user banks. You can find more information in Saving user presets and banks.

  • Updated themes and user interface: Switch between the rebuilt dark and light themes, with optional flat mode. You can access them from the Settings menu in the Header.

  • New Wavetable oscillator views: Switch between the original Dual view and Single view, where the new Wavetable display visualizes the wavetable and Wavetable mode. You can find more information in Wavetable oscillators overview.

  • Animated modulation and contextual assignment: View active modulation using new scopes in the Navigation bar and real-time indicators in controls. The new modulation assignment workflows and views are contextual and responsive. You can find more information in Modulation.

  • Interactive envelope displays: Dial in the envelope shape without using knobs using the new interactive envelope displays. You can find more information in Modulation Envelope.

  • Undo/redo: Undo or redo all of your changes, and use the history to jump to specific versions of your patch. You can find more information in Header.

  • Info pane: Learn about any control or element you hover in the new Info pane at the bottom of the instrument. You can find more information in Header.

Installation and Setup

Before you can make music with Massive XL, you must install the necessary software using Native Access.

  1. Download and install Native Access here.

  2. If you are new to Native Instruments, create your Native ID.

  3. Login to Native Access using your Native ID.

  4. Find Massive XL under Recently Added on the Home page, or in the Available tab on the Library page.

  5. Click Install for Massive XL.

    The software is installed automatically.

Note

If the Massive XL is already installed, check the Updates page and for new updates before proceeding.