Huh, NI released a fairly big update to MX, and a free version of MX, called (unsurprisingly) Massive X Player.

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/synths/massive-x-player/

(though for those that don't want anything to do with Native Access can get it from the sister site)

What it is is a new screen called Play which let's you create and map 4 variations of Macros 1-8 and morph between them using an X-Y pad, or you can automate the movement (synced or not) using "Animator" which gives a few preset shapes that scan the pad.

Also the Play screen doubles as a quick preset selector (though it's missing the tags).

The Player version only does the Play/Morph/Animate with presets, whereas the full version has all of it.

No new features in the synth engine, alas. You can assign the XY pad to MIDI of course, but the Animator paths are preset, and no way to define your own paths I'm afraid. Would be nice to have a path/orbit designer like Wavestate/Wavestation/Animoog, but maybe in the future.

All in all, it's a solid update to create more fluid and moving sounds easier than before.

*edit:* Ah, as a point of comparison, it kind of reminds me of the "Remix Pads" feature in Alchemy, though that had more to a variation than just 8 macros. Alchemy lacks the animator features though.

 

Last edited: Jul 29, 2025

Nice, Massive X v1.6.0 is crashing on opening. Bitwig 5.3.12.

https://www.reddit.com/r/NativeInst...massive_x_breaks_for_tons_of_users_no_update/

 

Last edited: Jul 29, 2025

Oof... though being NI software version X.0 this is somehow not unexpected.

Works for me on latest Ableton and Reaper using the Access version, the only issue is that switching between Play/Edit/Browse views the first time after loading the plugin. And of course it loads the Play view first and can't be set.

 

Opened MassiveX now in another host and it works. Bitwig specific issue.