The product is only as good as the knowledge that the person using it has. If you're not familiar with Native Instruments products then it'll be a hard learning curve to use this product to its fullest. It's more than just a midi controller. If you intend on purchasing any NI products then it's best that one needs to educate themselves in what the product can do and how it can be used. There are tons of videos online to help with this but you also need to fully read the manuals too. I know many people do not read the manuals but this is a device that has multiple functions and can work with other programs other than the Maschine plugin/standalone program. It can also be used with the Komplete Kontrol software program to be used in conjunction with the Komplete Kontrol S-series keyboards. It's also wise to understand that this product has internal software that can be updated through the Native Access application which allows it fix any bugs with the previous version and allow further compatibility with other third party plugins/programs.