Subject:OT: Drum Pad Midi Controlers

Posted by: Rednroll

Date:3/29/2004 4:19:50 PM

I'm hoping someone can give me some recommendations on drum pad midi controlers? I'm looking for something affordable yet fully functional. Right now I'm looking at the Akai MPD16 and Roland SPD-6. I'm quite familiar with the MPC3000's and MPC2000's from Akai, and I like these drum pads, so I'm really considering the MPD16. The thing that I don't like about the MPD16 is that it has 16 pads with 2 banks, which means I can trigger up to 32 drum sounds on my sampler. Seeing that general midi standards are usually 128 notes, 32 is less than ideal for me. The other thing I don't like about the pads is that I can't use drum sticks on them. The Roland SPD-6 interested me, because it has a function where I can switch between drumstick sensitive and hand sensitive modes of the pads. The thing that I don't like about it, is that it doesn't mention anywhere in their online documentation that, there is different banks, so it sounds like I might be limited to 6 midi notes out of the 128 available. So basically, I'm looking for a drum pad controler that has multiple banks where I can assign each of the pads to a different midi note within the banks, so that I can trigger all 128 notes/drum samples spanned across a keyboard. I'ld also like to have a choice of playing the pads with my hands or drumsticks. Does anyone else know of any other products that offer this? I don't need a sound module, because I'm only using it to trigger drum samples, I just need a midi controler that is full general midi compatible, yet compact in size.

TIA,
Red

Subject:RE: OT: Drum Pad Midi Controlers

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:3/29/2004 9:49:33 PM

I'm not of much help here. Check out the HPD-15? (It's expensive and is designed to be played with hands though. However, it has 64 voice polyphony.)

Anyone else?

Iacobus
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Subject:RE: OT: Drum Pad Midi Controlers

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:3/30/2004 8:30:19 AM

Yeah I already checked out all the Roland stuff. That ones a bit pricey because I'ld be paying for alot of stuff I don't need, like a sequencer and sounds. This really has nothing to do with polyphony. Polyphony is the number of sounds the device can play at once. Some patches are composed of many layered samples, to make them sound rich. Let's say for example, a string patch may be composed of 8 samples layered together. With a Polyphony of 64, the sound module could only play 8 of these patches simultaneously. Polyphony is only a concern, if I'm using it as a sound module and playing multiple sounds with a sequencer.

Thanks for the help anyways. This is kind of ticking me off. When, the MPD16, first came out I was kind of excited talking to the guys from Akai at the AES show, because it has the same drum pads as the mpc3000/2000 without the sampler and without the sequencer. I already have a sampler and a sequencer, so this is a lot of stuff I didn't want to pay for, just to use the drum pads. Well, the mpc3000/2000 has "4" banks of 16 pads (ie 64 notes assignable to the pads), but the MPD16, only has 2 banks of 16 pads
(ie 32 assignable notes). So they advertise it as the same control surface as the mpc3000/2000, but they only give you half of the assignable keys. It's really a simple feature to add banks, but they screw you.

Subject:RE: OT: Drum Pad Midi Controlers

Reply by: pwppch

Date:3/30/2004 7:13:28 PM

How much do you want to spend?

You can get a complete pad kit for about $450. (Trying to remember the vendor.) This vendor also has a DrumKAT type device that I believe was in the $200 price range. The Pintech (sp?) stuff is nice as well. Also the Yamaha kits can be had pretty cheap if you look around.

Yamaha also makes a multipad unit. It is not the most durable thing around, but it is about $200 and even has some usable sounds.

Also, check around locally for used. I picked up an old DrumKAT for $50. It was hardly used, but the wanna be muscian never used it and just wanted it out of his sight. Downloaded the manual and update the firmware for another $20 and I was all set.

Peter

Subject:RE: OT: Drum Pad Midi Controlers

Reply by: DKeenum

Date:3/31/2004 5:17:28 AM

I think the KAT controllers are worth a look.

Try looking here:

http://www.alternatemode.com/

Subject:RE: OT: Drum Pad Midi Controlers

Reply by: pwppch

Date:3/31/2004 6:01:53 AM

The other vendor is Hart Dynamics. They have a number of products. Saw them at NAMM one year. Not a Roland type rig, but seemed to be a working and affordable solution.

Peter

Subject:RE: OT: Drum Pad Midi Controlers

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:3/31/2004 4:03:58 PM

Thanks for the recommendations!!!! I checked out the katz stuff and these seem pretty nice. A little high on the price department, but might be worth it from a duratbility standpoint. I also checked out the Yamaha stuff. I don't know why I didn't think of them before? I have a Yamaha electronic drum set with 6 pads and a kick pad, that I bought awhile back. I was trying to step away from this, because I'm trying to conserve some space with just having a small pad controler surface. Plus, non drummer clients get a little intimidated by having to play with sticks on an actual kit. But I was able to do almost exactly what I'm trying to do now with the Yamaha kit, by changing kit selections, and assigning the same pad to different midi notes, so I could quickly switch between kits and audition sounds on my sampler. Yamaha has a DD55, which has 7 pads, with 45 kit selections where it looks like I can assign each pad to a different midi note per kit. So that's 7x45=315 assignable notes!! Then it has a switch between touch sensitive playing and stick sensitive playing. Perfect for me who use to be a drummer and like to play with sticks and my clients that prefer to play by hand. Plus, I saw on Ebay I could get one for about $100. I just need to check one out to see how it looks in the durability department.

I tried to check out the Hart Dynamic stuff, they have a website, but looks to be password protected. Do they make a small controler like the katz stuff, or do they just have full drum kit pads?

Thanks again,
red