one of the things I like about an mpc is how wonderfully sensitive and tactile the pads are. So it's easy to chop a sample across pads and do the crazy shit Pete Rock does in that youtube video (just search pete rock mpc, it'll be the first result).
however, the Akai MPK controllers I have seemed to lack that same feel. You have to really depress the pads some to get them to trigger a note, which means it's much tougher to glide over the pads triggering shit. (More like you have to stand over it, hammering on the things.) Which pretty much precludes triggering more than 2 drum sounds at a time (without serious finger-strength that I don't possess).
enter:
http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=123862
I don't know if anyone else is using one of these pad controllers / combo key/pad controllers, but the idea just seemed so simple I did a face-palm when I read it. Worthwhile, if your controller's pads suck ass.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
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"Worthwhile, if your controller's pads suck ass."
ReplyDeletehahaha!
Yeah I got one of the Mk1 Novation controllers when they were unloading them cheap to roll out the MkII
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sweetwater.com/store/closeup/ReMOTEsl37--Main
It has 8 drum pads that have the same problem, and I tried using them for about 20 minutes before going back to banging out stuff on the regular keys. The main problem I had was the way it transmits notes. I couldn't get it to do anything other than send fixed-length note messages; it does not send a note-off message or anything when you take your finger off the pad. Do all the pad controllers work this way? Maybe it's unreasonable to expect them to work otherwise.
I've read good things about the pads on the nanokontrol, and the form factor and price are hard to argue with. The regular padkontrols look like they're going for pretty cheap now too.
Even if I found one of these that I really liked the feel of, I'm not sure how much I'd use it, I still pretty much step-sequence all my beats. I'm much more interested in getting a launchpad at the moment. Do you use your pad controller a lot?
the MPK controllers do send note-offs when you take your finger off. They also send channel pressure / aftertouch messages if you vary the pressure. with the Note Repeat thing on the controller, you can have a pad repeatedly trigger 16th notes (e.g.) and vary the velocity by holding down the pad and varying the pressure. Great for throwing down more realistic sounding hats or buzzrolls real fast.
ReplyDeleteThat Automap shit worth it...?
I do use the pad controller a lot. Pretty much every time I sit down to do drums or chop samples and play the slices, I at least audition with the pads, and usually play in something with them (even if it's just the hats, as above). The MPK49 has sweet sweet faders on it (better than anything i've used since the US-428), too.
I tried this trick last night, and found it hard to get a consistent response between pads using electrical tape. I guess I'm going to try to track down the pipe repair tape the OP on that thread recommends. I wasn't very scientific with it, either. Just kinda went for it. Backed tape would probably be easier to cut to specific dimensions so I can make pieces that are exactly the same size for uniformity across all 12 pads.
If anybody's got some tips on cutting somewhere between 24 and 48 pieces of tape to exactly the same size... all ears. tried using a ruler and an exacto knife... didn't work out all that well. I probably need a T-square or some other geeky shit like that.
fwiw, I think the fixed-length note thing you're saying about the Novation pads is probably specific to that one controller (or maybe something you can setup in the controller's global options...?). Pretty much every pad controller I've tried was a "as long as you press, that's the note length" deal.
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