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The most sensitive pad controllers
Hi guys. I'm looking for a pad controller. I've been dreaming about the QuNeo but recently saw some reviews and I'm beggining to think it's not that sensitive.
I really don't like to be bashing my hands against a rubber surface. I'm a soft player.
So what do you recommend?
I'm looking for 4x4 controllers.
I have the mpk mini mk2 and it's definitely on the stiff side.
Thanks
Comments
I've not got a pad controller, but I just wondered whether they offer a velocity sensitivity control, like most midi keyboards do. If so, maybe that can help adjust any pad to your playing style?
Yes. They do offer velocity. But that doesn't mean they actually get triggered more easely than if they didn't. Also, you don't get the whole 0-127 spectrum. Sometimes you have 50 as your bottom value. That's a sh controller.
I have Quneo and MPC Essential and can say that Akai one is much much better and sensitive....only thing is that MPC works only with iMPC stuff, Quneo is much customizable with his editor...
korg padkontrol had very sensitive pads plus a cool xy controller
Arturia beatstep seems well sensitive and great product all around. I use the pads as buttons rather than triggers so can't really comment on the dynamic aspect. Include it in your search though.
The padKontrol is very sensitive, but is a fair size and needs a powered hub to work with the iPad.
have you checked out the irig pad controller yet, I haven't but I'm curious how sensitive it is?
QuNeo is sensitive and is probably the most responsive pad I've ever seen, you can tell when looking at it through the editor. You can pretty much graze your finger over it and it picks up. With that said, if you plan on using it for drumming, which it certainly can do, it's response is not soft (because of the material). I would think QuNeo would be best for the OP's situation:
Akai's pads these days are not nearly the quality they used to be. With that said, a lot of their stuff made in the last few years can get replacement pads which are great. I've done it to 3 things (MPC1000, MPK25, MPK49), improved them all.
I have the Korg padKONTROL and it is fantastic to use with the iPad. It does need external power though. I can play extremely realistic drum dynamics because of its velocity sensitive pads using iOS apps that can accept MIDI velocity like the drum kits in Sampletank, and others. The Korg nanoPAD2 is more compact and is powered off the iPad. It too has an x/y pad. It appears that Korg has done a great job with velocity sensitivity on the nanoPAD2, like its bigger brother, the padKONTROL. Check out some YouTube videos on both.
http://www.korg.com/us/products/controllers/nanopad2/
@bsantoro,
I don't want to come across as being contradictory, but I owned the nanoPAD2 (as well as the padKONTROL) and I found it's pads were much stiffer / less responsive. A nice unit with it's XY pad, size and some clever functions, but I found the pads to be pretty hard work.
Hi.
I have a Korg nanopad 2 and I love it. It's very cheap but so useful. It's velocity sensitive and the velocity curve is configurable. It's completely powered by the iPad. And the XY pad has lots of uses.
It's not multitouch though (allowing a second hit with a second finger while the first finger is still down in the pad). But I think only the really expensive mpcs do this as far as I know.
However I found the pads had to be hit quite hard and sometimes didn't go off. So I looked in the web and modified it.
It's very simple. You carefully unscrew it and then use 'masking tape' (the rough paper tape) in layers to build up the pad to a point where you merely have to tap it gently to trigger it. You can pretty much do this to taste. Although you must make sure non of the pads go off continually.
You'll find that some pads are naturally slightly more resistant than others ( the ones on either edge need hitting slightly more than those in the middle I think). But it's fractional and you get used to it.
I can't compare it to expensive Akais etc... But for a cheap bit of kits to try out it's great. If you don't like it you could always just use it for the xy pad or as a set of midi buttons - or even mod it as a foot pedal as someone on this forum posted about.
I have a bigger, more expensive korg microkontrol too, which has pads, but tbh I just find myself grabbing the nanopad2 for quickly tapping stuff out and playing around with. However, be aware re the above that I'm no serious drummer.
I think they all have a sensitive keybed, but the sensitivity curve each one uses must be very different. They shoul each have multiple curve options just like my 30 year old midi keyboard does.
@Igneous1, I really have nothing to compare my experience with using the Korg padKONTROL, because that's the only drum pad I have ever owned. I have never been to a music store to try any other drum pad controllers. I admit that it has to be tapped with conviction, like David "Fingers" Haynes (see link below). I never have tried to adjust the velocity curve with the Mac/PC editing program supplied. That might make real soft tapping register better. The pads, however, are very responsive, right to the edges of the pads; not just the centers. I have been very satisfied with the product. I might like the portability of the nanoPAD2, or IK Multimedia's iRig Pads?