drum pad

Musikmesse 2009: Akai introduced the MPD18 portable pad controller.

The MPD18 is the smallest-sized model in Akai’s line of MPD MIDI-over-USB pad controllers. The heart of the MPD18 is its bank of 16 velocity and pressure-sensitive genuine MPC pads, an Akai Professional exclusive. Users can access three different banks of sounds from the pads for a total of 48 sounds at once. The MPD18 also borrows the MPC series’ assignable Q-Link controllers, enabling users to control nearly any parameters in their software in real time on an assignable Q-Link fader and an assignable Q-Link button.

The MPD18 sends MIDI information over its plug-and-play USB interface for use with Mac or PC without installing any drivers. The USB connection also powers the MPD18 so musicians can use the controller with no power supply. The MPD18 can control nearly any MIDI software, as well as MIDI hardware, such as synths, sound modules, samplers, sequencers, drum machines and more.

The MPD18 will be available from musical instrument and professional audio retailers Q3, 2009. Pricing is to be announced. Read more…

Alesis has introduced a cool new drum pad controller/drum machine, the Performance Pad. It’s a drum machine, an electronic percussion instrument and you can use it as a MIDI input device.

Performance Pad features eight velocity-sensitive drum pads and a built-in electronic drum machine with professional sounds and features.

Features:

• 8 natural feeling, velocity-sensitive drum pads with Dynamic Articulation
• Built-in professional drum machine so you can record and play back your own beats
• 50 Preset / 50 User drum kits with 233 sounds assignable to any pad
• Built-in rhythm patterns to complement your playing
• Large LCD display with easy-to-navigate interface
• Dynamic Articulation stereo samples with reverb and ambience for realistic playing
• 2 inputs for external kick and hi-hat pedals (sold separately)
• Stereo input to play along with your CD or MP3 player
• MIDI output to play external MIDI devices
• High-quality 24-bit stereo and headphone outputs
• Lightweight, durable enclosure

Read more…

This 16 pad USB MIDI controller is an inexpensive way to add a ton of flexibility to your system.

The MPD16 is an MPC-style MIDI pad controller. It gives you 16 touch-sensitive pads that you can add to your computer music workstation by just hooking up a USB cable. Carrying on the style of the MPC series of production workstations, the MPD16 is a self-contained unit that connects via USB and/or MIDI to computers and other MIDI devices, such as samplers or drum machines.

It hooks up in a few seconds and is easy to configure. It comes with drum program set-ups, but it’s easy to configure for custom use, too. This makes it very easy to use for entering drum rhythms, or to trigger samples. It makes a great performance tool, also, because you get immediate access to a lot of sounds.

Note that the MPD-16 is a pad control surface, but not a sampler or a workstation. It acts as a controller, and relies on the sounds within your computer, sampler or drum machine to make the actual sounds.

The MPD16 is well-built and easy to use. Programming drum beats works great, because the 16 pads are pressure and velocity sensitive. They generate Note-On events when tapped. The pads create 16 steps of velocity, too. It also has a bank switch, to switch between two sets of sounds.

Settings can be configured via a computer using USB. It’s designed with computer users in mind, because the parameters settings, such as MIDI notes assigned to pads, MIDI channel, and so on, can be assigned from a computer connected to the USB cable. Power can be provided via the USB cable, too.

The MPD16 is inexpensive and a great addition if you need a way to trigger sequences, loops, samples, or drum sounds.