finger-style drum pad recommendations

[Kip Count]

Can anyone recommend a good finger-style MIDI controller that they have good results on using with Superior Drummer?

A friend of my uses the Akai MPD18.  He likes it, but doesn’t use it with Superior.  I currently use the keyboard on my Roland XP30, but I’m looking at maybe trying out a finger pad setup instead.

Any recommendations?

Mac Mini M1 | Studio One 6 | PreSonus 68c | EZD3

Topic

[Scott]

I’ve used a Korg Padkontrol for awhile and it worked ok. I liked the X-Y pad for rolls and such. It worked great for simple finger drumming. The pads were quite sensitive and picked up ghost notes pretty well. I did have difficulty playing the same pad for quick rolls and having it trigger the sounds consecutively. IOW it would miss quite a few hit if I played the same pad over and over.

I then upgraded to a http://www.zendrum.com/catalog.html#zap. The price was quite a bit more than the Korg but the difference in triggering quality was astounding! This thing picks up extremely light ghost taps and will trigger as many consecutive hits on the same pad as fast as I can throw at it. It’s built like a tank but is quite attractive for a hunk o’ wood.

I later added an Alesis Trigger i/o and an Alternate Mode hi hat pedal. I did this so I could control the hats open/close/chicks with my foot and allows for more articulations on the Zendrum triggers instead of using them for hi hats. I just have 2 triggers for hats on the Zendrum…one for hatsTtrig and one for hatsTipTrig. I’m not a drummer (guitarist by trade) but I can work my way around my Zendrum setup quite nicely and it plays as real as I need.

Scott Sibley - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Kip Count]

Is there a way to use 2 MIDI controllers at the same time with Superior?  Say, my MIDI keyboard running thru my firewire audio interface as one, and a USB trigger pad control as the other.

The Zendrum looks really nice, but way out of my price range.  So I was thinking something like the Korg or Akai could work for me, and if I need some better action for something in particular, I could use the keyboard on my XP-30.

Mac Mini M1 | Studio One 6 | PreSonus 68c | EZD3

[John]

Is there a way to use 2 MIDI controllers at the same time with Superior?

This entirely depends on your host but I doubt there are many hosts where it can’t be done.

John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Kip Count]

Can anyone comment on the Korg nanoPad?  Seems to be a “cute” little unit, especially for the price.  But I wonder how usability stacks up against something like the Akai MPD18 that’s only a few bills more expensive?

Mac Mini M1 | Studio One 6 | PreSonus 68c | EZD3

[Rogue]

David Haynes uses Korg’s nanopad and I think the various videos available of their and our site speak for themselves.

Realistically though, unless you train yourself to use it or are a natural virtuoso, the padkontrol is a much more practical option. I have one and although I no longer use it that often (due to lack of time) it is still set up next to my desk and will be for the foreseeable future – I just don’t feel limited with it, at least for scratch tracks.

Rogue Marechal - Toontrack
Configuration Manager

[Kip Count]

Thanks for the input.  I went ahead and ordered a Korg padKontrol.  Seems like a very cool unit for programming drums.  Can’t wait to get started with it.

Mac Mini M1 | Studio One 6 | PreSonus 68c | EZD3

[Kip Count]

I must testify that the Korg padKontrol is indeed awesome for working with Superior, and tons of fun when working with other virtual instruments as well.   If you shop around, ( novamusik.com ) you can pick these up for less than $140 US.   It’s a steal for what it’s capable of.

Mac Mini M1 | Studio One 6 | PreSonus 68c | EZD3

[snaimpally]

ORIGINAL: skiltrip

Is there a way to use 2 MIDI controllers at the same time with Superior?  Say, my MIDI keyboard running thru my firewire audio interface as one, and a USB trigger pad control as the other.

The Zendrum looks really nice, but way out of my price range.  So I was thinking something like the Korg or Akai could work for me, and if I need some better action for something in particular, I could use the keyboard on my XP-30.

You can easily use two controllers – use a little midi merge box to merge the two midi inputs.

[snaimpally]

ORIGINAL: skiltrip

I must testify that the Korg padKontrol is indeed awesome for working with Superior, and tons of fun when working with other virtual instruments as well.   If you shop around, ( novamusik.com ) you can pick these up for less than $140 US.   It’s a steal for what it’s capable of.

How is the latency when controlling S2? I am trying to use S2 with Win 7 and a Roland HPD10 and am having major latency.

[Kevinran539]

Hey

Ive seen a few guys on here using the pad control with superior drummer 2. I just bought a brand new mac, got the software and every thing on it. BUT my Korg padKontrol will not operate the Superior Drummer 2. I have tried everything I can think of. I bought an Akai MPD218 just to try to single out the issues and its the padkontrol, the MPD218 linked up no problem. I would really like to get my padkontrol working with Superior drummer 2 any suggestions??

[Patrick Wilson]

Im setting up a korg padkontrol and I have it plugged usb. Its offering options in peripherals for midi in, padkontrol midi in,1 port A and 1 port B as well as my DAW midi in. And for output my DAW midi out padkontrol 1 ctrl and padkontrol 1 midi out, Im new to midi triggers ans apparently dont know which to choose to make it work cause I cant get any sounds. Any tips would be great. thanks!!

[Kouc52]

Korg Nanopad2 is junk. You are unable to reconfigure the pad to your personal preference and the new windows 10 update has rendered it pretty much useless. I have spent 2 months trying to get it to work and all it does is give me a can’t open midi port error each time I try to write my assignments to it.  It is a shame because at the price point it has the most pads. I am just gonna sell mine to some other poor sap on ebay as I just purchased a used Akai MPK Mini MKII LE off amazon warehouse for 70 bucks.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HD8JH5Z/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Author]

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