Playing drum parts on a keyboard seems ineffective in controlling
and/or maintaining velocities, because of the "uncertain" travel time
from key depression to sound trigger. Any finger inputs with "no
travel time" from the point of impact to the sound trigger? Aside
from your v-drum type pads for sticks, of course...

R.

RB wrote:

Playing drum parts on a keyboard seems ineffective in controlling
and/or maintaining velocities, because of the "uncertain" travel time
from key depression to sound trigger. Any finger inputs with "no
travel time" from the point of impact to the sound trigger? Aside
from your v-drum type pads for sticks, of course...


A standard drum machine, maybe?

From the time when they used rubberized pads, through the present.

I use a keyboard, but I want to get V-Drum type thingies.


Don

In article ,
says...
RB wrote:

Playing drum parts on a keyboard seems ineffective in controlling
and/or maintaining velocities, because of the "uncertain" travel time
from key depression to sound trigger. Any finger inputs with "no
travel time" from the point of impact to the sound trigger? Aside
from your v-drum type pads for sticks, of course...

I've actually been wondering about the same thing. I have an MPC-2000
that has 16 wonderful velocity-sensitive entry pads plus a whole lot of
stuff I don't use, now that we have, oh, computers. But I know it's
still considered valuable vintage gear, and I've been thinking of
selling it and getting just some input device, if only one existed.
I'll watch the thread with interest...

--
Jay Levitt |
Wellesley, MA | Hi!
Faster: jay at jay dot eff-em | Where are we going?
http://www.jay.fm | Why am I in this handbasket?

Korg Microkontrol, e.g. http://www.soundslive.co.uk/moreinfo.asp?ID=2672

Ryan

(RB) wrote in message . com...
Playing drum parts on a keyboard seems ineffective in controlling
and/or maintaining velocities, because of the "uncertain" travel time
from key depression to sound trigger. Any finger inputs with "no
travel time" from the point of impact to the sound trigger? Aside
from your v-drum type pads for sticks, of course...

R.

Well, actually there IS. The Akai MPD16, which I own, consists of the
16 rubber pads from the Akai series sequencers and has MIDI and USB
connections.

This works extremely well for finger drumming, and is pretty cheap -
but it does not have any sounds of its own (which, to be honest, is an
advantage given the crappy drum sounds most pads have).

The only thing I would say about this unit that is negative is

(a) it isn't battery powered - though it IS USB-powered if you don't
connect via MIDI

(b) The pads could be a *little* more sensitive - even after running
the supplied utility & setting them for maximum sensitivity, I would
have liked a little more sensitivity but they aren't bad and I
understand once you really work the pads in to soften them up, they
are pretty responsive

Otherwise this is a great product, very reasonably priced. Try one and
see what you think. It certainly beats trying to use a weighted
keyboard, I can tell you!. It's also a huge giggle if you get people
round for a party or something; it takes four pairs of hands to really
get a huge percussion pattern going, and so two people can jam
together with the one unit - great fun!.

Jay Levitt wrote in message ...
In article ,
says...
RB wrote:

Playing drum parts on a keyboard seems ineffective in controlling
and/or maintaining velocities, because of the "uncertain" travel time
from key depression to sound trigger. Any finger inputs with "no
travel time" from the point of impact to the sound trigger? Aside
from your v-drum type pads for sticks, of course...

I've actually been wondering about the same thing. I have an MPC-2000
that has 16 wonderful velocity-sensitive entry pads plus a whole lot of
stuff I don't use, now that we have, oh, computers. But I know it's
still considered valuable vintage gear, and I've been thinking of
selling it and getting just some input device, if only one existed.
I'll watch the thread with interest...

I did a little searching... I think this looks to be "it":

http://www.wernick.net/pads.html

I have an MPC-2000
that has 16 wonderful velocity-sensitive entry pads plus a whole lot of
stuff I don't use, now that we have, oh, computers.

Akai makes a USB device with the MPC type pads for programming drums.



---------------------------------------
"I know enough to know I don't know enough"

Take a look at the Zendrum:

http://www.zendrum.com/

(Sorry; I'm posting from Google and can't figure out how to make it a link...)

IMHO, the Zendrum is the ultimate device in this category.

--Da5id

(RB) wrote in message . com...
Playing drum parts on a keyboard seems ineffective in controlling
and/or maintaining velocities, because of the "uncertain" travel time
from key depression to sound trigger. Any finger inputs with "no
travel time" from the point of impact to the sound trigger? Aside
from your v-drum type pads for sticks, of course...

R.

David Curtis wrote:

Take a look at the Zendrum:

http://www.zendrum.com/

(Sorry; I'm posting from Google and can't figure out how to make it a link...)

IMHO, the Zendrum is the ultimate device in this category.


That's cool! Almost like that Drumatar played by Future Man.



Don

(David Curtis) wrote in message . com...
Take a look at the Zendrum:

http://www.zendrum.com/

(Sorry; I'm posting from Google and can't figure out how to make it a link...)

IMHO, the Zendrum is the ultimate device in this category.

--Da5id

David -

Thanks for the link... that's definitely it.

R.

Jay Levitt wrote:

RB wrote:


Playing drum parts on a keyboard seems ineffective in controlling
and/or maintaining velocities, because of the "uncertain" travel time
from key depression to sound trigger. Any finger inputs with "no
travel time" from the point of impact to the sound trigger? Aside
from your v-drum type pads for sticks, of course...

I've actually been wondering about the same thing. I have an MPC-2000
that has 16 wonderful velocity-sensitive entry pads plus a whole lot of
stuff I don't use, now that we have, oh, computers. But I know it's
still considered valuable vintage gear, and I've been thinking of
selling it and getting just some input device, if only one existed.
I'll watch the thread with interest...

This may draw some chuckles... but I still use my Sequential Drumtracks
when I want to do that finger-drumming thing. I can't really explain
why, but the pads, the spacing, what-have-you, all seem quite natural. I
haven't used the sounds in a very long time, but I suppose they too
could come in handy for a really cheesey drum machine type soundG!

I know a couple of companies are making finger-pad only type devices,
but at the moment I'm happy with my Drumtracks, so I can't recall who,
and a brief google search only turned up stick type pads.

So maybe a hunt for an old Sequential, Oberheim, or Linn drum box might
do the trick?

Bill