Is there a midi pad for drum recording?

[TDub]

Hey Guys,
Instead of using my keyboard for doing drum recordings (strike, ez drummer), are there drum pads that hook up through midi to do this instead? being a drummer that would be much more fluid.
If so, what are some good ones for low cost?

appreciate advise!

[albee1952]

I do drum tracks with both a Roland TD-10 kit and an M-Audio Trigger Finger sitting on my desk. Both work great with ezdrummer and SD2. The Trigger Finger allows for custom pad assignments so I made a page with 2 pads assigned to snare and each of 3 toms, and that allows me to record rolls and fills that sound real(try doing this with a single finger pad). In any case, any midi pad trigger should be able to work fine(even the Korg Nano at $69). BTW, the Roland TD-10 kit triggers almost everything exactly correct, right out of the box(with ezdrummer and SD2). I did need to search around the midi note assign(on the TD-10) to get an extra pad to trigger a cowbell or cross-stick).

[nst7]

There is also the Akai MPD18, which is a pad controller (no sounds built in) like the M-Audio Trigger Finger that Albee mentioned.

Also, the M-Audio Axiom keyboard series combine keyboards with 8 pads built in.

[TDub]

Nice! So i assume any midi electronic drum kit would work as well?

[Rail Jon Rogut]

Some programs are better at working with eKits than others... the best for eKit support are: BFD2, Superior Drummer 2.0 and Addictive Drums 1.5

Rail

[Noiselab]

I've been having surprisingly good luck with the Korg NanoPad. For the price, the NanoPad is astonishingly sensitive, and highly configurable. It totally outperforms the pads on the M-Audio Axiom and Novation Nocturn controllers which I find fairly stiff even after a year of use.

One of my partners here in the lab uses a really nice Roland V-Drum setup for serious tracking, but we've both gotten a lot of use from the NanoPad.

Don't be turned off by the diminutive and somewhat toy-like appearance of the NanoPad. For less than $50 USD, these little slabs are a real kick and well worth it. We were originally talking about splashing out for one of the bigger, more expensive pad controllers - no regrets here.

NL

[necjamc]

My favorite is the AKAI MPD 24. Each pad has 16 velocity steps, it's pressure sensitive and has 16n unique channels and 4 pad banks for each. I've had it for a year or so and love it. The MPD 32 is a little better (features), and the MPD 18 is cheaper, but it's just the pads.

[TDub]

Appreciate all the advice here guys! Very cool.
So last night i bought the Nano. Haven't got a chance to use it, but thought it was good price to try out before i spend too much. Make sure i use it enough, then would upgrade if not satisfied with it.
Glad to hear some good feedback on the Korg

again, appreciate all the feedback!

[Hotcrazyfruit]

Originally Posted by albee1952

I do drum tracks with both a Roland TD-10 kit and an M-Audio Trigger Finger sitting on my desk. Both work great with ezdrummer and SD2. The Trigger Finger allows for custom pad assignments so I made a page with 2 pads assigned to snare and each of 3 toms, and that allows me to record rolls and fills that sound real(try doing this with a single finger pad). In any case, any midi pad trigger should be able to work fine(even the Korg Nano at $69). BTW, the Roland TD-10 kit triggers almost everything exactly correct, right out of the box(with ezdrummer and SD2). I did need to search around the midi note assign(on the TD-10) to get an extra pad to trigger a cowbell or cross-stick).

Quick question albee, How much did you buy your TD-10 for? Im sick of using the midi editor for making drum tracks from scratch randomizing velocity of notes in a roll to make it sound slightly more human, ect.

Nick

[Herkimer]

You could consider a midi keyboard controller too. I have the Korg Nanopad but like the Akai LPK25 instead. It can serve double duty - drum trigger and regular midi keyboard.

The drum layout is usually pretty standard on the keyboard. The Kick is C; the snares D & E; toms G, A, B etc.

You could also troll ebay for some of the "toy" type midi triggers. I have the Yamaha DD-55 and occasionally find it useful. It can be had on ebay for well under $100. Check out youtube for videos of people playing these "toys."