What pad controller to buy for finger drumming: The long story

►► Learn all the basics of Finger Drumming for FREE on → questforgroove.com
I felt that the time was right for a recap of the past 2 years in which I tested and reviewed a lot of different pad controllers for finger drumming. I'll do my best to give you the most in depth advice on what pad controller to buy and why, as things stand today, February 2021.
=======
My gear recommendations blog post that I keep up to date:
questforgroove.com/gear-recom...
=======
Links to all videos I reference:
Repairing a Maschine mk3 and discovering MPCstuff pad sensor sheets:
• Maschine mk3 pad wear ...
Nektar Aura Review & Setup Guide:
• Nektar Aura \\ Great p...
8x8 Pad layout:
• Launchpad X - ultimate...
Every Launchpad is a special snowflake:
• Every launchpad is a s...
Opening up an MPD218 and fixing the pads with electrical tape:
• Opening up an Akai mpd...
Making a sing with the Launchkey mini mk3:
• Launchkey mini MK3, le...
Pad controller test (including the really cheap ones):
• Pad sensitivity test P...
Making a song with the Sensel Morph:
• Sensel Morph: Let's ma...
Standalone pad controllers, M1 chips and the future:
• Standalone finger drum...
========
Timelinks:
0:00 Intro
1:05 Maschine mikro mk3
4:31 Nektar Aura
5:26 Launchpad pro mk3 (when to buy an 8x8)
7:27 Launchpad X (and the problem of varying quality between devices)
11:42 Presonus Atom (Start of the budget options section)
13:34 MPD218 (A complex story but maybe worth a try)
17:40 Novation Launchkey mini mk3 (An all in one)
18:45 Even cheaper devices (that I did not test again)
19:25 Second hand options
20:26 New technologies (Sensel Morph, Linnstrument, iPad drumming)
23:13 Expensive stuff (Maschine mk3, Maschine +, MPC Live)
25:29 Conclusion

[@TheQuestforGroove]

►► Learn all the basics of Finger Drumming for FREE on → questforgroove.com My gear recommendations blog post that I keep up to date:→ questforgroove.com/gear-recommendations/ Timelinks: 0:00 Intro 1:05 Maschine mikro mk3 4:31 Nektar Aura 5:26 Launchpad pro mk3 (when to buy an 8x8) 7:27 Launchpad X (and the problem of varying quality between devices) 11:42 Presonus Atom (Start of the budget options section) 13:34 MPD218 (A complex story but maybe worth a try) 17:40 Novation Launchkey mini mk3 (An all in one) 18:45 Even cheaper devices (that I did not test again) 19:25 Second hand options 20:26 New technologies (Sensel Morph, Linnstrument, iPad drumming) 23:13 Expensive stuff (Maschine mk3, Maschine +, MPC Live) 25:29 Conclusion

[@fivebyfivesound]

Extremely helpful as I decide the best personal choice. I appreciate the nuance, thoroughness and transparency of your explanations. Thank you 🙏🏽

[@gfm1496]

FYI on the Launchkey Mini MK3: Though I would prefer a 4x4 setup I decided to go with this for now. I don’t necessarily use the pads for finger drumming the way you do exactly (though there are some similarities). I’m also a drummer and needed something to add drums to my compositions that may or may not get replaced with live kit playing, rather than finger drumming as an instrument in itself- if that makes sense. Anyway, it’s very friendly with Logic, and a breeze to use - but the one added plus that is under the radar with this is that the keybed can be used in conjunction with the assignable pads if you chose the bank for the notes using bass drums, snares, toms and cymbals. This introduces more options and a different playing technique using the pads and keys together. It works surprisingly well! That little thing is great work horse - I can even use the pitch and modulation strips in conjunction with my electric midi Yamaha piano that doesn’t have either of those option with zero setup.

[@KamikoAi]

I bought Maschine mikro mk3 on your advices and I'm very happy. Don't let people get you down, you make a great job 😊

[@rayderrich]

I got me a Novation Launchpad Pro Mk3 this year and it boosted my creativity and workflow. Then I found a Maschine Mk2 for a decent price (with software) and notice the pads are great for drums. So using these two in tandem seems like a golden combo for me as I also often play chords and melodies. Thank you for comparing the options.

[@neilwright729]

Really helpful and useful video for those of us who don't want to order everything and try it out ourselves. You really helped me make a choice of what to try first! Thank you so much!

[@Marcos-wd2yt]

yo thank you for posting man, your videos have been a light in the dark for me on this topic - i was sceptical but your content has been helpful - keep doing your thing man

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Thank you, I will!

[@jasonshrestha]

thanks for this awesome informative recommendation broer!

[@dgsoundCA]

Amazing video, Rob, very helpful! I appreciate a lot your sincere and profound expertise, thank you! Subscribed 👍🤘

[@bachtube11]

Good work, thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.

[@ivanbalashov468]

Thanks for the great review, Rob! I got a Maschine mikro mk3 about year and half ago and love it! Using it with AD2 as you suggested, great combo :)

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Fantastic! Glad to hear you're having a good time.

[@szabolcskolcsey1563]

Hey Rob, I found your channel a few weeks ago and man I gotta tell you, it's one of the most informative channel on the topic I've found so far. Right now I'm waiting for my Presonus Atom to arrive and when I get my hands on it (literally), I'm gonna start with your tutorials immediately! I'm definitely going to subscribe on your page for deep dive lessons in the future! Thanks for making quality videos for the community! Keep up the good work, man!

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Hey Szabolcs, thank you so much for this, it really means a lot! Finger drumming the way I like to do it (with 'real' drums) is a very small niche and it's comments like these that keep me going! Thanks!

[@Primeaumedias]

I love my Maschine Mikro MK3. Really sensitive and easy to play.

[@emjay9733]

Great detailed info. I’ve got Maschine MK3 and the pads are awesome. The mikro looks like it’s a great value buy. Appreciate the dedication to reviewing pads from a finger drumming perspective 👍.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Romenet310]

You do such a great job with your specialty. Thank you.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Thank you so much!

[@ThreeUnremarkableWords]

A very nice video, I really like your expertise and insight into the different controllers. I bought a Launchpad X which I love. I feel like it isn't the most sensitive out there, but I can play expressive drums, and have a lot of fun with it. What I like about it is that I can use it to play basslines with a guitar-ish layout.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Great to hear! the Launchpad X is getting a lot of love here. Goes to show that maybe I heard mostly from the complainers until I adressed it and now things get balanced out because the folks with positive experiences speak up :-)

[@musicmann1967]

Thank you so much for this video! I have had an Akai MPD218 for over well a year and have barely touched it because I hate the way it feels/responds. I must have read ALL the wrong articles and reviews because I was under the impression that it was a very good unit so I bought one. It good to see that I am far from being alone being displeased. (I'm really just happy that I'm not totally crazy!) I have programmed a lot of drums parts over the years but it's been a while. I was looking for a new unit as a re-entry to programming drums for my newer songs. I was so turned off by the Akai that I never got anything done in all this time. I'm looking forward to the Maschine MKIII and getting down to making some music again!

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Great to read this Larry! It's frustrating to me how in most cases pad response gets overlooked by reviewers. That's the reason I started making these gear videos even though I'm not a huge gear head myself :-)

[@SHLDMusic]

Thanks for your review! I have both a launchpad pro mk3 and a LaunchPadX (that just got replaced). After only 3 months the LaunchpadX became much less sensitive, and Novation support said the pro and the x should have the same sensitivity. So I got a new one. My new LaunchpadX is not as sensitive as my pro mk3 but it's still very good. I hope that it will not break after 3 months... Anyway the lp pro mk3 is awesome!

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Thanks for sharing!

[@austinmurphy3933]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@muaddib667]

Loving my lpp mk3 but I'm not really a finger drummer, I use the sequencer a hell of a lot but also use the custom modes to control my gt1000 and other midi devices and it is fantastic. However it may be overkill if you just want to drum and the bottom row might get in the way.

[@MegaZackRyder]

So glad I watched this video, thank you. I've been wanting to get more involved in my drumming than clicking in midi notes, but when I tried finger drumming with my Alesis v25, it was just awful. Pads won't respond, kinda glitch, seem to stay triggered (as in, I couldn't drum fast bc it would stay stuck on the previous note being triggered) and was overall frustrated. But now that desire to drum again has come back, and getting into a real e-drum is not really feasible at the moment. I'm becoming hopeful that with a proper device, I can have a fun experience with finger drumming.

[@audio_buck]

Thanks, this was informative.

[@RababaInc]

thanks a lot! i was leaning to the Maschine Mikro but i have noticed that the Mk3 offers a lot more connectivity, so i hope i can trigger my other synths with the Mk3 pads 🙂

[@chaocrator]

to speak about 4x4 controllers - i really like IK Multimedia iRig Pads. works very well at medium/high pad sensitivity settings (but still not that sensitive as my all times favorite - Korg PadKontrol)

[@RCAVDH]

Great video, thanks for sharing! I got a launchpad x for the ipad or android phone with koala and a push one for the computer and am happy with both. I tried a lot different controllers and liked the maschine controllers a lot but couldn't get into the workflow.

[@free2muse]

Great video man. The long story is appreciated, and interesting. I bought a Launchpad X based on your recommendation about a year ago and it has served and continues to serve me well. After seeing this video today, guess I'll thank the tech gods for granting me a good device. :) Again, thanks for the vids.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Haha, you're like the fifth person saying that today. My guess is the launchpad X is a pretty solid device most of the time and my "ballpark" estimate was a little on the negative side. It still got a bronze medal though! :-)

[@free2muse]

@@TheQuestforGroove haha exactly. It's "medal" quality.

[@kevinsturges6957]

Thank you so much for making this.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Hey my pleasure. I was thinking about a 2022 updated video,but I must say, right now it looks like everything still stands today, so yeah. It's still an up to date recommendation!

[@pdmidipd_patch7476]

I got a second hand Micro MK3 and it's great . Can't say the same for MPC One . The pads on One are smaller but sensitive enough with no double triggering issues . But they are harder/stiff ,not enjoying hitting them as the pads on the Micro. Thanks for the video :)

[@chilledm.136]

Do you know if the Mikro mk3 is compatible for phone daw mapping?

[@thevoid5117]

Looking at getting a dedicated one I've been using the novation launchkey mk3 as my pads. I originally got it mainly for the midi functions and to practice keyboard but I've just found myself jaming using the pads 99% of the time it's so much fun!

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Yes it is right?!

[@SamuelAging]

I bought a Launchpad X based on your (previous) recommendation and it has worked fine for me. Just giving you more data! I understand the quality is spotty. I just got lucky!

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Thanks for sharing! Good to get some positive feedback for the Launchpad X. I honestly think Novation is rocking the pad controller space right now and they might actually have improved their LP X units after a short time of churning out a couple of lesser ones. Or they simply fixed most issues with a firmware update. I sure hope so.

[@jorgecds]

Yes me too and I think those pads are the best I ever touched. Take it from somebody that owns Push2, MPC Live/One, MPD218 and other cheap devices.

[@MS7.7]

@@jorgecds better than the MPC 😵 ? In term of feel, responsiveness, size? Which aspect?

[@jorgecds]

@@MS7.7 responsiveness and feel (sensitivity)

[@AlanHAGOSHaggarty]

I've been using a Launchpad X for 6 months now and it's great! Good sensitivity, no retriggering.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Great to hear!

[@DaSesh]

Sold I'm getting a launchpad x or pro now thanks

[@AlanHAGOSHaggarty]

@@DaSesh 10 months now, still loving it. I hope you get a good one!

[@emanuelsv]

And of course the Ableton Push 2 for the Ableton users out there :) Although, like you said about the Maschine, only get a Push if you're going to be using the screen and take advantage of the great integration with Ableton. The thing I've loved the most about it is the seamless workflow, the great pads are just a bonus for me.

[@zublits]

I've owned a few controllers and the Push2 has by far the best pads I've ever played on. They are small, but you get used to it pretty quickly. It beats any MPC I've ever used.

[@cs7160]

What's the latency like? I owned a push 2 and it was too slow, though in retrospect it was probably my laptop. I have a new pc setup so thinking I may find one second hand and give it another try.

[@emanuelsv]

@@cs7160 I've personally not had any latency issues at all

[@zublits]

@@cs7160The latency isn't perceptible to me. It was probably your setup.

[@phoenixflyz_]

Great news! I bought the maschine mikro mk3. It's everything you emphasized in the video and more. Your video was convincing enough for me NOT to buy the newer and less expensive Atom SQ from Presonus, even though I have Studio One 5, and a Faderport 16. I am completely confident in this purchase, and now my abilities to produce wonderful music for world to enjoy, for generations to come!! Thank you.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

This makes my day, thank you for letting me know!

[@jeremytee2919]

I use launch pad. I do a mirrored left right map And play it diagonally I like having lots of articulations for snare and have some hits on multiple pads next to each other, to make 32nds,and up,easier. I also use an mpd218 and 226, in tandem right/left for electronic beats. My mpd218 is really old and has no issues. The 226 is a little stiff Which is why I don’t use it with my acoustic samples.

[@Cloud007.]

Hey man, brilliant video. I'd be extrememly interested in seeing / hearing a video of yours about "Best Drumming Software". For example, your take on SSD / Superior Drummer / Addictive Drums, etc. Keep up the brilliant work; what a great channel this is

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Oh yeah, I still want to make that one day. I own Superior drummer and Addictive drums 2 and I always go back to Addictive drums 2 because I can quickly craft the sound I need for a song with that. Superior Drummer seems a little harder to work with even though it's definitely very high quality.

[@daisyroberts7401]

Superb Work 💜

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Thank you so much 😀

[@maruton_dtm]

I watched this video and bought Nektar Aura!. If I had bought Nektar Aura before watching this video, I would have thought Nektar Aura was a bad device maybe. so, Because the default pad sensitivity was not very good. Yes, I adjusted the pad sensitivity and it became a very good device. Thank you!

[@Anthony-sn9kl]

Quality content!

[@phoenixflyz_]

This was excellent. Thank you. Went with the first mid tier device. Mikro mk3

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Great! Make sure to test out every pad. It should respond as well as I say, and if not you quickly return it and get another one! Chance of getting a dud is small but it's not 0%. I personally only had good ones (owned 4 of them in total)

[@phoenixflyz_]

@@TheQuestforGroove I'm actually going to rewatch your video when it arrives tomorrow and do that period thank you! Question why have you owned four? Lol

[@TheQuestforGroove]

@@phoenixflyz_ Because it's my main recommendation I buy one sometimes to see if they still make em like they used to 😀But full disclosure, I returned the first one I bought, then bought another later on when midi standalone mode was introduced and I gave away one as a gift, so I now own two!

[@phoenixflyz_]

@@TheQuestforGroove that's righteous

[@aloha4522]

great review..thanks a lot dear

[@6lu5ky86]

Excellently thorough, thanks a lot! So looking forward to triggering my samples instead of tediously painting them. I just wanna jam!

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Yes! 2022 is going to be the year of more jamming and less painting! :-)

[@chaocrator]

btw, Novation Circuit Tracks has the same pads as Launchpad Pro Mk3. i hope they'll increase sample slots number in next firmware updates (they massively increased total sample time already), and this would make Circuit Tracks an excellent 100% standalone finger drumming solution.

[@KilanPL]

I bought MPD218 year ago with tought that if fingerdrumming is for me I'm gonna upgrade. Thanks for this video becouse now I know there's no need on my level only if I'm gonna need more sensitive pads gonna switch to machine micro mk3.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Yes that seems like a wise decision!

[@SilentScreamsStudios]

I love my Maschine Mikro mk3

[@wattabass]

Thanks!

[@alexnostalgix]

Originally I bought the MPD218 from your recommendation initially but unfortunately only a week in it started to double actuate :(. Funny enough though I upgraded to your first recommendation, the maschine mikro which I found hilarious to see them both in here.

[@feelthewyrd]

i am new to all this. i used to drum djembe and want to move to midi (because i can control the volume, especially indoors). I have considerd making my own . (have you?) Thank you for your detail and enthusiasm. you come across as a decent dude who knows what he is talking about...... thanks.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

I think with experience in percussion, you're off to a good start. You might want to look into the "Boppad". You have 4 quadrants that respond very nicely to percussion style playing. For me I need more pads, so I prefer my Maschine mk3 but you might not need more for the time being and then the Boppad is good value for money and more like a regular percussion instrument.

[@JakeSweeper]

I had an MPD218, had some weird triggering with two pads on MPC Beats, exchanged it for a new one, discovered the settings had two pads set to the same note for some reason, reset all the pads on all three banks in the editor (that akai hides for some stupid reason), then do a new mapping for MPC Beats because the the factory settings suck. Once I did that, the 218 runs like a champ, now.

[@badboyv2344]

How to do that any video on it? Please help

[@KusanagiMotoko100]

My experience with the MPD218 is that it is really good it has the perfect sensitive for me but overtime started to trigger ghost notes to the point of annoyance, but as the times passes and the more I use it the ghosting faded, I still get some ghost notes from time to time, but I don't want open it up I'm scared of ruining it, as long as the ghosting isn't too annoying I'm fine, but I'll try to improve my device when I have some money.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

That sounds like a smart plan! In my experience opening it up is less scary than it might seem, but I do think it is smart to wait until you have some extra money so you can keep playing no matter what happens.

[@yurapekach7550]

I still use Machine mk2) Good video, thank you)

[@JonCresswellMusic]

when the "quest for groove" song came on you immediately got my sub and like lol!!

[@TheQuestforGroove]

haha, thanks! A secret not known by many is that it's cut out of a random jam that I posted a couple of months after I launched the channel: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gpvdn5WVbdiEl6s

[@scstudios8]

As a drummer, pedal inputs are my issue. Also, you need 8x8 for sure. I can get so many sounds from 1 real snare or 1 cymbal its a huge issue. Superior drummer with these things is amazing. I have used edrum kick and hat controllers and it works well.

[@NularMusic]

Lots of useful/interesting stuff, thanks for putting this together! Funny that I seem to be the only finger drummer swearing by the old Launchpad Pro (I've got two of them, both have consistently great pad sensitivity and velocity response, I prefer them to my Maschine Mikro Mk3). =)

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Interesting. I have a Launchpad pro mk2 and it's pretty good, but both my Maschine mikro mk3 units blow it away in terms of pad responsiveness. Might be again an issue where different units of the same type respond differently. That said, the Launchpad pro mk3 is definitely on par with the maschine units.

[@NularMusic]

@@TheQuestforGroove I've just re-tested my Maschine Mikro Mk3 against my (second) Launchpad Pro. I haven't touched my Maschine for a while, so I first updated its firmware. I used a technique I've been practicing a lot lately: "rolling" on one pad by hitting it with different fingers of the same hand multiple times. Despite the larger pads I found it much more difficult to do this consistently on the Maschine. Even at pad sensitivity set to the maximum, it just didn't trigger all of the softer hits while the Launchpad did. Another Maschine issue I keep running into is that when I hit two pads at the same time, sometimes other pads are also triggered. This can be eliminated by reducing sensitivity, but then the whole thing isn't that suitable for expressive finger drumming. I've seen similar things on the Launchpad X and the Push 2, but never on my Launchpad Pros. Sorry about the long reply, I thought you should know about my (apparently rather unique) data point. It's possible that I was very lucky with both my Launchpad Pros and unlucky with my Maschine, it's just surprising. I've yet to try the Launchpad Pro Mk3, although I wasn't a fan of the Launchpad X and I was told the Pro Mk3 has the exact same sensor and pads, just different firmware. Thank you for your reply and keep up the great work!

[@brunolacerda4611]

My MKII it 's good as a crap, can' t play anything on it!! Very regrat. A had to buy aura nektar. It works very good for Finger Drumming

[@CjKillinit]

@@NularMusic Interesting, do you have the launchpad pro MkI?

[@NularMusic]

@@CjKillinit I've got the original Launchpad Pro, which some people refer to as MKII.

[@skibaa1]

Thank you for your detailed review, it's priceless! Did you have a chance to try the new Circuit Tracks? It looks very similar to the LaunchpadPro Mk3. If it has pads of the same quality - it may be a unique combination of relatively low price, standalone operation and pads of the top league

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Not yet, but it does look interesting for sure! Maybe in the near future I'll go and give it a spin.

[@Azkold]

Thanks a lot!

[@usernamedenied1881]

I just ordered a MPD218, I hope it's a good one!!

[@usernamedenied1881]

Update, I got it! Great knobs and the pads are an improvement from the MPK mini MK2. I did notice a few instances (using Melodics app) that there were times when I'd hit the pads (pad 3 maybe pad 6/7) when the pad would maybe send out an extra hit a split second after my finger left the pad. It happened a handful of times out of hours of bashing away, so maybe I can accept it. I won't keep it forever, I want to get good enough to invest in an actual standalone MPC model. Cheers!

[@nummacway]

I recently bought the MPD232 (MPD226 with twice the faders/knobs/buttons and a built-in sequencer, only sold in Europe) because most of the complaints about double-triggering on Amazon were about the MPD218 and I believed I needed the extra controls. It turned out that my MPD232 does have frequent double-triggering issues even on highest threshold. I also was unable to get the included MPC Beats software to run as it didn't recognice my device's S/N, which is required for it to work. I'm going to have Amazon fix it. If one does need 8 faders and 8 knobs (and has under 500 euros to spend), I believe there's only one other device out there, the Worlde Orca Pad48. There are no actual reviews of it, so I'd be happy if you could get one and make a video. I'd be interested in the configuration options and how the backlight works.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

I looked into the Worlde Orcapad but the problem with it is that I can only get it for the exact same price as the Launchpad X when ordering through amazon. It's cheaper when bought through Ali express but in all honesty that's a pretty big risk. If you buy there you basically have no consumer protection and you might not even get a device that follows the safety rules of your country. I'm not saying it's a guaranteed bad device but it's too much of a risk to recommend people buying from ali express.

[@ryananderson6893]

Amazing, Thorough. You hit a lot of great information, and planned the video flow very well. for that I subscribed. Did you ever notice double triggering on the Mikro? or the full size? My Alesis v25, happens to have pads that double trigger notes.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Thank you! I think double triggering does happen a little bit sometimes, but I never noticed it. So the double notes sent out are rare and very low in velocity.

[@candyflip6345]

Akai Force for life bro's, amazing instrument.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Haven't played it but I guess the same advice applies. Y=If you know what you're gonna use the 64 pads for and if you know your purpose for the standalone functionality go for it :-) Otherwise it's too much money for a midi controller to just play some drums with.

[@KandMe1]

Well I have an FGPD 30 and an older launchpad mini, plus a newer mini mk3, and a launch control so. Also a few flakey 37+49 with the 16 pads. Right now looking into getting a 61 key but thinking of launchkey this time but the 49 key is enough for now. Having an extra octave would be good, also found some midi plugins and one of then can be used for splitting any midi keyboard (not sure if they work for launchpads, probably.) being able to have one instrument on the bass keys and another on the treble is handy. They work with most iPad auv3 apps like AUM. It’s called midi tools suite as I remember and started configuring AUM to map the launchpads and all with them. It has to be possible.

[@nathanfuzaro4792]

One more question: i saw your video which you ve talked about the durability of the pads... Can u tell if u feel that the nektar has a more durable pads? In my country this pads costs like a motorcycle/simple car, sooo i am really trying to choice the best longevity and sensitivity pads.. Did u felt the lost sensitivity was a lot? It really affects your playability? Or it is a lose that you can live with it.. I searched on mpc stuff and the pads and shipping it will costs more than the actually device to repair if it will be necessarly.. (sry bad english, greetings from brasil) thank u very much!!!!

[@Taalismusic]

Hello!thank you so very much for going through the effort and work to help everyone with your excellent videos! They are tremendous! I had a question and was hoping you could point me in the right direction.I want something very small in size and need 8x8 pads. The launch pad mini works in size but it’s not velocity sensitive. Do you know of any other device which is small but velocity sensitive? Thank you for sharing your expertise!

[@TheQuestforGroove]

I think the Launchpad X is the closest to what you're looking for!

[@Taalismusic]

@@TheQuestforGroove thank you!!

[@sherwinS_13]

I use my Maschine MK3 for writing and composing; but nothing beats my Akai MPD218 for just finger drumming practice.

[@KupiBass]

I am getting a maschine mikro mk 3. My device got to me and was damaged. I bought it with delivery from another city. When I got the controller, I had limited time to test it. There were ghost trigger buttons on it! I found out about it only after 2 hours, testing the pads. I could not return the device because I bought it not in the official store, but on the secondary market. I disassembled my device and cleaned the touchpad. After that, the false positives disappeared, but one panel began to stick. I disassembled the device, cleaned the panel again. After that, the false positives and sticking disappeared. But when I disassembled the device for the second time, I accidentally tore the wire from the screen. :D Now the screen is not working. But the pads are working fine now. My best drumming experience was with the Launchpad X controller. But I also like the car. I think they're about on the same level. But I didn't have such problems with the launchpad x, it worked fine.

[@chingolanga8303]

Really great Video. I was thinking about getting the maschine mk2 because it´s much cheaper then the mk3 and still has the 8 knobs unlike the mk3 micro. Do you think the mk2 or the mk3 micro is a better choice? Keep up the work!

[@TheQuestforGroove]

I've never had the chance to play a mk2 but from what I hear those units are decent as well. Obviously it has to be in good condition but even then you could replace the sensor sheets with ones from mpcstuff and probably make it as good as new!

[@inspector-tech]

Very good video

[@brucegregori]

So will the maschine micro intergrate with superior drummer? I am look for a controller that I can trigger SD3. My DAW is PT12. Thanks

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Yeah, no problem. You can just switch it into midi mode and then it's like a midi keyboard.

[@brucegregori]

@@TheQuestforGroove Cool thanks

[@RamaAviananda]

You recommend the maschine mikro mk3 and I’m really interested, but do you have a more in-depth video on the device? Would be really helpful. Great video, ty!

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Thanks! I don't think I have that much more information. I don't review devices based on anything else than the pads, so that's what this video covers extensively. For the rest I'de look into other reviewers who can tell you more about beatmaking workflow and stuff like that.

[@brucegregori]

Does the maschine micro play better with Protools? The launchapd doesn't seem to trigger superior inside the DAW. Any ideas?

[@TheQuestforGroove]

It's basically like this: If you can use a regular midi keyboard with it, you can use a Maschine mikro mk3 (in midi mode) or a Launchpadvmk3 (earlier models are no good). They're both midi controllers and it doesnt matter if they have pads or keyboard keys. So if your launchpad (mk3) does not seem to work there's a configuration issue but not a hardware issue.

[@brucegregori]

@@TheQuestforGroove thanks very much. I got the LP X from Amazon although it was built in 2018. So maybe it is the issue. I have a Novato on keyboard which works perfectly so I am not sure why it doesn’t play with PT. I ordered the MK3 anyway to see what the issue is. For some reason protools does not want to recognize the device even though it sees it under midi controllers and I configured it. The true test is when I get the MK3. Thanks.

[@donnbialik9085]

How do I assign pads on Mikro MK3? Do you have a video on this like the one for MK3?

[@donnbialik9085]

Would you consider evaluating samplers/pads on keyboards like Roland FA-08?

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Honestly, no, I don't want to open that can of worms so to speak. The thing is, I only started doing these reviews because I wanted to teach people finger drumming and it was hard to figure out which pad controller to buy. I'm not actually a real gear reviewer if you know what I mean. :-) So bringing in the keyboards would be a huge amount of work that I'd rather spend on making educational content.

[@omagro8267]

You can now buy the standalone maschine software for 60 bucks! Wont come with the 1.6 gb of sounds that come with a new one but you will be able to get the software. Something I wish was available years ago.

[@Missedapex]

Excellent video with astute information. I bought a Machine micro mk3 but could not get it to work with my Mac M1 chipset. Are built in squencers needed or desirable when using a drum controller with a DAW?

[@TheQuestforGroove]

The mikro mk3 should just work as a standard midi controller in any daw. I don't think the M1 chipset should cause a problem. It's usually just setup / software related. I have an intel mac but it does have the latest OS and all seems fine. You do have to switch it over to midi mode but then it should just work the way a midi keyboard works, but then with pads. Only limitation seems to be one Maschine device at a time, so you cannot plug in two maschine mikro's. I wrote a setup guide for this thing as part of my free beginner course (you need an account but it is free) >> questforgroove.com/course/beginnercourse/device-specific-setup-guides/maschine-mikro-mk3/

[@luccacassandra]

I upgraded from an MPK Mini Mk3 to a Nektar Aura based on this video and the difference is night and day. My drum parts have dynamics now!! I also got it for only $250 from Sam Ash on clearance bc I believe they're making room for the rebranded version with the moderately cringe name, Aruba

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Haha, Aruba? Seriously?

[@sidneiribeiro3883]

I got a white padkontrol and the pads are really wonderful ! To use as a Dawless which module would you recommend ( i tried connecting It to an iPad 2 and It said It didn't enough power to power It via USB?!) Thx !

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Hey! I haven't really found an ideal dawless solution yet. What I do know is that you can get enough power by pluging in a powered usb hub and then pluging the controller in there, that way the ipad does not have to provide all the power.

[@psrinivasreddy714]

Hi I have akai 2000xl and mpd 26 and 218 controllers Its perfect velocity pad Now i took mpc live its good but compared to mpd 26 ets velocity and threshold are not good because when i play on triggers mpclive takes only above 30-127 velocity values am a live orchestra player iwant play hihates snare rolls ets..with very low dynamic range its not coming in mpclive i tryd to set in mpc live preference mode but not coming wt i want in recording we can adjust velocity values but when we play on live stage its necessary to play with velocity levels right .... So can u plsss help me how to set velocity wt a i want in mpclive

[@paulirineomontano5074]

Nice video. I’m contemplating on getting either the Ableton push 2 (second hand) or a brand new launchpad x pro. What will be a better purchase and why? I hope you can help me out. Thank you

[@TheQuestforGroove]

I think if you're 100% into Ableton and want to develop a workflow with an external controller the Push 2 would be a good idea. The launchpad "pro" mk3 I think has pads that are a little more sensitive, but not a lot.

[@paulirineomontano5074]

@@TheQuestforGroove Thank you for your feedback. Given your advice, I'm considering the Mikro Mk3 or the Novation Launchpad X. I mainly use Logic though I also have Ableton, and I would want to know which is the better drum machine and controller. Another interesting for me is the software bundled with the Mikro, while the Launchpad X has good integration with both Ableton and Logic. Hope to hear from you. Thank you very much in advance.

[@subvids4003]

Hi QFG whats your take on the Roland HPD-20 Handsonic Electronic Percussion Pad? Thanks

[@TheQuestforGroove]

I haven't played it because of the price and form factor. I (selfishly) mostly focus on controllers that are compatible with my lessons here and on questforgroove.com. But the handsonic is on my radar. If I have a good month with some extra income I might just buy one and give it a spin. Right now I cannot say anything about it because I haven't played it at all.

[@murmur8360]

Do you think the machine micro is worth using if you don’t want to use the machine software? I just want a good 16pad controller for use with Ableton for finger drumming, stop/record, simpler chops with a few rotaries. Been looking at the micro or the akai mpd 226. Like the idea of a bigger controller on the desk!

[@TheQuestforGroove]

It's absolutely worth it. I never use the Maschine software. It's just a good midi controller as well :-)

[@BrianTullyPlus]

Thanks for all you do, Rob! I was wondering if you had any experience with the Arturia Beatstep controller? I have a couple of their keyboards and they have great build quality. I know the Beatstep has a different layout (8x2 rather than 4x4) but was just curious if you had any thoughts. I’ve been burned by NI controllers in the past where they drop support of a product, so I’m reluctant to buy another controller from them that might be unsupported in a couple of years, esp since the Maschine Mikro Mk3 relies on software.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Hey Brian! I tested the arturia beatstep (not the pro but the cheaper one) and with that device the pads unfortunately did not come close to the Maschine mikro in terms of responsiveness and trigger sensitivity. Maybe the pro is better but I can't say for sure...

[@BrianTullyPlus]

@@TheQuestforGroove thanks, brother! I had a feeling you were going to say that so I wound up taking your advice and ordered a Maschine Mikro Mk3 earlier today 🤪 I’m hoping it’s easy to setup with Ableton and Superior Drummer, and that I’ll be finger drumming with ease in no time! Thanks again for all you do! 🙏🙌

[@Bati_]

Such a great video! Is Novation Launchpad X fully integrated and compatible with Logic Pro as well?

[@TheQuestforGroove]

It's originally meant for Ableton, but you can configure it in all kinds of ways using Novation components and then you can use it as a normal midi controller in any DAW, including Logic.

[@javierteodoro_vo]

Hello! Would you recomend AKAI MPK MINI III pads for finger drumming? I want to get into finger drumming in a budget. I already have a keyboard MIDI controller so I am looking forward getting a pad controller for finger drumming

[@TheQuestforGroove]

I think it'll be a bit of a gamble like all the Akai controllers. Even if i bought an mpk mini now and the pads are good, that does not mean they will be good on every device. Just make sure you're able to get your money back. If you buy and the pads respond well, you got yourself a nice bargain!

[@RND_ADV_X]

So do I need to be connected to a computer to use the machine mk3, or is that only for preparing it for performance?

[@TheQuestforGroove]

The maschine mk3 always needs a computer. You do not have to use the maschine software though, you can set it in midi mode and use it as a regular midi controller. But the maschine mk3 is not a standalone device.

[@m-chopbeats7526]

This should be Akai's area/specialty. They really need a MPD 3 series. Their MPK 2 series line has better pads

[@Juliano_DJOL]

Question 4 u, I have a MPK249 and I really like it cause it's been the best keys/pads combo I've owned but sometimes the pads double trigger and sometimes you can't even tell sometimes until you move the midi note on top in the piano roll. I've played w the velocity sense and thershold alot and can't get it to completely go away...any ideas? I use threshold 7/10, sense 8 or 9/10, velocity curve = a log 2 or exp 2 or even the linear curve. The keys do a opposite thing where it will miss a note here or there, it's weird cause the midi still goes thru to the cpu but the note doesn't play. The lowest C does it alot!

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Ah yes, a keyboard combo! I have not really checked those out because it amounts to opening a whole new can of worms :-) Sop in all honesty I don't know anything specific. You can try and check out the akai mpd218 breakdown video and maybe see if you can loosen some of the screws on the pad circuit board or something?

[@bartconcreet412]

The way you break it down is really insighfull man, So i m just gonna shoot I play guitar, mostly on t road and I've been using a BOSS RC3 looper pedal for years. It's awesome but Id like to improve my drums & finetune the diff layers. Is there a compact, easy-to-use, all-in-one drum pad, that I can use without a laptop or with very little tech? Any recommendations? Or am I wishful thinking here : -)

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Man, I wish that existed. I actually tried a Maschine+ last week and was completely underwhelmed by its standalone sounds. And since that unit costs $1300 I figured at this time having something like a Macbook Air M1 would be a better investment :-) If you don't mind more electronic sounding stuff you might want to tru the MPC one. That's standalone, but still costs you $700 I think.

[@DariiaPlaysMusic]

This video literally came 3 days after I bought the Atom 😄 it’s an awesome controller, I’m very happy with it (even though I’m very nitpicky when it comes to gear, was particularly worried about pad sensitivity) Thanks for your videos btw, they’re a real inspiration :)

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Glad to hear this Darriia. Have fun making music!

[@TheConsideredMan]

Hi, have you done a video which shows how to set up a Novation Launchpad Pro Mk 3 with Ableton Live 11 please? Thanks from the UK.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Hey I'm not an Ableton user so I don't really know the details on how to set things up over there. But I do have a topic on the messageboards of someone who set it up using drum rack. Plus presets: questforgroove.discourse.group/t/ableton-drum-effects-rack-for-finger-drumming/182

[@artemi-music]

hello Rob, thanks for the overview, can you confirm that you can actually change mikro mk3 pads brightness as seen at this moment 2:25 wondering if you can comfortably play this thing at night.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Yes the LED brigthness does change when using the slider!

[@artemi-music]

@@TheQuestforGroove wow, thanks!

[@joeking433]

Are there any problems with buying a used beatpad? Do the pads get worse with use and is it recognizable?

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Yeah over time the pads will wear and become less sensitive but it really depends on how much the device has been played. I play every day so mi main hi hat pad deteriorates over the course of about 2 years and then I have to replace the pad sensor sheet, but someone who casually plays will probably not get there as fast as me. Another thing with second hand devices is that for Maschine devices you need to get the software as well in order to activate them on a new system, so make sure the owner transfers the license!

[@animalstastegood]

I received a MPD218 yesterday and it is getting sent back. The sensitivity is terrible. I have to mash on the pads to get them to trigger, and then they occasionally double trigger. Based on a few older videos I knew it was a gamble. However, the reviews for the Mikro mk3 on amazon have similar complaints. Any thoughts on the Launchpad Mini mk3? It is in the same price point as the MPD218.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Unfortunately the launchpad mini is not really a launchpad. It doesnt have pads, it has buttons and those buttons are not velocity sensitive. I think the mikro mk3 is definitely worth a try. Make sure to use Controller editor to adjust the sensitivity and response curve of the device in midi mode to your liking. I suspect that newer maschine mikro's are more sensitive than the older ones. If I set the sensitivity slider half way on my newest mikro it responds to very soft touches and does not suffer from stuck pads or double notes. Maybe there are a couple of double notes sometimes but in that case they're rare and so soft I don't notice them.

[@elegotab2725]

Hi Rob. Great video! I have a question. I use independent hands method and I hit the same pad for making snare roll, ruffs or ghost notes. I have an Akai 218 and the response is so well for my purpose but the sensitivity in not as well. Do you think the maschine mikro works fine for that conditions? (Hitting repetedly on the same pad). I asking this because I had a Presonus Atom and the sensitivite was quite good but the response wasn't (to the repeated hits on the same pad). Thank you, man.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Yeah the mikro mk3 in my experience is fine for what you describe. I do it a lot myself!

[@elegotab2725]

@@TheQuestforGroove Thanx, man.

[@nathanfuzaro4792]

Hi! Did u find out if the mikro mk3 accidental pads triggering "bug" firmeware was gone? I saw a video of you and u said that this had that firmware "security accidental triggering pads".. Thank u very much (Bad english)

[@TheQuestforGroove]

I still hear people say that it happens to them sometimes, but for me personally I never notice it happening anymore. I think if you use fixed velocity it might be noticable because the super soft hits will still sound super loud. I think it will be a rare problem though.

[@Fernandozada]

There´s some standalone drum machine that sounds good and are easy to set the pads configuration to play like all the material here?

[@TheQuestforGroove]

From what I know not really. I suspect that it might be possible in the near future but for now the standalone units like the Machine + don't really sound like the 'real' kits. More electronic, sample based sounds. I suspect that as soon as you can run something like addictive drums on an iPad or something we'll be really close to next level "standalone" portability but right now I'm afraid a laptop is still the only complete option.

[@purplewound]

Thanks for the update. After watching this i searched Maschine Mikro Mk3 online but could not find information whether i'll be able to use it with Logic Pro X's Drummer Plugin effectively. Any ideas & experiences would be more than welcome.

[@TheQuestforGroove]

You can sort of. You need to find out which notes in Drum kit designer trigger what sounds. Apple will have some map available somewhere. And then you have to use Native Instruments controller editor to go and configure the notes of each pad on the maschine mikro to correspond with the right notes. That way you can get your kit working!

[@purplewound]

@@TheQuestforGroove Thanks a lot for the prompt answer! I'll go and purchase Maschine Mikro Mk3 and will try this.

[@flucflugel]

Hi Rob, thanks for these videos! I recently bought an Artiphon instrument 1 and this got me going on finger drumming. As a guitarist its also awesome that I can use it to play harmonic and melodic software instruments. It feels like it has decent sensitivity but I've never played anything else. Have you ever played it? How does it stack up against the Mashine Mikro Mk3 in your opinion?

[@TheQuestforGroove]

Hey! no I've never played an Artiphon so cannot give you a comparison. I can say that with the good sensitive pad controllers, just softly letting your hand/finger fall down n a pad without using any force already triggers it!

[@flucflugel]

@@TheQuestforGroove Thanks, that's very useful! With a stiff finger the weight of my hand is enough to trigger, but if I only move my fingers without force that isn't enough. I'll keep on practicing with this for now and head to a store to compare some time soon :)

[@ldmdesign5610]

Have you tried the new SP-404mk2? or any 404 for that matter? I know the pads are smaller, would be interested to hear if a fingerdrummer can still use them and what the quality would be like

[@TheQuestforGroove]

It's not available at the moment. You can probably play some drums on it, but I'm already 99% sure that it will not be my go to device because I want to play drums that respond to velocity (different samples for different loudness) and also things like round robin where no two samples sound the same. I tried playing on the Maschine + and the Novation Circuit and somehow when it's more of a sampler than a drum kit it throws me off. So for me it wouldn't be an ideal machine, that's for sure. If you're into electronic music making with hardware it does look awesome I must say.

[@user-jo2ph1zy4e]

Thank you for video. But what about M-Audio Trigger Finger Pro, BKE Beat Thang or even Casio XW-PD1 ??

[@TheQuestforGroove]

All of those units are no longer in production. I've never played them and I probably never will, so I cannot really say anything about them to help in making a purchase decision. Sorry!

[@wuuukie]

Could you do a tutorial on jackin' house/d'n'b drums? Its quite challenging to play those triplets in hihats and maybe some variation techniques?

[@TheQuestforGroove]

I'll put it on the list!

[@wuuukie]

@@TheQuestforGroove wow, cool!

[@cs7160]

I don't know about jackin house but check out a guy on KZbin called spinscott for dnb finger drum. He's absolutely nuts.

[@Azkold]

What I am still looking for is good pad controller with BLE MIDI support for using with iPhone. Its strange and sad that manufacturers are still ignoring this technology and we stuck in the past. For now I am using PUC+ in combination with AKAI MPD218 (tuned with the help of MPC STUFF special cork set)

[@TheQuestforGroove]

I think it will happen. Might take a few more years but really with those M1 chips in new mac computers and basically everything moving to the chips that were only used in smartphones before it should become a no brainer to start being serious about mobile music making. I remember when you needed a freakin' minidisc for mobile recording while mp3 players had been out for a while and then... one day... Zoom came out with a mobile mp3 / wav recorder that put your recordings on an sd card. It felt like 3 years late to me, but it did happen and now it's normal. The same thing should happen with what you're waiting for.