Simmons Digital Multi Pad Electronic Drum Set Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I have only used this product for learning how to play so I have not used all of it's capabilities and probably never will. Pro's
Very competitive price.
Design and interface are good
Build quality is good. Cons's
Processor has trouble registering beats when using three or more in a rhythm pattern. If you hit the pads harder this is not a problem so it sort of forces you to concentrate. Heavier sticks might help. It does not have that many preprogrammed acoustics kits but they are programmable. Pads are small so this is not meant for a young child. The processor works okay and is not going to impress you but for the price range what are you going to do.
If Simmons put $50 more dollars into this it would be awesome. At two fifty for a amateur it is worth wild. I would compare it to an economical drum pad and not a toy. The Rolland alternative is about two times more and it would not be worth it to me. If you need a foot pedal/switch "Hosa" makes one that you can change the polarity of it for about 30 dollars with shipping but I have not tried one yet. The manual is just a quick start guide and is the only thing available at the time of this post. The drum pad is not that hard to figure out though.

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Mixvibes CROSS DJ Package Review

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(More customer reviews)Mixvibes Cross isn't the best known DJ Controller package. That honor belongs to packages such as TRAKTOR and Virtual DJ. Yet this DJ package has much to recommend it. It is stable, runs on multiple platforms (Macs, PCs, etc.) and is feature rich without being bloated with rarely used features. Plus, it supports a variety of DJ MIDI controllers. And, importantly, Cross supports my iTunes library.
You can customize the stock controllers and add controllers in the unlikely event that your particular hardware MIDI controller isn't supported. (This was handy for me because, as an Internet DJ, I mix using the channel faders and not with the cross fader. It's too easily to accidently bump the cross fader, so by using a modified controller preference in Cross I was able to disable the cross fader.)
There are some things that could be improved. Cross only supports two virtual decks. While this is what I use 90% of the time, there are instances when I could use a third or fourth deck. In addition, this is a Windows port. As a Mac user, the UI shows all the non-Mac elements of the porting. Preferences, for example, are located under the Edit menu instead of the more Mac-like location in the Apple menu. The iTunes implementation, while it works well, looks awkward in how the UI was implemented. It looks like what it probably was--a bolt on. Finally, I haven't been able to make much use of the Beat CDs and records that came in the package, but that may be more my than Cross's issue.
Still, the flexibility, capabilities, features and stability of Mixvibes Cross makes up for any of these shortcomings. All-in-all Cross is a great DJ Controller package that deserves much more recogition. It does everything that I need for my Internet radio show.

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Korg nanoKEY 25 Key USB Controller Keyboard, White Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Korg Nano Series is, quite simply, among the most useful sets of tools ever produced for the COMPUTER... Let me say that word again: "COMPUTER."
I write, arrange and orchestrate music for a living. The nanoKey, in particular, is a lifesaver! It's portable, so I can stuff it into my laptop bag when I'm on the road. It works seamlessly with Finale, Encore and - my personal favorite - Sibelius (the "Big 3" of notation programs). It isn't as convenient for real-time sequencing, unless you've developed "the touch." It took me a while to get used to that, but I do play scratch tracks in Logic and Sonar, on occasion.
Anyone considering the purchase of this device should realize up front that it isn't really designed for stage performance, etc. It's best suited for computer entry. In fact, it's PERFECTLY suited for computer entry.
...and for fifty bucks it's WAY ahead of anything else!

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The nanoKEY is an ultra-compact keyboard controller, featuring a great-feeling 25-key velocity-sensitive keyboard that's ideal for song production. Each key on this USB-MIDI controller can also be set to send MIDI control data, further expanding its power.

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Toontrack EZdrummer Multi Layer Drum Sampler Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm a bit baffled by some of the reviews here. I got EZDrummer recently and I'm very happy with it so far. Let me clear up a few things:
1) It's a virtual instrument (says so right on the name). Apparently some people don't understand what that means. What that means is that you plug it into your favorite "main" sequencer program (FL Studio, Cubase, Mixcraft, whatever) and use it from there. Actually, EZ Drummer *does* come with a stand-alone program as well, but it's mainly a virtual instrument. Complaining that you need to buy a sequencer to use it is like complaining that you need to have a computer or an operating system, or a disk drive, or a power outlet. Duh! That's it's nature, and it's well understood.
2) The licensing is not *that* bad. Here's what it is: you install the program from the disk, you login to their website and fill in some info including the "license key" that comes with your disk, Toontrack generates an automated email containing an authcode that is specific to your computer and your serial number, you type that in on your computer, and you are done. The bottom line is that you can set two machines up to run with a single copy of EZDrummer. Then if you want to install it on a 3rd machine you have to de-activate one of the licenses that you had previously activated.
I'm not real thrilled about the licensing. It is certainly a bit confusing, and I wish it were either a little more flexible or let you license it via a dongle but I've seen much much worse, and I had things running 15-20min after inserting the disk into my machine. It's actually pretty similar to how Adobe does licensing for example.
Ok, so how is it at helping you create drum beats? Seems pretty darn good to me. The "default" drum beats are great. Just select what you want and drag it right onto your favorite sequencer. That is one way to use it. And even using it on that simple level it gives you a lot of power. You can make modifications like how hard the drum strikes are, and you can control the mixer right on EZdrummer itself to tailor the individual drums and symbols. The other way to use it is to create completely custom beats. I have not played with that much yet, but that is the feature that distinguishes it from places that just offer you drum loops that you pretty much have to take "as is" for example. And to me the fact that it offers so many different "upgrades" is a nice plus. It means that you can start small and expand, and also that the company is alive and well and motivated to keep making their product better.
I haven't used it enough yet to give a real in-depth review, but I felt like a few of the things that were said about it were pretty far off-base, and I wanted to chime in on that. I think the real telling thing about EZDrummer is what the real experienced hard-core musicians think of it. Go and do some searches and I think you'll see that this program has a real nice, well-earned reputation in the musician community.
By the way, I've been using it with FL Studio and Mixcraft and it seems to work very well with both those programs.

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Toontrack Vintage Rock Brushes and Sticks EZX Sample Library Review

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(More customer reviews)At first listen, this might sound dry, almost dead. But that's what real drums sound like before they have the life processed into them (or out of them). In reality, this kit falls into most mixes brilliantly right out of the box. Most "kick-butt" sounding drum sounds in these programs can't fit into a mix no matter what you do. They have too much personality of their own and just won't blend. This Vintage EZX is exactly the opposite. You can do whatever you want to them, and make them as specific as you want. On the other hand, you can leave them alone and use them as is and they sound brilliant. Other programs like BFD which give you dry, unprocessed sounds sound horrible in a mix, and give you no choice but to work on them to make them usable. This Vintage EZX is somehow the perfect blend of everything you could want. I'd like to have seen more variety of kit pieces in this, but in some ways the simplicity of it makes it very easy to use, and a total pleasure.

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Novation Launchpad Ableton Live Controller Review

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(More customer reviews)I have owned one of these for four months and have gotten a good grasp of its relative strengths and weaknesses. The Launchpad is a natural extension for Live's Session View. There is just enough visual information implanted on the interface for you to identify clips easily. The User1 User2 modes are great for a few MIDI triggers but lack any serious expression as the pads themselves aren't velocity sensitive. The mixer mode might be useful for some but I never touch it due to the limited resolution of expression and the immediacy required for their proper function (if minimalism is your goal in this department, seek the Korg nanoKONTROL USB Controller, Black). The saving grace, outside of its Session mode, is the user created software. The Launchpad has been transformed into a monome like device, a visual harmonic table, a step sequencer and a few other creative apps that are hard to describe in a concise fashion. When loading Live 8.1.1 (Vista) the Launchpad will sometimes not be detected and will need to be replugged into the USB port and Live restarted (it only seems to happen less than 3% of the time).
Physically the device seems sturdy 'enough' it has fallen a few feet onto a rug a couple times but I wouldn't call it 'road worthy' since it's still made of plastic. The pads have a nice soft rubber texture though kinetically clunky when being pressed dead center. There is a decent amount of give on the pads before it triggers but in practice it isn't a big deal especially without velocity sensitivity. The LED lights aren't entirely uniform in brightness and color. You might receive a unit with a few slightly brighter pads or ones that display more red but it's only noticeable when all pads are lit up of the same color.
I don't know of any other open grid interface device that comes close to its price which probably explains the $199 price tag. Regardless of the competition, the Launchpad feels more like a $100-$150 device (due to aforementioned limitations of the device). When all said and done, I would buy one again if I had to. There isn't anything on the market right now at this price for the utility you gain from having it. The Akai APC40 Abelton Performance Controller might be an alternative solution if you don't have any other control devices for Live and don't need its alternative functions or its minimalism.

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The compact Novation Launchpad is designed to give electronic music makers the most interactive experience possible in Ableton Live. Jointly designed by Ableton and Novation, Launchpad communicates bi-directionally with the software to give you real-time session feedback. With a multi-color 64-button grid and dedicated scene launch buttons, Launchpad can trigger and manipulate clips in Live as well as provides a totally new way of controlling Ableton Live's mixer. Launchpad's buttons can be used to sketch out beats with drum racks, and they can be assigned to other functions in Live using Ableton's Learn mode.
The device is bus-powered from a single USB connection, and has a ten-inch square desktop footprint. Rubber feet ensure Launchpad stays secure on the surface on which it's placed, and an optional padded neoprene travel sleeve is available. The Launchpad ships with a dedicated Launchpad edition of Ableton Live 8, but it can also control almost any other music software using Novation's award-winning Automap control software. It's compatible with both Mac OS and Windows operating systems.

Key Features
Launch clips and scenes: Launchpad's 64-button grid and dedicated scene launch buttons are ideal for launching and controlling your clips and scenes.
Innovative control over your mix: Including volume, pans, sends, track arming, soloing and muting. Launchpad lets you jump to different levels across eight channels at once.
Sketch out beats: Launchpad can be used to play drum racks, creating beats and triggering samples in real time.
Controlling other functions Launchpad can be used to control other functions using Ableton's 'Learn' mode. This includes Ableton's knobs and faders, which can be assigned to rows of buttons on Launchpad.
Multiple unit operation: Connect up to 6 Launchpads at a time. Expand your grid with multiple Launchpads, or have one Launchpad dedicated to mixer mode, and the other to launching clips.
Expand your Ableton control solution: Novation's Automap-enabled controllers work seamlessly together--a ZeRO SL MkII to control the mix, whilst Launchpad triggers clips.
Automap-enabled: Launchpad can control other DAWs and plug-ins using Novation's Automap control software. Automap can assign controls to software parameters on VST/AU/RTAS/TDM plug-ins by simply clicking on them, and touching a controller.
See what you're triggering: Automap provides a customizable heads-up transparent display across your computer screen. Ideal for seeing at a glance samples that you're about to trigger.
QWERTY keyboard shortcuts: Automap PRO, an optional upgrade available to purchase online, lets you assign almost any computer keyboard shortcut, and combinations thereof, to Launchpads buttons.
Old-school MIDI control: Utilizing Automap, Launchpad can operate as a standard MIDI controller, creating custom MIDI maps with 72 of its buttons transmitting either CC or MIDI note data.
Flexible trigger platform for Max MSP and Reaktor programmers: Programmers can utilize variable brightness and multi-color LED states to their full advantage when designing new and innovative tools in Max MSP and Reaktor.
Launchpad and Max for Live: Max is a visual programming environment that allows you to custom build instruments and effects. Launchpad can be used to control these instruments. For example, parameters on Max for Live's step sequencer can be triggered using Launchpad's buttons. Launchpad gives you a huge amount of visual feedback. Multiple colors and brightnesses across different buttons display visual information about whether the note is on, the velocity, note length, pitch, and whatever else you want to see.

What's in the Box Launchpad, USB cable, DVD-ROM with Ableton Live 8 Launchpad Version (Mac and PC installers) and 1 GB of Loopmaster sample content
Specifications
Physical Controls and Indicators:
64 (8x8 grid) square multi-color backlit buttons
8 round multi-color backlit system buttons (assignable)
8 round multi-color backlit function buttons (not assignable)

Connectivity: USB 1.1
Mac system requirements: Mac OS X 10.4 or later; Intel Mac or G4 and higher processor
Windows system requirements: Windows XP or Vista; 1.5 GHz or faster processor; 512 MB of RAM (1 GB recommended)
Dimensions: 9.45 x 9.45 x 0.79 inches (WxDxH)
Weight: 25 ounces (1 pound, 9 ounces)

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Akai MPD26 USB/Midi Pad Controller Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Where to start !
Ok the basics, This product boasts a lot of features, and for anyone who has dreamed of owning an MPC, but cant afford it this is a great alternative.
Straight out of the box this item looks good, its solidly constructed, and just looks cool.
It comes with a copy of Ableton Live LITE, which honestly is not worth using, it is very limited in what you can do and to take advantage of the MPD you really need the features of the full version.
When it comes to installation it couldn't be any easier, plug in the USB cable and away you go, the only other thing you need to do is set up Live or whatever program you are using, its just a case of selecting it from your midi devices section in your program preferences..
Once I had this set up I was already to go, or so i thought, I found that LIVE's preset instruments wern't all that great for the MPD, however after searching on the net i found some cool videos on youtube that show you how to set up preset settings in LIVE which work really well.
The next thing i found was that there was quite some delay when i would hit the pad compared to when i would hear it, which was very annoying, it made trying to time things right near on impossible, after a little more research i found out what the problem was, it is the latency, which is determined mostly by the quality of your sound card and its drivers. There is a fix for this that worked brilliantly on my setup, and on a mates who purchased the MPD 18, you need to download ASIO4ALL a simple google search and you'll find it.. This has got my latency down to near zero and i can no longer feel any delay at all.
Now that I finally have the MPD set up the way i like, and all my little hardware bugs sorted, I love this thing, It's mad addictive, and I find myself getting lost in the mix and time just dissapears.
In conclusion, this product is fan-freakin-tastic... For the price of this compared to the MPC it is definetlly worth it, Although all MPC owners out there will tell you how it is nothing like an MPD, the truth is it does everything an MPC will do but you need the computer set up in a way that allows you to do it... Im sure they will all disagree, I personally think they're just a pissed that they spent so much on something that you can do with the MPD for a fraction of the price.. Obviouslly there is the downside that you cant just pick it up and take it to a gig without having ya pc with ya, but for recording / beatmaking this thing is great.
Although it was a little tricky getting all my presets sorted, once that was done its sweet.


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The MPD26 is a MIDI-over-USB pad controller with genuine MPC pads. It's perfect for producers, programmers, musicians and DJs. Its blend of intuitive MPC controls and technologies meshes with easy USB connectivity to bring the feel of classic beat making to the world of computer music production.
A MIDI-over-USB pad controller with genuine MPC pads. Click here for a larger image

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Akai Pro MPK mini Review

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(More customer reviews)If you have spent any time reading the reviews of the LPD8 and the LPK25, rest assured you can apply them to this product as well. The MPK Mini is literally a combination of the LPD8 and LPK25; nothing less and nothing more. Which is a great thing if you've been considering both!
This is my first MPC product but I am an experienced keyboardist. The Pads are pretty nice. I enjoy how they light up when you hit them. Like others said regarding the LPD8, they aren't as sensitive as some might prefer, and I'm inclined to agree. It tends not to register some of might lighter hits, so I'm having to get used to how hard I have to hit it. No big deal. It's also nice to have the knobs. They aren't as nice as professional grade knobs, but they work nicely for such a compact unit. The keyboard has mini keys and they are very sturdy. Some complain that it feels like a toy keyboard. Of course it does, they are mini keys! The keys are fine for their purpose of capturing ideas. I do not consider them performance worthy.
For those comparing this to other 25 key midi controllers, please know what you are comparing. There's a reason this is $100. It's simply a combination of two other products. Don't complain about the lack of pitch/mod wheels. The purpose of this product is portability and to allow you to capture ideas when you don't feel like lugging around larger equipment. For these reasons, I find it to be an excellent product.
Definitely pick this product up if you're looking for something extremely portable with acceptable mini keys and very playable MPC pads.

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Novation Nocturn 25 USB MIDI Interface Keyboard Controller, 25-Keys, NOCTURN 25 Review

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(More customer reviews)The general concept of the Novation Nocturn series is that you have a responsive MIDI controller that is less expensive because a lot of the display parts and intelligence are handled through Novation's AutoMap software. AutoMap can be great, but it can also be very frustrating if the mappings for different devices aren't up to date, and Novation has a poor reputation for keeping their mappings current (in particular with Reason).
I originally had an Akai MiniMPK, which worked great, but wanted something a little larger, so I figured that the Nocturn 25 was just the ticket and only a bit more expensive (and still less expensive than the MAudio Axiom Pro 25 or the Akai MPK25).
It showed up, I installed it, and everything seemed fine, until I tried to use the drum pads. The drum pads under Windows were sporadically responsive, sometimes they'd show up, sometimes they wouldn't. I tried calibrating them, and AutoMap never registered them. Hmm. This is on a Mac Pro 2008 running Win 7. On a hunch, I booted into OS X...and they work perfectly.
So it's not a hardware issue, it's software issue, and one with their drivers. According to another user on the Novation forums, he reported this a year ago and support claimed that they were aware of the problem and 'looking into it'. Non-functioning drum pads on Windows would seem to be a fairly significant issue.
Support hasn't responded to me in 3 days, so I'm guessing they're not going to address this, at which point I'll need to return this. Disappointing since I'll have to spend more money.
Overall I give it 2 stars. If you're solely an OS X user and can live with the Automap quirks, it's probably a 4 star product, but if you use Windows, one of its major features may or may not work for you at all.


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Toontrack Superior Drummer 2.0 Review

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(More customer reviews)Superior 2.0 is a great sounding and functioning product. It's a little more complicated than EZdrummer (which they'll tell you) but still fairly easy once you sit down with it. (There are some good tutorials on youtube that help a lot.) The only reason it's more complicated is because it allows you to tweak your sounds in so many ways! That's a good thing! You can keep it pretty simple or really dig into deeper sound design. The onboard effects are nice (but I usually use my host effects). It also comes with EZplayer pro which takes things to another level for compositions. (look on their website for it's tutorial). Overall I rate this a 5. The sounds are great. The mixing capabilities are infinite. You can mix and match other toontrack drum packs. Plus you can set the level of sampling and bit rates to ease up on your cpu, if necessary. The mixer presets (example projects) are great starting points to audition various room and "produced" drum sounds. Remember, these are real, professionally recorded drum hits with professional mics, overheads, bleed (adjustable) in 24 bit so they sound excellent and real...because they are real.

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YAMAHA DTX Multi Pad Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great drum pad. It's a little difficult to follow the convoluted UI, but after working with it for a few months and going over the manual many times, I understand the logic of why they did what they did, but ultimately it's a pretty bad and unintuitive layout. That aside, the playability is what is of primary importance to me and it shines in that area. Very flexible and controllable. I'm using the Yamaha hi-hat trigger pedal and a Roland kick drum trigger which both work flawlessly. Though don't expect to use a Roland hi-hat trigger pedal with this unit as it won't work. Connectivity with my sequencer (protools) is flawless. Good drivers and phone support is good. You can quickly get in contact with a knowledgeable product specialist which I really value.

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Korg nanoPAD USB Drum Controller, White Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I had really looked into the other reviews before buying this. I use Toontrack EZDrummer with various EZX's in Cubase and FruityLoops.
First off, the design is fantastic. The size is great not only for little studio spaces but also stages but also just makes it fun and inviting to play with. The touch pad is a great idea too and with all the midi mapping possibilities you can't really feel limited by having "only 12" pads.
The pads, as other reviews should note, are responsive all around and offer pretty good velocity detection, plus they have customizable velocity curves. The problem is that they are not made to last, not in the slightest! I ignored this when other reviews noted dead pads, and even getting dead pads after exchanging their unit for new ones. Don't make my mistake. I have two absolutely unforgivably sticky pads on mine that refuse to play two notes in a row. Dreadful. While I'm glad mine aren't dead per se, try playing for more than a minute without being able to play two kicks or high hats in a row. They may as well be.
I would recommend this to anyone willing to take a chance on it because it's a Korg. (I did... oh well.) If yours is flawless, sell it to me! This thing is really fun and the Korg Kontrol software is great too. If you have trouble with installation/detection you may need to run midifix which erases bogus midi connections from your registry. Hope this helps someone.

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Akai MPD32 USB/Midi MPC Pad Controller Review

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(More customer reviews)After I upgraded to a laptop with Windows Vista, I was on the hunt for a new MIDI controller. I was using an Akai MPD16 but after several failed installs on my Vista laptop, I found out that Akai decided not to make a Vista driver for my antiquated hardware. At first, I was a bit angry that my equipment that I've been using for a long time with Windows XP no longer worked. But then the prospect of getting new gear calmed me down.
All I really wanted was a pad controller with MPC style pads and a "note repeat" function. I researched several pad controllers: M-Audio Trigger Finger, Akai MPD24, and Korg padKONTROL. I also gave Akai's new MIDI keyboard, the MPK49, serious consideration since it has 12 MPC style pads. After much debate, and plenty of time spent watching demos of each product on YouTube, I finally placed a pre-order for an Akai MPD32.
It arrived a couple months later and it was plenty worth the wait and money. The first thing I noticed is that the MPD32 is large, much larger than my previous MPD. Its footprint is a bit bigger than my 15.4" laptop. The next thing I noticed is that it's built solid. All of the knobs, faders and pads feel great. These pads are the same pads that are used on the MPC2500. The only criticism I have for the pads would be with the sensors. Akai uses a round sensor under the pad so not all of pad surface is usable, unlike the Korg padKontrol which uses a square sensor for its pads. But this is not a deal breaker for me.
The MPD32 comes with presets for many popular music production programs (e.g. Live, Reason, FL Studio, Cubase, etc.) Personally, I use Reason 4.0 and Live 7. The presets for Reason work perfectly. The 8 knobs and faders are easily assignable to manipulate filters and effects within Reason.
For me, the MPD32 is perfect. If you're in need of a MIDI controller with MPC pads for your DAW, look no further.
Products Referenced:
Akai MPD16 USB/MIDI Pad Controller
M-Audio Trigger Finger Drum Pad Control Surface
Akai MPD24 USB/MIDI Pad Controller
Korg PADCONTROL KORG USB DRUM PAD CONTROLLER
Akai MPK49 Keyboard Controller
Akai MPC2500 Music Production Center

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Korg nanoKONTROL USB Controller, Black Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm a laptop musician and I've gotten extremely tired of staring at the screen, twiddling virtual knobs one at a time with my mouse. When Korg introduced the nano line, I practically ran to the store to check them out. The nanoKONTROL is almost perfect for my setup, and for under sixty bucks I couldn't walk out without one.
First off, this is definitely NOT plug-n-play, but it's a breeze to setup. I use Ableton Live and it immediately recognized the nanoKONTROL and let me assign functions to each button, knob, and slider with no issues at all. It revolutionized my live show because I can suddenly operate multiple faders and trigger multiple audio loops at once, all in a unit that's smaller than a carton of cigarettes. There are only nine fader/knob sets, but you can change 'scenes,' which essentially transposes the controls up to the next bank of nine, effectively giving you 36 fader sets. It even has lights so you can see what's triggered on a dark stage. I've had this for a good four or five months now and have never had any problems- after setting it up, simply plug it in and you're good to go.
The nanoKONTROL also ships with a copy of the Korg Kontrol Editor, which is a little program you can use to alter the firmware of the device. The Editor allows you to change the parameters of your nano- what kind of midi signal is being sent, the channel, the toggle, the high and low values, et cetera. You can even save multiple editor files, so you can switch between settings depending on what program you're using. Absolutely brilliant.
There is one con to this unit, and I'm not gonna lie: it feels chintzy. When I first picked it up, I had to laugh because it's such a lightweight piece of plastic that it feels more like a child's toy than a piece of equipment. I feel like one little drop and this thing will shatter into bits. The knobs and faders are cheap as hell and before you plug it in, you will feel a little ripped off. BUT AFTER YOU PLUG IT IN, you will realize that those tacky knobs and faders are extremely responsive and you just got a great controller for the price of a decent dinner for two.
I've heard mixed reviews of the other nano products, especially the keyboard (seriously, you can buy an old Oxygen 8 for almost the same price, so get some real midi keys), but I HIGHLY recommend the nanoKONTROL. You'll love it.

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Part of the super-compact nanoSERIES, Korg's nanoKONTROL offers nine faders, nine knobs, 18 switches, plus a full transport section for expansive control; even a flexible note input mode to help you lay down your next big groove.

The Korg nanoSERIES The Korg nanoSERIES provide a keyboard controller, a pad controller, and a studio controller with dedicated transport controls. Each of these USB-powered, slim-line controllers is designed to make the most of your valuable studio space, and is small enough to take with you on any musical journey. Place one of our keyboard controllers in front of your laptop, rest a pad controller on your music workstation, park a studio controller on your recording console--or anywhere else you need versatile control over your DAW, virtual instrument, effect or DJ software. Although small in size, all three nanoSERIES controllers go HUGE when it comes to functionality, yet their intuitive layouts provide extremely easy operation for any user.
nanoKONTROL--The Most Expansive Array of Controls For Its Size--Period The nanoKONTROL features a plethora of controllers to help you get the most control out of your software for the size and money. nanoKONTROL offers nine faders, nine knobs, 18 switches and a full transport section. For each of the four programmable scenes the nanoKONTROL offers, you can set the controllers any way you need them. That means that you can transmit a total of 168 different MIDI CC (Control Change) messages, as well as MIDI notes with the switches. The six transport buttons can each transmit either MIDI CC messages or MMC messages to control functions such as: start, stop, loop, or record on your DAW software.
Imagine taking full control of your software--transport, a full track's worth of faders, pans and mutes--or how about precise dedicated control over the many parameters of software synths, samplers or virtual drum machines. It's all possible with the nanoKONTROL.
To add to the nanoKONTROL's flexibility, an attack and decay time can be specified for the eighteen switches. This allows you to smoothly feed controller messages into parameters such as wet/dry levels for an effect, a filter for a synth, or a volume fader for that perfect fade.
What's in the Box Korg nanoKONTROL, USB cable, Owner's Manual

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Korg PadKontrol USB Drum Pad Studio Controller, White Review

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(More customer reviews)The KORG padKontrol has only one purpose and that is to make the use of its input pads easy, flexible and reliable. The included manual is very thorough and explains every aspect well. The included editor software called Librarian, lets you program the entire pad very easily and requires little instruction, it is mainly click the image on the padKontrol on the screen and then set its parameters.
The pads are really what sets this unit apart though as they will register a hit even when they are struck on an edge or corner. If you've got sloppy fingers and are triggering things accidentally then just adjust the velocity curves to dial back the sensitivity. The pads light when the trigger which is a nice way to instantly see that you have a successful input. They can be set as momentary on/off or as toggle types. In toggle mode they act more like a switch where one hit turns it on and a second hit turns it off which is useful for sending MIDI events that you may want to remain "ON" longer than a split second like the momentary trigger gives.
The other buttons also light up as they are used which gives good feedback. The knobs are solid and have a very smooth action to them. The feet on the bottom of the unit are really sticky, not in a glue or tape sort of way, but rather in a it stay where you put it despite tapping away at it like mad. The touch-pad allows some very cool roll/flam effects but takes some practice to use well, it can also be reassigned to other functions.
Mine came with software samples from several manufacturers in the box. I am especially pleased with the one from Pianoteq and KORG's own M1Le synth engine. Those were unexpected, are very functional and have me thinking of actually upgrading them to their respective full versions.
KORG is a top tier name and this unit lives up to the reputation. Do not settle for cheaper imitations, you can see a big difference in quality.

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Akai MPK25 25-key Keyboard Controller with MPC Pads Review

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(More customer reviews)The keyboard, and controlling software is great. I really like Abelton Live after taking the tutorials! This comes with a older version of Abelton Live but it is a free download to get the latest version! Works great with my Macbook!
The bad part is that the pads are not sensitive at all. I have to pound to the point of hurting my fingers to get any noise at all. And thats to get any noise.. these are supposed to have many pressure levels. I was severely disappointed by the pads until I found out you can modify them for better response. Follow instructions on youtube.
Basically you can use layers of tape to put the pad in better contact with the sensor under it. The kits you can buy off ebay to do the same thing are little strips of rubber with instructions. I'd suggest saving some money by using the youtube video and finding the right thickness of rubber instead of using tape layers.
After modification this surface is 100% what I wanted. Too bad it come from the factory so amazingly crippled!

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A portable keyboard controller, the Akai MPK25 is a powerful production tool with MPC production controls. Featuring the same MPC pads as the MPK49, the MPK25 scales down the keyboard by 24 keys and retains the utility, capability, and flexibility that makes the MPK49 one of the world's hottest keyboards. Because of its small footprint, you can create tracks whenever inspiration strikes you. Plus the portability makes it a great travel companion. All you need is your laptop and the MPK25. AC_FL_RunContent( 'codebase','http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,28,0','width','330','height','220','title','Akai MPK25 Compact 25 Key Keyboard Controller','src','http://www.americanmusical.com/ItemFiles/Flash/AKAmpk25','quality','high','pluginspage','http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash','movie','http://www.americanmusical.com/ItemFiles/Flash/AKAmpk25' ); //end AC code Akai MPK25 Keyboard Controller Features 25-key semi-weighted keyboard with aftertouch for expressive melodic cr

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M-Audio AXIOM 25-Key Semi-Weighted Keyboard USB MIDI Controller Review

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(More customer reviews)I just bought this keyboard yesterday. I played around with for about 3 hours last night. So far it's everything I wanted it to be and more. It's one of the few midi keyboards that has trigger pads on it I've seen. The Enigma software from M-Audio is very easy to use. I mainly use Fruity Loops 5 so I have to spend some time to get the settings right. All the keys are very accurate to pressure you hit the keys with. It's very lightweight, maybe about 5 or 6 pounds. A very good buy for the price.

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