The NanoPad 2 may not be the newest controller on this list, but Korg’s products are generally marked out by their longevity. More info/Buy ProsĪssignable knobs allow you to control other parameters With the kind of form that slips comfortably inside a backpack with a laptop and room to spare, the LPD8 is ideal for those who like to make beats on the move. In addition, program changes can be made mid-performance by using the appropriate function buttons.
The functionality of the controller can extended by making use of the editor software that ships with the unit, allowing you to save up to four presets for instant recall.
The LPD8’s extreme portability and flexibility is further demonstrated by the fact that it is powered from the USB bus from your Mac or PC without the need for cumbersome power adapters or troublesome drivers. In addition to the pads themselves, the LPD8 features eight Q-Link knobs that can be assigned to almost any parameter in any software you choose to work with. Featuring eight light-up, velocity sensitive MPC-style pads, the LPD8 lends itself to the live performer or studio musician for whom space is at a premium, allowing for some surprisingly precise and dynamic performances.
One of the most compact controllers in our top ten is Akai’s diminutive LPD8, which places MPC-quality drum pads and controls inside an extremely portable package.
The best MIDI drum controllers Akai LPD8 The best choice on a strict budget We think they still deserve a mention here thanks to their commitment to the classic ethos of hands-on drum control. We’ve included a couple of Maschine models on our list, which some might argue are more like drum machines because of their ability to play back sound. There’s a blurred line between drum machines and drum controllers these days, with instruments like NI’s Maschine range mixing and matching features associated with both types of device.
If you’re interested in performing live or jamming out full tracks in the studio, the combination of pads and sequencing gives you the best of both worlds: you can improvise patterns and loops, then record and play back sequences to create arrangements. Around half of the controllers on our list also include some kind of sequencing option, typically a step sequencer. There’s an assumption that MIDI drum control is all about bashing out beats on MPC-style pads, but that’s only part of the story. All the selections on our list fit the bill here, with the more basic models being understandably simpler but still offering nice feel and responsive controls. You should always expect good quality pads with a nice feel and responsive touch, and you’ll often find options like note repeat and extra controls like sliders and knobs for adjusting parameters. Often inspired by the look and feel of the classic Akai MPC samplers, with their 4×4 grid of velocity-sensitive pads, drum controllers allow you to trigger samples, hardware and virtual instruments over MIDI. The basics of MIDI drum controllers are quite simple to understand. In this list we run down the 10 best options, from portable, affordable options, right through to fully featured units which can take pride of place at the heart of a home studio setup. Since then, the market has grown exponentially, with Arturia and Akai developing their own solutions, and others such as Keith McMillen developing touch-sensitive devices with a more open approach, letting the user tailor the controller to their own expressive needs. Its seamless fusion of hardware and software was the solution computer-based beatmaking had been missing, offering the experience of a hardware drum machine for a fraction of the price. Despite these controllers having their roots in Akai’s classic MPC, the most recent developments were arguably kickstarted when Native Instruments introduced the Maschine back in 2009.
While the past few years have seen a surge in the number of hardware drum machines (the best of which are covered in this handy list), there has been an equal increase in the number of MIDI controllers designed for sketching beats on. We pick ten of the best MIDI drum controllers on the market, with models from Akai, Korg, Arturia and Native Instruments all making the cut.