The ultimate pad sensitivity test for finger drummers 

UPDATE Feb 2021: New video out with my current best buy recommendations: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-yO27H_Cq7bM.html I also keep everything up to date in this blog post: questforgroove.com/gear-recommendations/

Finally someone on RU-vid with honest reviews! Thank You!

Currently waiting for my Maschine Mikro, so that was good to hear, thanks! looking forward to check more stuff out here

Quarantine money about to make me a producer

Finally! Great review. Going to buy the Mikro mk3

Excellent review, thanks a lot!!

Thanks so much for the video dude!

Thanks for the great information. This gave me insight on which devices to start off with and to upgrade to. I love finger drumming and currently I use a mobile app called Drum Pads 24. As of now, I plan on getting the Akai mpd218 as a step-up beginning controller, but I’m also considering the Atom, since I’ve heard that a lot of 218s are inconsistent. Once I get better, I plan on finally getting the Big Maschine. Thank you so much for your time!

love the production and videos... you are great guy and true inspiration

This just saved me al lot of time and money! Thanks!

Top quality content as always.

Props from Germany! I wrote a similar Comparison a few Weeks ago on my German Blog with a nearly same Result! Now I am more secure about my conclusion about the Pad Controllers! In my Opinion you´re one of the most skilled Hardware Advisors and without knowing your POV I am really happy about this Video right here, right know! Thank U very much!!!

Now i know what i need 😊 😉 (maschine mk3). Thanks you very much!

Your videos are great and so honest. Subscribed because of that. I am guitarist and I am thinking about starting finger drumming... found your channel. Really honest videos, no marketing talk. Keep the stuff up!

Love the vibes bro

very good work, man! appreciate it!

I've just found this channel... Thanks a lot!

Once again thanks for this review of almost every possible pad device in the market. I don’t have usd600 to spend so mikro mk3 is my best choice. This will add to my existing s88 mk2, m32 and Audio 2. Omg I’m all with Native Instruments right now and I’m happy with every device they came out! Thanks for making my decision much easier. Mikro mk3 I’m cmng to get you later!

i just checked out a few other videos on this channel and this might be the BEST channel on youtube! SUBSCRIBED AND NOTIFICATIONS ON!

Nice to hear that the padkontrol is nice and that the white version is the one to get cause i was gonna to buy one and didn't care what color to get

Man!! You’re the BEST on RU-vid Now!

Thank you so much for the great information..

Cool video! I bought the MK mikro, its not too expensivr but still has quality

Very informative video, as i begin the hunt for my first drum pad controller.

Just boughtba MPD218. Think I've been super lucky. Worked close to flawless aside from the odd ghost beat (picking up unwanted pad activation) loosened the screws on the circuit board by 8th of a turn and that has now completely stopped and even the velocity/sensitivity of the pads has improved. After watching all your videos I was excited but skeptical. Guess I found treasure on this hunt. Thanks for the info and have to say great technique on the pads you have there man.

Awesome! I was really looking forward to seeing your take on the Atom. While you certainly don't seem to be blown away by it, the size and price were already tempting and now I might just have to get it. I only have an MPKmini and the pads are deplorable. Thanks again!

Hey, ur videos are great. Subscribed!

this is the best review ever. i was really trying to decide between presonus and the mk3 mikro. i'm definitely going with the mikro now. i want great pads, and i like how it can work as a stand alone as well so that i could just set up little drum loops when trying to come up with ideas on the acoustic guitar before trying to turn it into a real project in my DAW

Good info

Thanks a lot！

Thank you for a greate video.

I'm a drummer who wanted an alternative for playing drums without the actual drums. I bought my mpd218 some months ago following your advice. I'm not sure if I got one of the good or bad ones because I haven't played on another drumpad yet to compare, but I have to say that it was a great choice. First because of my low budget, considering that I live in Argentina and nowadays a 218 is worth more than 200 dolars here, so you can imagine how expensive can be one of the superior models that you mention, also knowing that the salaries are pretty low here in comparison to Europe. Second because I found it very simple and easy to use and configure because it has just the necessary, which makes it perfect for begginers. Now i'm trying to improve my technique so I can play live with some friends someday. I invite you to watch the two videos in my channel if you want to. For last, I must say that your videos helped me a lot to get started in this and improve as a finger drummer. Thank you, Robert!

Thank you so much for putting this videos out, they are a precious resource for us who have this hobby and want to take it to another level. Big hug! >:D

Great video! For me, in terms of pad feeling, the mpc live is my favourite 😉

nice!

Real indeed!

Completely new to drum pads yet I feel very secure trusting your words. Thanks for some great reviews!

Wow. I tried to get into finger drumming 8 years or so ago with the korg padkontrol (the black one). I assume I read a lot of reviews that it was good, but when I got it... it just wasn't very sensitive. I ended up putting it on the shelf and never used it. Your videos got me interested in finger drumming again, so I tried pulling it out this week. Indeed, it still sucks. I decided to bite the bullet and get your recommended mikro mk3. Lo and behold, I watched this right after buying, and I finally have an explanation for why the padkontrol didn't work well! Thanks for making these videos. Really looking forward to getting my mikro mk3 this week :)

Nice1, i just got myself korg school :D

I am still tweaking my MPD218. The size is perfect. I am experimenting with the screws. I have removed the ones in the middle. Also I have placed tape inside on top of the pad sensors. The response is good but still there is double trigerring.. I will try adding an extra layer of tape this time on the bottom of the pads..

I hit that sub button when you said, "Shit just got real." And I don't regret it.

Very nice reviews of the different pads and good explanations for varying budgets & needs. Well, I've got the opportunity to get a cheap used Akai MPD 218 (older production line) and will try to be successful on my "treasure hunt". If I'm able to test before buying it, do you have any on-the-go, imitable methods & tips to check if the sensitivity and playability are okay (within the DAW)?

I've been watching a bunch of reviews of these controllers. I can't believe how bad some of them are, especially the Akais. What is the point of having a pad to trigger a sound if it doesn't work consistently? You're better off just using a keyboard if the pads are that bad. Good to see that the Maschines and Pushes are quality gear. At least you can be confident that you can get something good for a little more money. Thanks for the great reviews, you're the man!

Great-great job, as usual, man! I really appreciate this test on all those devices!!! I suggest you a new challenge... What about Akai MPC Studio? David Haynes changed for it after he worked 2 years on Maschine Mk2.... and the reason was just the pad sensitivity, he said! Is it only an "endorsement issue"?

I actually just got the MPD218 two weeks ago along with an Akai Fire!

Great channel, I’m teaching myself piano at the moment and recording with Logic, also want to get up the finger drumming skills.

Maschine mk3 pads are dope

Longtime PadKontrol Blk owner here. No sensitivity issues for over 10 years. Used it on a MPC1000, Boss SP-505, a Reason 5 set up and Reason 10/11 rig with Superior Drummer 3. I had tried an older Akai MPD32 way back but it wasn't sensitive enough for jazz style drums. I can play the corners of the PK pads for more nuanced hits. Plus, the X/Y pad note repeat, foot switch and midi ports are nice. I still can't find a solid replacement for it. Should say it came in the older box with the White model on it, not the Silver boxes that later shipped.

Hello, thanks for that very informative video! Well done and very helpful. I am also on the hunt for a good piece of controller gear for finger and hand drumming. The first idea I had was to get a used Roland Handsonic HPD-10. Additionally to the midi capabilities it most probably has some very nice own sounds and probably very good pads. Do you have experience with a Roland Handsonic + Finger drumming? Thanks! Keep it up.

I bought mpd218 right when it came out, so I guess I have one of the good ones ? yay :D

I currently own an ATOM and an MPD218 and I have to say there is definitely a trade off between the two devices. MPD218 I feel responds to a lighter touch, but doesn't have a great velocity curve. The ATOM on the other hand I have to hit a little bit harder but responds much better to my playing. I feel like both devices have a tragic flaw however. While the MPD218 has double triggering issues, my ATOM will often drop notes when playing 16th note patterns on one pad (aka snare / hi hat rolls). I have never had dropped notes on the MPD218 so I think one is only better than the other depending on what style of drumming you are trying to play with them. I personally find myself using the MPD218 more often.

Subscribed when he said "shit just got real"

Great video again! Thank you very much! Here goes a quicky: Is there a way to change the pad bank in the Maschine Mikro MK3 by pressing only 1 button? (while playing)

Thank you very much for this video. I think I will jump the shark and get the Mikro Maschine 3*, skipping the "teenage rebel Akai phase"... I'm currently autodidact-ing myself towards proper musicianhood by playing piano and I've made some huge progress in songwriting thanks to it, hence why I want finger drumming to be my next venture, besides being really attracted. I am keeping an eye on Andreas' (XpressPads) courses and yours for when I'll get something on my hands. Anyways, my only controller with drumpads is the Korg nanoKey Studio I recently bought, but it's not impressing me at all. Pads are one chunky hard piece of gum, awkward sensitivity - I guess, as I turned velocity off pretty quickly - and triggering issues, etc... and of course there's just 8 pads as it's an all-in-one solution. Won't explain further but even if I know some of it is my DAW's fault, I'm not really into it at all regardless, not even for casual input which doesn't require a 4 by 4 setup. Full stop. *Unless they whip out a Mikro 4 this summer, lol, it's been almost 3 years. BTW, did the updates fix that note thing you mentioned? I'm a home composer/producer and not a live performer so that part barely triggered me at all, but still.

Thank you so much for this video! I just returned my MPD226. The sensitivity and responsiveness was pretty bad. I just received the Mikro MK3 and so far love how the pads respond. Now its just a matter of learning the Maschine software. Im not a fan of how it limits integration with your DAW. At least with the MPD I could plug it in and record midi notes into Logic while running MPC. It seems like such a hassle with Maschine. Thats a separate issue though. So far I’m very happy with the hardware and midi mode. Keep making great videos 🙌🏼

Let me share my own experience with the few devices I have owned. The pad controller with the best sensitivity I have ever had is the old MPD32 WITH the pad upgrade kit installed. It was amazing, I felt that I was in full control of my hit-hats (I love recording them h hats). Unfortunately I had to get rid of it because it was too big/chunky and the faders broke (accident). I replaced my MPD32 with 3 devices over the past 3 years... MPD218, Push2 and MPC Live. I had the chance to buy any of the Machine controllers at some point (when the MK3 got released) but I opted for the MPC Live. The MPD218 had good sensitivity but always double triggered samples or just did not detect some of my inputs, it felt inaccurate and I was sad. The looks, built, size... it is the dream pad controller and I still own it because it is great in a way... but the moment I got the Push it stopped being my main controller. Push2 felt waaay more sensitive and of course 64 pads. The problem with Push (and Ableton) is that it is also unreliable! This is a known "glitch" that they have not solved even after Live 10; everytime you go from a track that's got a simpler in slice mode to session view (in the Push) and then back to the track with the simpler... the sensitivity DOES NOT adjust. Sensitivity is just terrible, the worst ever... and the only way to fix that is by going back to classic mode and then back again to slice mode. It ruins my workflow in so many ways... terrible. Finally the MPC Live, which I chose over the Maschine because the pads felt very comfortable, fatter, and of course standalone, 6 hours battery... it is a dream. The pads are not as sensitive as the Maschine, that is kind of true... but it felt more satisfying to play.

The presonus atom has good sensitivity & and pads are good quality.

Great review! It was very helpful.

Maschine MK3 👍 👏 🥇

Quest for groove master... I saw in a comment response you stated plugging directly into your computer rather than a hub will decrease latency. This is a slight stretch but a similar question. I really want a UA audio device for their master plugin sweet. However my thunderbolt port on my computer is already being occupied so my solution would be a thunderbolt hub. Will this defeat the purpose of the super quick thunderbolt connection and give me latency? Is upgrading my Mac to a two thunderbolt port model my main differentiator or will I be okay with a port? I know this is probably very situational and one would have to test it out for the most accurate answer. From your experience tho what do you think? I’m looking at the Apollo mk2 duo vs quad. Is the 300 worth the extra two sound cards?

What do you think about Akai MPC One? Is Novation Circuit series good for fingerdrumming?

Yeah!! A test with Push 2 would be amazing ! Did you take into account latency as well ? Mpc live is faster than the MK3, no? Great review video! :)

I agree, the sensitiivty on the MPD 226 are ridiculously low. They're uncomfortable to use.

Hi Rob, great video, thanks for sharing! Question: if I plug in my kick pedal, would it be velocity sensitive with the Maschine Mk3? Cheers!

Korg Pad Kontrol is the best. I have the old white model but it’s still amazing in 2019

Great overview! I have a question though. Can Maschine MK3 replicate the roll speed/volume that is achievable when using the Padkontrol's x/y pad? Do you know what I mean? The x/y pad on Padkontrol can create AMAZINGLY dynamic drum rolls. BUT you need to keep a finger on the x/y pad to modulate them! I want to buy an MK3 I just would like to replicate thus feature! Can you tell me?! Thanks a lot, it's a great series of vids you've done.

Have you try the arcade pad like the midi fighter?

I think atom is underrated in this video. I use it long time making my beats and it super responsive, specially when u r user of Studio One DAW❤

Great video, helped me a lot. I got and Akai MPD218 for Christmas as my first drum pad, after seeing all their marketing and good reviews from everyone, so I was very excited... only to find I literally had to smash the pads to get maximum velocity, and still apply in my opinion too much pressure to trigger them. So now I'm on the fence about buying an used PadKontrol and an used Maschine Mikro MK2, if you ever used the latter, which one of them would you recommend?

mines good and you have to loosen the bottom screws too plus the mpd218 is stiff until you beak it in with your style....1 erk i wish the repeat button was a toggle button

How about the MPC Studio?? I've been seriously considering one of those coming from an MPC1000. I have an Maschine Mikro Mk2 but can't stand using the software for some reason even though I like the sounds and sensitivity of the pads. I use Studio One so I was either going to go with an Atom or MPC Studio bc I love the MPC workflow and the fact it's so hands on/hybrid but it costs 2.5 times the Atom. Thoughts?

What about the pad action on the Ableton Push 2? really interested to know how it holds up from a veteran perspective. I've heard the actions not great, and you should have a dedicated drum pad for the actual drumming inputs, but its still really good for controlling sequencing, etc.

Would you be able to speak on the Maschine Mikro Mk3’s integration with Ableton at all? I’m looking for a dedicated pad controller for finger drumming within Ableton, so the push 1 that I have can be focused on other tasks. It seems that the Maschine is a great option as far as playability, but from my reading has a difficult time working with other DAWs.

What do you think about Akay LPD-8? Is a good device? When you say "standalone" is because you have MIDI OUT on device and don´t need a computer to translate USB to MIDI or to your software? Thank you!

Great series! I have been a drummer for 30 years (classic rock and metal) and I’m always looking for a decent way to get my energy out. I’m thinking one of these pads may do the trick. Are there any lower-end-ish models like an Akai or Presonus that can be used to play with stand-alone without having to be constantly connected to a computer. Second, is there a model that I can hook headphones to, play an mp3 on, and then drum/tap along to in real-time? That would be amazing. Thanks!

i was at a shop today looking for the most sensitive finger drumming pads.. and i could not find a singer one.. that matches my desires.. But i can tell you that Alesis have keyboard with pads that actually the most sensitive that i ever felt.. and that what im looking for. some that will be like touching a phone screen AKAI mpd 218 and 226 disapointed me and also The ATOm.. i could not find a 16 pads finger drumming machine that will match

Hi I have akai 2000xl and mpd 26 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

The main weakness of the NI devices are the Pots which wear out fast, first the have different resistance, then parameter jumps until total failure.

Can you recommend any standalone device for fingerdrumming?

Love your video! Thanks so much. Can you share with me your mpc live pad settings please? Threshold, curve, sensitivity... Thanks!!!

Hi, i would also suggest as the cheapest option to find a Vestax Pad One, some store still have one as cheap as euro 29, it has very sensitive pads with velocity and aftertouch and it's also made of aluminium.

What about the launch keys mk3 pads for finger drumming ? Also is the padlontrol still a good buy in 2020. ? Found one for 60

What do you think about the maschine mk2? its a litle less expensive here in mi country, and i dont know if the sensitive diference its big or nor. Thanks!

Since the bigger Maschine MK3 is the best controller, is it the best option for someone who is sort of new to finger drumming? I have use pad controllers in the past, but that was years ago and I don't remember how they feel to use. So I would basically have to relearn everything. Or is it better to get the Maschine Mikro MK3 instead? I use Ableton Live for everything. And I don't plan on using the Maschine software often (since Ableton already does everything Maschine can do). I also found out that the bigger Maschine can control Ableton transport, clips, scenes and some other things. So maybe that would be a good addition if the integration with that function is easy to setup and get working.

Awesome video! Quick question for the finger drum king: Is one of the differences between the MK3 Mikro and the big MK3 that the big MK3 produced fewer double-triggers? I just bought an MK3 Mikro and am already wondering if I should upgrade to the big one because the Mikro double-triggers quite frequently as I play it. And to be clear, by “double-trigger” I mean: You hit a pad once and it erroneously registers two hits in quick succession.

How good is the Live 10 integration of the ATOM? Do all the features on the device work??

Hi there, I hope everything is going well! I have a question, have you tried the Launchpad PRO for finger drumming? I feel curious because I want a 64 pad midi controller for finger drumming. Thank you so much for the information here!

Does the maschine mikro have any limitations? Will it work for Reaper and Ezdrummer 2? Is it hard to set up?

I just recently bought the Akai MPSD218, so far I'm satisfied with it. Without experience with any other pad controller, how could I know if I have a "good" or a "bad" one?

Hi there , loved the video. I am hoping to add a device like one of theese to my guitar setup, preferably connected to my loop pedal so I could loop some percussion , but have noticed alot of them need to run through a computer or DAW TO operate . Would you possibly have any advice about a pad like theese that would have the correct output jack to run directly into an amp / pedalboard ?

Another thing people may wanna consider is the mpk249, I have one and I like the pads but if the settings are set up exactly like I use them it does a little ghost noting. But when I have it on... velocity sensitivity 9 Velocity curve exp 2 log 2 or linear for some things Vel Threshold 7-9 I didn't love the board, keys or pads at first (I come from triton le and mpc 1000 so little spoiled b4) but I have slowly fallen more and more in love with the mpk249. I played a few different mpd228 and 18s and the mpk24 and was like wow I thght my mpk249 felt cheap lol! I like maschine studio and mk3 pads better but not many other pads I wld take over mine now, especially on a keyboard although I also have a nektar impact lx25 and the pads are decent on it too but more like the mpd lineup (hard no play or squessh in the pads) but at the end of the day I cld play any and almost all pads if I had to lol Great learn mode, pad bank A-D, pads can change colors for on and off, then on of my fav that I didn't like too much at first is the 3 control banks (same midi ch when new) w 30 presets so u can leave the A bank as a universal and then change the controls for B and/or C comtrol bank on 30 different presets.

Can Maschine mikro Mk3 be used in garageband iOS plug and play or i must route it first in windows? Your answer is much appreciated thank you my friend!!!

just ordered my white padKONTROL (used) but i cnt wait

And another one: the problem you had with the MPC Touch, was in Midi mode triggering your usual Addictive Drum setup or were you running the MPC Software? Thanks!!!

Hello the korg still work on logic pro X ? mac osx mojave? the driver work or i can midi it?

I just got an MPD 226 and I’ve found it to be slightly better than my MPD218. The 226 sensitivity control does not seem to do much though. I really love the feel of the MPD pads. Nice and chunky and there’s something nice about the black pad tops with led colours underneath. Still though strictly for sensitivity purposes neither is super sensitive, though I’ve found for my current heavy handed pad drumming the 226 sensitivity is acceptable. I’m sure as my style develops more refinement I will want a better performing pad though the jump in price to get similar pads on the Mpc live is quite a bit considering I really only want the pads and not the standalone-ish-ness. (Plus the live looks like a brick). I don’t need all the features of Maschine either. I think I’m going to wait and see what 2019 brings in terms of new pad controllers. Right now for equivalent of 300-ish Usd I have two sets of pads which I can practice the basics, one pad for each hand which is good value. Sure two atoms would cost the same but then it’s got those little pads. Here’s an idea Rob, Lots of people love their MPC style pads, sensitive or not. What would be awesome would be if you could get some of the pad tweaking gear from Mpcstuff and see if the thick pads and pad corx make a difference to the MPD218 or 226, or whether it destroys the feel and has strange side effects.

What do you think of the launchpad mk2? My very first pad controller. I broke my fingers everytime I played it, I'm looking to buy a 4x4 pad controller because I just don't need 64 pads... What do you recommend? I really like the roli lightpad block or midi fighter...

have you tried any of the pads of the nector midi controllers

2 years and you are still liking comments you a legend 👏

Hey So my friend gave me the white korg pad kontrol , when I hook up to my daw My drum hits are all over the place Is there a preset I have to set to have it as a standard 1 to 16 pads? Do I have to dl software off the korg site? Thanks