Akai MPD18

[tmjorud]

Hello

I'm looking for a pad controller. I only need the pads and nothing else. I've looked at the Akai MPD18 and seems to be excatctly what I'm looking for. Anyone had any experience with this one? I've read a couple of threads in different forums, people complaining about the pads not being very sensitive, that you need to hit hard etc. Maybe people havent adjusted the velocity settings correctly? Any recommendations on other controllers I should take a look at maybe?

[eddiex]

i use an mpd18 and i think its awesome! especially for the price, and if you just want pads,it is the perfect controller.
its built just as well as any other akai controller. it even has swing functions and note repeat and 3 banks. i mean, what you get for less than a hundred bucks is pretty amazing....if you just want pads.
try the pads out with an open mind, dont let what you have read, sway you... they are not as bad as people say they are. i mean, they aren't as good as maschine's pads...but you aren't paying 3 to 500 bonez for an mpd18...so that is to be expected. im betting the pads will be perfectly fine for you. you dont have to bang on them crazy hard.
the only problem is, if you think you might want more knobs and faders later on, you should probably buy an mpd26 or 32...i started out like you, just wanting pads...as time went on, i wanted some knobs and other stuff to adjust on the fly. (i still haven't upgraded yet )
my experience, i realized the limitations and the potential of having more knobs and faders pretty quickly. so if you think you might want to upgrade at some point, you should just go ahead and buy a bigger mpd right now. its nice to have options.
having said that...if money is an issue, if you are real strict on just wanting pads...the mpd18 is, IMO, the best pad controller under 100 bonez.

[tmjorud]

Hi eddiex, thanks for sharing your experience on this one, I'm gonna check out the 26 and 32 versions as well.

[Logic8807]

Bro!!!! I have an MPD26 with fat pads but I want an MPD18! I'd be willing to do an even trade with you for your MPD18 if you also provide new fat pads. I hate the regular Akai pads on the MPD's.

[Logic8807]

We can set it up through eBay if you are more comfortable that way cause I know it seems shady as hell. If you lived in Jersey, we could trade straight up!

[dewaldo]

I used to have the MPD26 but then switched to the korg padkontrol...I'd recommend the padkontrol for sure. Its pads have a much softer/more responsive feel, plus it has an X-Y interace. The padkontrol also comes with software that makes it easy to customize the MIDI data that's sent by each pad (so you can program scales into the pads etc). Goes for around $150 on amazon.

[bartend7]

+1 for padkontrol. works great with drumracks.