Launchpad or Nanopad for Drum Racks?

[Pasha]

All my usual music shops are still waiting for Launchpad so I had not a chance to give it a try. Too bad.
Although I took my time to watch all U-Tube staff I still do not understand something.
I like launchpad but is nanopad better when it comes to drum tracks programming?
How launchpad maps nicely with a drum rack? is it out of the box?

- Best
- Pasha

[elxicano]

I'm still considering picking up a launchpad, but when I bought a Nanopad, I returned it to the store because it doesn't have native support for it, which means moving that 4x4 outline in drumracks doesn't change which pads it triggers.

There is a workaround if you're interested (someone else can probably fill you in)... I wasn't, since I already had a padKontrol, and I was simply looking to replace it with something smaller (at that time I was... not anymore).

[Tracker102]

As far as mapping goes, the Launchpad maps the entire drum rack.

It basically divides the launchpad into two 4x8 grids, matching the drum rack perfectly. (Just imagine the launch pad being 4 across, and 16 down) just like the drum rack midi thing looks in Ableton.

The only thing that I would consider is that it's not velocity sensitive, but if you're just using it to program in, you can always go back and edit velocities.

If you want cheap pads, get a MPD 18 ($100), or Akai's LPD8. I can't tell you how good the Akai laptop controllers feel. ESPECIALLY in comparison to the Korg laptop stuff, but I have no idea about the out of the box mapping of those.

[aeon_flux]

have you considered akai mpd18? it is quite cheap. supports:
- velocity
- aftertouch
- quantize / note repeat (mpc style)
- swing (mpc style)

regarding drums:
launchpad is for sure great for performance/mixing but it has no velocity support.
nanopad has bonus roll/flam features but i think more interesting is to have quantize/swing (np has no aftertouch)
mpd 4x4 layout fits perfectly into drum rack design - combining mpd with live gives you groove machine like legendary mpcs.

[Pasha]

Thanks for replies guys!
That's why I love this forum

Launchpad
I wasn't aware of the Launchpad no velocity sensitiveness (very stupid from Novation IMHO)
That video showing Drum Programming on the fly was getting me...

NanoPad
I know that Nanopad could be programmed to send notes. When that notes correspond
to Drum Rack GM standard notes it should play like a keyboard and it's velocity sensitive.
So how exactly people were trying to map it? Confused.

- Cheers
- Pasha

[rikhyray]

Having all your samples right there is fantastic, I never expected it can make such dramatic difference. I hope Novation or whoever comes with 64 pad unit with velocity sensitive but as for now I rather use launchpad with workarounds (preset velocities a la Akais levels or edit afterwards) then 8 or 16 pads.
Also the size of pads is perfect for playing percussion using all fingers.
Never wanted, expected to use Launchpad like that but it is nice bonus.
In fact I returned Akai LPD8 (BTW much better then Korgs junk, good editor, quick to edit freely CC and notes, access different bank) cause I know I wont bother to use it.

That was just to add to your confusion.

[Pasha]

Having all your samples right there is fantastic, I never expected it can make such dramatic difference. I hope Novation or whoever comes with 64 pad unit with velocity sensitive but as for now I rather use launchpad with workarounds (preset velocities a la Akais levels or edit afterwards) then 8 or 16 pads.
Also the size of pads is perfect for playing percussion using all fingers.
Never wanted, expected to use Launchpad like that but it is nice bonus.
In fact I returned Akai LPD8 (BTW much better then Korgs junk, good editor, quick to edit freely CC and notes, access different bank) cause I know I wont bother to use it.

That was just to add to your confusion.

Thank you. Confusion is nice. Choices makes life better.
Can you explain what you intended for preset velocities?
Can't we use the random velocity thing in the MIDI Velocity effect to simulate curves
or it's something launchpad has?

- Cheers
- Pasha

[rikhyray]

Thank you. Confusion is nice. Choices makes life better. :D
Can you explain what you intended for preset velocities?
Can't we use the random velocity thing in the MIDI Velocity effect to simulate curves
or it's something launchpad has?

- Cheers
- Pasha

I dont intend anything, it was just that surprise thingy, I was checking the LP- selected percussion rack and..... couldnt stop playing, you know what I mean. The whole issue with the pads is that I had them all MPC, padKontrol, MPD, LPD but ending using keys because of the accuracy. Each of those pads has something better then other,but none really good enough for me. I mean they are all OK for Impulse or so so samples but with really high quality multilayered samples none is able to give me full range, all nuances. Then what is the point, so many people end up record pK or Akais with fixed velocity, then why limit myself to stupid 8 or 16 pads. I hate using banks/pages/octave shifts etc, love to have it all right there. Overall as far as I am concerned LP is the best thing I bought in years, all I wanted ( after using LX and LX2 of Faderfox) was really good clip trigger what I got is hell of a lot more for ridiculous price.
Will use LP and/or keys depending on need. For quick € job, who cares and for serious (financial or artistic ) I always edit the velocities very precisely anyway.

[scientist]

if you don't need velocity and don't mind smaller buttons, by all means get the launchpad. if you go for a pad controller, i've got a decent system for using a padkontrol for easy control of more than 16 drum rack pads. make a simple rack that has several chains, each with a midi pitch effect on it, set to +16, +32, etc. the chain selector is assigned to a knob so you can switch which drum rack pads the pk is controlling via the knob. you can also control chromatic instruments by setting the pitch increments to +12, +24, etc. so that e.g. pad no.1 will always control C.

[illsub1]

thanks for the tip scientist! I will use that, it will be great for Battery as well.

[Tracker102]

I think you should spend your money on the Launchpad man, it's so so so much for the price.

Unless you're ONLY drumming, then I would get something made for drumming like any 4x4 drum pad.
[Trigger Finger]
[Korg PadKontrol]
[Akai MPD24, MPD32]

But here's my real true opinion. The only drum pad I would KEEP aka not return after having my fun with it haha, is the MPD 32. It has note repeat, knobs, faders, a lot of shit.

IT COSTS $250 at the lowest new.

Launchpad is $200.

Here's my budget minded opinion.

Get a Launchpad, and a LPD8. (You're spending a total of $270) You will have 8 pads and 8 knobs to play with. THE BUILD QUALITY OF THE AKAI LAPTOP STUFF IS GREAT! (You can just fuck around with the Launchpad as the drum rack controller until you find something you wanna lay down, then switch over to the pads to get some velocity sensitivity)
or
Get a Launchpad and the MPD18, spending $30 more to get 16 pads instead of 8. ($300 total) That way you have pads AND your Launchpad.

But, seriously, get the launchpad, with all the stuff it can do, especially the Monome emulator, you seriously can't go wrong. Except the fact that the rubber buttons smell bad haha

[outershpongolia]

If you go for the nanoPAD skip it and go with the LPD8, you won't be disappointed, at least with the fact that you got the LPD8 instead of the nanoPAD, but you might be sorry that you didn't just get the LP.

[LoopStationZebra]

Velocity and aftertouch are highly overrated, lol.

[outershpongolia]

Velocity and aftertouch are highly overrated, lol.

Fake drums are overrated, IMO. I suck at programming drums, but I love playing a real set, just can't beat it.

[LoopStationZebra]

Velocity and aftertouch are highly overrated, lol.

Fake drums are overrated, IMO. I suck at programming drums, but I love playing a real set, just can't beat it.

"Fake drums are overrated."

I'm going to spend a moment and contemplate your statement; which of course appears on a forum in which a good 99% of the drums on any given track are 'fake'.