Controllers for drumming

mbenigni · Post by **mbenigni** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 8:57 pm

ikke, any idea what the multi-trigger pad is on the left (just under the roland brain) in the picture on top of this page? From your hart link:

http://www.hartdynamics.com/products/dr ... ml#hartpro

mcconaghy, I hope the batch that actually ships is at least good enough to be usable. I'm probably not the most demanding customer in the world where drum-related products are concerned. I just want something that makes sense. They seemed to be on the right track design-wise, even if they fell down with construction and pad/trigger feel.

ikke · Post by **ikke** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:03 pm

mbenigni wrote:ikke, any idea what the multi-trigger pad is on the left (just under the roland brain) in the picture on top of this page? From your hart link:

http://www.hartdynamics.com/products/dr ... ml#hartpro

mcconaghy, I hope the batch that actually ships is at least good enough to be usable. I'm probably not the most demanding customer in the world where drum-related products are concerned. I just want something that makes sense. They seemed to be on the right track design-wise, even if they fell down with construction and pad/trigger feel.

all the pads are from themself, HART PROFESSIONAL. OIve read that they make very good pads. the Alesis IO trigger unti is only 150 dollars and has USB. You can buy a HART carcas with pads for about 400 brand new. FXpansion BFD is about 200. if you sum up you have a good price knowing roland v-drum stuff is like 3k! also you can expand BFD to your needs and they sound better than roland. fxpansion is coming with version 2 and more expansion packs soon. And also, with BFD you can learn mic placement. learn about different drumkits, different rooms etcetera... all with you mouse on your computer!

you can visualy see the mics changing from place! also you get pictures from all the different drum pieces

mcconaghy · Post by **mcconaghy** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:05 pm

mbenigni wrote:ikke, any idea what the multi-trigger pad is on the left (just under the roland brain) in the picture on top of this page? From your hart link:

http://www.hartdynamics.com/products/dr ... ml#hartpro

That's a Hart Multipad - it doesn't have MIDI, but has trigger outputs, so you'd need to use an existing drum brain for these guys. It's built rock-solid, though, Pete Hart makes some great gear.

mcconaghy, I hope the batch that actually ships is at least good enough to be usable. I'm probably not the most demanding customer in the world where drum-related products are concerned. I just want something that makes sense. They seemed to be on the right track design-wise, even if they fell down with construction and pad/trigger feel.

I hope so, too. If the quality can be improved and they end up releasing a solid controller they can easily dominate this segment of the market.

mbenigni · Post by **mbenigni** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:11 pm

Thanks for the info re: the Multipad, mcconaghy - the Hart site is a little old-school and I couldn't find that specific product anywhere. You wouldn't happen to know the price on that unit would you?

Alesis IO trigger unti is only 150 dollars and has USB

Yeah, this is looking like the ideal purchase if the Control Pad doesn't have the feel to get it done in one box. Unfortunately, the IO Trigger is even more vaporware-ish than the Control Pad, with an ETA of 4/25/07. (And of course, I need something yesterday.)

No need to extol the virtues of BFD - I already own it, and 8-Bit Kit. Great stuff.

ikke · Post by **ikke** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:14 pm

mbenigni wrote:Thanks for the info re: the Multipad, mcconaghy - the Hart site is a little old-school and I couldn't find that specific product anywhere. You wouldn't happen to know the price on that unit would you?

Alesis IO trigger unti is only 150 dollars and has USB
Yeah, this is looking like the ideal purchase if the Control Pad doesn't have the feel to get it done in one box. Unfortunately, the IO Trigger is even more vaporware-ish than the Control Pad, with an ETA of 4/25/07. (And of course, I need something yesterday.)

No need to extol the virtues of BFD - I already own it, and 8-Bit Kit. Great stuff.

ok cool! ive tested the bfd and drumpads ate a friends place last week and was amazed!

i cant stop talking.thinking about it

what do you mean with "Unfortunately, the IO Trigger is even more vaporware-ish than the Control Pad" ?

mbenigni · Post by **mbenigni** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:21 pm

what do you mean with "Unfortunately, the IO Trigger is even more vaporware-ish than the Control Pad" ?

Simply that it can't be had at the moment (unless you know of a source?) My preferred vendor has it scheduled for arrival at the end of April. And since it's been repeatedly delayed, it's reasonable to even be skeptical about that.

http://www.zzounds.com/item--ALETRIGGERIO

Ya gotta love it: retail $449, street $149. LOL.

mbenigni · Post by **mbenigni** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:25 pm

Looks like the Hart Multipad has been discontinued anyway.

Surreal · Post by **Surreal** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:35 am

i came into this thread hoping to find news about the release time of the control pad...

and i am leaving feeling alone.

man. i guess this could help me get over it and just use my trigger finger. the thing is, i have always wanted to learn how to play drums and it shows in my music. i was playing around with reason drum kits yesterday and decided i needed something that i can use a footswitch on for kick.

the alesis has 2. for naught.

why? why? and what would you all recomend to assuage my woe? i desire 6 or more pads and 2feetswitches. heh. feetswtiches.

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 7:44 am

Surreal wrote:why? why? and what would you all recomend to assuage my woe? i desire 6 or more pads and 2feetswitches. heh. feetswtiches.

Roland Handsonic for the win. I love that unit (I have two!)

They take y-splitter cables that let you hook up kick+hihat pedals, and they can be mounted on proper drum stands.

The feel is excellent, very sensitive. They sense rimshots and triggering positions and a lot of other cool stuff.

Surreal · Post by **Surreal** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:27 pm

stick friendly?

EDIT:i just looked. some of those pads are tiny. ...i should just use my hand. but i want to learn sticks SOOOOOO badly.

Roland really needs to make a dedicated controller. the spds all have samplers or some other nonsense that i won't use. i thirst for a drum controller. i HAND the drum sounds. :p

mbenigni · Post by **mbenigni** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 2:51 pm

I almost bought an SPD-S the day you started this discussion. (eg. the day I got the bad news that the Control Pad is alledgedly built like a toy.

Still hoping Alesis pulls through, though.) The reality about the built-in sounds/samplers on the Roland packages is that they represent a very small part of the overall cost. I could also see an all-in-one solution with sounds being handy when you want to pick up an open mic with a drummer who doesn't have his own sound module for instance. Lend him your SPD-S and get on with it.

But then I started reading the reviews and many were very displeased with the feel/ velocity sensitivity of the Roland pads. At $500-$700, they had better at least have that much straight.

The handsonic is a really cool product, but it's a lot of money, and as you noted, not intended for sticks.

mcconaghy · Post by **mcconaghy** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:45 pm

mbenigni wrote:The handsonic is a really cool product, but it's a lot of money, and as you noted, not intended for sticks.

The Handsonic will take regular abuse from sticks, I have two HPD15s, and one of them has been an integral part of my drum setup since early '01, and I haven't so much as had to replace the trigger mat or sensor array once. As long as you're not pounding on it like a maniac you're good, just set the trigger response from "Hand" to "Finger" and off you go.

and even if you do need to replace the trigger array, it's around $20 from Roland and very simple to replace.

Surreal · Post by **Surreal** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:42 pm

i can replace the whole top trigger for ~$20?

and roland supports this?

you have brought this product...and roland up in my regard with that one statement.

mcconaghy · Post by **mcconaghy** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 5:09 pm

Surreal wrote:i can replace the whole top trigger for ~$20?

and roland supports this?

you have brought this product...and roland up in my regard with that one statement.

This is going back a few years, the sensor plate underneath the rubber mat was $14 and the rubber mat on top was 5 bucks and change.

mbenigni · Post by **mbenigni** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 5:09 pm

Woohoo, the Alesis Control Pad is in stock 2 weeks early at zZounds. I pre-ordered a while back so I should have mine by Monday. (No Saturday deliveries, sigh.)

I really hope this thing doesn't suck. I've got some tracks banging around in desperate need of "live" drums.