Home MIDI Controllers Cheap midi keyboard drum pad | TWO GREAT OPTIONS!

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Hi friend and Welcome!!

Today I will be outlining a couple of my favorite cheap midi keyboard drum pad options: The KORG padKONTROL, and the Akai MPD18. Before we get started, grab a snack, sit back and relax because…

You’ve come to the right place!!

What I will bring you in this review

Normally I would do each piece of equipment separately, but given that both are very similar in regards to function, I will instead outline the padKONTROL and compare it to the MPD18 where necessary. The rundown:

  1. Introduction
  2. Ease of use
  3. Feel
  4. Aesthetic
  5. Features
  6. Pros
  7. Cons
  8. What you will need
  9. Similarities & Differences
  10. Final Word

Now without further ado, let’s get rolling!

The KORG padKONTROL

Introduction

I had a white one from 2007 that lasted until 2015. It still worked but the knob got damaged on an intercontinental flight.

Where do I even begin? This little beast of a machine held up for me from 2007 all the way until 2015. Out of all the studio equipment I’ve ever had, the padKONTROL got by far the most use. The only reason I sold it was because the knob that you see pictured (under the 5.01), broke on a flight to Greece somewhere in luggage claim. Being that it’s such a rock-solid piece of equipment, I can only surmise that reckless handling of my bag had something to do with it. I traveled with it quite a bit and it’s always been very reliable. Even after it broke, I continued to use it because it still worked! I was still able to make songs, although it was much harder because the knob that broke is what enables you to switch between keys and sounds.

I liked it so much in fact, that just recently I purchased another one! This time I chose all black, which looks great in my studio, and matches all of my equipment. I have to say that the white one looks pretty neat, but the black one is just too slick. 🙂

Ease of Use

Out of the box, it’s really easy to set up and runs off of USB. Just plug and play. To sync it up with your sequencing program is super simple as well and usually involves going into preferences/midi options, etc. and doing an “auto-detect”. Each program varies slightly in it’s method. I’ve used Reason and FL Studio since I started making beats, and haven’t really desired to veer away from them. Over time, you will come to realize that it’s not the program that matters, but instead what you do with it, and how much time you’re willing to spend learning it. So choose one or two and stick with them. When I started out, I used Reason and then moved to FL studio because I enjoyed sampling more than making original beats. FL is more conducive to sampling, while Reason is great for originals. That said, to set up the padKONTROL for either is quite simple.

For Reason:

  1. Go to edit
  2. Preferences (at the bottom)
  3. Click the drop-down menu where it says “page”
  4. Keyboards and Control Surfaces
  5. Click Auto-detect Surfaces
  6. If that doesn’t work, click Add
  7. Choose “KORG” from the Manufacturer drop-down
  8. Click “pad KONTROL” from the model drop-down menu
  9. For “In Port”, select padKONTROL 1 Midi In
  10. For “Out Port”, select padKONTROL 1 Midi Out

For FL Studio:

  1. Options
  2. MIDI settings.
  3. If you’re padKONTROL is working and recognized by Windows, it should appear under “input.” It will say padKONTROL1 MIDI IN, (generic controller), Active.
  4. Make sure “padKONTROL 1 PORT A, and padKONTROL 1 PORT B are both active as well! If not you won’t hear anything.
  5. Click “Enable.”
  6. Done!

The padKontrol has 16 assignable pads, a scene selector, and a really nice knob to scroll through your sounds. To map them is really easy:

  1. Hold the scene button, and tap a pad.
  2. Press the setting button (to the left of scene)
  3. turn the knob to any key you desire (G, C, A, etc.)

Assigning sounds in FL Studio:

  1. Go to Channels > FPC
  2. Drag a sample from your folder onto one of the pads. If you have sound packs, they will be under your browser on the left-hand side in FL Studio. If you’re dragging samples, refer to this guide on how to sample in FL Studio. The basic concept is the same whether you are using the MPD 18 or padKONTROL though.
  3. Click the pad that you assigned the sound or sample to.
  4. Press the same pad on your padKONTROL or MPD.
  5. Click next to Midi Note in the upper right-hand corner. Whatever note you played will appear (C3 for example).
  6. A big rectangular box will appear. Go all the way to the right where it says “last hit.”
  7. Click the pad to make sure it’s assigned!

Check out this helpful video (saved my butt!)

The Cut by feature:

A really powerful tool inside FL Studio is the Cut by. After you’ve assigned sounds to your pad, they may overlap when you trigger them with your finger, leaving you in a heap of frustration. All you want to do is bang out those samples but if every time you hit a pad, the same note plays, then you’re in for a headache! The cut by allows for extreme flexibility and control. The solution is to change each of those values to 1. Voila! Now make some magic happen baby!

The Cut By feature.

Assigning sounds in Reason

  1. Open up Redrum. Create > Redrum Drum computer.
  2. Click on a folder icon
  3. Find a Kick, snare, or hat in your sound pack.
  4. It should automatically assign to the padKONTROL in Scene 16.

So basically, a great way to get rolling is to lay down a sick beat, and then build off of that. As far as sampling in Reason, you will need Reason’s ReCycle. I used it a lot when I first got into sampling, but wouldn’t recommend it. It’s kind of limited with what you can do. FL Studio’s Edison is my go-to. How to sample in FL Studio!

A video that really helped me out when I was starting with Reason:

Feel

This is what really sells me on the padKONTROL. Not only is it really fun to play with, but it also feels really great to the touch. 😉

Many will disagree, but the pads on this controller feel better, softer, and more sensitive than My MPD18’s do. I suppose this is personal preference, but I put more stock into softness and sensitivity than I do in size. The MPD18 is great, don’t get me wrong, and its pads are slightly bigger. But overall it has a more rocky, rougher feel than the padKONTROL. Some would say this contributes more to its durability. I can’t disagree there. It’s heavier and feels more solid, but the pads are rock hard. To remedy this, press the “full level” button. It does help a great deal with pressure sensitivity.

However, when I bang out a drum pattern on the KORG, I feel better about it. Does that make me sound like a hippie? 😀

Aesthetic

I will take this to the grave with me. The padKONTROL looks amazing. It always has, and always will. There’s just something about it that I can’t quite put my finger on. When idle, the pads light up and go through a series of patterns, which looks really cool in the dark (for those late-night sessions). The pads also light up every time you hit them, which is kind of a small detail but still nice.

The MPD18 by contrast has a more professional, tidy, and discrete look to it. It looks very slick in the studio. It doesn’t draw much attention to itself but remains attractive enough in a more subtle and simple way.

Features

Do not buy either of these for their features. You will be disappointed. I had a very specific goal in mind when shopping for drum pads. Convenience. That said, The padKONTROL has a great feature that I thought I would mention. The X-Y pad. Amazing. Some don’t think too highly of it, but when I was first starting out and experimenting, I wore this thing out. It’s great for just that: Fooling around and whatnot.

Here’s a quick rundown:

Pros

  • Looks beautiful.
  • Pads are extremely responsive and feel great.
  • Lightweight but durable.
  • Pads light up, which is a cool effect at night.
  • Reliable. Will stand the test of time.
  • User friendly.

Cons

  • There is a small learning curve, being that it’s just a simple MIDI controller, and doesn’t actually play any sounds of its own (What is MIDI?).

What you will need

  • A basic understanding of how MIDI works. What is MIDI?
  • A PC that will support KORG drivers.
  • A sequencing program such as the ones we discussed in this article.

Recommended but not mandatory

You could really just use your laptop and the pad and bang out beats that way. I did it for a long time with a pair of Sony MDR 7506’s and was happy. Just so you know, the MDR V6 and 7506’s are nearly identical, with just a few differences. Sony MDR V6 vs. MDR 7506.

Similarities & Differences

Similarities

  • Both work well with Reason and FL Studio. I really never used the MPD 18 with Reason, so I can’t comment on that; however, a quick google search reveals that it’s a good pairing as well.

Differences

  • Look. The MPD 18 is kind of ugly in my opinion. The pads on the padKONTROL light up. Not a huge deal, but cool nonetheless.
  • Feel. The MPD 18’s pads are rock hard. It’s not as fun to play with.
  • Features. The padKONTROL has a lot more.
  • Homey. There’s something special about the padKONTROL. It makes me a bit nostalgic, and just really fits in well in my studio. It has a very comforting quality about it and makes you feel at ease. 🙂

Final Word

In 2007, the price tag of the KORG padKONTROL was up there. It has come down a little since then, but there is still such a demand for it that the price really hasn’t changed all that much. It’s such a great piece of equipment. For me, it’s the cream of the crop as far as simple and easy-to-use starter pads. It really is worth every penny and more and will last you for a long time so long as you take care of it.

SEE IT FOR YOURSELF ON AMAZON!!


Well that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you enjoyed this article on cheap midi keyboard drum pads! If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below or Contact me!! I look forward to hearing from you..

Which of these cheap midi keyboard drum pads do you feel is the best value?? Let me know!!

All the best and God bless,

-Stu

[Xtr@Ba$eHitZ]

Be sure to check out my Reviews and Resources page for more helpful and informative articles!

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14 comments

David Snodgrass January 27, 2015 - 10:01 pm

the way you explain it I would probably do the same thing as long as it does the job

Reply
Stu January 28, 2015 - 8:03 pm

Yeah for sure man. Thanks for stopping by!
-Stu

Reply
Dan January 27, 2015 - 10:21 pm

Sounds like a great little machine.

Reply
Stu January 28, 2015 - 8:03 pm

It is really fun to use!
-Stu

Reply
Elasa January 27, 2015 - 10:31 pm

Thanks for the helpful review! I will be sharing this post with some friends that could really use this info. Great work!

Reply
Stu January 28, 2015 - 8:00 pm

Thank you Elasa! I really appreciate that. I could really use some traffic lol.
-Stu

Reply
john January 27, 2015 - 11:15 pm

Great review. I enjoyed the read. Your delivery is very natural. It’s interesting how two similar products can have such different appeal on a subjective level. Music is such a tactile, sensual thing, I think there is a lot to be said for an instrument that “feels right.”

Reply
Stu January 28, 2015 - 7:59 pm

For sure man. Especially when you’ve been accustomed to something for so long. I bought a new one (MPD) because the knob on the padKONTROL actually broke on a flight back from Europe. But it was customs fault, not the machine itself. It still works and I can still use it, but the inconvenience of the knob is troubling. I am going to buy a new padKONTROL soon, it’s just that good.
Thanks for your comment!
-Stu

Reply
tony January 28, 2015 - 12:24 am

great job outlining the special details and capabilities of the KORG Padkontrol. users looking for this equipment will really benefit from the info and content on this site.

Reply
Stu January 28, 2015 - 7:56 pm

Thanks for stopping by Tony!
-Stu

Reply
Russell January 29, 2015 - 9:39 pm

Great information! Love the layout and the breakdown on this page. My brother in law has been looking. I’ll direct him to your site!

Reply
Stu January 30, 2015 - 2:44 am

Thanks Russell, I really appreciate that!
-Stu

Reply
A. Marc January 30, 2015 - 4:40 am

At this price seems like a no-brainer. Great review Stu!
Me and my homies Korg (Nate Dogg’s voice)

Reply
Stu January 30, 2015 - 5:48 am

Lol I was just reminiscing about nate dogg the other day too. Truly no one else like him. Thanks for the comment holmie
-Stu

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