Ok I know there are plenty of Maschine VS ?? threads but I'm specifically interested in the playability of the pads.
Long story short, I have a Maschine Mikro which I got a couple months ago but I'm kinda thinking about selling it in favour of an MPD32. I do love Maschine, it's a fun little system and it's great for sketching beats but that's also the problem, it's great for sketching beats.
I'm not sure if I'm the only one who feels this way but since I've started using Maschine it's felt like it's been 'hampering' my workflow a bit. I'll get all motivated to make a beat, put together a kit in Maschine and lay a beat, maybe sample some stuff but then when it comes time to add synths, bass, other instruments, I find myself just wanting to use Logic and the integration between Maschine and Logic just feels like it gets in the way.
So recently I've just gone back to using Maschine as a controller for Logic/Battery and to be honest, I'm getting more shit done and it definitely feels like my preferred workflow.
So, why not just keep Maschine as a controller? Fair point, and I guess I could, but I would like the extra assignable knobs/faders (my Maschine Mikro has none) that come with other controllers.
So my question is, how are the MPD pads? I'm not expecting feather light ultra sensitivity like the Maschine, but are they playable? Ideally, I'd love to know how they compare to the pads on the MPK keyboards. I have an MPK49 and the pads are terrible, you really gotta bang the hell out of them and even after modding them they're not amazing. Please tell me the pads on the MPD aren't just the same as the MPK right?
Unfortunately living in the UK where actual brick and mortar music stores are few and far between, I'm not gonna get the chance to check one out in person.
Do you know about the integration between Maschine and Komplete 8? When you but Maschine or Maschine Mikro, you get Komplete Elements for free.
Yeah, I mean it's great that they integrated Komplete into it, and it's also awesome that I can use VST's, but it's more the song building workflow that I don't like. I mean, sure I can use a synth I like and play keys, but it doesn't feel as natural or indeed as 'good' as working with that stuff in Logic, but then I suppose it's not designed to work that way.
I come from a background purely based on software (I was tapping the on-screen keyboard before I bought my first midi-controller) rather than a hardware workflow like an MPC , so I guess I'm kinda the wrong target audience.
As I said, it's amazing for getting some ideas laid down and if I just want to put some drums and a sample down then it's far easier, and quicker than in Logic, but then when I want to work it up a bit more into synths/instruments then I wanna move into Logic. I know I could bounce out to Logic or work with the Maschine plug but I'd rather just do the whole thing natively in Logic.
Sucks that so many bad things are said for the MPD pads, I get the impression you gotta hammer the hell out of them to get sound, the rest of the MPD looks ideal for me.
MPD pads are really not that bad. I agree they are not as sensitive as the Mikro (I own both MPD and Mikro) but it's not a deal breaker as they work fine. And in certain instances are better than the mikro pads (being able to hit the same pad without lifting a finger opposed to mikro where you have to let go of the pad to retrigger). Anyway, if you want an MPD, it's going to be a lot of work mapping it out to the midi configuration into logic but it'd probably be worth it if you really don't like the maschine workflow. I hate Maschine's sequencer so I have to do a rough version in maschine and import the midi notes into logic and tighten it up there.
Anyway, I think that maschine and logic pro integrate very well. I use both daily and I get a great workflow besides the drum sequencing portion, which I sometimes just end up doing on battery 3 anyway.
One thing that annoys me with Maschine (aside from the retriggering thing you mentioned) is that I can't seem to get pad linking to work when using it as a VST in Logic.
If you set it to MIDI mode and set it to send Midi notes to Logic, linked pads don't seem to do anything despite being set as pad groups inside the Maschine plug. I know you can just duplicate the notes in the piano roll but it would be nice to just have them layer up whilst they're being played.
Never used Maschine - but I own a MPK61 and MPD18 - and the MPD's pads are WAY better then the MPK. I really dislike the MPK pads - I just wanted the option if I brought my keyboard on the road with me.
If you want it to act as an efficient midi controller within logic, you have to create it in the environment inside logic pro. Here's a video on how to do it.
Never used Maschine - but I own a MPK61 and MPD18 - and the MPD's pads are WAY better then the MPK. I really dislike the MPK pads - I just wanted the option if I brought my keyboard on the road with me.
THAT is what I wanted to hear, thanks. The pads on the MPK are horrible and I had this terrible feeling that the MPD pads were the same. I mean, I can handle that they're not as feather light as the Maschine/padKontrol but those MPK pads... man.
Ok that's decided it then, anyone wanna buy a Maschine Mikro? .
...All Akai pads suffer from a fundamental design flaw of a gap between the pads and the sensors that causes double/missed triggering and are about the least sensitive/responsive pads there are compared to what's available today.
Thanks for not making me type this for the 12th time on this forum.
You already have the best pads available with Maschine Mikro. All Akai pads suffer from a fundamental design flaw of a gap between the pads and the sensors that causes double/missed triggering and are about the least sensitive/responsive pads there are compared to what's available today.
These sort of statements couple with your others in this thread sound more like the rants of a fanatic than anything.
The gap in the pads thing is nothing new and sucked.. yes... but was easily fixed ... for very little. While this doesn't justify a stupid error on Akais part, the pads were not that bad and once remedied, there is very little separating the Akai's from any other controllers. The Maschines pads are excellent and more sensitive than the Akai's... but when you are posting in a thread where someone wants advice, try and stay honest.
The difference between the two shouldn't pose a problem to a vast majority of beat makers at all.
Also, the gap in the pads affected Velocity and Sensitivity. Double triggering has long been associated with technique and the gap was not sufficient enough to stop a pad from being triggered completely....unless there was a flaw in the sensors that I don't know about.
__________________ 'You don't finish, you just run out of time' - Dave Pensado on mixing
you can fix the "air gap" with small squares of black electrical tape folded in on itself so theres no sticky stuff on either side.
you just take your pads off, put one or 2 of these on each pad, and put your pads back on.
you can also get the fat pads for the mpd32, these have pad corx built in (so you dont have to do the electrical tape thingi) and they are supposed to feel GREAT. i have heard alot of people saying, if you have an mpd, get these for sure.
you can get em at mpcstuff.com for 45 bucks.
i think they are also making a "fat pads" version of the maschine ones too. they are in the maschine section of mpcstuff, or you can just type in maschinestuff and it will take you there.
i would def get these if you arent happy with your maschine pads, or workflow.
cant you use the maschine to control battery though? maybe think about getting the maschine pads.
The best pads are the Korg Padkontrol. You can tap them light as a feather and they register hits even on the end corners. Perfect for subtle performances with alot of nuances. If the MPD pads are anything like MPC pads then they are IMO not good, just hard and stiff. And prone to breaking down from banging on them too hard to register a hit. Most people use MPCs with the velocity switched to full levels for a reason.
The padkontrol are the best. Well at least for a few months until the sensors die. Maschines pads are just a accurate and responsive as the padkontrol only the Maschine pads are hard like banging on a table where the Korgs are soft and have a better feel. The Maschine pads will last longer if you don't abuse them by pounding unnecessarily hard but the padkontrols are cheap to replace.
As stated, the MPC pads are not as sensitive, prone to both double and miss triggers and are dead on the edges. You can fix it with the corx and new sensors. There is a difference in design between the small 1k and MPK pads and the others. Always go for the full size MPC/MPD pads.
I had the same workflow problem with maschine, until I started accepting that I was going to only use maschine for sketching and not sequencing. Once I accepted that, it opened up for me, and now I build some loops in maschine and then bounce into a sequencer (in my case ableton) and then sequence and add other things from there. this has seemed to click for me, after spending a lot of time experimenting with different ways of using maschine within my workflow.
The best pads are the Korg Padkontrol. You can tap them light as a feather and they register hits even on the end corners. Perfect for subtle performances with alot of nuances. If the MPD pads are anything like MPC pads then they are IMO not good, just hard and stiff. And prone to breaking down from banging on them too hard to register a hit. Most people use MPCs with the velocity switched to full levels for a reason.
i agree with you that the newer mpc stock pads are stiffer (500, 1000, 2500, i think the 5000 also uses those pads), but i dont think i would say most people use full level button all the time when using mpc's. for me anyway, using the full level is more of a workflow type thing, when triggering samples from a song i have chopped, i always use full level, but alot of people play their drums without it.
the older model mpc's have a softer feel to the pads, and you can get a softer feel to the new pads if you replace them with fat pads or even non-fat pads from mpcstuff.
i belive the black pads i have on my 2500 are the ones from there, and they are real nice and soft, a huge upgrade from stock pads. i ordered my unit custom though so i didnt put the pads on myself, so theres no way of really knowing if they are mpcstuff pads, but i think they may be the only place that makes aftermarket pads, so chances are good that they are.
I have nothing to compare it to but my MPD18 was always sensitive to the touch but to get any velocity you had to slam it hard. I've modded it with electric tape and it's much more responsive though not perfect.
My advice is buy the 32 and some fat pads from mpcstuff and call it a day. It'll have everything you want.
Hate to rez an old thread, but my question fits right here, really.
I got a Maschine Mikro, and been trying to find a keyboard, tried a bunch, returned them all and the only one I sort of liked was the mpk61 but hated the keys. So I just ordered MPK88 (for 599 new on amazon.. jump on that...) not sure if I need to keep the Maschine now though, since I, too, hate the software. I got the Maschine for only 199 new, but how do stock Maschine pads compare to MPCStuff pads/Fat pads in the small size (mpk/500/1000)?
So Maschine > MPD > MPK but is Maschine > MPDStuff > MPK Stuff? By a lot? Do I order fat pads for the MPK or save the $50 and keeo the $200 Mikro for pads (and as a toy, which is really what the software becomes unless you grew up on MPCs I guess...)
The best pads are the Korg Padkontrol. You can tap them light as a feather and they register hits even on the end corners. Perfect for subtle performances with alot of nuances. If the MPD pads are anything like MPC pads then they are IMO not good, just hard and stiff. And prone to breaking down from banging on them too hard to register a hit. Most people use MPCs with the velocity switched to full levels for a reason.
korg > maschine then if I'm not fond of the software anyway? (the korg pads look smaller than the maschine pads, are they big enough to do two handed rolls on one pad?) Mikro is only 199 but korg is only like 150 iirc...
I don't know, but MPD 24 pads kinda suck. Too stiff and not sensitive. Either I get like 120+ velocity or I get 12. When I tried Maschine at GC I liked the way the pads felt.
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