Which pad controller to choose for finger drumming?

I definitively recommend the AKAI MPD218. If you want to play metal and you are a Dream Theater fan, better buy two. ? Btw, I am not sponsored by AKAI, just love the MPD218 for its pads and price.

I am a bit concerned about the unintended pad triggering on MPD218. Did you try to lose the screws on your MPD218’s to fix this problem and did it work for you? I also read somewhere that the Aftertouch might be triggering unwanted sounds, but I guess this is not an issue as the Aftertouch can be disabled.

I checked Thomann (I am usually ordering from there) and it seems they don’t have MPD218 at the moment and are going to have delivery at the end of March, so I have some time to figure out which controller to buy.

If you have to recommend other controllers, what would be the order you would recommend the, from best to worst?

In the mean time I found an interesting way to learn your course and figure out whether I need one or two controllers.

I have iPad and found an application called Touch OSC – maybe you know it. It is an application allowing me to design my own pad controller with different number of buttons, so I could have 4 x 4 or 8 x 4 etc. For windows there is an application to run as a “server” and the iPad connects via my home wireless network to the computer.

The Touch OSC has limited practical use as there is no way to have sensitivity/velocity on the iPad, but it would allow me to learn hands coordination and ty different layouts with one two or even three controllers

I’d definitively wait for the MPD218(s) if you can or order them somewhere else. The unintended triggering isn’t really an issue and somehow I have the feeling that it happens less frequently than in the beginning, whereby that doesn’t mean that it ever happened often. I never had to loosen the screws so far. Really, it’s the best and cheapest pad controller I know. I also like the Korg PadKontrol, iRig Pads and the TFP pad section is ok as well, but I don’t like the concept that much. That’s probably my “best-to-worst” order, too. ?

Good that you found that app and can start practicing with it. I didn’t know about it, but to be honest I never really tried finger drumming on tablets for the reasons you mentioned.