#CHEAP MIDI KEYBOARD WITH DRUM PAD SOFTWARE#

Around half of the controllers on our list also include some kind of sequencing option, typically a step sequencer. ThereвЂ™s an assumption that MIDI drum control is all about bashing out beats on MPC-style pads, but thatвЂ™s only part of the story. All the selections on our list fit the bill here, with the more basic models being understandably simpler but still offering nice feel and responsive controls. You should always expect good quality pads with a nice feel and responsive touch, and youвЂ™ll often find options like note repeat and extra controls like sliders and knobs for adjusting parameters.

Often inspired by the look and feel of the classic Akai MPC samplers, with their 4Г—4 grid of velocity-sensitive pads, drum controllers allow you to trigger samples, hardware and virtual instruments over MIDI. The basics of MIDI drum controllers are quite simple to understand. In this list we run down the 10 best options, from portable, affordable options, right through to fully featured units which can take pride of place at the heart of a home studio setup. Since then, the market has grown exponentially, with Arturia and Akai developing their own solutions, and others such as Keith McMillen developing touch-sensitive devices with a more open approach, letting the user tailor the controller to their own expressive needs.

#CHEAP MIDI KEYBOARD WITH DRUM PAD SOFTWARE#

Its seamless fusion of hardware and software was the solution computer-based beatmaking had been missing, offering the experience of a hardware drum machine for a fraction of the price.

Despite these controllers having their roots in AkaiвЂ™s classic MPC, the most recent developments were arguably kickstarted when Native Instruments introduced the Maschine back in 2009. While the past few years have seen a surge in the number of hardware drum machines (the best of which are covered in this handy list), there has been an equal increase in the number of MIDI controllers designed for sketching beats on. We pick ten of the best MIDI drum controllers on the market, with models from Akai, Korg, Arturia and Native Instruments all making the cut.

Cheap midi keyboard with drum pad