![]() ![]() The Alesis SR16 has been utilized by artists, musicians, and producers since the 90s. What do we think? It’s a solid drum machine for beginners! 4) Alesis SR16 The MPD218 does not have a backlit screen, unfortunately. You can also control the “amount” of swing in your parts. If you’re creating a piece of music that is in a swung or jazz style, this is a perfect application for these genres. ![]() In addition to note repeat, there is built-in swing functionality for all your odd-timed parts and ideas. You can control the subdivisions with a knob, so it’s easy to change on the fly. This is perfect for creating arpeggiations, cool synth and bass lines, and other unique parts. For example, you could have note repeat set to 1/8 notes, and your pad would repeat that note as if it was an eighth note. What is it? It’s a built-in function that repeats a note you play with a selected subdivision. Note Repeat is one of the included functions of the MPD218. The pad layout mapping is very easy to use and understand. There are tons of drum patches, arpeggiators, and lots of unique synth sounds. Most of all, enjoy yourself and look after your arm and hand health.Ĭome2Drum – The internet’s premier resource for drumming lessons and products.With the MPD218, you’ll be jamming in no time. Don’t play on the one that someone else tells you will “make you work harder”, or “it’s closest in hardness to the drum head”. ![]() Which one make you feel good? THAT will be the one you want to play on. I would like you to get your drum pad collection out and try the different surfaces. And surely it doesn’t match up to a 50/60 shore hardness drum pad – madness! I understand as you tighten the head that the surface will become “harder” but by no means do I feel like it ever becomes “concrete”. Some drummers have tried to convince me that the actual drum head is “hard”. I used a Black rubber pad from Scotland (made in N.Ireland I believe) and it totally impacted my hands in a negative way – to the point where I had to stop drumming for a month! So that pad made it’s way to the rubbish pile pretty quickly. There will also be a higher chance of hurting yourself through RSI and impact injury. In fact, you will work harder to create the bounce as the rubber is not creating it for you. When you are playing on a piece of rubber that is hard (rubber hardness is measured in Shore – 40 shore is my preferred hardness) then you are not going to get a great feel. (I will go into the whole pipe band drum stick preference side of things on another post). This relies on a few factors : the hardness of the rubber, the thickness of the rubber, the surface it is sitting on and the sticks you are using. The surface you play on creates a definitive feel. Why have I ended up settling for this piece of rubber? The majority of my students want to ditch their brand new pads in place of my rough cut practice pad. I play on this pad about 6 hours each day (I teach pipe band drumming full time). Yep, I rocked along to a rubber factory and tried out tons of different surfaces – found the one I liked and got an off-cut. The very best pad that I own cost me Nada. This also meant that mum and dad forked out for a new pad every 6 months, until the next “perfect practice pad” arrived on the market! Trust me, there is no “perfect” practice pad. I have also received the opposite advice! As a young drummer, I just believed what I was told – and therefore had a differing opinion every six months. I have also been advised by many drummers of the reasons why hard pads are best as they make you work harder, and resemble the true feel of the drum. Over the past few decades I have personally tried over 30 rubber drum pads, some great and some horrendous. These rubber mats offer us a great practice surface to play on when we can’t play on the snare drum (usually at home, as playing on a snare drum at home would require some forgiving family members and patient neighbours!). It goes without saying that the majority of pipe band snare drummers own more than one “practice” pad. ![]()
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