best pad controller for my BB

[lancedrake]

I'm looking to purchase a small affordable drum pad controller. do any of you have a favorite? right now im looking at the korg nano pad. Was really hoping to find one that has an arpeggiator / chromatic mode too.

[Aaron]

We have a Korg NanoPAD that works nicely. I recommend the configuration utility and changing the layout so that the pads more closely match the screen. There is no arpeggiator, however.

[Ferrum]

I like the Atom Controller from Presonus. The pads feel great, does rolls, chromatic mode and is cheaply priced. I use Studio One as my DAW though so I get all the functionality in the box and a really great pad controller for the BB.

[vegeta897]

I like the Atom Controller from Presonus. The pads feel great, does rolls, chromatic mode and is cheaply priced. I use Studio One as my DAW though so I get all the functionality in the box and a really great pad controller for the BB.

Thanks for the recommendation. I was a little hesitant to go with the Atom because some said the pads weren't sensitive enough, but it still sounds like a good buy and I'm not that picky about pad feel.

[Ferrum]

Pad feel is up to each individual. To me they are a little "stiff" but they feel sturdy and durable so I like that. I think they are around the size of an MPC but I could be wrong as I sold my MPC Live almost a year ago. It's so cheap you can't really go wrong in my opinion but again, I sue Studio One as my DAW so I get the full functionality of the device when I hook it up to the computer so that's another reason it's a keeper for me.

[oHeFFeSS]

I like the Atom Controller from Presonus. The pads feel great, does rolls, chromatic mode and is cheaply priced. I use Studio One as my DAW though so I get all the functionality in the box and a really great pad controller for the BB.

Hey man, what capabilities does it have in standalone use? (without a computer)

[Ferrum]

You get the drum pads, keys mode and note repeat which is a lovely feature. I can't run down the full list right now off the top of my head. I have not tried mapping all of the controls to MIDI CC for the BB so there's more to offer. You may want it to do a lot more than what it can do now but for the price, form factor and features it offers I like it but Studio One is my DAW so I get full functionality and intended use in the box. I have a Beatstep, Keystep, QuNexus as well that offer their own features and have their own place.

[oHeFFeSS]

Ferrum thanks for the info... been eyein the Atom for a while and now that I’ve learned about a pretty major bug in the keystep’s firmware I’m in the market for another controller to use with the Blackbox.

can you use the atom’s pads to play chromatic notes - does it have a scale mode?

[Ferrum]

Yes it has a scale mode to play keys on. The layout for the keys is similar to the keys layout on the Pioneer Squid.