the story so far: searching for a DIY pad solution

step one - take apart pads and create one sheet of sensors.



step 2 - order graphite and vinyl (not the turntable kind)

more as this develops. meanwhile, my mpc is still functional but not velocity specific (i've replaced my graphite with tin foil).

this will be my emulation of the old akai pad design. i WILL make this work if it electrocutes me.

props.

let me embellish on what i've done here.

first, i took apart every single pad and disposed of the graphite, which had been glued several times. i don't want it anymore, i'm gonna order some better stuff.

second, i put those black clips and metal spacers that go underneath the plastic sensor boards and put em in a baggie. they're not needed in my solution.

third, i got a piece of plastic and measured it to fit the top of the metal pad phrame. i cut it to fit, and then cut rectangles where the pad wires would go.

i then used double sided, heavy duty carpet fabric tape and attached it to the plastic, leaving the backing on one side so the adhesive stuck to the plastic. i then cut the rectangles into the tape. then, i removed the backing from the adhesive and placed the sensors onto the adhesive so that the wires came through the rectangles.

then, i put the single sheet of sensors onto the metal frame, placing all of the wires through the rectangles. screwed back in the pad circuit board, plugged all the pads in and boom, i'm done with THAT ugly, tedious work. now, i don't need to take the entire thing apart when i want to pop it open.

as of now, since i have no graphite, i've used the double sided carpet tape to hold squares of aluminum foil to the backside of the rubber pad ala my old method. this works 100% of the time as if FULL LEVEL was on (not a big deal to me because i usually work w/ full level on anyway). it strikes at 127 every time because aluminum conducts better than graphite. the graphite has a fabric, compressable build, which is why we get different velocities. so as of now, i can function - while i wait for the shipment to come in.

NOTE THAT NO METAL IS VISIBLE ON MY BOARD OTHER THAN THE SENSOR ITSELF. this gets rid of the risk of shorting my mpc with the tin. if that tin touches anything else metal your mpc will restart and potentially be damaged. hence the exuberance w/ the black tape.

next comes the big step. see my next post on an explanation of what i plan to do.

damn nym, you could be onto something. cant wait to see the final product..

ok. now let me go on to describe what i plan on doing.

first, no matter what, these pads are all gonna be separate (the rubber pad part, at least). there's no way around that without sketchy gluing or sewing. i'm not into anything like that. however, with the sensor part set to 1 piece, it saves a LOT of headache and sore fingers from prying back those fking black clip things.

let's move on...

so when i moved into my apartment i found something in the closet that the landlord stores there - vinyl sheets. i knew this rubbery substance would come in handy so i didn't throw it out. it's really thin but durable and easily cut w/ an exacto knife.

so i have that.

2nd - i'm about to order me some graphite sheets. i'm gonna get several so i have backup in case i mess this up. i'm gonna get one that's a bit thicker than what we got in our 1ks when we bought em.

here's what i plan on doing - i will create a grid of vinyl which will go over the sensor sheet that i posted above. this grid will have squares cut out so you can see the sensors when you put the grid on. the squares will be cut so they're just a couple millimeters bigger than the sensor itself. this vinyl is adhesive on one side, which is very convenient for this.

next - i'm gonna cut 16 graphite rectangles which are each roughly the size of our grey pads. each one will set on the vinyl, so it'll be raised up off the sensor. this will be attached NOT by glue, but by firm tape on all sides so it won't move, come loose, etc.

the pad will be placed overtop of this. when the pad is depressed, it will push the graphite down onto the sensor.

this is VERY similar to the original design, but 100% less halfassed. i suspect this is the way the original design works, except my idea has more conventional pieces.

damn homie akai needs to recruit u lol

akai already turned down martha stewart, so i doubt they'll hire me...

this thing is gonna look fairly strange by the time i'm done with it, but it'll work flawlessly.

that vinyl idea sounds perfect.

let us know how you get along with that.

have you ever looked inside one of the other mpcs with the regular size pads to see how they do it?

perhaps someone would be kind enough to pop one open and take pics

i know the rubber part is apparently on one sheet, but what about the sensors? and are those little metal swirly things the same size or smaller on another mpc. perhaps a denser configuration would lead to great relability re sensitivity? maybe eventhis could be modified in the future

Nym u crazy money!! Keep us posted!! By the way My DW rotary encoder is still werkin luvly...much thanx for all the info and the step by step specifics......As alwayz peace...Gino

sknk - from what i can tell, the sensors are on one pad too. i've only looked at pictures of 2000xl/4000 pads, and they looked the same as when i took apart my mpd16 trying to mod it into my mpc (didn't work).

the rubber/s all on one sheet, and so are the sensors - but the sensors are not shown. instead, it's what looks like sandwiched graphite in between a sheet of plastic. my assumption is that it's the same deal as what i'm trying to do, just made machine precise. it has to be graphite because the more graphite compresses, the more charge it delivers - which is why you can get velocities between 1 and 127.

crate - i'm glad to hear your encoder's still working well. it makes you feel good to know you can fix the small stuff, doesn't it? gives you the stones to tackle larger projects. there is very litle i'd have to send my mpc into the shop for major repairs. in most cases, i'd rather do it myself.

i'll most definitely let you guys know how this goes, meanwhile me and my tin foil will be bangin along cuz i don't have my graphite yet...

since i'm sitting here waiting for my coffee to cool down before i swayze let me just run down original design flaws and whether or not this takes care of em.

1 - the pads break because the glued graphite comes loose.

my solution will take care of this because the graphite won't be glued, it'll rather be "locked" into place with tape. adherance isn't really what's keeping it there, it's the fact that the tape is adhering to the sensor bank all around the graphite, keeping it where it is.

2 - the graphite breaks after much use.

my solution will be using a thicker graphite and a bigger rectangle of it. also, it will be supported on all sides, rather than just in 4 corners by a dot of what looked like hot glue gun glue.

3 - all pads are separate, making it a pain to mess with

my solution still has separate rubber pieces, but the pad bank itself is 1 piece that includes the sensors, circuit board, and metal frame.

4 - extended tinkering will cause the black clips to distort and hold your pads at weird angles and not function as well

the black clips and the metal bits that go under the sensors are safely OUT of the mpc, where they don't belong. however, this causes a bit of a problem because the pads are now freefloating (the rubber parts). but with the extra layers of tape, vinyl, etc that i put in my mpc, once you screw on the case, the pads are pretty well locked into their position.

a lil idea for the pads instead of sewing like u said why not take a hot glue gun and carefully with a small amount of glue, lay them down glue one long edge the fit the next to it and so on untill u have 1 rubber sheet of pads. u seen pretty patient and time a patience is all that would take to get it perfict

that could definitely work. it'll be a bit fragile and would take some patience like you said but i've got plenty of that (thanks zoloft, you blue whore).

if this goes well, would anyone else be interested in doing it? i'd give you the names of all the materials and places where you could get em...i mean i know i haven't finished the one i'm workin on yet but it already looks to be a better solution. i'm kind of shocked it hasn't been done already.

gonna call vst in a bit to talk to nick about it.

Dr. Nym. could you please show us the surgery on you tube?


dude this is spectacular. you will be a very weathy man with this design. get a patent for it!

no patent, this is for the good of The Project
which is, of course, to make sure that every single person who uses the 1k seriously has it both fixed to work and loaded with the jj os.

i'd mentioned wanting to make a "performance pad" kit in the past. now's the goddamn time.