Pads on the 4k - Come on their bloodu awful

Cant find a happy medium setting to play velocities with any accuracy at all. What pads would you guys recommend? I need ones that help me play velocities accurately, they dont have to be marshmallow soft. And whatts he deal with if you hui the side of the pad the velocity is lower, (as you do a lot in the heat of the moment when programming lots of drums. I honestly get a vetter result from playing off my synth keys. Defetas the purpose

I've never had an issue like that with my 4k pads, is your sensor sheet clean?

I thought the same thing, they weren't velocity sensitive, I couldn't play drums in time without quantize on (which really made me feel bad about myself), I put pad corks on them twice. Then it turned out the part of the sensor array that plugs into the board was cracked and I replaced them. Now it's like a new machine. I have timing correct off and I can do snare swells from 0-127. If you bought your 4k used, it's the first place I'd start.

I still find my 2kxl has much better velocity response, also feels better, you could always get a mp2k and use to trigger the 4k
I also find my hihat patterns are always funkier when using the xl .. more dynamic, responds better to softer hits.

But are we talking about pad softness or pad sensor velocity response? I only had a 2000xl for a few months, but I thought a 2500 I played in a GC had a better response. I guess my question for Labcoats is, if you rule out if the sensors are worn out, would a softer pad formulation work out better? Is it also possible for you guys with the 2KXLs that the pads are older/more worn in? I didn't take the time to compare the machines side by side, so I'm just curious.

I agree 100% with you labcoats.. I have to REALLY smash the pads in order to get a high/full(127) velocity. And Yeh it forces you to play differently that way I feel too. I've been manually adjusting the hits velocity after its been recorded, but it would be good if I didn't have to do that.
I had an MPC2000xl before this and Im pretty sure the pads were abit easier to play but not perfect either.

I can definately confirm that its not the pad's sensors - why? - because I bought my 4000 brand new a couple years ago (got lucky) and it was like that from the start..
So I'm Thinking about Lampdogs comment on those pads from the MPC2k Se2 version.. hmm does anyone know where they can be bought or any other nice feeling/soft pads?? I b very greatful.

atestarr wrote:But are we talking about pad softness or pad sensor velocity response? I.

Both! I just checked again on the material, even my 2kxl (not se) has very silky feeling pads.
The 4k..... sticky rubber, very different.. Guess I should stick the 2k pads into my 4k, but then I wouldn't use the 2k so much.. and I love that piece as much as the 4k

All legit responses. I just went into pad assign>sens and was able to go watch the pads velocities of go from 18 to 127 without hitting as nearly as hard as I had to before I replaced the pads sensor array. I also noticed when I put in the new sensors that the black piezos were fatter and caused false triggers on the pads that had pad corx (which I then took off). It's possible the replacement sensors I put in might work better than the stock sensors that came with the machine. (shrug) You can set individual pad sensitivity up to 200. Have you guys tried that? Does it help?

Lampdog wrote:I noticed the 2kxlse2 softness when I first bought it compared to a 2kxl I had for only 1 month (I traded it in for the se2).

Interesting, I never heard of this difference between xls, you're just talking about the material yes?

atestarr wrote:It's possible the replacement sensors I put in might work better than the stock sensors

I wouldn't be surprised, mpcstuff had their ones custom fabricated after all.. good to know they might be an improvement over the originals, not taking wear into account.

By the way have any of you bought replacement pads from mpcstuff.. I'm curious if they're as silky as the xl originals/xl se's

Maybe Michael will part out the pads for you if you ask nicely?

http://www.mpcstuff.com/mpc20se2caco.html

Lampdog wrote:Same here as szr. 2kxlse2 pads are way softer and I like them better.
2kxlse2 (red/white) are the softest pads I've felt on any mpc that I've touched.

I still say that the problem comes from variable sensitivity.
The 60, 3k, 2k, 2kxl all have a set sensitivity that you learn and get use to.
The 4k and Numark MPCs all have a variable sensitivity that IMO has no good setting.

It's been the one thing I have hated about every MP since the 4k.

I would rather have a set sensitivity with proper response than the ability to vary it if none of the settings are optimal.

Even with the improvements JJ made in sensitivity control it is still far from optimal.

Wonder how the settings for sensitivity will be on the Ren and Studio?

The pads look similar to the little lpd8 I had (then traded for an S900). I did not like.