Using MPC500 as drum "brain"

Hi,

I've played around with the MPC500 and I like it, but I really hate having to stab away at those little grey pads (they seem even harder/less responsive on the MPC500 than they are on the other MPCs). I also hate the fact that the MPC 500 doesn't let you plug in footswitches (like the MPC 1000 does).

My plan is, if I buy the MPC500, to also buy some kind of external drum pads (such as Alesis Control Pad, Roland SPD-20, or maybe a Handsonic) and also couple of foot triggers (kick + hi hat) which would be plugged into the external drum pads-- then link it to the MPC500 with MIDI.

Questions for you all:
Has anyone actually used such a setup? Will it work? Can I get the foot triggers to function as high-hat and kick triggers? Any suggestions about which MIDI pads or foot triggers to use?

Also... is there any way to get the grey pads swapped out for some that are more responsive? (I know people used to do that for the MPC1000 before they fixed that issue)

thanks,

500 + mpd:
viewtopic.php?f=26&t=106299

You can swap for 1000 pads that are softer, although they wouldn't technically be more responsive since your only replacing the pad on top. But they might "feel" that way?
They may even actually be more responsive via better contact to the same triggers from the softer pad.

Ask the dude who did it:
viewtopic.php?f=26&t=106279&start=30

Have you set the pad velocity to 0? When you turn on the mp they are at a level of 100.

Balian wrote:Have you set the pad velocity to 0? When you turn on the mp they are at a level of 100.

Same can be achieved by just hitting the "Full Level" button instead of going through and having to set each pad at 0

I've had my 500 over a year now with pretty much almost daily use... my pads are very responsive & feel way better now than they did when I got it new. Gotta break them bitches in that's all.

i have an mpc500 and this was my thought when i first got it. i really thought that the pads were too hard and unresponsive.

but after a while, i either got really used to it, or they loosened up. (more likely they loosened up).
they are now a lot softer.

Also just throwing this out there-- there are ways to modify the pad sheet so the sensors trigger from less motion. I did this to my 500, and plan to do something similar to my 1000. (None of the other MPC's have the huge gap between the pad sheet and the sensors.)

Search the 1000 forum for info.