Re: Playing Beatpads (mpd, mpc etc.) [ Gmail <k3zz21@gmail.com> ]

[Dan Ash <daniel.ash@verizon.net>]

The hippest beats I've heard produced with fingers was using a piano keyboard and a drum mapping developed by the folks at Sonic Reality called 'iMap'.  The key to the approach is that it places multiple bass drums and snares under keys next to each other, and maps the toms and cymbals, etc together in a very logical way.

I'm a terrible drummer, and can't say that this mapping helps that situation, but their drum sample collections are all available with the iMap layout. I downloaded one that was compatible with one of my software players, and after an afternoon I could see that there was some potential there.  Presumably with enough patience you could work up a similar mapping for a pad-based controller. Food for thought...

Here's Dave Kerzner's explanation and one of several demos.  

mapping: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doj5xlA_Kas

demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXI-iC84VhM

There a number of other instructional demos of the iMap layout on youtube.  Search on 'drums' and 'imap'.  

The link on the Sonic Reality site with an actual image of the iMap layout appears to be broken, but I will forward the image on request.  I have also a very basic lesson in drum tablature.

Dan Ash,

White Plains, NY