A drum set you can carry under your arm!

The Control Pad features 8 velocity sensitive pads with gum rubber surfaces for excellent stick response as well as two trigger inputs for connecting external pads such as the Alesis Drum Pad and Cymbal Pad expansion kits. Further, there are two switch pedal inputs to accommodate open and closed hi-hat as well as kick drum. Percussion setups are stored to internal memory and are accessible via MIDI program change commands. In addition to being USB bus-powered (eliminating the need for an external power supply while connected to a computer), the Control Pad includes an AC adapter for use without a computer.

The Control Pad is a compact drum/percussion system that functions equally well as a recording tool and as an on-stage electronic "trap table." It is a must have item for serious recording musicians and a valuable tool for percussionists seeking to lighten the load in terms of the number of accessory instruments they carry.

Comes with BFD Lite drum module
The Control Pad is bundled with FXPansion's BFD Lite, a professional drum module with high-quality acoustic and electronic drum kit libraries.

Applications
The Alesis Control Pad is limited only by the sound sources connected to it. As a MIDI controller, it can trigger samplers (sampled sounds and sampled sound effects), drum machines, and synthesizers. Melodic percussion (mallet instruments such as vibes and marimba) can be played by assigning the desired MIDI note numbers to the controller's various pads. The Alesis Control Pad is perfect for the following applications: • Programming of drum and percussion parts with a MIDI sequencer • Studio recording • Live performance-primarily as an expander instrument for shakers, congas, bongos, etc.

Alesis Control Pad USB MIDI Percussion Pad Controller Features:

• USB/MIDI drum controller for studio or live use
• 8 high-quality velocity-sensitive percussion pads
• 2 trigger inputs for connecting external pads (compatible with the Alesis Drum Pad and Cymbal Pad expansion kits)
• 2 switch pedal inputs
• Up/down footswitch input
• USB plug-and-play connectivity (no drivers necessary)
• USB bus-powered (no power supply necessary when connected to a computer)
• Includes FXPansion's BFD Lite professional drum module with high-quality acoustic and electronic drum kit libraries
• PC and Mac compatible
• MIDI I/O
• Pad sensitivity adjustment
• Stores MIDI setups with program change capability
• Power adapter included for use without a computer

Carry your drum set under your arm, with MIDI programming capabilities inside. Order today.

Alesis Control Pad USB MIDI Percussion Pad Controller

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Average of 7 User Ratings

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Customer Reviews

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Quality Control problems

Posted by Jakerock from New York on Oct 15, 2008

Experience w/product: I have heard about it

Reviewer's Background: Drummer, Recording Engineer

Reviewer's Play Style: All

Bought this thing three days ago... Realized that there are no internal provisions for "choke groups" or pad switches for highhats.(switching between open and closed samples with a footpedal) Pretty ridiculous, when you bother putting a hi hat pedal input in your device.

Other than that it was great. Easy to assign pads to midi notes, adjust sensitivity, easy for me to adapt my playing to the response of the pads and get good dynamics...

Then out of nowhere one of the pads starts sending absolutely random glitchy MIDI garbage notes and unit would reset the KIT configuration, forcing me to reprogram the midi out notes for all 8 pads again... and setting ALL of the pads sensitivity rediculously low didnt make any difference... The thing just was sending rubbish notes on random MIDI channels.

Its the only device of its kind in the price range, and it was almost perfect...

But, in the end it was still an Alesis product, and therefore has problems.

The next step up / other brand would be a roland pad... which has built in sounds that I dont need and costs a lot more. I wish that roland made something like this at the same price point.

Oh well...

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Drums for the apartment dweller

Posted by Alex Lite from Dallas, TX on May 9, 2008

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Amateur Prog Wannabe

Reviewer's Play Style: Rock, Prog, Metal

I bought this thing to hook up to my BOSS Dr. Rhythm 670 and it was a snap to set up. I set the drum machine to MIDI, and the only thing I had to change was adding a snare and a tom to two of the pads that didn't come configured. The next two hours were pure fun bangin' away. This gizmo is great for people who want more accents added to their recordings without the huge footprint of a drum kit. No regrets at all.

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Don't bother

Posted by proclaimation from Nevada on Mar 14, 2008

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Hobbyist

Reviewer's Play Style: various

It's OK as a trigger device but the pads are really hard when they should have some sort of bounce and the BDF lite isn't that great. I got a better sound using m-audio SESSIONS. maybe if you use battery, it would produced better sounds. one of the pads is defective but I don't know if a replacement is worth it. maybe if I can get a replacement, it might work out. But I would save your money.

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Good for the price

Posted by PetSMiLEs from Los Angeles on Jan 10, 2008

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Hobbyist

Reviewer's Play Style: Pop, rock

I was up and playing within 10 minutes. I don't own any triggers, so I don't know how well that works. I was pleased with BFD Lite and how easily I was able to load it onto my Cubase. I can also use the pads to play the percussion from my Garritan Orchestra. Definitely bang for your buck. Probably not recommended for performance though.

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Good unit,but....

Posted by coyote from NY on Dec 3, 2007

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Active musician

Reviewer's Play Style: N/A

In general I like the ControlPad. I hooked it up as an extension to my SPD-S. I set one device at max velocity and the other at always short of max, and it allows me to be more versatile with velocity-switching. GREAT purchase at the $200 price.

But... I'm also trying to use the ControlPad with a Redsound Darkstar XP2. Unfortunately, the ControlPad does not trigger the envelopes properly. This is unfortunate, since the XP2 is well-suited to making all the old Syndrum and Simmons type sounds.... I'm hoping Alesis tech support will come through with a solution to the problem.

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