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The Perfect BeatArticle from Sound On Sound, October 1988 |
Is this the ideal way to programme rhythm patterns into your drum machine? Paul Ireson gives Roland's updated drum-to-MIDI convertor a good bashing!
Paul Ireson gives Roland's updated drum-to-MIDI convertor a good bashing!
Based on Roland's original Octapad, the PAD80 Octapad II is more than a simple triggering device - it has some interesting performance features that should prove a great boon to drummers looking to extend the playing possibilities offered by a couple of wooden sticks, and to drum machine users in search of a better programming method.
Aesthetically the PAD80 is a killer: its sleek silver casing housing eight black plastic trigger pads, a green LCD above a large LED patch number display (easily read from a distance), and several rubber pushbuttons for patch/parameter selection and editing functions. If you happened to leave it lying around on the Starship Enterprise, nobody would give it a second glance. But if Mr Scott were to get his hands on it, there's one modification I suspect he'd make without delay - swapping the external AC adaptor for an internal power supply. This isn't just a matter of convenience (though that in itself is reason enough to expect internal transformers on more products), with the PAD80 it seems more of a necessity. By its very nature, this unit is going to be hit hard and often, and the consequent vibrations are sure to shake loose the 9V power supply plug from time to time. According to Murphy's Law, 'from time to time' invariably means in the middle of a gig or session - I sense that the PAD80's rear panel is destined to be obscured by gaffer tape.
Besides the adaptor socket, the back panel incorporates MIDI In, Out and Thru sockets, a memory card slot on one side, four footswitch and six external pad input sockets, an edit on/off switch, and an LCD contrast control.
Each of the eight dynamic pads transmits Note-On/Off commands and Velocity data on any chosen MIDI channel when struck, though the PAD80's facilities make it a more comprehensive MIDI controller than is necessary for simply triggering drum sounds. Up to three MIDI Note Numbers may be allocated to a pad, the three notes being layered (to produce a chord) or velocity-switched (of which more later). Other MIDI controller data, such as Pitch Bend and Modulation, may be generated by an optional volume pedal.
Editing the channels and note numbers assigned to each pad allows you to set up whatever 'kit' you like, using whatever drum machines/samplers you have available to control. Further parameters available in Pad Edit mode enable the playing characteristics of each pad to be altered to suit your own playing style, and enhance the playability of non-drum sounds controlled from the pads. The former feature is particularly useful if you wish to correct for the varying response of different MIDI modules to velocity information.
Roland refer to a particular arrangement of all eight pads as a 'patch', and 64 such patches may be stored in the internal non-volatile memory, a further 64 on a memory card (not supplied). In Play mode, patches may be selected either via the Bank/Number incremental buttons on the front panel, or by pressing the optional up/down footswitches plugged into the rear. Up to 32 patches (from the internal or card memory) may be arranged in each of eight 'patch chains', and in Patch Chain mode the Number buttons or up/down footswitches are used to step forwards or backwards through the selected chain.
With its comprehensive control facilities, the PAD80 Octapad II offers more than is necessary to make it merely an excellent MIDI drum controller. It positively encourages you to experiment, and this together with its eminent suitability as a device for livening up your drum programming should make it popular with adventurous drummers and drum machine users alike. As for drummers, a device like the PAD80 gives them a chance for revenge after all these years of keyboard players trespassing on what used to be their territory. It looks like the PAD80 is going to take a lot of beating.
Price £540 inc VAT.
Contact Roland (UK) Ltd, (Contact Details).
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Review by Paul Ireson
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