I am finally spending some time learning to use the Akai MPD26 pad controller I got a couple of years ago. The device can do a lot, and I’m using it with the very complicated Ableton Live 9 DAW software. So there’s a huge learning curve.
My interest is simply using it to activate one-shot or looped audio clips, but as I learn more I get additional ideas for ways to use it for noise “music”.
Generally I like using actual hardware instruments rather than computer samples, but I can see where this could get very addictive. With the computer and a controller, the possibilies are really endless. I could even use my hardware instruments to record samples into the computer for use with the pad controller. So yeah — endless possibilites to may totally non-danceable sounds to offend the sensibilities of normals.
Here’s the first experiment — one clip on one drum pad, with some effects assigned to a couple of faders and knobs.