Thoughts on 4x5 arcade button grid?
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  1. #1
    Tech Convert
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    Default Thoughts on 4x5 arcade button grid?

    Hey everybody, just wanted to get some opinions. The 4x4 arcade button grid is obviously popular; fits under the hand pretty well. But how well do you think a 4x5 grid would work for a midi controller? Pros and cons? 4 rows-5 columns vs 5 rows-4 columns? Im working on a diy controller and just want to hear what everyone thinks about this!

  2. #2
    Tech Guru synthet1c's Avatar
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    4x4 makes the most sense as dance music is made in multiples of 4 beats it's also easier to count a pattern of four by sight alone. aside from that your pinky* is pretty much useless at finger drumming without the proper ninja training.

    *don't know if that's an aussie slang term.. it means little finger if it is.
    Why did the elephant get lost... Cause the Jungle is MASSIVE!

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    Tech Guru botstein's Avatar
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    4x4 is where it's at.

    Taller would be better than wider if you do have five in some dimension.

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    Tech Guru VanGogo's Avatar
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    Like the Midi fighter 3D, you could add another row for bank selection, or just having the extra row would be nice for extra controls. Like having a 4x4 remix deck grid with 4 instant Fx at the top. Many other uses could be found I'm sure, but the basic 4x4 grid is used because drum machines generally use 16 pads, drum grids in software use a 4x4 grid, cue points and sample players are usually 4 or 8, etc.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by VanGogo View Post
    Like the Midi fighter 3D, you could add another row for bank selection, or just having the extra row would be nice for extra controls. Like having a 4x4 remix deck grid with 4 instant Fx at the top. Many other uses could be found I'm sure, but the basic 4x4 grid is used because drum machines generally use 16 pads, drum grids in software use a 4x4 grid, cue points and sample players are usually 4 or 8, etc.
    Yeah that's what I was thinking. I have a 4x4 arcade button grid with a row of rectangle buttons along the left to serve as banks. But I noticed I still have some buttons left over since I had to order in quantities of 10 and I am trying to think of a use for them haha. I might just stay with the 4x4 and banks but the 4x5 with effects on top sounds interesting

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