Midi Fighter 64 versus Launchpad?
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  1. #1
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    Default Midi Fighter 64 versus Launchpad?

    I'm thinking about buying a finger drumming midi controller soon. Had a lot of fun using with my older Korg Nanopad but after watching a lot of Shawn wasabi and others videos, its time to upgrade?

    Are Launchpad Pro and Midi Fighter 64 pretty evenly matched? Is there really that much of a difference between them? How can I best choose which one to buy?

    Anyone own both and can do a comparison review?

  2. #2
    Tech Guru the_bastet's Avatar
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    I have played on both and heavily prefer the midi fighter. To me, it really had to do with comfort. I have huge hands, and the launchpads buttons are small and super close together, whereas the midi fighter buttons have clear spacing and a larger thumbprint.

    All in all, though, it comes down to personal preference. PLay with both before making a decision.
    - Equipment - 2X Technics 1200, 2X Audio Technica ATLP1240, 2X XDJ700, 2X XDJ1000 MK2, Denon DNX-1100, Mixars DUO, DJM750 MK2, NI Audio 10, NI Aduio 4, Serato SL3, 4X Shure M44-7, 2X Ortofon Pro S, 2X Numark Groove Tool, Maschine MK3, Samson Carbon 49, Roland SE-02, Novation Launchcontrol, TouchOSC, Nocation Peak, Arturia MiniBrute, Korg Volca Kick, MicroKorg (Classic), NI Komplete Audio 6

  3. #3
    Tech Wizard Chuckles2123's Avatar
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    Both the Pro and the 64 would be a pretty nice upgrade over your Nanopad but I think the Midi Fighter has the edge.

    Laying down a beat with it is super easy and it's buttons are quite more playable, specially for super tight rolls and anything that involves fast paced drumming. While the Pro does offer velocity sensitive pads most drummers out there tend to play at a fixed full velocity for volume consistency for vocals and melodic elements, plus it's super easy to recreate dynamics with a LFO or velocity plugin. Another difference is that their buttons have some travel distance and it's quite easier on your fingers when you are doing longer practice sessions and playing out.

    Build-wise the 64 is a lot more durable too so it's quite likely that you'll be still using it for a few years and it will perform as good as the first day.

    If you plan on making videos and animations on these both share the same color layout so projects should be cross-compatible. RGB based launchpads have 3 levels of brightness available on a handful of colors and the 64 goes beyond that via separate MIDI messages that allow you to unlock 16 levels on any of it's colors, plus it also has some cool baked in animations you can use.

    While it seems like the 64 only has a single layer to play with there's a secondary bank you can invoke by holding down the top right button (you can use a riser or transition sound to make smooth changes between packs) and, if you use Ableton, DJTT is working on a super cool script that allows you to easily launch any other track in your project among other neat features.

    Don't get me wrong, the Pro is a great device but in my experience the 64 is simply better if you are serious about finger drumming and want to buy something to use for a long time rather than following the 2-3 year upgrade cycle most manufacturers want you to follow. All in all it's a better long term investment.

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