One of the ubiquitous debates raging in many music production and beat making forums these days is the preference of rhythmic drum sequencing. On one hand, people are using standard MIDI keyboards that are otherwise used for synthesizers and instruments for their drum samples, while the other option that is pushed often is getting dedicated drum hardware like an Akai MPC.

In recent times, some of the companies who have been putting out drum pad units have made available a cheaper range for people that may just be on the fence, and to lure advocates of the opposite side. Manufacturers like Akai have made a lot of changes to their own equipment, with the said company now offering devices like the MPD32 (their flagship input device) and several lower-cost option. The only processing these devices do concerns the velocity levels; the rest is up to the computer or keyboard workstation.

Using a keyboard for the input makes sense for a lot of music producers. Many amateur producers already have somewhat good skills and aptness at the keyboard, making the change a hard decision. Many would rather stick with the keyboard and not shell out more money for extra equipment if it’s going to another new learning curve to get past. One major disadvantage for the keyboard platform is that the sensor beneath the keys is recessed a lot, whereas the sensor on drum pads is right beneath them, so the timing can often be better.

The keyboard method has several drawbacks, the most obvious one being trigger response for drum samples. Pressing a key does not trigger the sample, it’s only once the key is pressed down, and the delay between putting finger to key and key reaching the sensor bed can be devastating to rhythmic anticipation and hitting notes on the fly.

Pad devices are not angelic, though. There are plenty of reported problems with these, and you can find out a lot about a product by visiting the manufacturer’s forum and seeing the kinds of repeated support issues. One major issue is the quality of the pads – a lot are very rubbery and simply do not last more than a few weeks of usage. You’ll need replacement pads if this happens.

Lately, we’ve seen a stream of all in one products hit the market. Keyboards with drum samples above the keys are coming out in force every few months. One of the most popular is the Akai MPK series, which combines velocity-sensitive keys with the MPC-style pads that producers have revered for much more than a decade. The jury is still out on most of these products and their gimmicky nature. A common complaint and concern is that while these devices take care of both inputs required, they do neither of them truly excellently, so it’s many a pro beat maker’s advice to get one great keyboard and one great drum samples input device.

Came here looking for information on how to make beats? I’ve heard that before. Simplest way to start: get a good basic tutorial and some banging hip hop drum samples, then let creativity take over!