Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Looking for a Pad module

I see that sound modules aren't that popular any more. Or, maybe I'm not looking in the right place. I'd like to have a small box to hang off my NP that will give me some nice pads. Don't wanna lug around my old QS8. Anyone know of such a thing?

Yeah, assuming you are looking for something new rather than used, there's not a lot to choose from these days. I'd say a Waldorf Blofeld would be a nice way to go, though.

Computers have pretty much killed off these. But Just today I see that "IK" is selling their "Sample Tank" that is ported to run on an iPhone, iPad Touch or iPad. This makes it MUCH more like what you are asking for. The entire "sound module" with 1GB of samples and many patches all fits in a $230 shirt pocket size device. this is much better (and cheaper) than even a notebook size computer. This gadget is not unlike a Motif rack mount unit but only it's shirt pocket size and 1/4 the price.

Turns out the iPod has a fairly powerful computer inside. it can run four simultaneous virtual software instruments. So you can do things like splits and layers

I'm kind of glad I did not buy a computer just for use with my DP. The entire concept will be obsolete soon, computers being replaced by smart phones and iPads at much reduced the size and price.

So....I would imagine it's easy to adapt to midi in on these?

Been looking at this again, and it sounds quite promising. IK has a product called iRig that's a midi interface for iPhone, iPad. Theoretically, it should be able to receive midi out from my Nord to trigger sounds in SampleTank...loaded into an iPhone. Can an iPhone "really" handle something like this?

My remaining question is whether there are good usable pads that I can stack behind the piano. Any idea where demos of that kind of stuff is available for Sample Tank?

I have a Yamaha Motif ES Rack for sale w/ original packing, manuals, power supply, Software in excellant condition. It also comes with the PLG-150 piano card with original box and manual.

The synth pads are pretty good!

Legatoboy

I've been speculating for a while now that the average cell phone probably has a more powerful processor and more non-volatile memory than the average DP.

Dying breed. Manufacturers seem to be giving up on them.


I just sold our Korg Wavestation SR (rack mount). With vector synthesis it can easily do slowly evolving pads. Not the biggest sample set in there though. They make a software version of it now IIRC.

I'd bet the iPhone has a more powerful CPU than what is inside your digital piano. Also playing back a large piano sample library is NOT computationally intensive. People somehow think it is. The iPhone/iPad is well suited to this task because all the memory is "flash RAM" rather then the rotating disk in most computers.

Your second question is the interesting one. Do you like IK's sounds? Are they good enough? From what little I've heard they are good enough to be used in a mix but not for solo performance. You are nor going to replace a live guitar player or drummer.

I'm just looking for some texture to go behind the great Nord piano, that can add that new age type etheric mood. No guitar or drums. I don't need any of that when I'm playing a "real" grand, but, as fantastic as the NP is, I still want a little extra color to make the tone personal and more expansive...in a moody sort of way.

I don't think it will take some super synth to do it. As mentioned, I have very usable pad type layers from my old QS8. I simply removed the piano sounds from a preset and left the pads. They don't overpower or stand above the piano, just support it, and enhance. I would think, based on the promo, Sample Tank should be able to provide such patches, but I haven't heard a demo of it yet...still looking for something.

I see there's the options that other mentioned: wavestation, Motif...but that's probably more than I want to spend on just some pad sounds.

If you are looking to spend a couple hundred, you may have to go used. Not a bad thing... you can a great deal on some modules that cost a couple grand a few years ago.

Vintage Synth Explorer is a great place to research (sound samples and price guide), then look on e-bay or your local music store for used gear once you decide what you want.

If you like your QS8, maybe look for a used QSR on eBay...? They're compact, inexpensive, and you know you like the sound...