5 Best Midi Controller for Finger Drumming in 2021

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So you want to get into finger drumming and you have no idea which midi controller to get?

Well same situation I was in a few months ago

I was a huge fan of finger drumming and as a home studio music producer, I decided to look around for good quality midi controllers or drum machines to use.

While searching around it was a case of trial and error for me

Most of the pads I got were either pure garbage or did not give me the exactly quality I wanted

Finger drumming is a skill that requires you get the best gear to use or you simply end up wasting time and producing rubbish

So after much searching on the internet, I decided to write this article which shows you my 5 best midi controllers for finger drumming, where you can easily get them at the cheapest prices and things you need to be aware off before making a purchase

Related: Check out this article I wrote showing you the 5 best midi controllers for film scoring

Our Winner After Careful Research

5 Best Midi Controllers for finger Drumming

1. Maschine Mikro MK3 Drum Controller

This is without a doubt the most popular and widely recognized drum machine you can get for finger drumming

It is a compact music product instrument that  integrates very powerful softwares with tactile, responsive hardware 

This allows you to get the best drum sounds and patterns you can think off all in one machine

It has 16 pads which gives you 4 different ways to input sound – the drum in pad mode, play melodies in keyboard mode, create chords in chord progression mode and program in a classic step sequencer style in style mode

With these functions you can easily setup and start creating music out of the box without any complex issues

One good thing about this machine is that you can use it on its own, as a VST, audio unit or AAX plugin which is compatible with all the major DAWs.

It comes included with a 1.6gb library of sounds and beat loops, sample instruments, presets, drum kits and songs that you can easily start using and not bother about getting extra sounds

It is powered via USB and does not require any complex power issues.

It has a simple and compact screen that guides and shows you what you are doing so you get instant feedback when working

This is one drum machine that has wide positive reviews and support from users all over the world and is an ideal choice for finger drumming.

2. PreSonus Atom Pad Controller

The next midi controller I used and was very impressed with is the PreSonus Atom Pad Controller

This is one machine that allows you capture the beat whenever and wherever creativity strikes without any complex setup

It is an intuitive, musical MIDI pad controller with 16 dynamic, ultra sensitive pads that give you all the freedom and creativity you

If you are someone creating a beat, or laying down a synth or bass line, or triggering sound effects and loops on the fly, then this particular controller is for you

It has 16 full size velocity and pressure sensitive RGB led pads that make your beat making the job very easy.

It has unique and subtle pressure that is switchable between polyphonic MIDI aftertouch, monophonic channel pressure and cc messages

It has 8 assignable pads for easy storage and selection of sounds

It includes MVP loops content that are custom curated specially for this controller and it is compatible with the major DAWs and music production softwares out there.

It can be easily plugged in USB connectivity making this controller an ideal choice for finger drumming and beat making.

Related: Check out this article I wrote showing you the top 5 recommended midi controllers for cakewalk

3. Akai Professional MPC Touch

This particular midi controller for finger drumming is an absolute game changer

It combines the might of a pro level piece of production gear truly fit to to carry the MPC shield with the tactile ease of use found with tablets and smartphones, this controller is the ideal workflow for music producers

It has 16 velocity sensitive thick, fat MPC pads with backlighting that ensures you get awesome beats when used.

It also comes with a 2in/2 out audio interface that allows you to hook up this product to your workstation and start recording easily

It has a unique step sequencer with touch interface that allows you to lay down your songs and beats without issues

It comes with a unique phrase looper that allows you connect any instrument so you can create loops

Its pad mixer allows you to tweak the settings levels, stereo panning and alson for adding VST effects to your productions

It has sample edit control for easy trimming,  chopping and processing of your samples

Also it has a data encoder knob that allows you to push and twist control of display parameters so you get the exact sound you want.

This is one midi controller that gives you complete control of how your production sounds from start to finish.

4. Alesis SamplePad Pro

This is one midi controller that is ready to use straight out of the box as it has over 200 built in sounds.

It has eight velocity sensitive pads that become highlighted in blue when in use with the option to add more as you require.

It also has inputs for foot pedals so you can easily control your bass and hit hat sounds easily

It also has multiple outputs including a headphone socket and plugs into your PC or workstation via USB

It is very compatible with both Mac and PC operating systems

If you are looking for something simple and less expensive to start finger drumming, then this is the ideal choice for you.

5. QuNeo 3D Midi Controller

Finally on this list is the QuNeo 3D Midi Controller

This is an extremely sensitive midi controller that is ideal for finger drumming

It has sixteen pads and nine touch-sensitive faders. 

Each of these react according to exactly where they’re touched (they even have different functions for each of the corners). 

When the pads and faders are in use, they light up in reds and greens. This makes the QuNeo a very visual tool that’s easy to see in darkened rooms.

With it’s small size, it is very portable and can be taken on the road easily

This will be well suited to electronic musicians or DJs who need to travel light but don’t want to sacrifice features or quality in doing so.

It will be less suited to musicians who might need audio outputs or who want to use the controller with Midi synths or similar. 

Although it’s possible to connect this to Midi synths, doing so requires additional hardware that’s sold separately.

Related: Here is an article I wrote showing you the 5 best midi controllers for dub