Most tactile controller

[Captain Boyfriend]

I'm looking for a MIDI controller that works well with Reason, especially for drums/percussion. I feel like to really have the most fun with Kong, NN-XT, and so on I need something very hands on, where I can twist and turn parameters spontaneously. I'm pretty familiar with programming patches and stuff with my mouse, but I'm trying to avoid the computer as middle man as much as possible these days. Right now my only MIDI controller is an M-Audio 49es so you can see how I'm a bit limited in that regard.

What's out there?

[Oquasec]

I have 4 pads and 2 pianos.
Nanopad,Mpd18,Mpd218 & Padkontrol.
Out of that bunch, Padkontrol & mpd218 were favorites.
Midi-mix is also a favorite for fast patch making.
M-audio 88Es for that piano feel. [No hybrids since I do not like the pads on those]
61 key casio [for when away from computer to play with]

I say do research on everything out there so you find something you can't put down for more than a few minutes.

[kuhliloach]

I love the padKONTROL's pads (by KORG.) They are extremely tactile, react well from the corners, and the XY pad on it is cool too. (I'm also interested in the smallest Maschine maybe one day by Native Instruments as I've heard good things about the feel of the pads. Right now I'm looking into the KORG nanoKEY Studio since I want something ultra portable.)

[Oquasec]

Might get a REN one day as I like how akai pads feel.
Korg is nice too but my fav pad [that are still hooked up to my pc] are the mpd218, then the mpd18 after it.

I know a few who swear by the push, but for me it's not a ren device and if I ever get the dough I'm on the ren 2 train

[Captain Boyfriend]

These look cool. How does mapping Reason parameters to the controller's knobs work? For example, if I use the MPD218 with Kong, would I be able to control the drum patches' macro parameter settings (pitch, decay, bus/aux sends, pan, tone, level)? I've only ever used keyboard MIDI controllers so this is new territory for me.

The MIDImix looks interesting too, do you guys use that for the Main Mixer's faders and EQ sections? The MIDImix only has three knobs per fader/channel, but maybe you can cycle through Reason's channel strip knobs pretty easily (for example, using MIDImix's 3 knobs on the compressor, then switching to the EQ, then bus sends, and so on)?

[Oquasec]

I just alt click everything I want to automate or use the remote mapper in reason.
I just don't fuck with native instruments period so maschine's out the question.

[househoppin09]

The Nektar controllers (Panorama and Impact series) have remarkably good Reason integration, probably unparalleled anywhere else. I'd suggest starting by looking at those. They come in lots of different flavors and sizes, so you should be able to find something that suits your needs quite well. Using the Nektar DAW integration, you can indeed control large swaths of the SSL mixer, most rack devices and REs, etc. with minimal fuss, and you don't have to do much setup work, as Nektar has done it for you.

[Captain Boyfriend]

So it's taken me a while to come back around to this, but I've decided the Nektar P1 and had probably a dumb question. If you can't automate it within Reason, you're probably not able to automate it with a control surface right? Specifically I'm thinking about how there's some parameters you can't record the movements or assign in a Combinator, like the synth drum modules in Kong only being able to control pitch, level, decay, and other despite having other parameters that would be fun to modulate.

[mcatalao]

Generally speaking yes. There are some stuff you can control but not automate, like some patch changing or dovument stuff.

The issue with kong and the synth controls is related to the amount of stuff props put in the device container. rhe problem is these routings are hard cpded, it would be good if you could re route and rename them. This could also benefit from more controls of course.