Yamaha FGDP-50 Finger Drums

monquixote

https://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/musical_instruments/drums/finger-drum-pads/fgdp-50/index.html

https://djmag.com/sites/default/files/styles/djm_23_1005x565/public/2023-09/yahmaha-finger-drum-pad-new-series-FGDP-30-50.jpg

I just bought one of these and it's absolutely brilliant.

It's not trying to be anything else just a really fun instrument optimised for playing finger drums. Built in battery and speaker makes it super easy to get going with.

The sounds are in line with a basic Yamaha E Kit, but plug it into EZ Drummer and it goes to the next level (and all Auto maps properly)

Given the price (and there is an even cheaper one with no screen) it would even be justified as a really good quality MIDI drum controller.

blobb

Reminds me of this. I got quite good at finger drumming on one.

monquixote

blobb said:

Reminds me of this. I got quite good at finger drumming on one.

Yeah I can see the inspiration especially the lower end model

https://static.bax-shop.es/image/product/1167687/4600313/881dc201/1694010900FDGP30_a_0001.jpg

fretmeister

blobb said:

Reminds me of this. I got quite good at finger drumming on one.

I have one of those!

It was a godsend for my early demos - with a Yamaha MT50 cassette tape 4 track!

dindude

Looks ace. I like the idea of the simple no-screen version. So, have I read it right, can be used with own internal sounds, as a midi controller to trigger sounds in say your DAW, can you also use it as a sound module to sequenced tracks or would you have to record them as a live track? 

allen

Yes, I saw this. Does look like fun.

Every time I had one of these types of things (in the 80s/90s) I could never get it to sound decent.

So I'm a bit suspicious that the excellent demos are based on the guy playing it having amazing skills.

Not as expensive as I would have thought. With a bit of luck they will go down to about half the price 2nd hand in a year or 2 and I can get one for a dabble.

monquixote

allen said:

Yes, I saw this. Does look like fun.

Every time I had one of these types of things (in the 80s/90s) I could never get it to sound decent.

So I'm a bit suspicious that the excellent demos are based on the guy playing it having amazing skills.

Not as expensive as I would have thought. With a bit of luck they will go down to about half the price 2nd hand in a year or 2 and I can get one for a dabble.

I've found it very easy to play.

Obviously the guy on the video is excellent

monquixote

dindude said:

Looks ace. I like the idea of the simple no-screen version. So, have I read it right, can be used with own internal sounds, as a midi controller to trigger sounds in say your DAW, can you also use it as a sound module to sequenced tracks or would you have to record them as a live track? 

I'm not sure if you can use it as a sound module but it doesn't sound as good as EZ Drummer or BFD so I wouldn't bother.

It is pretty decent sounding though.

guitarmangler

That looks great. I used to use my electric kit to program drums, but that's long gone. I dislike programming drums on screen and via a keyboard. Might see if I can get one of the cheaper ones.

monquixote

guitarmangler said:

That looks great. I used to use my electric kit to program drums, but that's long gone. I dislike programming drums on screen and via a keyboard. Might see if I can get one of the cheaper ones.

The cheap one is a bargain 

It's about the same price as a Launchpad X which is just a MIDI controller and isn't as good for finger drumming.

mrkb

Can you use it to loop the midi drum track you’ve input and build up/tap in additional hits? Or is it for live only real-time playing?

personalnadir

mrkb said:

Can you use it to loop the midi drum track you’ve input and build up/tap in additional hits? Or is it for live only real-time playing?

The 50 can record your playing to WAV (on a connected USB device). Sadly it doesn't seem to have an overdub facility and it seems primarily intended for creating one shot samples. 

https://manual.yamaha.com/mi/de/fgdp50/en/fgdp50_en_008.html

 

You can attach a looper and route audio through that. You might be able to do the same using an external Midi looper, but it seems like a bit of a loss