Alesis ControlPad User manual

REFERENCE MANUAL
(ENGLISH) ::::: 1 – 32
MANUAL DE REFERENCIA
(ESPAÑOL) ::::: 37 – 68
GUIDE D’UTILISATION
(FRANÇAIS) ::::: 73 – 104
BEDIENUNGSANLEITUNG
(DEUTSCH) ::::: 109 – 140
MANUALE DI RIFERIMENTO
(ITALIANO) ::::: 145 – 176
WWW.ALESIS.COM

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 3
REGISTRATION....................................................................................... 3
TOP PANEL OVERVIEW......................................................................... 4
REAR PANEL OVERVIEW...................................................................... 5
HOOKUP DIAGRAM................................................................................ 6
COMPUTER INSTALLATION.................................................................. 7
GETTING STARTED – USING KITS....................................................... 8
PROGRAM CHANGE MESSAGES......................................................... 9
EDITING KITS ........................................................................................ 10
PAD MIDI CHANNEL ......................................................................... 10
PAD NOTE NUMBER ........................................................................ 11
SETTING GLOBAL PARAMETERS...................................................... 12
SENSITIVITY ..................................................................................... 13
VELOCITY CURVE............................................................................ 14
THRESHOLD ..................................................................................... 15
SENDING GLOBAL MESSAGES.......................................................... 16
ALL NOTES OFF ............................................................................... 16
RETURN TO DEFAULT VALUE ........................................................ 16
FACTORY RESET ............................................................................. 16
MIDI SYSEX TRANSFER ...................................................................... 17
USING THE CONTROLPAD WITH BFD LITE ...................................... 18
DEFAULT SETTINGS FOR THE CONTROLPAD............................. 19
ADJUSTING KIT PERFORMANCE ................................................... 21
CUSTOMIZING YOUR KIT ................................................................ 22
OTHER APPLICATIONS OF THE CONTROLPAD .............................. 23
FACTORY PRESET MAPPINGS........................................................... 24
TROUBLESHOOTING ........................................................................... 29
KEY FEATURES.................................................................................... 31
COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS............................................................. 31
MIDI IMPLEMENTATION CHART ......................................................... 32

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INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase of the Alesis ControlPad USB/MIDI
Percussion Controller! Combining a lightweight, portable design with the
functionality of a full-size electronic drum kit, the ControlPad is a
definitive solution to rhythm performance and programming. Here at
Alesis, we take pride in building electronic instruments and controllers for
the modern musician. We believe that the ControlPad is an intuitive and
necessary tool for today’s electronic musician. You no longer have to
worry about feeling disembodied from your music experience. The
ControlPad offers an ideal approach to controlling and sequencing
rhythm content. We hope that you enjoy this product!
Sincerely,
The People of Alesis
REGISTRATION
Please go to http://www.alesis.com to register your new ControlPad.
Registration helps you by ensuring that we can keep you informed on up-
to-the minute product news. Registering your product also ensures that
you can get the latest updates and software available for your product. If
you would like, Alesis can also send you information on other products
that might interest you.
Your feedback helps us, too. When you let us know the types of music
products you use and dream about, you help us bring you cutting-edge
products like the ControlPad.

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TOP PANEL OVERVIEW
8 PLAYING PADS
These are the eight playable velocity sensitive pads.
FUNCTION BUTTON
This button is used to select different operations.
T/ SBUTTONS
These two buttons are used to cycle through presets, as well as increase and
decrease values when a parameter is selected.
LED SCREEN
The LED screen displays information about the state of the ControlPad including
kit number and function parameters. The screen also features a small “Activity”
LED which will light up each time that a pad, trigger, or pedal is engaged.
FUNCTION LEDs
Each function in Edit Mode is paired with a corresponding LED on the panel.
When in Edit Mode, these LEDs will reflect which function is currently being
edited.

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REAR PANEL OVERVIEW
2 EXTERNAL TRIGGER INPUTS
These two ¼” inputs can be used for connecting external triggers, pads, and pedals.
Alesis offers a pad expansion kit, as well as a cymbal expansion kit sold separately.
2 SINGLE FOOTSWITCH INPUTS
These two ¼” inputs are used for connecting external footswitches to function as a
high hat pedal or bass drum pedal.
DUAL FOOTSWITCH INPUT
This is a ¼” TRS input which can be used with a dual pedal footswitch for
selecting kits and incrementing or decrementing values on the ControlPad.
USB PORT
The USB port is used to transmit MIDI data between the ControlPad and a
computer. If you are using the USB port, there will be no need for the power
adapter to be plugged in – the ControlPad will be powered through the USB bus.
MIDI IN PORT
Use a five-pin MIDI cable to connect the OUTPUT of another ControlPad to this
MIDI IN port. The ControlPad will function as a MIDI interface and send the
incoming MIDI data through the USB port. This input will show up on your
computer as “USB Audio Device [2]” or “USB Audio Device [2] [Emulated]”.
MIDI OUT PORT
Use a five-pin MIDI cable to connect the OUTPUT of the ControlPad to the
MIDI IN port of an external device, such as a drum machine, synthesizer or sound
module.
POWER ADAPTER INPUT
If you do not wish to power the unit through the USB port, please use the DC
power adapter included in the box.
POWER SWITCH BUTTON
This button is used to power the ControlPad on and off.

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HOOKUP DIAGRAM
COMPUTER MIDI CONTROL DEVICE
EXTERNAL DEVICE
6V POWER
ADAPTER
TRIGGERS
(optional)
FOOTSWITCHES DUAL
FOOTSWITCH
MOUNTING OPTIONS:
•Tabletop – put the ControlPad on a flat table top with enough space.
•Snare stand – lay the ControlPad securely on a snare stand.
•Tom or cymbal stand – mounting brackets (sold separately) are available for
mounting the ControlPad onto a tom or cymbal stand.
1. Before turning on the ControlPad, connect any additional triggers, footswitches,
MIDI control or other external devices.
If you would like to use the ControlPad with a computer, connect a USB cord
from the ControlPad to the computer’s USB port.
2. Connect a power source to the ControlPad. You have two options for powering
the ControlPad:
a. Connect the ControlPad to a computer’s USB port – the computer’s
USB bus will provide power.
b. Connect an optional 6v DC power adapter to the ControlPad.
3. Use the power switch on the rear panel of the ControlPad to turn it on.

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COMPUTER INSTALLATION
The ControlPad is a Plug-and-Play device so there is no driver or special software
installation required. When the ControlPad is connected to a computer, it will
automatically be recognized as an available USB device.
How to connect and use the ControlPad with a software application:
1. Connect a USB cord from the USB port of the ControlPad to the USB port of your computer.
When the ControlPad is connected to a computer using a USB cord, the computer’s USB bus will
provide power to the unit. If you would like to use an alternate power source, plug in a 6v DC
power adapter.
2. Press the power switch on the back panel of the ControlPad. The display on the top panel will
turn on to let you know that the ControlPad is on.
!
Tip
It is a good idea to connect and turn on the ControlPad before starting any software applications
with which you intend to use the ControlPad. Otherwise the ControlPad might not function
properly – or at all.
3. Open up your software application.
4. Next, select the ControlPad as a MIDI input device. Usually, this is done in the
Preferences settings of the software application.
If you are using Windows XP, you will notice that the ControlPad may appear as ‘USB Audio
Device’ or ‘USB Audio Device (Emulated)’ and the MIDI IN port of the ControlPad will
appear as ‘USB Audio Device [2]’ or ‘USB Audio Device [2] (Emulated)’. Please make sure
that both of these MIDI inputs are enabled and active.
(Cubase LE example shown on left. You may
access the MIDI inputs by going to Devices |
Device Setup and clicking on All MIDI
Inputs.)
5. Now the ControlPad should be ready to use with the software application.
!
A Note About Audio Latency
Latency describes the time that it takes for your soundcard to respond to a command. In other
words, this is the time that it takes for your computer to process incoming data (for example,
MIDI Note events) and output a sound. The lower your latency is, the faster your computer will
respond to commands and output sound.
Please make sure that your soundcard’s latency (or buffer) is set to a low number so when you hit
the pads on the ControlPad, your computer will output the sound promptly. Latency and
buffering is usually adjusted in your software’s Preferences settings. In general, if latency is
higher than about 15-20ms, you will start to notice a significant delay between the time that you
hit the pads and the time that the sound comes out of your computer.
If you still experience too much latency or “lag” with your internal soundcard audio drivers, you
might want to download one of the free and widely available ASIO (Audio Stream Input/Output)
drivers from the Internet. In general, ASIO drivers perform better and with lower latency since
they create a more efficient communication between audio devices and software. You may
download and install the free ASIO4ALL driver (PC) by visiting www.asio4all.com. (Only
compatible with USB audio interfaces)

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GETTING STARTED – USING KITS
The ControlPad automatically goes into Kit selection mode each time it is
turned on. Notice that the LED next to Kit is lit. If you are in a different
mode, you can always get to the Kit selection
mode by pressing the function button until the
LED next to Kit is illuminated.
While in Kit selection mode, you can use the
Tand Sbuttons to select different kits. The
ControlPad will automatically load the kits as
you step through the values. There are 21
available kits that you can load, modify and
store.
?Kit
A Kit, also known as a
Preset, is a collection of
parameters which describe
different configurations of
the ControlPad. These
parameters include the
MIDI Note Numbers
assigned to individual pads
or external triggers, as
well as the MIDI Channels
on which the pads or
external triggers are
sending information. This
allows you to store and
access different setups of
the pads.

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PROGRAM CHANGE MESSAGES
A Program Change, often referred to as a Patch Change, is a MIDI
message used for sending data to devices to cause them to
change to a new program. This allows you to tell a hardware or
software device which sound to play. For example, if your
ControlPad is controlling a rock drum kit on your DAW or an
external device, using a Program Change command allows you to
easily switch to an electronic kit. Program Change messages also
give you the freedom to re-orchestrate MIDI content without
having to redo any MIDI note information.
Each kit on the ControlPad can have an associated Program
Change message (0-127). This means that, effectively, you can
have each kit on the ControlPad address a different set of
sounds on your DAW or external MIDI device. By default, each
kit on the ControlPad is set to “---“. A Program Change
message of “---“ means that no Program Change message will be
sent when the kit is loaded.
How to set a Program Change message :
1. Press the function button until the LED next to Program
Change message turns on.
2. Select the desired Program Change message using the Tand
Sbuttons. The Program Change message will be sent
automatically and will affect only that kit.
3. Every time you load the kit thereafter, the selected Program
Change message will be sent to your DAW or external MIDI
device.

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EDITING KITS
Editing kits is a powerful tool for customizing your ControlPad. When
you are editing a kit, the information displayed on the screen will always
reflect the parameters of the last pad in the current kit that was hit. To
modify the parameters of a certain pad,
just strike it – this is often referred to as
“chase mode”. The individual
parameters that you can modify for
each pad are Pad MIDI Channel and
Pad Note Number:
PAD MIDI CHANNEL
This is the MIDI Channel on which the pad or trigger is
sending information. Each pad or external trigger can be set to
transmit on a separate channel.
For example, this could be very useful if you are trying to
control different devices or modules with different pads, and
want to make sure that certain MIDI information is received
only by a specific device. In this case, you can set different
MIDI Channels which your external synths or sample playback
engines will be “listening” to. Then assigning those different
MIDI Channels to different pads will ensure that the pads only
communicate with the specific device that you want them to.
How to change Pad MIDI Channel :
1. Press the function button until LED next to Pad MIDI
Channel turns on.
2. To choose the pad or external trigger that you want to
modify, just hit it.
3. The current MIDI Channel for the pad or trigger will be
displayed.
4. Use the Tand Sbuttons to select a MIDI Channel. As you
move through the choices, the value will be loaded
automatically.
!Remember
Setting Pad MIDI Channel and Pad
Note Number will only affect the
pad in the specific kit that you are
working with.

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PAD NOTE NUMBER
This is the MIDI Note Number that the particular pad or
trigger is sending.
For example, if you are controlling an external drum machine,
there are unique MIDI Note
Numbers associated with the
kick drum, snare drum or hi-
hat. The initial configuration
may not be one that works well
with your playing style. Maybe
the snare is controlled by a pad
whose location doesn’t make
much sense. The Note
Number of the pad can be
changed to match the Note
Number associated with the
snare sound on the external
hardware or software device. This provides you the freedom
to change the configuration of the pads, relative to the sounds
they are triggering.
How to change Pad Note Number :
1. Press the function button until the LED next to Pad Note
Number turns on.
2. To choose the pad or external trigger that you want to
modify, just hit it.
3. The current MIDI Note for that pad or trigger will be
displayed.
4. Use the Tand Sbuttons to select a Note Number. These
notes are based on the general MIDI specification, where C1
= 24. As you move through the choices, the value will be
loaded automatically.
?Notes
When you hit a pad or trigger,
the ControlPad generates a
MIDI Note On message which
signals your drum machine or
software to essentially “play this
sound”. So regardless of
whether you are playing drum
samples, keyboards, or
controlling a synth, you will
always be sending notes to
trigger sounds.

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SETTING GLOBAL PARAMETERS
Global parameters change how the ControlPad functions in a general way.
The following parameters will affect each pad or trigger input on a global
level, regardless of the specific kit that you are working with. So even if
you change kits, the settings
for each pad or trigger input
will remain in place. The
global parameters include
Sensitivity, Velocity Curve
and Threshold.
Global parameters allow you to fully customize the ControlPad to fit your
playing style. Adjusting the Sensitivity, Velocity Curve and Threshold
settings for each pad or trigger will ensure a fully optimized performance
on the ControlPad.
!
Remember
Setting global parameters will affect the specific
pad or trigger in all of the kits.

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SENSITIVITY
The Sensitivity parameter describes how a pad or trigger will
react when it is engaged. With a high sensitivity setting, you
don’t have to hit the pad or trigger very hard to achieve a
maximum velocity output. On the other hand, with a low
sensitivity setting it is harder to achieve a maximum velocity
output when hitting the pad or trigger hard. If you find it
very easy to achieve maximum velocity (127) when you hit a
specific pad or trigger, you might want to set its Sensitivity
to a lower value. This will allow for more dynamics in your
playing style.
Adjusting a pad’s
Sensitivity may also
prevent any “cross-
talk” with adjacent
pads. For example, if
a pad is naturally
more sensitive than
another, it may trigger
when its neighboring pads are hit. Reducing its Sensitivity
could prevent crosstalk. On the other hand, if a pad is
naturally insensitive and does not respond unless it is hit
very hard, striking it may cause adjacent pads to trigger as
well. Increasing its Sensitivity could prevent crosstalk.
How to change Sensitivity :
1. Select the pad or trigger you would like to edit by striking it.
2. Press the function button until the LED next to Sensitivity
turns on.
3. The current Sensitivity level for the pad or trigger will be
displayed.
4. Use the Tand Sbuttons to select a Sensitivity value (0-20).
As you move through the choices, the value will be loaded
automatically.
!
Remember
Crosstalk occurs when vibrations from
hitting a pad are transferred to another pad
and cause it to trigger as well. Crosstalk
with adjacent pads usually occurs when a
pad is hit near the edge. Hit the center area
of the pad to avoid this.

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VELOCITY CURVE
A Velocity Curve describes how the pad or trigger will
output velocity information based on a certain ratio of input
velocity (i.e. how hard the pads are hit). This is a useful
feature when trying to customize how a pad or trigger
responds to your playing style. Different Velocity Curves
will have different input/output ratios associated with them
and will cause a different
response, so take some time
to get familiar will how the
Velocity Curve setting
corresponds to the way you
like to play.
How to change Velocity Curve :
1. Select the pad or trigger you would like to edit by striking it.
2. Press function button until LED next to Velocity Curve
turns on.
3. The current Velocity Curve for the pads or triggers will be
displayed.
4. Use the Tand Sbuttons to select a Velocity Curve (1-4).
The value will be loaded automatically.
1 – Linear
Outputs velocities in a
linear fashion, so how hard
you hit a pad or trigger
directly corresponds to how
loud it will sound.
2 – Exponential
Softer hits will have a
narrow dynamic range,
while harder hits will be
more expressive.
3 – Offset
Outputs velocities in a
linear fashion, with an
offset of 49. Softer hits
will output velocities
between 50-127, while
harder hits will output a
constant velocity of
127.
4 – Constant Curve
Outputs maximum velocity,
regardless of how hard the
pad or trigger is hit.
?Velocity
Velocity is most often used to
control notes’ volume and/or
brightness. So when you play the
pads "harder", the notes typically
are louder/brighter.

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THRESHOLD
The Threshold setting helps prevent false triggering. The
threshold value is the minimum velocity needed to be
registered for the pad or trigger to output data. This
Threshold should be set based on your playing style. Try
different Threshold settings until you find one that best
works for you.
How to change Trigger Threshold :
1. Select the pad or trigger you would like to edit by striking it.
2. Press the function button until the LED next to Threshold
turns on.
3. Select the value of the desired Threshold with the Tand S
buttons. The value will be loaded automatically.

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SENDING GLOBAL MESSAGES
In addition to global parameters, there are three special functions available
on the ControlPad: the All Notes Off message, the Return to Default Value
message and a Factory Reset message. You might rarely have to use these
but it is good to keep in mind that they are available in case you run into
trouble.
ALL NOTES OFF
This function sends an All Notes Off message on all MIDI
channels. An All Notes Off message will terminate any
MIDI note that is still playing. This message can be used to
recover from erroneous stuck notes.
How to send an All Notes Off message :
•Hold Tand Sbuttons simultaneously for 2 seconds or
longer.
RETURN TO DEFAULT VALUE
This message will set the parameter being edited back to its
default value.
How to send a Return to Default Value message :
•Hold Tand Sbuttons momentarily.
FACTORY RESET
This operation resets all functions back to the factory setup
condition. Sometimes you might have gone a little too far
changing the configuration of the ControlPad. You might
want to use the Factory Reset message to restore everything,
including presets, back to the way it originally was.
How to send a Factory Reset message :
•Hold Tand Sbuttons simultaneously for 2 seconds while
powering on the ControlPad.

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MIDI SYSEX TRANSFER
MIDI System Exclusive (SysEx) messages allow you to transfer parameter and
program data to and from the ControlPad over the USB or MIDI connection.
Using SysEx software editors, many of which are available free over the Internet,
you can quickly dump and transfer preset information to and from the ControlPad.
How to request a data dump from the ControlPad:
1. Make sure that the ControlPad is connected, either via MIDI or USB,
to your SysEx application.
2. Hold down the function, Tand Sbuttons simultaneously for 2 seconds.
How to transfer data to the ControlPad:
1. Make sure that the ControlPad is connected, either via MIDI or USB,
to your SysEx application.
2. Simply ‘play’ the SysEx data that you would like to transfer to the
ControlPad.

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USING THE CONTROLPAD WITH BFD LITE
The ControlPad comes bundled with the BFD Lite software drum
module, which includes high-quality drum samples. You can trigger these
drum samples directly from the ControlPad with the authentic feel and
control of playing a real drum kit.
Once you have installed the BFD Lite software,
you can begin playing immediately. Following
are some basic tips and suggestions on how to
begin using the software.
Instructions:
1. Install the BFD Lite software included with the ControlPad
2. Plug the ControlPad into your computer’s USB port with the
included USB cable.
3. If you are running Windows, go to Start | All Programs |
FXpansion | BFD Lite | BFD Lite Standalone.
If you are running Mac OS, go to Applications | BFD Lite to
launch the application.
This will launch BFD Lite in standalone mode. However, you may
also use BFD Lite as a plug-in in your favorite sequencing
environment.
4. The ControlPad is a Plug and Play device, which means that it will
automatically work with BFD Lite once the application has been
launched.
Try striking the pads. If there is no sound, you will need to make
sure that the BFD Lite software is set to use your preferred audio
device (i.e. internal soundcard, external audio interface, etc.) as the
sound output. If you are unable to hear a sound when you strike the
pads, please make sure that the audio output is set to your preferred
device.
!BFD Lite
For instructions on
installing the BFD Lite
software, please refer to the
Installation Procedure
document included in the
box.
! Important
If you intend to use any additional triggers or footswitches with the
ControlPad, please connect them before plugging the ControlPad into
your computer and turning the unit on. If you fail to do so, they might not
work properly.