Kaoss Pad with guitar & live band - will it work?

[yaniv297]

Hey everyone,

I have a rock band and we really love to experiment with sounds, mainly all sort of weird guitar sounds. Some of our songs aren't really suited to traditional guitar tones so I use effect pedals and various playing techniques to create all sorts of effects. We really love those sounds and look for more ways to create all sorts of epic sounds.

Our singer is really into those kind of things and asked me to look up some more stuff. Upon researching, I came upon the Korg Kaoss Pad, which seems quite magnificent. The ability to use touch screen to manipulate our sounds and add loads of effects seems amazing to us. The problem is, well, I'm not sure if what I want is actually possible, and if so, how.

The KP is made for DJs and most of the KP users on YouTube are DJs. We are a normal 2 guitars, bass, keys and drums band, that uses regular amps and just happens to love weird sounds (kinda like Radiohead or Wilco). We simply want to use it to manipulate live guitar, keys and vocals to create some unusual sounds. Maybe use an occasional drum machine, pre-made sample or live loop. First and foremost, is the Kaoss Pad a good choice for that? Will it work like I hope it will? If not, what is?

Second, the technical question. The Kaoss Pad don't even has a guitar input - how can I plug a guitar to it? How do I connect it to a guitar amp (no effect loop)? is it possible to go to a rehearsal room with standard equipment, simply plug in the Kaoss Pad and play with it? Will I need special cables for that?

I've never actually seen the KP (no store around here has it) and most of the stuff for the internet is for DJs. So generally, how do I use the KP in a regular rock band just for sounds?

Thanks

[xmlguy]

I suggest that you wait until the mini Kaoss Pad 2 ships in April, or so.

It's best to send any Kaoss Pad a line level signal, and from a guitar, that means after some guitar preamp, such as via an amp effects loop or the output of some guitar multifx pedal. That's because overdrive/distortion/fuzz are popular standard guitar FX that you should normally do only on the guitar, not after other effects. So yeah, you'll need cables too, but that will depend on what gear you have. It's not so hard to figure out what cables you need based on the kinds of connectors your gear has. The order of the FX chain also determines what cables you need between each device.

[hazabikit]

Yes, the Kaoss Pad 3 would be perfect for what you're looking for.

You will need to use a compact mixer to route the audio signal into & out of the KP3. The KP3 cable sockets use RCA connectors, and it's easy to find cables with RCA jacks on one end and 1/4" jacks on the other (the line-level electric signal requirements are identical).

I think one of the reasons you mostly see DJs use the KP3 is because they have their hands free to play it -- it would be difficult to play the guitar and the KP3 at the same time.

[chad9477]

I'd echo the above, especially hazabikit's comment on the need to use your hands. You might want to invest in a MIDI footpedal like the Behringer FCB and program it to control the X/Y axis and sampling & bank select buttons if you go the KP3 route. I use this setup when playing guitar a lot and it keeps my hands free.

Or you could just learn how to play guitar lines with single-hand hammerons while you mess with the touchpad...tricky but an audience pleaser

[zenartist]

use kaos pads alot heres a link to some vocal madness http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwdWfPxpq8g there are more vids just search

[Antripod]

Nice idea is to use a Kaoss pad guitar, like Matt Bellamy of Muse does. There are guitar MIDI controllers for Kaoss Pad available, like this XY midi pad. You can play on it with your right hand and do hammer-ons and pull-offs with your left hand while the other guitarist would be playing rhythm. I don't have it myself but there are loads of videos on Youtube with guitar MIDI controller for Kaoss pad and people seem to like it.

[Mr Anchovy]

[quote="chad9477"]I'd echo the above, especially hazabikit's comment on the need to use your hands. You might want to invest in a MIDI footpedal like the Behringer FCB and program it to control the X/Y axis and sampling & bank select buttons if you go the KP3 route. I use this setup when playing guitar a lot and it keeps my hands free.

Hi Chadd,
I would like to know if I can still turn the sample bank buttons on or off by hand on the actual KP3 pads while I have a Behringer FCB foot pedal attached ?

[thehighesttree]

Shouldn't be a problem.

[chad9477]

I would like to know if I can still turn the sample bank buttons on or off by hand on the actual KP3 pads while I have a Behringer FCB foot pedal attached ?

Yes. You can do it either way.