Hi,
I was searching the Internet to find a real portable machine for finger drumming.
I found only Yamaha FGDP-30/50 models in 250$ range. Is there anything else that could be used without connected computer?
I don’t even mind playing connected to power supply. The thing I want is hardware with its own software with decent drumming pad. Assume I can’t spend more than 250$.
Can you advise here?
The Yamaha FGDP units are actually quite new. They were released in 2023 and they are the first ever units who have the functionality you describe. The FGDP-30 costs about $150, which should be within your budget.
Trust me when I say there is nothing out there that even comes close in terms of “a drumkit in a box”. I don’t think anything will any time soon tbh.
Check out my full review on Youtube by the way if you want to know the ins and outs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuqDS284Zok
Thanks for reply!
Of course I watched many of your videos on YT, but the one about Yamaha finger drumming models was published 4 months ago, so I thought that something new could appeared on the market. 
I hope if Yamaha succeed, next new and better models will be available.
Someone must be new in the business, but I believe competition will show up soon to make better products.
I wish everything best for Yamaha for opening new path for new kind of hardware, but I can not accept this ergonomic layout of pads. I will wait for something more classical.
All the other standalones are expensive and they don’t have the best “classic acoustic drum kit” sound. The best kit I heard was Ableton Push 3 but it was hard to set it up and the push 3 costs almost $2000!
Akai MPC live or Maschine + also go in the high hundreds, low thousands.
So that’s the reference we’re talking about and then the on board sounds of those devices are more sample, hip hop electronic music based.
FGDP 50 is the tool. You mau plug it directly in the mixer wit excelente output quality. FGDP 50 has “humanized mode setting” that simulate real drum touch. Please, see the manual.
I finally found a forum where I could talk about Finger drumming. Thank you very much!
I’ve been a drummer for many years but it’s been a couple of weeks since I got to know this topic of Finger drumming and I particularly got to know the Yamaha FGDP in its two models.
I have watched @Robert_Mathijs videos and his comments and also Torry’s https://youtu.be/qaHTe7YQJ0M?si=wb-sYuE7YXjN2DsT.
After researching and listening to them, I am very attracted to this new option but like Rob, I think “le falta un golpe de horno” (as we say in Spanish). Or as they say in English it’s half-baked or need a little more work.
As in Argentina we have a serious economic problem, I was wondering if you think that in a reasonable time… we will have a second version of Yamaha FGDP… or the competition (say Korg, Roland, etc.) will release their own versions? I know it is difficult to predict this, but I would like to know what you think? Thank you very much.
I think it will not happen within a year, but maybe if Korg or Roland find out that the sales of the FGDP are insanely good, they will make something similar, since they of course want to go where the money is.
I do think that the price for the FGDP-30 of $150 is basically as low as it can go. Most pad controllers with reasonably good pads and no onboard sounds cost $150 as well. I don’t think the competition would be able to beat that easily.
I think that if Roland makes something it will be more “pro” and the pads might be better but it is probably going to be quite a lot more expensive.
I kind of doubt that Korg would build something affordable with better responding pads. I somehow cannot imagine them being able to pull that off.
Terrible situation in Argentina by the way. Very disheartening to have something like that going on on a macro level and you as an individual have no control over it at all. I hope the situation will improve.
Currently discounted on Thomann.
Wow, that’s a great discount…