Anyone had a chance to try out the Yamaha FGDP-50 or Yamaha FGDP-30 finger drum pads? Looks like Yamaha is trying to create a new category (new instrument?) of purpose-built, ergonomically friendly finger drum pads, that’s portable (battery operated) and can also connect to your DAW and be used as a MIDI controller. Very intrigued by this product…
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Wooo, this looks very interesting! I’m gonna preorder them both. It looks like the layout is sort of like the QFG layout actually. I was on to something apparently 
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These could perfectly fill a niche for me. I’d love to have something that I can just pull out of my backpack and start playing wherever I am. Look forward to seeing how they perform.
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Yeah that could really help with making finger drumming a little more mainstream. If you can drum along when someone whips out their guitar without having to go through all kinds of difficult setup things first, or just have this thing on you lap while you’re laying on the couch and you’re jamming a little without any hassle… that’s just a whole new dimension all of a sudden.
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I’m intrigued, mainly to check out the ergonomics compared to a standard 4x4 grid. Can’t tell if the built in kits utilise any kind of round robins or velocity switching, but could still make for an interesting controller, even as an add-on for my MPCs, I assume it’s class compliant so should just plug into the MPC USB port.
EDIT: The manual for the FGDP-50 mentions that it has a ‘humanize’ feature with adjustable setting to create variations in the voice, and uses the AWM2 engine, which I believe utilises a mix of sampling and synthesis.
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Woooow! finally! seems like FingerDrummers have been listened and blessed with specific taylor made device! from the manuals, seems sensitivity is adjustable per pad range 1-127…! …lots of goodies, no specific software to program keys, ( maybe a small editor can be done upon midi chart), and…no 5 pin midi out, as modern trends… But looks like the start of something other companies may also go for. Future is coming… 
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It first looked like I could get one of these within a week but now it’s a month… I guess it will take some time before I can test one out…
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Correction! Just got an email that the units are on their way. So after the weekend it’s on. Will leave my first impression here before making the video in case any of you are curious.
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Robert, I’m very curious! I’m waiting your review, as you have played many devices and can objectively compare FGDP to others pad controllers. Most users and reviewers dont dig in to settings of device, not trying different velocity curves, not trying humanize setting. Not anyone for today has thoroughly checked responsiveness of these “spacebar” pads at different areas (the most breakthrough and also vulnerable innovation by Yamaha ). Personally I think FGDP will turn out to be average device with little less sensitive pads then Mashine mk3 or Launchpad Mk3. I can suppose that “spacebars” will have some velocity unevenness. Totally playable, but not top edge controller. After all it is first try from Yamaha, and FGDP not aimed for pro musicians. Native Instruments and Novation have several iteration of their products before they polished them to current state.
It will be great to read your first impressions of FGDP before full review!
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New Member here
So far I have used a Launchpad Pro Mk3 and took some of your layouts ( The best 8x8 pad layout for finger drumming - The Quest for Groove) as inspiration.
It’s really funny to see that the FGDP now came up with almost exactly the layout that you proposed and how I customized it.
So I’ve ordered one (FGDP-50) and it arrived yesterday. I can share some first impressions here, and if you have questions try to answer it.
It’s very nice to have such a standalone device that is independent from a computer and doesn’t cost you ~1000€. That alone may be enough to keep it.
Unfortunately, the Pad sensitivity isn’t as great as I would have hoped for. Maybe I just need to get more used to it, but it is clearly not as sensitive as my Launchpad Pro Mk3 and far from the Linnstrument sensitivity (that’s the two controllers I play regularly). What bothers me especially is that the Kick drum pad is even a bit less sensitive than the others, maybe because you’re supposed to play it with the thumbs - or maybe that’s just my unit?
Otherwise, the onboard kits are already good enough for me for standalone use. For better sound and more flexibility, I use it as a MIDI controller to Addictive Drums or a Drum Sampler anyway.
One other thing that bugged me a bit, but maybe I’m looking for problems here: The device doesn’t start up if the bettery doesn’t have a minimum charge, even when connected to USB power. I hope this doesn’t get a problem when the battery gets older (but Yamaha mentioned that they chose a very long-living battery variant).
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Ah too bad about the pad sensitivity. I will check too of course. It would have been pretty amazing if it was good for a relatively cheap device like this.
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Would be really interested in how you rate it / perceive it as you have much more experience (also across different devices).
I’m not sure it’s bad, it’s just not as good as I’m already used to. Maybe I’m just “spoiled”?
And while my Launchpad Pro Mk3 has better sensitivity, it also gives me accidental double triggers from time to time (which I haven’t had on the FGDP so far).
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Can you check this setting for Kick pad:
PadEdit/ Velocity Limit?
Maybe it’s set for 20 for example. Then light hits with velocity 1-19 produce no internal sound.
From manual: “This sets the lower limit of velocity required for playback. Voices that are assigned to Pads will play back at velocities higher than the value set here.”
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Thanks for looking into it! Yes, that would be the right setting to adjust it. But unfortunately, it’s already set to 1. I wish I could set this to some negative values as well 
Allthough now I either got more used to it, or the pads have been “played in” better. At least now the difference doesn’t feel that big anymore.
It would have been great if the overall lower sensitivity were higher, then you could have used this very setting to adjust the trigger sensitivity more to your liking. But I understand that it’s technically difficult and expensive to have very sensitive pads. I think I’ll get used to it!
Ok, another option to try is:
Trigger/ Note On/Aftertouch settings/ ADGain.
I don’t understand what it means, but may be set it to 127 and try to play).
More clear description of this setting I found in FGDP-30 manual:
Trigger A/D Gain - Determines how much to amplify how hard the target Pad is hit before converting it to Velocity or Aftertouch. To obtain a wide dynamic range, set the value so that your maximum hitting strength is equivalent to the maximum Velocity and Aftertouch.
I have a question: can you see actual velocity number on display when you hitting pad? Maybe in Trigger menu or elsewere.
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Yes, the display actually shows the Velocity and Aftertouch value of the currently triggered pad, while you’re in the “Trigger” menu item.
Trigger/ Note On/Aftertouch settings/ ADGain .
I don’t understand what it means, but may be set it to 127 and try to play).
Yes, that seems to be it, thank you very much!
I also did not I understand this option / the description (on the FGDP-50 manual its described even less), but it looks like it’s exactly what I’ve been looking for. It’s set to 46 by default on all pads. If I increase it, it seems like the sensitivity of the pad increases. So it starts triggering earlier and it also reaches higher output values with less pressure. If I increase it all up to 127, I seem to get accidental double triggers, so I need to find good middle ground values. And there’s still a lower limit when it triggers at all, but that’s to be expected.
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Here’s a little video of me jamming with the FGDP-50. Just using the speaker onboard, onboard sounds, on battery power: https://youtu.be/g-imEmf3jsI
My first impression is that it’s a very playable device and that it’s amazing that you can jam on it standalone like this.
The pads are sensitive, but not as sensitive as my Maschine mk3. Moeller technique on the hi hat is not perfect. The onboard sounds are also not on par with something like Addictive Drums so ghost notes on the snare or other subtle things are hard to make sound right.
But… that’s onboard standalone sounds. So I’m not complaining. Using it as a midi controller with Addictive Drums worked fine and I immediately could play some tasty stuff that way as well.
So yeah. Good first impression. FGDP-30 I will check out next.
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Cool video! Looks and sounds like fun playing.
Ok, but that also confirms my impression on the pad sensitivity. They’re not bad, but also not as great as the best pads you can get today.
Do you plan to have more videos or even some lessons on the FGDPs ?
Some thoughts and questions on the FGDP Layout:
I like the position of all the pads except the Ride. Having the Ride right of the snare is really awkward and difficult for me to play one handed / with a mirrored playing style. Am I doing something wrong?
So what I’m doing right now, is to switch the Crash with the Ride. That feels already better.
For some drum kits / sounds, I can also imagine that the Snare Rimshot can be replaced or switched with the Clap. The pad left of the snare is probably best for some accent / percussion sound to throw in on upbeat. Same with the pad left of the kick.
I have a really hard time finding use for the pad right of the kick. Difficult to reach. Maybe just another crash, to trigger together with the Kick, like in QFG layout?
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