Kicking off this guide strong is the Strike Multipad from Alesis.

What started out as the new kid on the block has now proven itself to be one of the most popular, flexible and feature-rich multipads on the market today.

Boasting a large 32GB storage for samples, a vibrant 4.3 inch colored screen that's double-reinforced to protect it from accidental stick shots and an intuitive interface, the Strike Multipad is definitely worthy of your attention.

This is Alesis' current best attempt to dethrone reigning multipad king the Roland SPD-SX.

It attempts to do this by jam-packing this device with more features at a similar price point such as an on-board looper, an extra headphone output and even a hi-hat controller port.

Another notable feature the Strike has is the informative animated LED lights below each pad that can be customized to display different kinds of visual feedback such as (but not limited to) sample BPM, loop progress and even have different modes before, during and after you activate the pad.

If you want a modern flagship multipad that's filled to the brim with features, the Alesis Strike would fit the bill quite perfectly.

Specifications

• Built-in pads: 9 (with customizable, animated RGB lights)
• External Control Inputs:(1) 1/4" TS Single zone trigger input, (2) 1/4" TRS Dual zone trigger input, (1) 1/4" TRS HH pedal input, (2) 1/4" TRS footswitch input
• Record Inputs: (2) 1/4" TS input
• Audio Outputs: (2) 1/4" TS (main out), (2) 1/4" TS (aux out), (1) 1/4" headphone out, (1) 1/8" headphone out
• MIDI I/O:In, Out/Thru, USB
• Internal Sounds: Maximum Polyphony: 32 mono voices or 16 stereo voices, 30 kits ,6GB included sounds, remaining 28GB for custom sounds
• Effects 5 built-in effects processors (3 kit effects, 1 master effect, compressor and equalizer) , Freely map two Alesis "A-LINK" infinite rotary knobs to dozens of effects and mixing controls
• Additional Functions: On-board stereo Sampler, Built-in audio looper, USB memory, 2-input / 2-output USB audio and MIDI interface
• Dimensions (WHD): 13.75" x 3" x 14"
• Weight: 8.5 lbs

The Roland SPD-30 Octapad is a percussion pad geared towards drummers and percussionists who need high quality electronic drums in a compact package.

Unlike the Strike and the SPD-SX which are primarily designed to be used as samplers and can be loaded with your own audio, the Octapad is designed to be used with its onboard sounds as a portable percussion instrument.

It has the capability to be expanded with additional pads (Up to 4) and even a hi-hat controller and a footswitch pedal.

With the free version 2 software update it's now juiced up with 99 kits from 50, kit chaining, 50 preset phrase loops, and a new output gain function that can add up to a +6 dB boost.

If you need a standalone percussion instrument with professional sounds ready to gig right out the box, the SPD 30 Octapad is a well-built, expandable electronic pad that will get the job done.

Specifications

• Built-in pads: 8 with pad indicator lights
• External Control Inputs: (4) 1/4 TRS dual zone input, (1) hi-hat control input, (1) TRS footswitch input
• Audio Inputs: (1) 1/4 Stereo mix in
• Audio Outputs: (2) 1/4" TS (master out), (1) 1/4" headphone out
• Internal Sounds: Instruments: 670, Kits: 99
• Instrument Parameters:Tuning, Muffling, Soft Attack, Tone Color, Pitch Sweep, Volume, Pan, Reverse
• Effects: Ambience (7 Types), Equalizer, Limiter, Multi Effect (30 Types)
• MIDI I/O:In, out, USB
• Additional Functions: Phrase Loop, USB memory storage
• Dimensions (WHD): 21 5/16" x 3 1/2" x 10 3/4"
• Weight: 8 lbs. 7 oz.

The Nord Drum 3P is a standout multipad with a specific user in mind - the synth music producer and sound designer with a penchant for percussion.

Nord takes an entirely different approach to Roland and Alesis by including fully functional resonant synthesis, subtractive synthesis and FM-synthesis to allow you mold and create unique sounds of your own.

Generate your sounds by combining tones, noise and clicks and sculpt your own drumkits to be placed in one of eight user banks that hold 50 sounds each.

It's no slouch in the effects department either wielding high quality effects that are can be placed on each separate pad with global reverb and delay whose amount can be adjusted per pad.

By utilizing the MIDI output, it doubles up as a MIDI drum controller that's sleeker than its sample based counterparts.

This is a truly unique and inspiring multipad.

If you want to create from scratch and manipulate sounds via a synthesis approach, the Nord Drum 3P is a synth purist's dream.

Specifications

• Built-in pads: 6
• External inputs:1 generic trigger input - ¼”
• Internal Sounds:
  4 Banks of preset sounds containing 50 kits each
  4 Empty banks for saving 50 user kits each
  Editable preset sounds (24 bass drums, 24 snares, 10 toms, 10 hi-hats, 10 cymbals, 18 percussion sounds, 10 bells, 10 tuned percussion sounds)
• Effects:
  Global Stereo Reverb with 5 reverb modes and Color high pass/low pass
  Global Delay with Rate (Milliseconds), Feedback and Tap Tempo mode (BPM)
  Drive, Sample Rate Reduction and Ring Modulation Effects per channel
  EQ with Gain and Frequency controls per channel
• Additional Functions: Advanced sound engine with Resonant Synthesis, Subtractive synthesis and FM-synthesis, sequencing in the Nord Beat app
• Dimensions (WHD): 11.78" x 1.9" x 11.2"
• Weight: 4.1 lbs

The Roland SPD::ONE Percussion is the SPD::ONE version that focuses on acoustic percussion sounds.

With the excellent sensitivity and threshold options common to the entire SPD::ONE line, this pad can be triggered either with sticks, feet or even hands and fingers.

Instead of lugging around a gong and other bulky percussion instruments, you could instead bring this tiny thing in your gig bag.

You can also import and assign one user sample (maximum of 5 seconds) of your own.

If you want to add single percussion sounds to your set up with minimal footprint, this is the device for you.

Specifications

• Built-in pads: 1
• External inputs: 0
• Internal Sounds: 22 instruments, 1 user sample
• Effects: Reverb, Delay
• Additional Functions: Powered by batteries or AC, Import your own WAV data via USB to one of the 12 sound banks (5 Second Limit), USB-MIDI support enables use as a pad controller for music software
• Dimensions (WHD): 5.56" x 2.25" x 6.31"
• Weight: 2 lbs

Moving on to the kick and bass drum side of things is the Roland SPD::ONE Kick.

This is a great pad to incorporate as a busker if you want to stomp out a pulse while playing another instrument, and having the option to use batteries to power it plays well in this use case.

You have the option of 22 different sounds - what sets this apart from the other pads in the SPD::ONE lineup is that it does not only include a plethora of very usable kick sounds, but also some percussion sounds such as tambourine, cymbals, cross-stick and clap making this possibly the most versatile of the lot (barring the SPD::ONE WAV which was designed to be used entirely with your own samples).

I find this to be the most suitable for solo performers looking to add a simple beat to their music. With the addition of sounds such as clap, tambourine and cross stick, it can also double up as a simple augment to an acoustic drum set up. With its sounds and simple form factor, The SPD::ONE Kick has what it takes to redefine the meaning of "Stompbox".

Specifications

• Built-in pads: 1
• External inputs: 0
• Internal Sounds: 22 instruments, 1 user sample
• Effects: Reverb, Drive
• Additional Functions: Powered by batteries or AC, Import your own WAV data via USB to one of the 12 sound banks (5 Second Limit), USB-MIDI support enables use as a pad controller for music software
• Dimensions (WHD): 5.56" x 2.25" x 6.31"
• Weight: 2 lbs