With many ways to play, there’s something for everyone
/ A Wide Variety of Controllers
Dr. DataBeats’ Digital Music Playland supports many types of digital controllers, all working together simultaneously for group music making. Most controllers are configured to play notes in key, making it easy to play along in harmony, while some advanced controllers provide the full chromatic scale for experienced musicians.
/ DJ Pads
An array of DJ pads called Launchpads make up a portion of the Digital Music Playland. Each pad features a main 8×8 button grid, each button lit with RGB colors. While these pads are typically purchased for use with commonly used Digital Audio Workstation software (in fact these are produced by the company that makes the Ableton software), the Digital Music Playland provides our own entirely unique experience!
Each DJ pad includes multiple ways to play, offering modes in piano, guitar, drum kit, and soundboard styles, with and without restricting notes to the current key. Arpeggiator modes can be used to automatically follow along with portions of the rhythm, and a selection of effects are available as well. Each DJ pad can also play from a wide variety of instrument sounds!
A more advanced feature set is also available on each DJ pad, allowing audio sampling, loop creation, backing beat track and chord progression design, track editing and much more functionality.
/ Video Game Guitars
The Digital Music Playland commonly includes guitar controllers from the Rock Band and Guitar Hero games. These well-known instruments are a favorite of both kids and adults, allowing anyone to feel like a guitar god!
All of our video game guitars feature at least 5 note buttons, which can be used to play chords by pressing one button at a time. Each button plays in key, relative to the current chord progression when playing along with a loop, making it very easy to play along with any loop by pressing a single button to the rhythm. A strummer can be moved up or down to simulate strumming – although our design allows easy play without strumming just by pressing buttons. Each guitar also features a whammy bar, allowing pitch bends while holding a note. The Start and Back buttons can be used to choose between many different guitar sounds!
Some of our guitar controllers also feature 5 additional note buttons for playing individual notes, making it easy to do a solo or act as a lead guitarist. An effects switch on these same controllers also provides access to a selection of effects.
/ Video Game Drums
Drum kits from Rock Band are also popular, being easy to use and quite fun. You also get to hit them with sticks!
Our drum kits can be used in a variety of ways, including the ability to put multiple sets together to form a 9-piece kit, complete with kick, snare, 3 toms, hi-hat (including pedal) and ride cymbals, and two crash cymbals! The Start and Back buttons allow selection from a variety of drum kits, and the D-Pad can be used to change to a different section of the drum kit.
/ Arcade Controller
One of Dr. DataBeats’ personal faves is the Arcade Controller. This controller features 1 and 2-player modes, with 8 buttons and a joystick on the left, and 8 buttons and a joystick on the right. The 8 buttons conveniently play a full octave of in-key notes. In 2-player mode, the buttons on the right play a different instrument than the buttons on the left! The joysticks can be used to change the instruments, or switch effects.
/ Video Game Dance Mats
For a different way to play along, many people enjoy the Dance Mats, like those used for Dance Dance Revolution. Not requiring the use of hands, or even dancing for that matter, it’s easy to play along by simply stepping on the mat or standing aside and tapping your foot on it!
Each dance mat has 8 directional buttons which conveniently correspond to a full octave of in-key notes. The Start and Back buttons can be used to change instruments.
/ And much more!
There are several other types of controllers available with the Digital Music Playland. From MIDI keyboards to percussion pads, from Nintendo controllers to XBox controllers, from Donkey Kong bongos to Taiko drums used for Taiko no Tatsujin, from dance mats to DJ turntables, the Digital Music Playland has the best variety of digital music playthings available!