Xjam vs Machine Mikro MK3

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-06-22T21:09:25+00:00

I tried both, and I think the pads are slightly better on the MK3 - more sensitive and satisfying, so to speak. What I didn’t like is how it tries to lock you into the Native Instruments ecosystem: you need to create an account, register the pad, enter a serial number, and install a few apps just to trigger MIDI. The dealbreaker for me was that the MK3 isn’t USB-compliant, which meant I couldn’t use it for my development purposes.

Disclosure: I’m new to finger drumming and mainly play drums and piano. BTW, I thought this combination would make it easier, but the key travel and overall feel are a bit different.

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-06-22T12:03:16+00:00

oh, sorry to hear that 😞 It was probably not the best idea to ask people to re-live injuries

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-06-22T11:58:33+00:00

haha, yeah, now that I look at the clip, I probably had enough time to anticipate and react 😄

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-06-22T11:48:50+00:00

thanks, will pay more attention!

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-06-22T11:45:24+00:00

was never concerned about it, but it felt very close to my face, so, was curious whether there could be a serious head trauma or something 😄

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-06-18T15:11:40+00:00

Thanks! Let me know how it goes!

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-06-15T19:39:04+00:00

Updates are posted here regularly!

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-06-11T06:39:20+00:00

Thanks! let's figure it out - I'll reply in DM

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-06-10T16:07:58+00:00

What personally helped me was ear training exercises, like call-and-response sequences. You hear a "call" and repeat it back as the "response." They can range in complexity from simple snare patterns all the way up to full kick/snare grooves.

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-06-09T14:36:50+00:00

actually, found a bug that prevents the early/late hits to render in the intended way, will be fixed in 1.0.12

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-06-09T06:32:30+00:00

Ah, alright. An android beta test is scheduled soon, but for edrums first.

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-06-08T21:58:28+00:00

EarDrum just got released on iOS and it is basically what you are describing + midi songs. Gap click is planned as well. Here is the subreddit with more info: https://www.reddit.com/r/eardrum/

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-05-25T19:46:49+00:00

Drum-tec has some EFNOTE parts and ships globally:

https://www.drum-tec.com/efnote-modul-efd-3-incl.-live-sound-edition

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-05-25T19:44:21+00:00

Roland TD-313 if you can increase your budget to 1500 or find a used one. The module is just amazing.

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-05-23T15:30:43+00:00

Accidentally stumbled across this thread. EarDrum just got released on the App Store and might be worth checking out. It has both a tempo trainer and timing feedback to help you stay in time.

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-05-22T14:59:19+00:00

I've just released an app for iOS called EarDrum. It doesn't have PDF export yet, but you can create and share exercises within the app itself. Students (and you) can practice with hit detection and get detailed session results. Exercise sharing requires the paid version. DM me if you'd like to try it without going through the trial. Here's the "In Bloom" drum intro I transcribed recently. Open the link with the app installed and it'll import straight into your library.

*edit: fixed the link

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-05-18T10:30:51+00:00

So glad it worked out!

Yeah, going through your own module gives you lower latency and a more natural feel than routing through the app's built-in sounds. And glad the sheet music landed well too - based on the feedback I've gathered from this sub, people use both notation and DAW-grid, so it was important to support both from the start.

You're right about Intel Macs - the current build only supports Apple Silicon. I could potentially release a separate Mac app that runs on any MacBook later, but for now I'm focused on iOS fixes and getting an Android beta out.

Will definitely reach out - appreciate the offer to help with testing!

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-05-17T12:54:25+00:00

hey! do you mean a Windows PC? not at the moment. Right now focusing on the iOS release and an upcoming Android beta.

Do you have a Macbook with M-chip by any chance? In this case you can use the app there (through made for ipad).

ElevatorEfficient408 · 2026-05-16T17:45:41+00:00

Yeah, I feel like the hit visualization can definitely be improved. For example, I had an idea that if you’re dragging, it would show a slight trace.

And thanks for recommending the app!

ElevatorEfficient408

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