Is the device Beca uses in Pitch Perfect 2 a real musical device?

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In the Pitch Perfect movies, Beca creates beats with this key-pad-like device with colorful square buttons that don't have labels. I don't know what to call it and I haven't been able to find anything by searching for it online. Is this a real device? What is it?



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    up vote
    34
    down vote

    favorite












    In the Pitch Perfect movies, Beca creates beats with this key-pad-like device with colorful square buttons that don't have labels. I don't know what to call it and I haven't been able to find anything by searching for it online. Is this a real device? What is it?



    enter image description here







    share|improve this question
























      up vote
      34
      down vote

      favorite









      up vote
      34
      down vote

      favorite











      In the Pitch Perfect movies, Beca creates beats with this key-pad-like device with colorful square buttons that don't have labels. I don't know what to call it and I haven't been able to find anything by searching for it online. Is this a real device? What is it?



      enter image description here







      share|improve this question














      In the Pitch Perfect movies, Beca creates beats with this key-pad-like device with colorful square buttons that don't have labels. I don't know what to call it and I haven't been able to find anything by searching for it online. Is this a real device? What is it?



      enter image description here









      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited Aug 10 at 19:55

























      asked Aug 10 at 3:15









      Marathon55

      27327




      27327




















          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes

















          up vote
          53
          down vote



          accepted










          The device appears to be called (or is similar to) a Launchpad, and is not just something made for the movie.



          https://global.novationmusic.com/launch/launchpad#



          They've been around for some time. One was used in a popular YouTube video from 2011 to create a mashup of several songs. This isn't to pinpoint exactly how long devices like this have been around, just to note they were around well before Pitch Perfect 2.








          Some additional searching would indicate this could be the actual device being used, a Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol F1 USB DJ Midi Pad Controller. Looks like it could also be referred to as a "drum pad".



          https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/traktor/dj-controllers/traktor-kontrol-f1/



          A video of the device being used:











          share|improve this answer


















          • 5




            Just to add to this good answer (+1), a common term for these devices is MIDI controller, but this also includes Keyboards without pads. That's why these things often go under the brand names of widely used devices like Launchpad or Maschine. People familiar with these instruments would probably understand "Pad MIDI Controller" as term.
            – Ian
            Aug 10 at 10:16










          • I thought they were called MCG.
            – Tolga Ozses
            Aug 10 at 10:31










          • @Ian Thanks for the additional information!
            – MattD
            Aug 10 at 12:52










          • There's also Ableton Push and Push 2. And now there's the Roli line of products. The lighted buttons are a more recent advance in this kinds of controller, but devices like this with unlighted buttons go back to the Akai MPC line that was started in the late 80s.
            – Todd Wilcox
            Aug 10 at 14:17











          • +1. It's been used since well before 2011. Linkin Park used something similar all the time. You can see Mike Shinoda using it at the 24 second mark. youtube.com/watch?v=U5qHGjVnk08
            – kuhl
            Aug 10 at 16:12


















          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes








          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes









          active

          oldest

          votes






          active

          oldest

          votes








          up vote
          53
          down vote



          accepted










          The device appears to be called (or is similar to) a Launchpad, and is not just something made for the movie.



          https://global.novationmusic.com/launch/launchpad#



          They've been around for some time. One was used in a popular YouTube video from 2011 to create a mashup of several songs. This isn't to pinpoint exactly how long devices like this have been around, just to note they were around well before Pitch Perfect 2.








          Some additional searching would indicate this could be the actual device being used, a Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol F1 USB DJ Midi Pad Controller. Looks like it could also be referred to as a "drum pad".



          https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/traktor/dj-controllers/traktor-kontrol-f1/



          A video of the device being used:











          share|improve this answer


















          • 5




            Just to add to this good answer (+1), a common term for these devices is MIDI controller, but this also includes Keyboards without pads. That's why these things often go under the brand names of widely used devices like Launchpad or Maschine. People familiar with these instruments would probably understand "Pad MIDI Controller" as term.
            – Ian
            Aug 10 at 10:16










          • I thought they were called MCG.
            – Tolga Ozses
            Aug 10 at 10:31










          • @Ian Thanks for the additional information!
            – MattD
            Aug 10 at 12:52










          • There's also Ableton Push and Push 2. And now there's the Roli line of products. The lighted buttons are a more recent advance in this kinds of controller, but devices like this with unlighted buttons go back to the Akai MPC line that was started in the late 80s.
            – Todd Wilcox
            Aug 10 at 14:17











          • +1. It's been used since well before 2011. Linkin Park used something similar all the time. You can see Mike Shinoda using it at the 24 second mark. youtube.com/watch?v=U5qHGjVnk08
            – kuhl
            Aug 10 at 16:12














          up vote
          53
          down vote



          accepted










          The device appears to be called (or is similar to) a Launchpad, and is not just something made for the movie.



          https://global.novationmusic.com/launch/launchpad#



          They've been around for some time. One was used in a popular YouTube video from 2011 to create a mashup of several songs. This isn't to pinpoint exactly how long devices like this have been around, just to note they were around well before Pitch Perfect 2.








          Some additional searching would indicate this could be the actual device being used, a Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol F1 USB DJ Midi Pad Controller. Looks like it could also be referred to as a "drum pad".



          https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/traktor/dj-controllers/traktor-kontrol-f1/



          A video of the device being used:











          share|improve this answer


















          • 5




            Just to add to this good answer (+1), a common term for these devices is MIDI controller, but this also includes Keyboards without pads. That's why these things often go under the brand names of widely used devices like Launchpad or Maschine. People familiar with these instruments would probably understand "Pad MIDI Controller" as term.
            – Ian
            Aug 10 at 10:16










          • I thought they were called MCG.
            – Tolga Ozses
            Aug 10 at 10:31










          • @Ian Thanks for the additional information!
            – MattD
            Aug 10 at 12:52










          • There's also Ableton Push and Push 2. And now there's the Roli line of products. The lighted buttons are a more recent advance in this kinds of controller, but devices like this with unlighted buttons go back to the Akai MPC line that was started in the late 80s.
            – Todd Wilcox
            Aug 10 at 14:17











          • +1. It's been used since well before 2011. Linkin Park used something similar all the time. You can see Mike Shinoda using it at the 24 second mark. youtube.com/watch?v=U5qHGjVnk08
            – kuhl
            Aug 10 at 16:12












          up vote
          53
          down vote



          accepted







          up vote
          53
          down vote



          accepted






          The device appears to be called (or is similar to) a Launchpad, and is not just something made for the movie.



          https://global.novationmusic.com/launch/launchpad#



          They've been around for some time. One was used in a popular YouTube video from 2011 to create a mashup of several songs. This isn't to pinpoint exactly how long devices like this have been around, just to note they were around well before Pitch Perfect 2.








          Some additional searching would indicate this could be the actual device being used, a Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol F1 USB DJ Midi Pad Controller. Looks like it could also be referred to as a "drum pad".



          https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/traktor/dj-controllers/traktor-kontrol-f1/



          A video of the device being used:











          share|improve this answer














          The device appears to be called (or is similar to) a Launchpad, and is not just something made for the movie.



          https://global.novationmusic.com/launch/launchpad#



          They've been around for some time. One was used in a popular YouTube video from 2011 to create a mashup of several songs. This isn't to pinpoint exactly how long devices like this have been around, just to note they were around well before Pitch Perfect 2.








          Some additional searching would indicate this could be the actual device being used, a Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol F1 USB DJ Midi Pad Controller. Looks like it could also be referred to as a "drum pad".



          https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/traktor/dj-controllers/traktor-kontrol-f1/



          A video of the device being used:




























          share|improve this answer














          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer








          edited Aug 10 at 4:06

























          answered Aug 10 at 3:50









          MattD

          17.6k57795




          17.6k57795







          • 5




            Just to add to this good answer (+1), a common term for these devices is MIDI controller, but this also includes Keyboards without pads. That's why these things often go under the brand names of widely used devices like Launchpad or Maschine. People familiar with these instruments would probably understand "Pad MIDI Controller" as term.
            – Ian
            Aug 10 at 10:16










          • I thought they were called MCG.
            – Tolga Ozses
            Aug 10 at 10:31










          • @Ian Thanks for the additional information!
            – MattD
            Aug 10 at 12:52










          • There's also Ableton Push and Push 2. And now there's the Roli line of products. The lighted buttons are a more recent advance in this kinds of controller, but devices like this with unlighted buttons go back to the Akai MPC line that was started in the late 80s.
            – Todd Wilcox
            Aug 10 at 14:17











          • +1. It's been used since well before 2011. Linkin Park used something similar all the time. You can see Mike Shinoda using it at the 24 second mark. youtube.com/watch?v=U5qHGjVnk08
            – kuhl
            Aug 10 at 16:12












          • 5




            Just to add to this good answer (+1), a common term for these devices is MIDI controller, but this also includes Keyboards without pads. That's why these things often go under the brand names of widely used devices like Launchpad or Maschine. People familiar with these instruments would probably understand "Pad MIDI Controller" as term.
            – Ian
            Aug 10 at 10:16










          • I thought they were called MCG.
            – Tolga Ozses
            Aug 10 at 10:31










          • @Ian Thanks for the additional information!
            – MattD
            Aug 10 at 12:52










          • There's also Ableton Push and Push 2. And now there's the Roli line of products. The lighted buttons are a more recent advance in this kinds of controller, but devices like this with unlighted buttons go back to the Akai MPC line that was started in the late 80s.
            – Todd Wilcox
            Aug 10 at 14:17











          • +1. It's been used since well before 2011. Linkin Park used something similar all the time. You can see Mike Shinoda using it at the 24 second mark. youtube.com/watch?v=U5qHGjVnk08
            – kuhl
            Aug 10 at 16:12







          5




          5




          Just to add to this good answer (+1), a common term for these devices is MIDI controller, but this also includes Keyboards without pads. That's why these things often go under the brand names of widely used devices like Launchpad or Maschine. People familiar with these instruments would probably understand "Pad MIDI Controller" as term.
          – Ian
          Aug 10 at 10:16




          Just to add to this good answer (+1), a common term for these devices is MIDI controller, but this also includes Keyboards without pads. That's why these things often go under the brand names of widely used devices like Launchpad or Maschine. People familiar with these instruments would probably understand "Pad MIDI Controller" as term.
          – Ian
          Aug 10 at 10:16












          I thought they were called MCG.
          – Tolga Ozses
          Aug 10 at 10:31




          I thought they were called MCG.
          – Tolga Ozses
          Aug 10 at 10:31












          @Ian Thanks for the additional information!
          – MattD
          Aug 10 at 12:52




          @Ian Thanks for the additional information!
          – MattD
          Aug 10 at 12:52












          There's also Ableton Push and Push 2. And now there's the Roli line of products. The lighted buttons are a more recent advance in this kinds of controller, but devices like this with unlighted buttons go back to the Akai MPC line that was started in the late 80s.
          – Todd Wilcox
          Aug 10 at 14:17





          There's also Ableton Push and Push 2. And now there's the Roli line of products. The lighted buttons are a more recent advance in this kinds of controller, but devices like this with unlighted buttons go back to the Akai MPC line that was started in the late 80s.
          – Todd Wilcox
          Aug 10 at 14:17













          +1. It's been used since well before 2011. Linkin Park used something similar all the time. You can see Mike Shinoda using it at the 24 second mark. youtube.com/watch?v=U5qHGjVnk08
          – kuhl
          Aug 10 at 16:12




          +1. It's been used since well before 2011. Linkin Park used something similar all the time. You can see Mike Shinoda using it at the 24 second mark. youtube.com/watch?v=U5qHGjVnk08
          – kuhl
          Aug 10 at 16:12


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