Drummer’s Review
There’s a saying that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but KAT Percussion is proving that saying wrong. While not necessarily old, the malletKAT 8.0 has been using a controller process that has been around for a very long time; hooking into a laptop in order to control the malletKAT, and to adjust, program and store sounds, patches and settings. Today, KAT Percussion is excited to announce that you can now ditch that bulky laptop. The new malletKAT 8.5 comes with the brand new gigKAT 2 controller module. The gigKAT 2 does everthing for you. There has never been a module like this before. The gigKAT2 has 256 voices of polyphony and can play simultaneously on all 16 MIDI Channels. Just call up the User Kit on the malletKAT and enjoy. Included in the sound set are many vibes, marimbas, timpani, steel pan, chimes, bells, xylophone, crotales and orchestral and Latin hand percussion and drum sets. KAT Percussion has also taken the time to update the playing surface to NuBAR
pads which provide better response and feel. The NuBAR pads are also UV resistant, making the malletKAT 8.5 an optimal choice for outdoor performance use.
This is in addition to the 127 Factory Setups designed to work with General MIDI sound Modules and 127 programmable User Setups that include features like Splitting, Layering, Poly/Mono Modes and more that come standard with every malletKAT model. All models also incorporate FSR technology, delivering superb feel and response. The MalletKAT is an incredibly expressive and powerful alternative to traditional marimba and vibraphone instruments.
“We market the malletKAT as The World’s Most Powerful MIDI Percussion Controller,” says Dave Cywinski, Sales Manager for drums and percussion at Hal Leonard. “And with the addition of the gigKAT 2 it makes the malletKAT the undisputed leader and innovator in this category!”
“I am so excited about how the gigKAT 2 fundamentally changes the setup, and the scope, of the malletKAT,” says Mario DeCiutiis. “And everyone will be blown away by the sounds this module produces. It’s absolutely stunning! I’d also like to point out that existing malletKAT users will not be left out in the cold. Anyone with a malletKAT 4.0 or newer can upgrade to the new gigKAT 2 module with the purchase and installation of a moderately priced new chip.”
There are 3 models in the MalletKAT 8.5 line. The MalletKAT Express offers a compact and lightweight 2-octave design which can be expanded to 4 octaves. The MalletKAT Pro offers a 3-octave design and can be expanded to 4 or 5 octaves. And the MalletKAT Grand offers a standard lightweight 4-octave design which can be expanded to 5 octaves.
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