Hey, I'm not saying what you should or shouldn't use. I am just pointing out what REAL groovebox users actually DO.

Tell you one thing. Try drumming out a groove on ONE of those buttons. Tough, ain't it?! That's why there ARE pads on many grooveboxes and WS's. If their users WANTED to use tiny buttons, keys or add-on extras, that's the way they would make them.