another work around is set your samples to one hit and edit them down to exactly what you want, you can do that Boondock type shit..(I hate referencing this dude just because I and many others ((Jacpot for example)) have been doing the same thing for a while) but it will take longer...

the MPC 3K/60 and maybe others, only have 2 mute groups so you can only have one pad mute two others which can be a pain as well, often I'll just take the time to edit them down like I said earlier and at least with the 404 you can add a delay or reverb to make the chops blend better...just resample that shit to all the pads you want and edit them down like a motherfucker

seconded.

i have no hate for the guy but the props he gets is crazy especially when it ain't nothing special.

there is another "more difficult" workaround that i use and ive gotten used to it now.

set all your pads off-gate and turn loop-on.

hit a pad and it'll play all the way through.

hit the next pad AND THE PAD THAT IS PLAYING at the same time and voila.

instant start of next pad and stoppage of last pad playing.

it takes some time to get used to it and you have to do some planning in advance but it works cool enough.

^ damn good method

I just got a pK and really like it.
I love setting it to hold a drum roll, then if I only want one hit - take my finger off the pad before a repeat hit can happen.

A pK won't solve the 404's lack of pad groups - but I've got my old Alesis SR-16 drum machine, which I still think does have some very nice hat samples in it & with groups so closed cuts the open & other way around. The SR-16 has it's own pads of course & doesn't have to be playing patterns like a drum machine, you can use it as a sound module - play it's own pads or use another pad controller to it's midi input. I mention it because the SR16 is still available and can be had very cheaply.

Jim

just so yall know-i've done more than thorough research-and there are more than a few software programs that have adjustable polyphony..so like i said in the beginning,you can do all your drums and chops in the 404,effects and all that,etc..lay your drum track down on the software,then adjust the polyphony to one when you sequence your chops on a controller-and pound away-i think this is not only a dope alternative for people that would use an mp if they could(personally i dont really want to,even if i could afford it,its the principle,lol)but you'll still be getting every bit of the 404 sound..
i'm also trying to figure out a workaround-and have almost got it to work-since the 404 can play 6 stereo samples at once,i tried making all the drum sounds with extra empty space at the ends,so they all overlapped with the next sound-then did a couple samples of just empty air nothing,and looped them-so my chops would be the 6th and seventh voices,and hopefully cut eachother out..it actually worked a little ,and i was hoping the sp would start cutting out samples in the order they were layed-the last ones being th first to cut out..unfortunately i think it might just be completely random.
anyway,yea...peace