V-Drums kit for lefties

Author: Roland UK Features Team

As in the acoustic drum world, it’s easy for left-handed players to feel that they’re forever made to adapt to playing on a kit set up for right-handed players. We show you how to setup a V-Drums kit for lefties.

Wich V-Drums kit is right for you?

If you’re a left-handed player, it’s important that you can set up your kit, whether it’s acoustic or electronic, for your comfort and playing style. It’s certainly possible with every single Roland V-Drums kit to adapt the drum stand or rack for left-handed playing. Here’s how to setup a V-Drums kit for lefties:

Here’s How You Set Up a V-Drums Kit for Lefties…

MDS-4V (TD-11 kits and previous TD-4 kits)

The MDS-4V is perhaps one of the easiest V-Drums stands to set-up for left-handed playing

• Step 1: Remove the cables from each of the pads and cymbals initially, and unsecure the wiring harness from the stand. You will plug the jacks back in and re-secure the harness with the supplied clips and Velcro tapes after step 5, once the module has been moved
• Step 2: Move the pad clamp and hi-hat mount, located on the left-hand side of the rack over the right-hand curved pipe. You will need to undo the pipe clamps at the end of left, and right pipes using a drum key, to slip the pad mount off and on. Also move the FD-8 foot controller to the left-hand side of the kit
• Step 3: Switch the crash and ride cymbals on the cymbal arms, so that the ride is on the left and the crash is now on the right
• Step 4: Move the snare pipe and pipe clamp from the inner left leg, to the inner right leg. To do this, loosen the clamp and slip off the rubber feet at the bottom of each leg, replacing after use
• Step 5: Switch the module from the left hand side to the right hand side pipe and the tom 3 pad from right to left. Do this by loosening the pad clamp that holds the module and tom pad 3 (floor tom) and switch them over

MDS-9V (TD-15 kits and previous TD-9 kits)

The MDS-9V stand, although bigger than the MDS-4V and looking slightly different, actually transforms to a left-handed stand in exactly the same way as the MDS-4V, as described above.

MDS-25 (TD-30KV and previous TD-20KX)

The MDS-25 is perhaps the easiest to setup and doesn’t require much effort or time. The internal cabling only runs through 2 of the 3 sections of tubing on the MDS-25, and although these 2 sections are connected by the internal cabling, they are both easily “flipped” or reversed in order to be clamped to the appropriate legs in a left-player orientation and, so the cable ends (exiting from the tube sections) are positioned correctly for connection to the pads, cymbals, and module.

V-Drums Kit for Lefties MDS-25

V-Drums Kit for Lefties TD-20SX

MDS-20BK (TD-20S-BK and TD-20S-WT kit)  

Like the MDS-25, the wiring harness is also built into the MDS-20BK rack. However, the left conversion method for the MDS-20BK requires a few more steps. Simply follow the steps below and you’ll switch the MDS-20Bk rack from right to left in no time:

Start with the stand unfolded as shown.

• Step 1: Loosen the hand knob on the T-fitting that holds the right side horizontal tube.
• Step 2: Swing the right tube and vertical post out and around to the back and tighten the knob.

MDS-20BK-Reverse-Step-1-2

• Step 3: Use a drum key to loosen lug bolts 1 and 2 on both T-fittings holding the right tube.
• Step 4: Rotate the right horizontal tube outward approximately 1/3 of the way around until the vertical posts are parallel. Tighten the lug bolts.

MDS-20BK-Reverse-Step-3-4

• Step 5: Use a drum key to remove the T-fitting on the outside left vertical post (under the module mount).
• Step 6: Loosen the hand knob on the T-fitting on the front left vertical post that holds the left horizontal tube.
• Step 7: DO NOT SWING THE TUBE OUTWARD! To prevent cable damage, swing the tube in and through the front horizontal tubes.

MDS-20BK-Reverse-Step-5-7

• Step 8: Loosen lug bolts 1 and 2 on the T-Fitting on the front left vertical.
• Step 9: Rotate the tube outward 1/3 of the way around.
• Step 10: Attach the T-fitting to the vertical post and the horizontal tube. Carefully position the cables in the T-fitting (as shown). Also, make sure the T-Fitting is angled up (the numbers near the holes will be upside down).

MDS-20BK-Reverse-Step-9-10

MDS-20BK-Reverse-Step-10-close-up

• Step 11: Loosen lug bolts 1 & 2
• Step 12: Rotate tubes
• Step 13: Reinsert the tubes and tighten the lug bolts.
• Step 14: Attach pad mounts, pads, and module. Have fun!

MDS-20BK-Reverse-Step-11-14

Related links and articles:

• V-Drums Friend Jam Improves Your Drumming
• TD-4KP V-Drums Portable Wins MIPA Award
• V-Drums World Championship 2 Finals

Thomas Lang using V-Drums with SuperNATURAL Technology

Author: Roland UK Features Team

In 2012, Roland launched an entirely new line-up of V-Drums featuring SuperNATURAL technology. The new line up gives drummers a more dynamic and natural playing experience than most electronic kits, but what does SuperNATURAL technology actually do, and how does it work?

6 reasons for choosing electronic drums

The V-Drums Lineup

First of all, what are the current models and which models do they replace?

• TD-11K/TD-11KV series replaces TD-4K2/TD-4KX2 series
• TD-15K/TD-15KV series replaces TD-9K2/TD-9KX2 series
• TD-30K replaces TD-12KX model
• TD-30KV replaces TD-20SX model

The TD-11, TD-15 and TD-30 modules all feature a SuperNATURAL sound engine. However, the SuperNATURAL experience becomes more obvious as you travel up the range. Paradoxically, it takes a lot of technology to keep things sounding simple and real.

SuperNATURAL Technology Explained…

In brief, SuperNATURAL technology improves the way the instrument responds to your playing, making it feel far more natural and authentic. For years, digital instruments have faithfully reproduced the sound of an acoustic instrument. But digital instruments usually feel different to their acoustic counterparts, due to the way they respond to your playing.

SuperNATURAL technology incorporates ‘Behavior Modeling’ which takes the playing experience a step further than just offering a ‘detailed’ sound. By accurately reproducing the behavior and responses of an acoustic instrument, it transforms the way a digital drum kit responds, therefore; giving the drums a dynamic and natural ‘feel’ that until now has not been possible.

SuperNATURAL technology was first introduced in Roland’s prestigious digital pianos and synthesizers. When developing the next generation of V-Drums, Roland’s engineers felt that SuperNATURAL technology could be developed further and adapted for V-Drums.

What are drum triggers? Find out here!

What is Behavior Modeling?

To understand how SuperNATURAL technology works, we first need to understand how an acoustic instrument behaves. Let’s consider a snare drum roll. If you play a single or double stroke roll lightly on the snare drum, it has a soft tone, a quiet volume and the drum responds in a certain way with less ‘attack’. As you play harder, not only does the volume get louder, but the tone changes too. It now responds differently, with the attack now a lot more pronounced. This transition in tone, volume and response happens in a smooth and seamless way. Every strike is different, and the drum reacts differently to each strike.

Okay, So How Does SuperNATURAL Technology Work?

SuperNATURAL processes many elements to model convincingly the behavior of acoustic instruments:

• It processes your playing input faster than ever before.
• It captures detailed sensing information, such as rim shot strength and the player’s position on the pad.
• The sound engine produces sounds that respond and change smoothly and dynamically.

Together, these elements create an authentic ‘behavioral reaction’, or to put it another way, the drums play and feel just how you’d expect them to. There are three distinct stages to modeling this behavioral reaction:

1. How the pad or cymbal physically feels when you hit it. For example, the Roland mesh head has a more natural feel when the drum stick hits it, responding with an acoustic like bounce and rebound that feels natural.
2. The sensing within the pad is high quality and accurately detects hit strength, position and interval (i.e. the time between each hit). This information is then sent to the module.
3. The sound engine within the module processes all of the information sent by the pad and then recreates the sound accurately and smoothly. This is the key to ensuring the transition in volume and tone is dynamic and natural.

Because the sound engine processes the player’s input very quickly, it means that every stroke can be processed individually. Therefore, dynamics, such as ghost notes, flams, buzz rolls and rim shots feel far more realistic. This removes the ‘machine gun’ effect associated with previous digital drum kits, where every hit can sound the same as the last.

So now, if you can think it, you can now play it – but only on a SuperNATURAL V-Drums kit.

Related links and articles:

• The Benefits of Electronic Drums
• What are Drum Triggers?
• Learn to Play Electronic Drums
• Pick Your Poison – SPD-SX versus SPD-30

Netsky Live at the Fonda Theater in Los Angeles, CA.

A celebrity in his native Belgium and growing in popularity worldwide, Boris Daenan—better known as Netsky—has received numerous awards and accolades for his new-school brand of drum and bass. In 2009, Hospital Records signed him to an exclusive deal, and his first release with the influential UK label was the highly successful single “Memory Lane,” followed soon after by the chart-topping debut album “Netsky.” In 2012, sensing that he could take his show to another level, the DJ and producer put his turntables aside and unveiled Netsky LIVE!, an EDM stage show featuring a complete band.

What’s the difference between the SPD-SX and the SPD-30? Find out here!

Netsky LIVE uses a full arsenal of Roland gear

Netsky plays the SPD-30 and A-500 PRO, keyboardist Babl plays the JUPITER-80, VP-770, and A-800 PRO and drummer Michael Schack plays the TD-30KV V-Drums and SPD-SX Sampling Pad. Michael has a long history with Roland, both as as a product demonstrator and advisor. We caught up with him at a recent show date in Los Angeles for some insight into his gig with Netsky, including how the band uses Roland gear to deliver a more rich and dynamic live EDM experience than a one-man DJ show can.

Q. How do you prepare your V-Drums set for the Netsky show?

A. Actually, there’s this incredible thing that happened a few years ago: I was playing V-Drums with Kate Ryan, who is really popular in Eastern Europe. We arrived with the tour bus, and I see all kind of microphones set up close to the V-Drum pads. So, a very strange situation, because the guy didn’t actually realize that it was an electronic drum set!

With electronic drums, and especially the TD-30 today—which is fast, low-latency, the best SuperNATURAL [sounds]—you can go single outs for everything. For instance, I’m using the kicks and snares in stereo, layered with the TD-30, but they’re coming out of the SPD-SX. So [they’re] triggered at the same time. And then we have the toms on separate channels, we have the hi-hat on a separate channel, the ride on a separate channel, and the two crashes on a separate stereo channel. [With] so many separate channels, [the sound engineer] can actually make it sound very wide.

You can adjust the panning to every concert hall. You can totally go wild in making the sound as broad as possible, which is much more impressive than a USB stick just playing a stereo out through a DJ mixer. Same for the keyboards—it’s hardware and software combined. So all the synth sounds, all the pianos [have] separate stereo channels, so that’s really a very important main difference with any DJ set, which actually sounds a little bit more compressed, and not so wide-spectrum, not so dynamic.

Q: With all that Roland gear on stage, how long does the sound check usually take?

Michael Schack, drummer for Netsky Live

A: Actually, we have a very good system. First of all, we don’t have to put mics on the V-Drums, which is already a big time saver. We have all the sounds and patches very well prepared, [and] everything connects very easily to the laptops. We have a flying rack with us, which holds some very nasty sound cards and everything, so it’s actually jut a matter of getting the engine started and then really tweaking the PA for what’s coming out of these instruments for the front of house. Frank, our sound guy, is a champion in tweaking a PA for really good drum and bass vibes. It’s very important with electronic music that everything is very consistent and very glued together, and that makes the people dance. It takes us not too much time to really get going.

Q: What’s your involvement with Roland V-Drums?

A: My involvement with Roland V-Drums has been a love story [for] 20 years. Before the V-Drums came out, I became a demonstrator in Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg through Roland Benelux, when the TD-7 came out. I was a very young guy, but I was interested in electronic drums. Most of my colleague musicians, they named me “Mr. Tupperware” because they didn’t believe in the potential of electronic drums. Then the V-Drums came out [in 1997], and in 2001, for the very first time, I was invited by Roland Japan to play at the Frankfurt Musikmesse.

Netsky Live on stage

From then on it took off—I got to know the engineers more personally, [and] they were asking me things about the music I was playing. They found it really strange that as a drummer I was also interested in using samples and triggering samples, and not just playing along with linear tracks from a CD or whatever. I’m really a little bit freaky on how it sounds and how it’s compressed and how fat you can go, and it took off from there.

I [also developed] a very good relationship and [friendship] with Steve Fisher from Roland U.S., who has been a main guy in getting the V-Drums program going, [and] also Tommy Snyder, another very important Roland demonstrator. I learned so much from them. In 2004, I had the incredible opportunity to play together with Steve when the first TD-20 set came out, and then again the success story continued.

I’m so happy that I could serve along on this wave of continuous development. The engineers in Japan, they’re just great, and they dig electronic music, acoustic music, old-school blues—they really have their thing together. I try to [advise] them [based on my experience]: “Hey, this kick sound, you need to make the people dance, this needs to be a little bit more punchy, more in the face, less effects, more compression,” and so on. Johnny Rabb is also a very important contributor. Through all these people working together, the presets in a V-Drum set are actually very representative of what it already can do, and then the user, the drummer, can go as far he wants. That’s my role in this story.

Related links and articles:

• Michael Schack looping on the Octapad
• Michael Schack – Drumeo Edge (FULL DRUM LESSON)
• Omar Tavarez: How I Use my SPD-SX
• Aaron Rossi on how to land a gig like Ministry

Roland V-Drums World Championship 2

Roland’s annual V-Drums® World Championship contest gives drummers a premier opportunity to explore their musical passion. Nearly 5,000 participants competed during the preliminary rounds in 2012! Each year, thousands of performances around the world feature musicians using TD-30KV, TD-15KV and TD-11KV drum kits and the OCTAPAD SPD-30 digital percussion pad. This year’s grande finale event will be streaming live on the V-Drums contest website, Thursday, April 11, 2013, starting at 10:30 a.m. PDT. The live broadcast will feature 16 international V-Drums finalists, behind the scenes interviews, expert judges and a performance by The Intersphere.

Why go with electronic drums? Read the benefits here.

Former U.S. national semi-finalist Patrick Kennedy has been training extensively after earning his chance to compete in the finals. “It was an honor to participate in the V-Drums national competition,” Patrick said. “I had an amazing time getting to hang out and talk with Thomas Lang and Johnny Rabb, as well as all of the other contestants.” Kennedy won a TD-30KV V-Drums set and other prizes from REMO, DW, Vic Firth, and DRUM! magazine.

An elite roster of judges will crown the 2013 V-Drums king based on the following: playing technique, musicality, groove, creativity, entertainment value, playing tricks, and precision. All experts in the field of electronic percussion, this year’s judges panel includes Dirk Brand, Craig Blundell, Tommy Snyder, and Florian Alexandru-Zorn, Mark Van Schaik, Rich Chamberlain, and Axel Mikolajczak.

Roland on Stage With American Idol

“It has been amazing seeing so many talented drummers taking their talent to the next level with electronic percussion, ” said Roland Percussion Group Strategy Manager Drew Armentrout. “The way these drummers perform is truly inspiring, and I can’t wait to watch the finals.”

Visit the international V-Drums contest page for more details! Or, follow the Twitter conversation via #vdrumscontest.

Live Streaming: 
April 11, 2013 – 10:30 AM PDT

V-Drums World Championship 2012

Related links and articles:

• Pat Kennedy V-Drums Training Camp
• Brendan Buckley Judges V-Drums Semi Finals
• Meet the V-Drums U.S. Finalists
• The Benefits of Electronic Drums

This is an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at U.S. National Champion Pat Kennedy preparing for the V-Drums World Championship 2. He’ll be representing the U.S. during the V-Drums World Championship in Frankfurt, Germany on Thursday, April 11, 2013. And Roland is giving everyone around the world a front row seat to watch the event live, online! Check the V-Drums contest website for all the streaming details, and join us for the show if you can. Go Pat!

Patrick Kennedy (USA)

Like Pat Kennedy, each contestant is already a champion, having won their respective national V-Drums contests, but climbing to this level has been far from easy. In order to adhere to an interesting twist in Roland’s V-Drums contest rules, contestants had to learn and incorporate an additional piece of Roland gear for their national championship showdown. Each regional finalist won the opportunity to choose his or her prize, an SPD-30 or an SPD-SX. (Pat chose an SPD-SX.) Then, each national champion went on to win a TD-30KV V-Drums flagship electronic drum kit. With the playing field as level as possible for the world championship event —  TD-30KVs, SPD-SXs and SPD-30s at each drummers’ disposal — the pressure to shine creatively and technically will be higher than ever, and the competition will be fierce.

What’s the difference between the SPD-SX and the SPD-30, any way?

The first V-Drums World Championship contest attracted hundreds of talented drummers from around the world. These were narrowed down to 16 finalists who traveled to the world final in Anaheim, California during Winter NAMM 2012. After a night of spectacular performances, the top honor finally went to drummer Baard Kolstad of Norway who beat out the U.S. national champion JP Bouvet.  Judges were impressed not only with Baard’s drumming ability but also with his use of the technology available on his Roland V-Drums kit.

Based on the contestant lineup below, the judges have a tough job on their hands trying to choose a winner for this year’s V-Drums World Championship. Meanwhile, each drummer must impress the panel of judges with technique, creative rhythm, use of technology, and of course, great showmanship.

What are your thoughts on the U.S. national champion Pat Kennedy’s preparation? Do you have a favorite drummer from the list below? Will Pat bring home the world title?

Judges:

Dirk Brand – Musician, V-Drums Specialist (event host as well)
Craig Blundell – UK Songwriter, Producer, Journalist, V-Drums Clinician
Tommy Snyder – Drummer, Singer
Florian Alexandru-Zorn – Drummer, Lecturer, Journalist
Mark Van Schaik – Journalist
Rich Chamberlain – Journalist
Axel Mikolajczak – Journalist

Related links and articles:

• V-Drums Contest U.S. Finals Results
• Pick Your Poison: SPD-SX Versus SPD-30
• The Benefits of Electronic Drums
• Roland on Stage with American Idol

With the ever increasing popularity of electronic drums, and the seemingly endless variety of choices in the market, choosing the correct kit for not only your budget but for your needs can be daunting. Roland offers a complete family of V-Drums kits from beginning sets to full professional models to simplify your decision-making process. Lets have a look at the current V-Drums line-up.

 HD-3 V-Drums Lite

Designed primarily for beginners, the HD-3 V-Drums Lite features a unique all in one design that is easy to set up and operate. The modern, clean look makes it a welcome addition to any household, and it is also compact enough to fit in the corner of a bedroom. The components are easily adjusted and can be set low or high, making this an ideal choice for the reach of small children. The quiet, integrated pedal design includes a great playing feel and minimizes noise and vibration through floors and ceilings, making this the most family and neighbor-friendly kit around. A dual-trigger mesh head snare pad, responsive cloth style tom pads, dual zone cymbal pads with choke, and expressive hi-hat pedal control enhance the playability. The HD-3 includes 20 preset drum kits, clearly marked function buttons, a built-in metronome with tempo control, and an easy to read display. Like all V-Drums kits, connectors include a headphone jack, an audio-output jack, a Mix-in jack (for connecting a MP3 or CD player), and a MIDI-out connector for interfacing with a home computer* to access optional software like Roland’s DT-1 Drum Tutor or the Free application, V-Drums Friend Jam.

*Requires a MIDI to USB interface. Sold separately.

TD-4KP V-Drums Portable

For the drummer on the go, the TD-4KP V-Drums Portable is the ultimate mobile kit. The innovative folding design allows for quick set-up, rapid breakdown and easy transport/storage. When collapsed, the entire drum kit can fit in the optional CB-TDP bag and be placed easily in a car trunk or the back seat. The TD-4KP is outfitted with responsive rubber pads for the snare and toms, dual-trigger cymbal pads for crash, ride, and hi-hat, and a hi-hat control pedal. The compact and innovative kick pad mounts directly to the stand and uses a standard acoustic kick pedal. The included TD-4 Drum Module features 125 expressive sounds and 25 different kits to cover any musical style. The tuning and muffling for kick and snare sounds can be quickly edited using the front panel controls, and you can also assign any sound to any pad within a kit, allowing you to quickly customize your sound.

TD-11K/ TD-11KV  V-Drums Compact Series

The V-Drums Compact Series has been a staple in the Roland line-up for years, and the latest incarnation is no exception. SuperNATURAL powered with extremely expressive sounds and great playability, the included TD-11 Drum Sound Module features 190 quality sounds and 50 internal kits. Additional customization includes, tuning, muffling, snare buzz, tone color, ambience type and 4 band EQ. Built-in Coach exercises, play-along songs, and the push-button ease of Quick Record makes practice sessions effective and fun. USB and MIDI connectivity allow for even more creativity possibilities.

Mounted on the sturdy MDS-4V stand, the V-Compact Series comes in two different configurations: the TD-11K which includes a mesh-head dual trigger snare pad, three gum rubber tom pads, and two dual-trigger cymbal pads. The TD-11KV is Roland’s most affordable all-mesh-head kit and includes larger V-Cymbals with a 3-way trigger capable ride cymbal pad. Both versions offer the KD-9 kick trigger pad and an expressive hi-hat combination that includes a dual-trigger pad and hi-hat control pedal.

TD-15K/KV V-Drums Tour Series

Consisting of the TD-15K and TD-15KV drum sets, the venerable V-Tour Series adds professional features to this range of the V-Drums family. Featuring 500 expressive sounds and 100 internal kits, the SuperNATURAL powered TD-15 Drum Sound Module also adds a Quick Edit function to instantly access sound-editing parameters, a separate headphone volume knob, two additional trigger inputs for adding more pads or cymbals, and more. The metronome can be routed to headphones only, making it ideal for on-stage use.

Mounted on the rugged MDS-9V stand, both kit models include dual-trigger mesh pads, with the TD-15KV utilizing larger diameter mesh pads and the expressive VH-11 V-Hi-Hat, which mounts on a standard acoustic hi-hat stand.

TD-30K/KV V-Drums Pro Series

For over 15 years, the V-Drums V-Pro Series has set the standard by which all other brands of electronic drum sets are measured. The latest models, the TD-30K and TD-30KV take expressive and dynamic drumming to a new level. The series is centered around the SuperNATURAL TD-30 Drum Sound Module, with over 1000 sounds, extensive editing, and a host of professional features, including 15 lightning-fast, dual-trigger inputs, multiple audio outputs, and physical faders that feature a dedicated Ambience fader for real-time control of overhead and room microphone simulation, plus reverb for stunning results.

The TD-30K includes mesh V-Pads for kick, snare, and three toms, along with V-Cymbals that feature a pair of dual-trigger crash cymbals, a three-way ride, and the V-11 V-Hi-Hat. The flagship TD-30KV includes all-mesh pads for snare, four tom pads, and the ultra-rugged KD-140 kick pad. The snare and tom V-Pads include an improved rim sensor for increased sensitivity. All V-Pads include the ability to interchange the shell wraps to customize the look of the kit. The TD-30KV also includes a full array of V-Cymbals, and the advanced VH-13-MG V-Hi-Hat. Both kits are mounted on road-worthy stands with an internal cabling system for a clean professional look and quick set-up.

Take the V-Drums Challenge

With all these great choices, features and product specifications are just a part of the story. With any drum set, playing is believing. We invite you to play Roland V-Drums. Compare the feel, responsiveness, sound quality, and construction to other brands of electronic drum sets. We’re confident that you’ll agree that Roland makes the finest and most versatile electronic drums and percussion available.

Related links and articles:

• The Benefits of Electronic Drums
• Learn to Play Electronic Drums
• What are Drum Triggers?

Considering playing drums or adding an acoustic drum set to your household, lesson room, or house of worship? Take a look at the unique benefits provided by electronic drums and percussion, especially Roland V-Drums.

Quick Access to a Wide Variety of Sounds
Electronic drum kits allow you to change the sound of your drum kit with a touch of a button. Studio-quality acoustic kits, huge arena rock kits, world and orchestral percussion, electronic and techno kits, funky hip-hop kits, and more are all immediately accessible. With hundreds of drum, percussion, and effects sounds at your fingertips, an electronic kit will let you play authentic sounds in wide variety of musical styles.

Volume Control
One of the main challenges with acoustic drums, cymbals, and percussion is the extreme volume levels these instruments can produce. An electronic drum kit’s drum and cymbal pads make very little acoustic noise when played, and the volume of the sounds can be easily controlled with the volume knob. This makes electronic kits a great choice for small stages, churches, or anywhere stage volume may be a problem. At home, the sound can be monitored with headphones making late night and apartment drumming practical. And for recording enthusiasts, electronic drums make it easy to achieve professional sounding tracks by eliminating the need for multiple microphones and preamplifiers.

Practicing, Play-along, and Built-In Recording
Roland electronic drum sets include valuable practice, play-along and recording tools. All models feature a built-in metronome with adjustable tempo, and a mix-in jack for connecting to an MP3 or CD player so you can jam with your favorite songs. Some also include Roland’s Coach, a unique tool that helps improve drumming skills with challenging exercises and drills, providing feedback on your performance. With many models you can explore different drumming styles by playing along with onboard songs and musical patterns, or access MP3 and WAV files with a USB thumb drive. Even record and play back your drumming performances with easy-to-use recording features, now a common built-in feature with nearly every current model of Roland V-Drums. And for the TD-30, TD-15, and TD-11 series V-Drums Kits, the optional Roland Wireless Connect allows you to record or just have fun jamming using the FREE apps Air Recorder and V-Drums Friend Jam for iPhone.

MIDI
You can also expand your sound palette and recording capabilities by connecting your electronic drum set to computers and software, external sound modules, samplers and other electronic musical instruments via MIDI. MIDI is the worldwide standard for connecting electronic musical instruments and computers. All Roland V-Drums models include a standard MIDI out connector that requires a separate MIDI interface, and many also include USB for simple connection to a computer with a single cable. Either method allows you to utilize any number of software applications including Roland’s DT-1 Drum Tutor and V-Drums Friend Jam.

Familiar Playing Feel
You’ll experience a great acoustic drum feel when playing Roland V-Drums, and all your acoustic drumming techniques translate seamlessly to V-Drums, from rim shots on the snare to grabbing a cymbal to choke its sound. Even nuanced techniques such as buzz and press rolls, brush play, hi-hat heel splashes, and more are easily performed on virtually all Roland electronic drum sets.

Take the V-Drums Challenge
We invite you to play Roland V-Drums. Compare the feel, responsiveness, and sound quality to other brands of electronic drum sets. We’re confident that you’ll agree that Roland makes the finest and most versatile electronic drums and percussion available.

Related links and articles:

• Learn to Play Electronic Drums
• What are Drum Triggers?
• V-Drums Contest U.S. Finals Results

News from our Roland brothers around the world

Top UK drummers battle it out for a chance to represent the UK in the V-Drums World Championship 2013

Last year’s V-Drums World Championship competition attracted hundreds of talented drummers from every corner of the globe. These were narrowed down to 16 finalists who traveled to the World final in Anaheim, California to perform in the renowned House Of Blues club. After a night of spectacular performances the top honor finally went to drummer Baard Kolstad (Norway), who impressed judges not only with his drumming ability but also with his use of the technology available on Roland V-Drums.

Back in August, entry for the 2013 competition opened and Roland UK began the search for the next V-Drums World Champion. It was a difficult task choosing participants for the regional finals from the wealth of great video entries submitted but after much consideration, six drummers were invited to participate in a live show at the Birmingham Jam House on 23rd October.

It was a great night of varied live music with each performer bringing something unique to the stage. The participants had the new flagship Roland TD-30KV V-Drums, SPD-SX and OCTAPAD SPD-30 at their disposal. The competition was intense with all drummers getting five minutes to demonstrate their skills whilst the performances were judged by a panel of industry experts like V-Drums demonstrator Craig Blundell, V-Drums Product Manager Jules Tabberer-Stewart and Chris Barnes, editor of Rhythm Magazine.

The judges had a tough job on their hands trying to choose a winner but in the end drummer Geoff Fry emerged victorious, impressing judges unanimously with a mix of impressive technique, creative rhythm and great showmanship. He had a clear grasp of how utilizing Roland technology could raise a performance up to the next level. For his stellar effort he was awarded a brand new Roland SPD-SX sampling pad. Check out the video below to see his performance from the night.

Geoff will travel to Frankfurt in March 2013 during the Mussikmesse 2013 trade show to compete against drummers chosen by Roland branches around the World. He will spend the coming months preparing his performance with an aim to win the V-Drums World Championship crown for the UK. We are sure he will give a performance that will do the UK proud.

Related links and articles:

• U.S. V-Drums Contest Results
• Pick Your Poison – SPD-SX Versus SPD-30
• Meet The V-Drums Finalists

We just received a really cool update from Michael Schack who’s currently on tour with Netsky (Boris Daenen). Micheal is responsible for keeping pace with the frantic drum and bass BPM that Netsky is known for. In our iPad user’s group magazine we asked Michael how fast he has to drum to which he answered, “The average tempo is like 175 beats per minute, but after an hour it feels more like 198!”

The band consists of drummer Michael Schack on the TD-30KV drum kit and SPD-SX sampler, and keyboard player Babl on the VP-550, Fantom-G7, and an A-800PRO MIDI controller. Boris himself uses an AX-Synth and an Octapad® SPD-30.

Published on Nov 1, 2012 by NetskymusicTV:

Netsky News, Live Dates & More - http://netskymusic.com
Filmed behind the scenes at the recent sold out show at Electric Brixton in London, Netsky and the band tell us the story behind the live show.
Shot & cut by Nezih Savaskan http://redhavoc.co.uk

It was really weird. Boris and I got in touch through Facebook. I was posting on his wall and at the exact same time he was posting a comment on one of my demos. We arranged to meet up the next day, we lived nearby, and that same evening I was on stage with him. Boris already had it in his head to do a complete live show, so we just started jamming and took it from there.

Michael is also a Roland artist and product specialist. Please visit Roland’s YouTube channel to view some of his product videos and stay tuned for a full Netsky interview on Roland User’s Group iPad magazine out soon.

This just in:

Published on Nov 3, 2012 by SKKaddy

Looks like SKKaddy took this video from his phone. The audience is really into the Dub Step and Drum & Bass coming from Netsky’s band. What do you think of Dub Step and Drum and Bass drumming? Drop us a comment.

Related links and articles:

Pick Your Poison – SPD-SX Versus SPD-30

Michael Schack Looping on the Octapad

V-Drums World Championship U.S. Finals 2012 

The results are in but if you were following the conversation on Twitter (#vdrumscontest) you probably already know that this year’s V-Drums U.S. National Champion is Pat Kennedy from Manor, TX. The Runner-up is Phillip “PJ” Hill from Milwaukee, WI. Patrick will represent the U.S. at the V-Drums World Championship 2 contest in Frankfurt, Germany in April, 2013. You can still check out their entry videos and bios here.

Winning Prizes:

Grand prize winner, Patrick received a TD-30KV drum kit and PJ won a TD-15KV kit for the runner-up spot. Both winners also received DW hardware and bricks of Vic Firth drum sticks. Again, apologies for the live stream cut off. We received great comments about our stream quality up until we went offline, thanks Danita Barber (Twitter handle: @whatuKnowGood).

Funny how things happen at deciding moments or during Thomas Lang’s compelling performance. We’ll keep the #vdrumscontest hashtag alive for the V-Drums World Championships in Frankfurt next year.   Special thanks to our Twitter audience for keeping things interesting!

Related links and articles:

• Meet The V-Drums Finalists
• V-Drums World Championship U.S. Finals 2012
• Pick Your Poison – SPD-SX Versus SPD-30

The Roland V-Drums World Championship U.S. Finals is only two days away. Meet this year’s finalists and watch the videos that got them here. Tell us what you think about their drumming chops and share with us your contest predictions. Think you can do better? We encourage you to start working on your video for next year’s contest.

Join the conversation on Twitter with hashtag #vdrumscontest.

Brandon Currie – Marietta, GA

More of Brandon:

• YouTube channel: BMCColumn
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/BCurrez89

Brandon grew up in Fayetteville North Carolina, now lives in Atlanta. He is 23 years old, and has been playing for 17 years. His influences are Buddy Rich, Carter Beauford, Tony Royster Jr., Chris Coleman, Jerome Flood, RIP THE REV and many others.  Brandon loves to play everything and doesn’t limit his playing to any style of music.

Besides his passion for drums and music, he enjoys car audio systems and he also plays bass.

DeCarlos Davis – Winston-Salem, NC

• More of DeCarlos on his website: www.decarlosdavis.com 
• facebook.com/decarlosdavis
• twitter.com/dlosmusic

Born and raised in Winston Salem, North Carolina, DeCarlos has been drumming ever since he was 5 years old. He began by playing in church and received his first drum-set at a young age. DeCarlos played the trumpet in Jr. High Band and by the time he got into high school he switched to the drums. By his junior year in high school he was drum captain and one of the best high school drummers in Forsyth County.

His influences are Dennis Chambers, Dave Weckl, Billy Cobham and Horacio Hernandez

He enjoys Music, Family Time and Xbox 360

Jeffrey Fajardo – Brooklyn, NY

An artist and musician out of New York City, Jeffrey was born into a family of musicians, with a childhood that had a nurturing musical environment. Attending Berklee College of Music on a full presidential scholarship, Jeffrey’s professional career has been the foreground of all his youth and still continues to perform and tour throughout the US and internationally. With an eclectic listening background, Jeffrey’s drumming style incorporates Jazz, Rock, Funk, Latin, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Dubstep, Drum ‘n Bass, Afro-beat, Pop, Punk among all the new emerging music of today. Some say his approach is quite unique and essential for the progression of drumming in the 21st century.

T.J. Fisher – Long Beach, CA

More of T.J.:

• YouTube Channel:TJ Fisher 
• Website: wix.com/tjrummer/drums
• T.J. on Facebook
• T.J. on Instagram: Tjrummer

Drummer , Producer, Teacher, and Arranger Tj  is a passionate musician all about the groove.   Known as the Little Man with the Big Pocket  he has been playing since he can remember. Influenced by his peers and many Drummers Such as Dennis Chambers, Virgil Donati, Vinnie Colaiuta, Tony Williams, Tony Royster Jr. and many more.

He  plays with a band called  Chi-Town-Soul who works regularly on events for 94.7 The Wave. He also Works With Singer Songwriter  Krystle Tugadi and Urban Rap Artist A. L. The Prince. Currently producing songs for several artists, TJ also works as an assistant Band Director for the Long Beach Jordan Drum line and Marching band.

Tj loves to make music and spend time with friends and family. Tj would like to dedicate his performance to his daughter on the way Jaylee .

Casey Glass – Loveland, CO

More of Casey :

• YouTube channel: DrummerCaseyGlass
• Facebook
• Website: www.drummercaseyglass.com

From Denver, CO, 30 year old Casey has been playing drums for 22 years. He began playing percussion in concert band in elementary school, then drum set in jazz school, and joined his first rock band when he was 12 and has played in countless bands then. I joined drum line in high school and achieved drum captain my junior year.  I played snare in Blue Knights Drum Corp for a couple of years after high school. At18, he turned his focus to drum set and creating music.

His current band IMMORTAL DOMINION recorded a new album last year, has had music featured in movies while continuing to expand their live performances to a wider audience.

Casey’s influences are Buddy Rich, Billy Cobham, Dave Weckl, Dennis Chambers, Neill Peart, John Bonham, Keith Moon, Carter Beauford, Chad Sexton, Tony Royster Jr., Thomas Lang and Chad Smith.

Casey just had my seven year wedding anniversary with my beautiful wife, Cindy, and they have two boys together, Jaxon and Dillon, ages 2 and 4.  Outside of drumming, Casey enjoys woodworking, snow skiing, football and golf.

Reed Hayes – Deltona, FL

More of Reed:

• YouTube channel: Reed Hayes
• Website
• Facebook

A 44-year-old full-time, actively-gigging drummer, Reed has been playing since age 11. Currently in multiple progressive rock/fusion original bands in the Central Florida area. He is also a member of one of the top Rush tribute bands in the United States who has performed multiple times at RushCon.

Born in Thailand, and living in the United States at a young age, Reed has lived in Deltona, Florida since he was a teenager where he currently resides with his family. His many influences include Neil Peart, Tony Williams, Billy Cobham, Buddy Rich, all the drummers for Frank Zappa, Gavin Harrison, Thomas Lang, and Benny Greb.

P.J. Hill – Milwaukee, WI

P.J. on Twitter: @drummingpj

Phillip is 22 years old and likes all styles especially anything that is musically challenging.

He looks up to Thomas Lang, Thomas Pridgen, Tony Williams, Sonny Emory and many other great players.

From Milwaukee WI, Phillip has played in many bands, and has been seen on TV, in Magazines, and Youtube.

Patrick Kennedy – Manor, TX

Pat 30 years old and lives in Austin, TX.  Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Pat moved to Austin in 2004 to pursue Master’s degree in Jazz Performance from the University of Texas.  Currently, Pat is a middle school band director, and plays drums with Opposite Day (an experimental, art-rock trio) and Sweetmeat (an indie-soul sextet), as well as other various jazz musicians and singer/songwriters in the Austin area.

He is married to his lovely wife, Nicole, and enjoys golf, grilling, and football.

This year’s contest is being held in Austin, TX on Halloween night and also being streamed live here. Live performances by Thomas Lang and Johnny Rabb!

• Doors opent at 6pm Central Time
• Event and live webcast begins at 7pm Central Time

Special thanks to our sponsors and partners for helping put together this event:

• Vic Firth
• DW Drums
• Drum! Magazine
• Remo
• American DJ

Related articles and links:

• V-Drums World Championship U.S. Finals Highlight Reel
• Brendan Buckley (Shakira) Judges V-Drum Semi Finals
• Michael Schack (Netsky) – Looping on the Octapad

U.S. National Finals

Live Performances by Thomas Lang an Johnny Rabb

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Pasic – Austin Convention Center – Exhibit Hall 5 – Austin, TX

• Doors at 6pm
• Event at 7pm
• Free and open to the public
• All ages welcome

Enter for a chance to win a free V-Drums kit an other prizes, or tune in here for the live webcast and follow the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #vdrumscontest. In the meantime check out these four videos that Roland put together of last year’s event and previous performances by Thomas Lang and Johnny Rabb.

2011 Highlight Reel

More videos

JP Bouvet – 2011 U.S. Finals Winner

Thomas Lang – Previous V-Drums Contest Appearance/ Performance

Johnny Rabb – Previous V-Drum Contest Appearance/ Performance

Have a comment? Drop us a line.

Related posts and links: