New V-Drums Products: KT-9 Kick Trigger Pedal and FD-9 Hi-Hat Controller

Pro Performance, Ultra-Quiet Operation

Roland KT-9 Kick Trigger Pedal (left) and FD-9 Hi-Hat Controller (right).

One of the major advantages of Roland’s V-Drums is easy volume control and the ability to practice quietly with headphones. But if you live in an apartment, condo, or small house, you may encounter situations where you need to quiet your V-Drums down even further to avoid disturbing others. Now, we have a powerful solution to these problem situations. With the new KT-9 Kick Trigger Pedal and FD-9 Hi-Hat Controller, you can dramatically reduce the operational noise of playing V-Drums with no sacrifice in feel or playability.

V-Drums Just Got Even More Quiet

When you’re playing your V-Drums with headphones, you’re the only person who’s hearing the vast majority of sound. But playing the kit still creates some mild operational noise that can be heard outside your personal monitoring world. In comparison with acoustic drums, this noise is whisper-quiet and usually not a problem. Still, it can sometimes be bothersome if others are close by.

This operational noise is most likely to affect apartment dwellers, particularly when practicing or recording late at night. It might also be an issue when playing V-Drums in other scenarios, such as school practice rooms, lesson studios, etc. Typically, the kick and hi-hat pedals are the biggest noise producers, since they’re placed on the floor and used almost continuously in most playing styles.

When you really need to turn down the volume with your V-Drums, the KT-9 and FD-9 offer an extremely elegant and effective solution. With these innovative new products, you can now play, practice, and record in situations where maximum noise reduction is essential.

KT-9 Kick Trigger Pedal

KT-9 Kick Trigger Pedal.

The KT-9 Kick Trigger Pedal features a beaterless design that combines the foot pedal and striker into one integrated unit. A patent-pending link mechanism just developed by Roland provides the authentic feel and response of a traditional design, along with a serious reduction in operational noise.

So, how quiet is it? When compared to the Roland KD-9 beater-equipped kick pedal, the KT-9 produces 85% less audible sound in the room and 63% less to rooms below. That’s not just substantial—that’s dramatic!

FD-9 Hi-Hat Controller

FD-9 Hi-Hat Controller.

The FD-9 Hi-Hat Controller features an all-in-one design like the KT-9, and incorporates a similar link mechanism for a marked reduction in operational noise. The pedal’s smooth operation delivers authentic hi-hat feel and response, with full support for heel splashes and other traditional techniques.

The noise produced by a typical hi-hat controller is a bit lower in volume than the “thump” produced by a kick beater. However, the continuous nature of the noise can be equally problematic, and the FD-9 reduces it with amazing effectiveness. Compared with the Roland FD-8 Hi-Hat Controller, the FD-9 produces 50% less audible sound in the room and 15% less to rooms below.

Common Features

Both the KT-9 and FD-9 are rock solid on the floor, with integrated feet and adjustable anchors for stability on carpeted surfaces. Each pedal also features two heavy-duty springs, and the tension is fully adjustable to optimize the feel for your personal taste. A toe-stopper is included on each pedal as well, providing a familiar touch carried over from acoustic pedals.

The KT-9 works with a trigger input on any V-Drums module or Roland percussion pad. The FD-9 requires a dedicated hi-hat trigger input, which is found on all V-Drums modules and percussion pads like the OCTAPAD SPD-30 and HandSonic HPD-20.

KT-9 Kick Trigger Pedal (left) and FD-9 Hi-Hat Controller (right).

Related Noise-Reducing V-Drums Products

For reducing operational noise even further, we recommend using the KT-9 and FD-9 along with other Roland percussion products designed for low-noise operation. These include the patented mesh heads used in many V-Drums pads, as well as the NE-10 isolation boards and NE-1 isolation feet in the Noise Eater series.

Learn more about these great new pedals at the product pages for the KT-9 and FD-9.

The KT-9 and FD-9 are even more effective when used with Roland Noise Eater products such as the NE-10 isolation board.