Drew Armentrout [Roland US], Author at Roland U.S. Blog

About Drew Armentrout

A drummer with years of live performance and studio experience, Drew is also an electronic percussion and MIDI expert as well as a recording, audio and synthesizer enthusiast. With over 30 years in the Music Products industry (the last 18+ years with Roland US), Drew currently is Senior Channel Product Specialist, Drums & Percussion at Roland US providing direct support and training to Roland Dealers, Roland Sales Personnel and consumers. Drew also coordinates clinics, workshops and supports several professional touring and recording professional drummers and percussionists by providing technical support, troubleshooting advice, programming, and other activities. A skilled author, Drew's practical experience brings an informed perspective on using and understanding the technologies and electronic musical instruments that fuel today's musical landscape.

Posts by Drew Armentrout:

Adjusting Pad Sensitivity for TD-15 V-Drums

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Customize V-Drums to Your Drumming Style
TD-15: How to Adjust Pad Sensitivity

All drummers play drums differently. Some play soft, others play hard. Using different dynamic levels while playing can not only distinguish a drummer’s style, but also has an immediate and audible result on the sound that is produced.  Adjusting the sensitivity of electronic drum pads allows you to customize them to fit your particular playing style. For example, if you’re mainly a soft player, then you may want to increase the sensitivity, so the lighter taps trigger more easily. The reverse is also true, by lowering the value you will decrease the sensitivity of the pad.  Adjusting the sensitivity is not the same as adjusting the head tension, but rather how the sound module receives and translates information from the pads. In other words, increasing the sensitivity will make softer strokes louder, and decreasing the sensitivity will require a stronger stroke to produce accurate triggering from the pads. Adjusting  pad sensitivity is a feature on the TD-15 and other Roland Drum and Percussion Sound Modules.

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Nate Morton: My TR-8 Setup for The Voice

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How to Trigger the TR-8 from Your Drumset

Nate Morton: My TR-8 Setup for The Voice

Nate Morton’s hybrid kit for The Voice includes acoustic drums, V-Drums and a TR-8

EDM has definitely become part of the pop musical lexicon and is the backbeat to much of today’s music. So much so, that I recently received a call from Nate Morton, the drummer for NBC’s The Voice, who told me that more and more contestants where competing with EDM tracks. As a result, Nate was looking for a convenient way to be able to add EDM sounds alongside his acoustic rig. Nate, and his drum tech, Steve Morrison (of Drum Tech Services) had brought an original TR-808 into rehearsals, and were determined to integrate these classic sounds. Because space was an issue, along with needing the most realistic 808 sounds possible that could be triggered by MIDI, we decided to experiment with a TD-15K V-Drums Kit, triggering an AIRA TR-8 Rhythm Composer. What we discovered was that the AIRA engineers had not let us down, enabling the TR-8 to easily integrate as a sound module for V-Drums. For V-Drums enthusiasts, adding a TR-8 to your rig is easy, inexpensive and gives an edge to your sound that you won’t find anywhere else.

Nate Morton TR-8 Setup Step-by-Step PDF

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Make the Perfect Kit with Drum Effects

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Apply These Rules to V-Drums, Percussion Pads, & Sample Pads

Roland TD-30 module drum effects

Drum Effects on the TD-30 Sound Module

Author: Roland UK Features Team

A drummer’s sound is not just down to the tone of the drum itself.  By using the built-in drum effects, it’s possible to just about recreate any drum sound you like and perform it with V-Drums.

Think of your favorite drummer. Now think of a favorite track (or album) they performed on, one that you know well.  When you listen back to that track, it’s different to other tracks or albums they performed on, right? Sure, the drummer’s style, groove, and playing ability all define their sound – but that’s not what we’re discussing here. Part of the drum sound on that track is down to the actual kit they used, where it was recorded, how and even when they recorded it. More

Omar Hakim, The Drummer’s Drummer

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A Career Transcending Music Genres

Omar Hakim

Omar Hakim

Omar Hakim’s incredible groove and highly musical approach to drumming make him one of the most sought-after and talked about musicians the world over. In particular, his ability to play both jazz and pop with unrivaled authority – not to mention a groove that’s so deep you can’t help but fall in – puts his name at a near-legendary status. If he had stopped at Weather Report and Miles Davis, Omar Hakim would be marked as having a formidable career but that was just the beginning. Omar Hakim defined the groove for the groundbreaking Dream of the Blue Turtles, Sting’s first solo undertaking, as well as Sting’s Bring on the Night live CD and feature-length video. And his list of credits since is staggering: Madonna, Jewel, Tracy Chapman, Lionel Richie, Mariah Carey, David Bowie, Sophi B. Hawkins, Joan Osbourne, Everything But The Girl, Dire Straits, David Sanborn, and more. On top of all this studio and live drumming, Omar Hakim is also a gifted songwriter, producer, keyboardist and singer (“with a little guitar thrown in,” he notes). More

3 Ways to Create a Hybrid Drum Kit

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A Sound Source and Triggers are All You Need

hybrid drum kit

Photo: Acoustic and Electronic Hybrid Drum Kit

hy·brid noun \ˈhī-brəd: something that is formed by combining two or more things.

The tools available for drummers have been evolving for decades, and practically speaking, the modern acoustic kit is a hybrid drum kit in and of itself. Today, however, when we use the word “hybrid” in relation to drums, it usually refers to blending electronics with acoustic drums. While this is certainly not a new concept, the technical improvements in triggering technology, the incredible advances in sound-generating methods, and the availability of quality sounds make creating a hybrid drum kit more commonplace than ever before. A sound source and a way to trigger the sounds are really all you need to make this happen. There are three methods for doing this: percussion and sample pads, additional pads around your kit, and  acoustic drum triggers. Here is a quick rundown of how to incorporate each into your acoustic drum setup. More

Drum! Magazine 2013 Drummies

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Top Awards for Roland V-Drums Family

Drummies-awards-2

2013 Drummies!

Since 1998, Drum! magazine has taken the time to honor the artists and the musical gear that have made their mark in the intense world of percussion. The “Drummies” have become known to many as the leading award of merit for percussionists worldwide and are presented annually to an elite roster of musicians and top notch gear. More

Practicing with Electronic Drums

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Get Better Faster with the TD-15 Module

Roland electronic drums are known for their incredible playability, extremely expressive sounds, and overall quality, but did you know that V-Drums Drum Modules also have great practice tools? These drum tools are designed to challenge you and help you get better faster! Let’s explore the TD-15 Drum Module.* More

Choosing a Roland V-Drums Kit is Easier Than You Think!

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We’ve Got a Kit Just for You

Roland V-Drums Kit

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. More