Roland V-Drums
Encyclopedia
V-Drum is a trademarked umbrella term
for a variety of electronic drum
s, drum brain modules, and related electronic percussion product manufactured and trademarked by Roland Corporation
.
The primary V-Drum products are complete electronic drum kit
s. These vary in price and complexity, ranging from a few hundred dollars to approximately US$6,000. Components such as additional triggers and modules, are also sold individually to augment an existing kit.
Like most electronic drum modules, V-Drum drum modules are MIDI-capable. This enables the player to use a V-Drum kit to control not only the kit itself, but other MIDI-capable instruments, such as digital samplers. MIDI also allows V-Drum kits to be controlled by other MIDI-capable instruments. V-Drums, like most electronic drum kits, can output to an amplifier
, recording device, or headphones
.
, crash
, ride
), while the simpler, less expensive cymbal pads are less realistic. Acoustic drum triggers can be used to provide trigger signals from standard acoustic drums.
From an electrical point of view, trigger pads can be of the following types:
(previous Roland pads were polygonal) and were universally used as trigger pads for drums and cymbals. Since the introduction of mesh-head drum pads and cymbal-shaped trigger pads, standard rubber pads are only used as tom-tom
and (until recently) bass drum trigger pads on Roland's less expensive drum kits. More expensive kits don't include any rubber pads at all any more.
The downsides of rubber pads are their less realistic rebound and their relatively high ambient noise level (compared to mesh-head pads), but their lower price still makes them an economical choice in some cases.
.
In 1997, Roland developed and patented an updated version of mesh-head drum triggers, a key feature of the V-Drum line. As such, the name "V-Drums" sometimes refers specifically to Roland's mesh-head based drum triggers. The company began marketing the mesh-head triggers under the "V-Drums" name in 1998, in conjunction with the TD-10 drum module.
Roland mesh-head V-Drums have a playable rim which has its own electronic sensors (and corresponding sounds). Many drummers who formerly eschewed electronic drums because of their lack of authentic feel have adopted V-Drums and other mesh-head drum products due to the recent advances of mesh-head technology.
Mesh-head triggers have created an expanded market for electronic drum kits because electronic drum kits, especially mesh-head based ones, make little or no unwanted ambient noise.Mesh heads used in V-Drum kits today are made by the American drumhead company Remo
.
The more expensive cymbal pads can swing freely after being hit (only rotation of the pad is prevented by a special cymbal mount), so they feel more like real cymbals, while the less expensive cymbal pads are not movable and always stay in their fixed position, thus feeling less realistic. Most of the movable pads also feature a third bell zone, which is triggered when hitting the bell area of the cymbal pad. These cymbal pads are called three-way cymbals because of their three trigger zones (bell, bow and edge).
s are always made up of two components: a trigger pad to detect hits, and a variable resistor-based hi-hat controller to detect the foot position, so the drum module can determine whether the hi-hat is supposed to be open or closed (or somewhere in between).
The simpler, less expensive solution uses a simple fixed V-Cymbal pad in combination with a separate foot pedal controller, which allows the drum module to replicate the sound of a hi-hat, but does not emulate the feel and scope of expressiveness of acoustic hi-hats.
The more expensive V-Hi-Hats integrate trigger pad and controller into a set of two opposing pieces, designed to be mounted on a conventional hi-hat stand. Because the hi-hat pad moves with the position of the pedal and can swing freely when the hi-hat is opened, this solution feels much more authentic. The most complex and most expensive VH-12 V-Hi-Hat can also detect different amounts of foot pressure in the closed position, but it is only compatible with the TD-12 and TD-20 drum modules. The simpler VH-11 can be used with more modules, but it is still not supported by some older modules and cannot sense foot pressure in the closed position.
/bow zone will always work. However, when more capable pads are connected to less capable inputs, some zones (e.g. rim/edge or bell) on the drum pad cannot be used. Connecting less capable pads to more capable inputs usually lets you use all zones.
Drum pads and cymbal pads from other manufacturers are also generally compatible with Roland drum modules as long as they use a piezo as the head/bow trigger, but zones other than head/bow are sometimes problematic, especially on three-zone pads. Also, the module settings may need some tweaking. Hi-Hat controllers however are not usually compatible between manufacturers.
There's also a detailed compatibility chart for current Roland trigger devices and drum modules on one of the last pages of Roland's V-Drums catalog, which is also available as a PDF download from their home page. Discontinued pads and modules are not included in their chart though.
, bass drum
, and toms
. The TD-10, TD-8, TD-7, TD-6, TD-5 and TD-3 are out of production.
On some drum modules, some inputs may support additional features such as positional sensing or brush sweeps.
The capabilities of drum module inputs are listed in the table below. For details about which type of trigger pads are compatible with which type of drum module input, see section Pad/Module Compatibility above.
In the past, V-Tour sets with rubber pads and fixed cymbal pads were also available.
Umbrella term
An umbrella term is a word that provides a superset or grouping of concepts that all fall under a single common category. Umbrella term is also called a hypernym. For example, cryptology is an umbrella term that encompasses cryptography and cryptanalysis, among other fields...
for a variety of electronic drum
Electronic drum
An electronic drum is an electronic synthesizer which mimics an acoustic drum kit.The electronic drum usually consists of a set of pads mounted on a stand in a disposition similar to an acoustic drum kit. The pads are discs with a rubber or cloth-like coating. Each pad has a sensor which generates...
s, drum brain modules, and related electronic percussion product manufactured and trademarked by Roland Corporation
Roland Corporation
is a Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment and software. It was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka on April 18, 1972, with ¥33 million in capital. In 2005 Roland's headquarters relocated to Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture. Today it has factories in Japan,...
.
The primary V-Drum products are complete electronic drum kit
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
s. These vary in price and complexity, ranging from a few hundred dollars to approximately US$6,000. Components such as additional triggers and modules, are also sold individually to augment an existing kit.
Like most electronic drum modules, V-Drum drum modules are MIDI-capable. This enables the player to use a V-Drum kit to control not only the kit itself, but other MIDI-capable instruments, such as digital samplers. MIDI also allows V-Drum kits to be controlled by other MIDI-capable instruments. V-Drums, like most electronic drum kits, can output to an amplifier
Amplifier
Generally, an amplifier or simply amp, is a device for increasing the power of a signal.In popular use, the term usually describes an electronic amplifier, in which the input "signal" is usually a voltage or a current. In audio applications, amplifiers drive the loudspeakers used in PA systems to...
, recording device, or headphones
Headphones
Headphones are a pair of small loudspeakers, or less commonly a single speaker, held close to a user's ears and connected to a signal source such as an audio amplifier, radio, CD player or portable Media Player. They are also known as stereophones, headsets or, colloquially, cans. The in-ear...
.
The Roland V-Drum System
Each V-Drum kit is composed of the following:- Triggers, which serve as an artificial substitute for drums, cymbals, and other percussion items.
- A moduleModuleModule or modular may refer to the concept of modularity. It may also refer to:-Computing and engineering:* Modular design, the engineering discipline of designing complex devices using separately designed sub-components...
, the central processing unitCentral processing unitThe central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
to which all triggers connect. The drum module takes electronic signals from the triggers during play, synthesizes the sounds of percussion instruments of all types, and signals other MIDI-capable gear to perform various electronic tasks.
Trigger types
V-Drum trigger devices are of four major types: mesh-head drum pads, rubber pads, cymbal pads and acoustic drum triggers. Mesh-head pads look very similar to acoustic drums, and attemt to emulate their feel. The simpler, more generic type is a rubber pad, which is less expensive, but also looks and feels less like an acoustic drum. There are several models of cymbal pads (also called V-Cymbals). The more expensive ones attempt to emulate the physical properties of acoustic cymbals of various types (e.g.: hi-hatHi-hat
A hi-hat, or hihat, is a type of cymbal and stand used as a typical part of a drum kit by percussionists in R&B, hip-hop, disco, jazz, rock and roll, house, reggae and other forms of contemporary popular music.- Operation :...
, crash
Crash cymbal
A crash cymbal is a type of cymbal that produces a loud, sharp "crash" and is used mainly for occasional accents, as opposed to in ostinato. The term "crash" may have been first used by Zildjian in 1928....
, ride
Ride cymbal
The ride cymbal is a standard cymbal in most drum kits. It maintains a steady rhythmic pattern, sometimes called a ride pattern, rather than the accent of a crash...
), while the simpler, less expensive cymbal pads are less realistic. Acoustic drum triggers can be used to provide trigger signals from standard acoustic drums.
From an electrical point of view, trigger pads can be of the following types:
- Mono Pads, using one Piezoelectric sensorPiezoelectric sensorA piezoelectric sensor is a device that uses the piezoelectric effect to measure pressure, acceleration, strain or force by converting them to an electrical charge.-Applications:...
for the head. Usually kick-drum pads or older and less expensive pads. - Stereo Pads, using one piezo sensor for the head and an additional switch for the rim. If the rim switch is triggered, the signal strength is determined by the head's piezo sensor. Mostly rubber pads and cymbal pads.
- Stereo Pads using two piezo sensors, one for the head and one for the rim. Mostly mesh-head pads.
- Three-way Pads using one piezo sensor and two switches. Roland's three-way cymbal pads (CY-12R/C, CY-13R and CY-15R) work this way, the piezo triggers the bow, and the switches trigger edge and bell.
Rubber pads
Round rubber pads were introduced with the TD-7 drum module in the early 1990s1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
(previous Roland pads were polygonal) and were universally used as trigger pads for drums and cymbals. Since the introduction of mesh-head drum pads and cymbal-shaped trigger pads, standard rubber pads are only used as tom-tom
Tom-tom drum
A tom-tom drum is a cylindrical drum with no snare.Although "tom-tom" is the British term for a child's toy drum, the name came originally from the Anglo-Indian and Sinhala; the tom-tom itself comes from Asian or Native American cultures...
and (until recently) bass drum trigger pads on Roland's less expensive drum kits. More expensive kits don't include any rubber pads at all any more.
The downsides of rubber pads are their less realistic rebound and their relatively high ambient noise level (compared to mesh-head pads), but their lower price still makes them an economical choice in some cases.
Mesh-head pads
Roland V-Drum mesh-head triggers resemble acoustic drums in both appearance and feel. The striking surface is a two-layer taut woven mesh of fibers fitted with several electronic sensors. This allows the mesh-head trigger to respond to the play of a drumstick in a manner that feels more like real drums than their earlier rubber predecessors. Roland developers have stated that the design of the mesh-head V-drum was inspired in part by a small toy trampolineTrampoline
A trampoline is a device consisting of a piece of taut, strong fabric stretched over a steel frame using many coiled springs. People bounce on trampolines for recreational and competitive purposes....
.
In 1997, Roland developed and patented an updated version of mesh-head drum triggers, a key feature of the V-Drum line. As such, the name "V-Drums" sometimes refers specifically to Roland's mesh-head based drum triggers. The company began marketing the mesh-head triggers under the "V-Drums" name in 1998, in conjunction with the TD-10 drum module.
Roland mesh-head V-Drums have a playable rim which has its own electronic sensors (and corresponding sounds). Many drummers who formerly eschewed electronic drums because of their lack of authentic feel have adopted V-Drums and other mesh-head drum products due to the recent advances of mesh-head technology.
Mesh-head triggers have created an expanded market for electronic drum kits because electronic drum kits, especially mesh-head based ones, make little or no unwanted ambient noise.Mesh heads used in V-Drum kits today are made by the American drumhead company Remo
Remo
Remo is a male given name of Latin origin - see Romulus and Remus.Remo may also refer to:* Remo, an American drum skin company* Remo , another name for the German wine grape Riesling* Remo language, a Panoan language of Brazil and Peru...
.
Acoustic drum triggers
Roland also makes acoustic drum triggers, which can be mounted on the rims of standard acoustic drums and provide a trigger signal from those drums, effectively turning them into trigger pads. The acoustic drumhead can either be left on the drum, to get the acoustic sound as well as a trigger signal, or the drumhead can be replaced with a mesh-head to lower ambient noise, if only the trigger signal is needed.Cymbal pads
In the early 2000s, Roland moved away from using standard rubber pads as cymbal triggers and introduced new cymbal-shaped trigger pads with a rubber surface, which they call V-Cymbals.The more expensive cymbal pads can swing freely after being hit (only rotation of the pad is prevented by a special cymbal mount), so they feel more like real cymbals, while the less expensive cymbal pads are not movable and always stay in their fixed position, thus feeling less realistic. Most of the movable pads also feature a third bell zone, which is triggered when hitting the bell area of the cymbal pad. These cymbal pads are called three-way cymbals because of their three trigger zones (bell, bow and edge).
Electronic hi-hats
Electronic hi-hatHi-hat
A hi-hat, or hihat, is a type of cymbal and stand used as a typical part of a drum kit by percussionists in R&B, hip-hop, disco, jazz, rock and roll, house, reggae and other forms of contemporary popular music.- Operation :...
s are always made up of two components: a trigger pad to detect hits, and a variable resistor-based hi-hat controller to detect the foot position, so the drum module can determine whether the hi-hat is supposed to be open or closed (or somewhere in between).
The simpler, less expensive solution uses a simple fixed V-Cymbal pad in combination with a separate foot pedal controller, which allows the drum module to replicate the sound of a hi-hat, but does not emulate the feel and scope of expressiveness of acoustic hi-hats.
The more expensive V-Hi-Hats integrate trigger pad and controller into a set of two opposing pieces, designed to be mounted on a conventional hi-hat stand. Because the hi-hat pad moves with the position of the pedal and can swing freely when the hi-hat is opened, this solution feels much more authentic. The most complex and most expensive VH-12 V-Hi-Hat can also detect different amounts of foot pressure in the closed position, but it is only compatible with the TD-12 and TD-20 drum modules. The simpler VH-11 can be used with more modules, but it is still not supported by some older modules and cannot sense foot pressure in the closed position.
Available drum and cymbal pads
| Pad Name | Type | Year Introduced |
Diameter | Channels | Trigger | Positional Sensing |
Colors | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head/Bow | Rim/Edge | Bell | ||||||||
| In Production | Cymbal Pad (fixed) | 2006 | 10 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Switch | – | Black | No edge trigger on pads that ship with the HD-1 | |
| CY-6 | Cymbal Pad (fixed) | 2001 | 12 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Switch | – | Black | ||
| In Production | Cymbal Pad (fixed) | 2003 | 12 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Switch | – | Black | ||
| In Production | Cymbal Pad (movable) | 2011 | 12 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Switch | – | Black | ||
| CY-12H | Hi-Hat Cymbal Pad (fixed) | 2000 | 12 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Switch | – | Black | ||
| In Production | Cymbal Pad (movable) | 2001 | 12 Inches | Three-way | Piezo | Switch | Switch | Black | ||
| In Production | Cymbal Pad (movable) | 2011 | 13 Inches | Three-way | Piezo | Switch | Switch | Black | ||
| In Production | Cymbal Pad (movable) | 2000 | 14 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Switch | – | Black, Silver | ||
| In Production | Cymbal Pad (movable) | 2000 | 15 Inches | Three-way | Piezo | Switch | Switch | Black, Silver | ||
| KD-5 | Kick Drum Pad | 1994 | 2 Inches | Mono | Piezo | – | – | Black | ||
| In Production | Kick Drum Pad | 1992 | 2 Inches | Mono | Piezo | – | – | Black | ||
| KD-8 | Rubber Kick Drum Pad | 2003 | 5 Inches | Mono | Piezo | – | – | Black | ||
| In Production | "Cloth" Kick Drum Pad | 2011 | 6 Inches | Mono | Piezo | – | – | Black | ||
| KD-80 | Mesh-head Kick Drum Pad | 1999 | 8 Inches | Mono | Piezo | – | – | Black, White | ||
| In Production | Mesh-head Kick Drum Pad | 2003 | 8 Inches | Mono | Piezo | – | – | Black, White | ||
| In Production | Mesh-head Kick Drum Pad | 1998 | 12 Inches | Mono | Piezo | – | – | Black, White, (Red), (Purple) | ||
| In Production | Mesh-head Kick Drum Pad | 2008 | 14 Inches | Mono | Piezo | – | – | Silver | ||
| PD-5 | Rubber Pad | 1994 | 8 Inches | Mono | Piezo | – | – | Black | ||
| PD-6 | Rubber Pad | 2001 | 8 Inches | Mono | Piezo | – | – | White | ||
| PD-7 | Rubber Pad | 1992 | 8 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Switch | – | White | Features a switch to change piezo polarity | |
| In Production | Rubber Pad | 2003 | 8 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Switch | – | Black | ||
| PD-9 | Rubber Pad | 1994 | 10 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Switch | – | White | Features a switch to change piezo polarity | |
| PD-80 | Mesh-head Drum Pad | 1999 | 8 Inches | Mono | Piezo | – | – | Black, White | ||
| PD-80R | Mesh-head Drum Pad | 1999 | 8 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Piezo | – | Black, White | ||
| In Production | Mesh-head Drum Pad | 2003 | 8 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Piezo | – | Black, White | ||
| PD-100 | Mesh-head Drum Pad | 1997 | 10 Inches | Mono | Piezo | – | – | Black, White, Red, Purple | ||
| In Production | Mesh-head Drum Pad | 2003 | 10 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Piezo | – | Black, (White) | ||
| In Production | Mesh-head Drum Pad | 2008 | 10 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Piezo | – | Silver | ||
| PD-120 | Mesh-head Drum Pad | 1997 | 12 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Piezo | – | Black, White, Red, Purple | ||
| In Production | Mesh-head Drum Pad | 2003 | 12 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Piezo | – | Black, (White) | ||
| In Production | Mesh-head Drum Pad | 2008 | 12 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Piezo | – | Silver | Also available as PD-125XS for snare stands (without rack mount) | |
| In Production | Mesh-head Drum Pad | 2006 | 8 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Piezo | – | Black | ||
| In Production | Mesh-head Drum Pad | 2006 | 10 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Piezo | – | Black | No rim trigger on pads that ship with the HD-1 | |
| RT-3T | Acoustic Tom-Tom Drum Trigger | 2003 | – | Mono | Piezo | – | – | Silver | ||
| RT-5S | Acoustic Snare Drum Trigger | 2003 | – | Stereo | Piezo | Piezo | – | Silver | ||
| RT-7K | Acoustic Kick Drum Trigger | 2003 | – | Mono | Piezo | – | – | Silver | ||
| In Production | Acoustic Kick Drum Trigger | 2006 | – | Mono | Piezo | – | – | Black | ||
| In Production | Acoustic Snare Drum Trigger | 2006 | – | Stereo | Piezo | Piezo | – | Black | ||
| In Production | Acoustic Tom-Tom Drum Trigger | 2006 | – | Mono | Piezo | – | – | Black | ||
| In Production | Hi-Hat Cymbal Pad (movable) | 2005 | 12 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Switch | – | Black | Only supported by TD-4, TD-6/6V, TD-8, TD-9, TD-10 (with TDW-1), TD-12, TD-20 | |
| In Production | Hi-Hat Cymbal Pad (movable) | 2004 | 12 Inches | Stereo | Piezo | Switch | – | Black, Silver | Only compatible with the TD-12 and TD-20 drum modules | |
Pad/Module Compatibility
Generally, all Roland drum pads and cymbal pads can be connected to any input on any Roland drum module, and the headDrumhead
A drumhead is a membrane stretched over one or both of the open ends of a drum. The drumhead is struck with sticks, mallets, or hands so that it vibrates and the sound resonates through the drum.-History:...
/bow zone will always work. However, when more capable pads are connected to less capable inputs, some zones (e.g. rim/edge or bell) on the drum pad cannot be used. Connecting less capable pads to more capable inputs usually lets you use all zones.
Drum pads and cymbal pads from other manufacturers are also generally compatible with Roland drum modules as long as they use a piezo as the head/bow trigger, but zones other than head/bow are sometimes problematic, especially on three-zone pads. Also, the module settings may need some tweaking. Hi-Hat controllers however are not usually compatible between manufacturers.
| DRUM MODULE INPUT | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mono Input | Stereo Input (mono/mono) |
Stereo Input (piezo/switch) |
Stereo Input (piezo/piezo) |
Three-Way Input (piezo/switch/switch) |
||
| DRUM PAD or CYMBAL PAD |
Mono Pad | |||||
| Stereo Pad (piezo/switch) |
Head/Bow only, No Choking |
Head/Bow only, No Choking |
||||
| Stereo Pad (piezo/piezo) |
Head/Bow only |
All Zones, but crosstalk problems and no Rimshot Rimshot A rimshot is the sound produced by hitting the rim and the head of a drum simultaneously, with a drum stick. Rimshots are usually played to produce a more accented note, and are typically played loudly. However, soft rim shots are possible.... s |
Head/Bow only |
Head/Bow only |
||
| Three-Way Pad (piezo/switch/switch) |
Head/Bow only, No Choking |
Head/Bow only, No Choking |
Head/Bow and Rim/Edge only or Head/Bow and Bell only |
Head/Bow and Rim/Edge only or Head/Bow and Bell only |
||
There's also a detailed compatibility chart for current Roland trigger devices and drum modules on one of the last pages of Roland's V-Drums catalog, which is also available as a PDF download from their home page. Discontinued pads and modules are not included in their chart though.
Roland drum modules
Roland drum modules range in features and price from the top-of-the-line TD-20 to the TD-12, TD-10, TD-9, TD-8, TD-7, TD-6, TD-5,TD-4, TD-3 and HD-1 (although the HD-1 brain is not sold separately, as it connects with a proprietary 25-pin parallel connector to the HD-1 frame and pads). Higher model numbers denote more advanced and/or newer models, while lower numbers are used for less expensive ones. When included with a V-Drum kit, the TD-20, TD-12, TD-10 and TD-9 take advantage of the more advanced mesh-head triggers for snareSnare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
, bass drum
Bass drum
Bass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
, and toms
Tom-tom drum
A tom-tom drum is a cylindrical drum with no snare.Although "tom-tom" is the British term for a child's toy drum, the name came originally from the Anglo-Indian and Sinhala; the tom-tom itself comes from Asian or Native American cultures...
. The TD-10, TD-8, TD-7, TD-6, TD-5 and TD-3 are out of production.
Available drum modules
| Drum Module | Year Introduced |
Drum Kits |
Instruments | Trigger Inputs | Outputs | MIDI | Voices (Polyphony) |
Features/Notes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drum | Backing | TOTAL | MONO | STEREO | THREE- WAY |
Stereo Pairs |
Single Channel |
Positional Sensing | Other | ||||||||
| mono/ mono |
piezo/ switch |
piezo/ piezo |
|||||||||||||||
| In Production | 2007 | 10 | 70 | – | 7 | 7 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | Out | ? | Module not sold separately | ||
| TD-3 Superseded by TD-4 |
2004 | 32 | 114 | – | 9 | 4 | – | 4 | 1 | – | 1 | – | In/Out | 32? | |||
| In Production | 2009 | 25 | 125 | – | 9 | 4 | – | 4 | 1 | – | 1 | – | Out | ? | |||
| TD-5 | 1994 | 32 | 210 | – | 8 | – | – | 8 | – | – | 1 | – | In/Out | 14 | |||
| TD-6 | TD-6 Superseded by TD-6V |
2001 | 99 | 1024 | 262 | 9 (11) |
1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | – | 1 | – | In/Out | 64 | rowspan="2" | |
| TD-6V Superseded by TD-9 |
2003 | 0-2 | 5-7 | ||||||||||||||
| TD-7 | 1992 | 32 | 256 (512) | 9 | – | – | 9 | – | – | 1 | 2 | In/Out | 14 | ||||
| TD-8 Superseded by TD-12 |
1999 | 64 | 1024 | 262 | 10 (12) |
– | 2 | 7 | 1 | – | 2 | – | In/Out | 64 | |||
| TD-9 Updated to TD-9 v2.0 |
2008 | 50 | 522 | ? | 10 | 1 | – | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | – | In/Out | ? | rowspan="2" | ||
| In Production |
2011 | 99 | 552 | TD-9 Firmware Update, also adds MP3 MP3 MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression... support |
|||||||||||||
| TD-10 | TD-10 Superseded by TD-20 |
1997 | 50 | 600 | 54 | 12 | – | – | 11 | 1 | – | 4 | – | In/Out | 56 | rowspan="2" | |
| TD-10 with TDW-1 | 2000 | 100 | 960 | ||||||||||||||
| In Production | 2005 | 50 | 560 | 262 | 11 | – | – | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | In/Out | 64 | |||
| TD-20 Superseded by TD-20X |
2004 | 50 | 560 | 262 | 15 | – | – | 6 | 9 | – | 3 | 4 | In/Out | 64 | rowspan="2" | CompactFlash CompactFlash CompactFlash is a mass storage device format used in portable electronic devices. Most CompactFlash devices contain flash memory in a standardized enclosure. The format was first specified and produced by SanDisk in 1994... Slot |
|
| In Production |
2008 | 100 | 920 | ||||||||||||||
| In Production | 2002 | – | – | 6 | – | – | 5 | 1 | – | – | – | Out | – | Trigger-to-MIDI converter | |||
| a Two Mono pads can be connected to Mono/Mono inputs by using an insert cable (Tom2/Aux and Tom3/4 inputs on the TD-6, Kick1/2 and Aux1/2 inputs on the TD-8). b Three-way (piezo/switch/switch) inputs can be used to connect a three-way cymbal like the CY-12R/C, CY-13R or CY-15R, or one non-three-way pad. On the TD-4, TD-10 with TDW-1, TD-20 and TMC-6, three-way cymbals can be connected using two designated Piezo/Switch inputs. Connecting them to any two stereo inputs on any module works with some limitations and is not officially supported. c On The TD-6V, two stereo inputs (Tom2/Aux and Tom3/4) can be configured to be either mono/mono inputs or piezo/switch inputs. d Outputs excluding the headphone jack. |
|||||||||||||||||
Drum module input capabilities
It is important to note that not all drum module inputs have the same capabilities. Besides the obvious differences between mono, stereo and three-way inputs, which support mono (single-zone), stereo (dual-zone) or three-zone pads accordingly, there are additional differences in the capabilities of stereo inputs. While some stereo inputs only support pads with a piezo and a switch (piezo/switch inputs), others also support pads with with two piezos (piezo/piezo inputs). Also, some stereo inputs are only intended to be split into two mono inputs by using an insert cable (mono/mono inputs). Certain pairs of stereo inputs can be configured to form one three-way input.On some drum modules, some inputs may support additional features such as positional sensing or brush sweeps.
The capabilities of drum module inputs are listed in the table below. For details about which type of trigger pads are compatible with which type of drum module input, see section Pad/Module Compatibility above.
| Kick | Snare | Tom1 | Tom2 | Tom3 | Tom4 | Hi-Hat | Hi-Hat Ctrl | Crash1 | Crash2 | Ride | RideEdge | Aux1 | Aux2 | Aux3 | Aux4 | Aux5 | Aux6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD-1 | Controller (var.resistor) |
Mono | Mono | Mono | Mono | – | Mono | Controller (var.resistor) |
Mono | – | Mono | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| TD-3 | Mono | Stereo piezo/piezo |
Mono | Mono | Mono | – | Stereo piezo/switch |
Controller (var.resistor) |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| TD-4 | Mono | Stereo piezo/piezo |
Mono | Mono | Mono | – | Stereo piezo/switch |
Controller (var.resistor) supports VH-11 |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Three-way piezo/switch/switch |
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| TD-5 | Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
– | Stereo piezo/switch |
Controller (var.resistor) |
Stereo piezo/switch |
– | Stereo piezo/switch |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| TD-6 | Mono | Stereo piezo/piezo |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo Mono/Mono (splittable) |
Stereo Mono/Mono (splittable) |
– | Stereo piezo/switch |
Controller (var.resistor) supports VH-11 |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| TD-6V | Mono | Stereo piezo/piezo |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch or Mono/Mono (splittable) |
Stereo piezo/switch or Mono/Mono (splittable) |
– | Stereo piezo/switch |
Controller (var.resistor) supports VH-11 |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| TD-7 | Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Controller (var.resistor) |
Stereo piezo/switch |
– | Stereo piezo/switch |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| TD-8 | Stereo Mono/Mono (splittable) |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing BrushSweep |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
– | Stereo piezo/switch |
Controller (var.resistor) supports VH-11 |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
– | Stereo Mono/Mono (splittable) |
– | – | – | – | – |
| TD-9 | Mono | Stereo piezo/piezo |
Stereo piezo/piezo |
Stereo piezo/piezo |
Stereo piezo/piezo |
– | Stereo piezo/switch |
Controller (var.resistor) supports VH-11 |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Three-way piezo/switch/switch |
Stereo piezo/piezo |
– | – | – | – | – | |
| TD-10 | Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing BrushSweep |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Controller (var.resistor) |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch Pos.Sensing |
– | Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
– | – | – | – |
| TD-10 with TDW-1 | Stereo piezo/switch Pos.Sensing |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing BrushSweep |
Stereo piezo/switch Pos.Sensing |
Stereo piezo/switch Pos.Sensing |
Stereo piezo/switch Pos.Sensing |
Stereo piezo/switch Pos.Sensing |
Stereo piezo/switch Pos.Sensing |
Controller (var.resistor) supports VH-11 |
Stereo piezo/switch Pos.Sensing |
Stereo piezo/switch Pos.Sensing |
Stereo piezo/switch Pos.Sensing |
– | Stereo piezo/switch Pos.Sensing |
Stereo piezo/switch Pos.Sensing |
– | – | – | – |
| Three-way (Ride+Aux1) piezo/switch/switch Positional Sensing |
||||||||||||||||||
| TD-12 | Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing BrushSweep |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing (Rimshots only) |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing (Rimshots only) |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing (Rimshots only) |
– | Stereo piezo/switch |
Controller (var.resistor) supports VH-11 & VH-12 |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Three-way piezo/switch/switch Positional Sensing |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing (Rimshots only) |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing (Rimshots only) |
– | – | – | – | |
| TD-20 | Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing BrushSweep |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing (Rimshots only) |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing (Rimshots only) |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing (Rimshots only) |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing (Rimshots only) |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Controller (var.resistor) supports VH-11 & VH-12 |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch Pos.Sensing |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing (Rimshots only) |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing (Rimshots only) |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing (Rimshots only) |
Stereo piezo/piezo Pos.Sensing (Rimshots only) |
– | – |
| Three-way piezo/switch/switch Positional Sensing |
||||||||||||||||||
| TMC-6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/piezo |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
Stereo piezo/switch |
| Controller (var.resistor) |
||||||||||||||||||
| Three-way piezo/switch/switch |
Three-way piezo/switch/switch |
Three-way piezo/switch/switch |
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Drum sets
Roland V-Drum components are typically sold as drum sets, which are made up of drum and cymbal pads, a hi-hat pad and controller, a drum module and a drum rack. Sometimes, additional hardware such as a kick drum pedal and a hi-hat stand is also included (usually only as limited offers).High-end V-Drum sets
Roland's most advanced and most expensive V-Drum sets:- V-Pro drum sets (Roland's flagship drum sets)
- TD-20/20X drum module (previously TD-10) with all the advanced features, very extendable
- big mesh-head drum pads
- big mesh-head kick-drum pad
- movable crash cymbals and three-way ride cymbal
- movable two-piece hi-hat
- large drum rack
- V-Stage drum sets
- TD-12 drum module (previously TD-8) with most of the advanced features, moderately extendable
- medium-sized mesh-head drum pads
- mesh-head kick-drum pad
- movable crash cymbal and three-way ride cymbal
- movable two-piece hi-hat
- large drum rack
Mid-Line V-Drum sets
Roland's mid-line V-Drum sets:- V-Tour drum sets
- TD-9 drum module (previously TD-6/6V) with only some advanced features (especially no positional sensing), only slightly extendable
- medium-sized mesh-head pads, or simpler small mesh-head pads on less expensive sets
- simple cloth kick-drum pad
- movable crash cymbal and three-way ride cymbal
- movable two-piece hi-hat, or fixed hi-hat and foot controller on less expensive sets
- medium-sized drum rack
In the past, V-Tour sets with rubber pads and fixed cymbal pads were also available.
Less expensive V-Drum sets
Roland's less expensive V-Drum sets:- V-Compact drum sets
- TD-4 drum module (previously TD-3) with no advanced features, hardly extendable
- simple small mesh-head drum pads, or only one simple mesh-head drum pad and three rubber pads on less expensive sets
- simple cloth kick-drum pad
- movable crash cymbal and three-way ride cymbal, or fixed cymbal pads on less expensive sets
- fixed hi-hat and foot controller
- small drum rack
- V-Drums Lite drum set
- HD-1 drum module with no advanced features, not extendable
- one simple small mesh-head drum pad and three rubber pads
- foot controller-based kick drum
- fixed cymbal pads
- fixed hi-hat and foot controller
- very compact drum rack
Older V-Drum sets
Older drum sets with the TD-7 and the (less expensive) TD-5 drum module had all rubber pads as drum and cymbal pads, simple kick-drum pads, and a rubber pad and foot controller for the hi-hat.Artists who use Roland V-Drums
- Thomas LangThomas LangThomas Lang is an Austrian drummer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and record producer. He is the founding member of the Los Angeles-based progressive/avant garde metal trio, stOrk.Lang took up drumming at the age of 5...
- Marco MinnemannMarco MinnemannMarco Minnemann is a German-born drummer, composer and multi-instrumentalist. He lives in Lake Elsinore, California.-Biography:...
- Travis BarkerTravis BarkerTravis Landon Barker is an American musician, producer and entrepreneur, most noted as the drummer for the American pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the alternative rock band +44, the rap rock band The Transplants, and the alternative rock band Box Car Racer. He was a frequent collaborator with...
- Michael BellusciMichael BellusciMichael Bellusci is a drummer/musician best known for his work with the post 1984 touring company of the Broadway Musical "Beatlemania" and the bands "Get With It" and "Shock".-Career:...
- Ryan WilsonRyan WilsonRyan Wilson is an American professional wrestler who formerly worked for World Wrestling Entertainment in the Ohio Valley Wrestling developmental promotion as Jacob Duncan where he was a former OVW Heavyweight Champion...
of Rube Zubin/Screaming Elderly - Gregg BissonetteGregg BissonetteGregg Bissonette, is an American drummer. Gregg was born in a family of musicians. His father Bud Bissonette plays drums, his mother Phyllis plays piano and vibraphone, and brother Matt Bissonette plays bass guitar. Gregg started learning to play the drums at age 5 from his father...
- Jimmy Brown of UB40UB40UB40 are a British reggae/pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham. The band has placed more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. One of the world's best-selling music artists, UB40 have sold over 70 million records.Their hit singles...
- Omar Abidi of FightstarFightstarFightstar are an English alternative rock band from London. They formed in 2003 and their lineup comprises lead vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist Charlie Simpson, guitarist and vocalist Alex Westaway, bass guitarist Dan Haigh and drummer Omar Abidi...
- Adrian YoungAdrian YoungAdrian Samuel Young is the drummer for the rock band No Doubt.-Biography:Young's parents were hippies. He has four brothers: Alex, Damian, Jeff and Aaron. His father is a teacher in Cypress CA and his stepmother, Jeanne, is currently suffering from ALS...
of No DoubtNo DoubtNo Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
- Stephen Morris of New OrderNew OrderNew Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
- Neil PeartNeil PeartNeil Ellwood Peart , OC, is a Canadian musician and author. He is the drummer for the rock band Rush.Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario . During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer...
of RushRush (band)Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart... - Forrest Robinson
- Dave MackintoshDave MackintoshDave Mackintosh is the drummer for the British power metal band DragonForce. Mackintosh also appeared on power metal band Power Quest's debut album, Wings of Forever and The Power Cosmic and Atlantis Ascendant albums, by the symphonic black metal band, Bal-Sagoth.He is influenced by Neil Peart,...
- Dead P.A.Dead P.A.Dead P.A. is a live electronic musical group typically referred to as a Live P.A. based out of Houston, Texas. Dead P.A. was founded in January 2003 by Jason Walsh and George Blitch. Dead P.A. performs live dancefloor oriented music and is distinguished for thematic sets...
- Jason BittnerJason BittnerJason Bittner is the drummer for the American metal band Shadows Fall. He has won numerous awards including Modern Drummer Readers poll for #1 Up and Coming Drummer of 2004, and in 2005, #1 Best Recorded Performance for the Shadows Fall album The War Within, #1 Metal drummer #2 Clinician DRUM!...
- Adrian BelewAdrian BelewAdrian Belew is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer...
of King CrimsonKing CrimsonKing Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history... - Pat MastelottoPat MastelottoPat Mastelotto is a rock drummer who has worked with Mr. Mister and King Crimson, amongst others. For King Crimson he initially formed part of the "double trio" lineup, joining Bill Bruford on drums...
of King CrimsonKing CrimsonKing Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history... - Joe Barnett
- Michael Schack
- Brian Campo
- Joe Kaiser
- RafaRafa-Places:*Rafah, a town in Gaza Strip*Rafa, Kuyavian-Pomeranian, a village in central northeast Poland- People :* Rafa is short for Rafael* Rafael "Rafa" Nadal , Spanish tennis player...
of AurthohinAurthohinAurthohin is a Bangladeshi hard rock & metal band formed in 1993 by bassist, singer and songwriter Sumon, known mostly by his stage name BassBaba, who has remained the sole constant member. In the late 1997 the name of the band was changed from Sumon O' Aurthohin to Aurthohin... - Danny Dacamo
- Larry Mullen, Jr.
- AusDisciples Band
- Steve HonoshowskySteve HonoshowskySteve Honoshowsky is a professional musician raised in Basking Ridge, NJ. He began playing drums at the age of ten, inspired by the likes of Neil Peart, Bill Bruford, and Terry Bozzio. In 2008, Honoshowsky represented the United States at the YMCA Europe Festival in Prague, Czech Republic, giving...
External links
- Roland V-Drums Official Portal
- History of V-Drums
- The Mondor, an expansive V-Drum setup
- The SuperGAS Cage, AusDisciples Band custom V-Drum cage
- Unofficial V-Drums forum