How to create a Hybrid drum kit with Roland

Drum Expo 2013: If you already own a Roland V-Drums kit or SPD percussion instrument, you're ready for a hybrid drum kit and will be surprised how easy it is to make the change. All you need is:

  • A way of triggering the sounds or samples within

Simply taking the V-Drums module and adding the pads or cymbals to your acoustic set-up means that extra snares, toms, sound effects and more are available under the stick. Roland SPD-series percussion pads (such as the SPD-30 OCTAPAD) can be used as instruments in their own right or to trigger sounds by using pads within your acoustic drum kit.

By adding Roland V-Pads, V-Cymbals, RT-10 Series Acoustic Drum Triggers or Roland's new BT-1 Bar Trigger pad to your acoustic kit, you can trigger the Octapad's sounds, phrases and loops.

The Roland SPD-SX Percussion Sampling Pad contains hundreds of percussion instruments, but also allows you to sample in your own sounds or music. This could be anything; a favourite part of a song, a beat, or even the kick and snare sound from your studio session. As with the OCTAPAD, the SPD-SX can be placed within your set-up and used as a percussion pad, but can be connected to any Roland pad or trigger to activate sounds.

If you own a V-Drums kit, Hybrid is already making waves in the professional world. By adding acoustic and electronic instruments together, an exciting new range of choices opens up to drummers everywhere.

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