Roland announces brand new V-Drums kits

The Roland TD-1K
The Roland TD-1K

Roland has two brand new V-Drums kits on the way as it looks to close the gap between entry-level pricing and high-end features. The TD-1K and TD-1KV come in at £459 and £555 respectively, and are packed with features. Read on for Roland's official press release.

Roland press release

Roland is pleased to introduce the TD-1K and TD-1KV V-Drums, two new compact drum kits just added to the respected V-Drums family. With sound, playability, and learning features that surpass other electronic sets in their class, the TD-1K and TD-1KV bring true V-Drums quality to beginning players, students, and everyone who wants to enjoy drumming at home.

Both the TD-1K and TD-1KV feature 15 ready-to-go drum kits for playing nearly any style of music. Every drum sound offers a wide dynamic range and natural tone, and the pads provide an organic response that fully supports authentic acoustic playing techniques.

Unlike typical entry-level sets, the cymbals in the TD-1K and TD-1KV incorporate the advanced expressiveness that is a hallmark of all V-Drums. The crash and ride include bow/edge sounds and support for cymbal chokes, and have a natural swinging motion when played. The hi-hat provides organic sound variation from tightly closed to fully open, and users can play heel splashes and other traditional techniques as well.

Built into the TD-1 sound module is a wealth of fun functions to encourage learning and enhance practice sessions. The metronome is always at the ready for a timing reference, while the powerful Coach mode provides engaging exercises for building speed, stamina, and accuracy. A variety of internal audio songs allow users to enjoy playing along with a complete band, and they can also drum with favorite tunes by connecting a smartphone or music player to the Mix In jack. Additionally, the module's easy-to-use recording function is great for evaluating performances and honing drum skills.

Pad configurations for the TD-1K and TD-1KV sets include a snare, three toms, crash and ride cymbals, and a hi-hat with an accompanying control pedal. The kick pedal's all-in-one, beater-free design provides far quieter performance in the playing room than a traditional pad/pedal combo, an important benefit when playing at home. The TD-1KV features a PDX-8 mesh-head snare pad with independent head and rim triggering, while the TD-1K comes with a single-trigger rubber snare pad. Beyond this difference, the two kits have identical features.

The space-saving TD-1K and TD-1KV kits fit nicely into tight living spaces, and offer stylish, modern looks that blend into any room in the home. The sturdy, ergonomic drum rack is easily adjustable with just three knobs, allowing the drum positions to be set up for everyone, from young kids to adults.

Roland offers TD-1K and TD-1KV users many optional accessories to enhance the drumming experience as their talents grow. An additional crash cymbal can be added with the OP-TD1C Cymbal Set, and the kick pedal can be swapped out for a KT-10 or KD-9 used in more advanced V-Drums kits. Other available accessories include the NE-10 Noise Eater, TDM-3 V-Drums Mat, and PM-03 Personal Drum Monitor.

TD-1K and TD-1KV users can enjoy making music with a computer via the sound module's USB-MIDI interface. Roland's free V-Drums Friend Jam applications include jam tracks, practice features, and the ability to interact with other V-Drums users around the world. For more in-depth education, the DT-1 V-Drums Tutor provides a fun, dynamic user interface for learning notation and developing essential drum techniques. USB-MIDI also allows the TD-1K/TD-1KV to be used to record realistic MIDI drum tracks in music production software.

The TD-1 sound module is very simple to operate, even for beginning players and first-time users of electronic drums. Quick, intuitive access to all functions is provided via the panel's LED display and uncomplicated layout. The large value buttons can even be pressed with drumsticks, allowing players to change drum kits and other parameters from a natural playing position. Stereo output jacks are provided for connecting to an external sound system for monitoring, and headphones can be plugged in for practicing without disturbing family members and neighbors.

For more information, visit Roland.com.

Rich Chamberlain

Rich is a teacher, one time Rhythm staff writer and experienced freelance journalist who has interviewed countless revered musicians, engineers, producers and stars for the our world-leading music making portfolio, including such titles as Rhythm, Total Guitar, Guitarist, Guitar World, and MusicRadar. His victims include such luminaries as Ice T, Mark Guilani and Jamie Oliver (the drumming one).