Roland Octapad Spd 30 Stand

I have been playing drums for a very long time with an interest in technology. And for this reason, I would know something new when it comes out. Roland has made great improvements with the Roland Octapad SPD-30. To me, this instrument is more than just another electronic drum pad for drummers and percussionists. It offers so much more, especially since you can turn it into a mini e-drum set.

About the Octapad

Roland calls the SPD-30 a percussion pad, more than a sample pad. It comes with a large volume of built-in sounds, which the user can customize directly to what meets their need, and it’s different from its similar model Roland SPD One.

It is an updated system with almost double the number of onboard kits from other versions. And you don’t need to but a new SPD-30 if you already have another with the old software. You can simply upgrade to the new one by connecting to a computer through USD and finding updates on the Roland website.

I like the onboard sounds range on this kit. You can find acoustic options, electronic kits, world music percussion, as well as musical sounds like synths. Hence, it is an instrument that can be used in different music styles.

Another thing you may love is the simple design of this piece. It does not come with so many complicated buttons. And perhaps Roland did this to make come a wide range to user needs.

Specifications

The Roland drum pad SPD-30 comes with the following specifications:

  • Eight built-pads with four external input for connecting pads
  • 670 instruments divided into 50 kits
  • Eight-chain, with 20 chains per step and four dual-trigger inputs.
  • Excellent instrument parameters, including muffling, soft attack, tone color, pitch sweep, volume, pan, and reverse.
  • Excellent multi-effects with seven ambiance types, equalizer, limiter, and 30 multi-effects,
  • Come with 50 phases.
  • Maximum connectivity, including jack trigger input, output and MIDI connectors.
  • Options to pads, cymbals, kick trigger inputs, hi-hats, v-drum accessories, and more.

Key features

  • Eight trigger inputs pads with lots of sounds
  • 50 drum kits
  • New percussion instruments from different parts of the world
  • The latest set-sensing triggering technology with multi-effects.
  • Four dual-trigger inputs with a hi-hat controller, letting you create a mini acoustic drums
  • Phrase loop functions for creativity, recording, and more.
  • USB/MIDI connection for computer connection and storage,
  • Large LCD with backlight and set indicator lights.
  • And excellent designs.

Those are lots of features, right? Let’s have a look at them in detail.

Create a mini electronic drum kit

The world of electronic drums has changed the way people play their acoustic drums. One of the main areas of interest is its portability.

And this can realize even more using the Octapad SPD-30. It comes with inputs for extra pads, including a kick and a hi-hat controller. For this reason, you can transform it into a mini drum-kit for real-time recording.

I would recommend you try using the Roland FD-8 hi-hat is you want to play as a mini e-drum set. This contour works pretty well.

Roland Drumpad triggering technology has been applied in the SPD-30 too. You can notice this when you start using the additional elements like the hi-hat controller. This feature makes you get the same response that comes from high-quality electronic drum sets.

Also, you can use different kick pads, just to make your drumming more fun. It is compatible with almost any kick.

You can also use this Octapad to build a hybrid kit. It comes with settings that let you create something like your acoustic set, which is excellent for live performing.

I was quite impressed with the extensibility of this instrument. It works with almost any type of drum triggering technology. This is a feature that makes it extremely versatile and improves your drumming experience.

I tried hooking it on acoustic drum triggers, and the results were excellent. For instance, you can use a kick-drum trigger to echo your acoustic drum sound, all from an electronic piece.

You will find this a very useful tool if you are looking to expand your drum sound. And if your kit setup ok, this piece can still work well as a mic setup.

This is not a custom sample.

Many people get confused between sampling pads and acoustic pads. It is important to get these differences because you may end up buying the wrong product.

The most important thing to remember is that the SPD-30 does not have options for custom sampling. This means you will not be able to add WAV files. However, you can still use it as a MIDI controller by connecting to your PC with a phrase loop function. This lets you trigger your samples as you wish.

If you are looking for onboard sampling, then this not the kit for you. But still, you can find the extensibility features and phrase loop function. This makes the device open to different options.

You can customize the built-in sounds.

Even though you cannot upload your own sounds to the device, you can customize the onboard tunes until they sound the way you want.

For instance, try layering the sounds together. This function allowed me to play the sounds much easier, with each coming after another.

Apart from layering, you can also pitch them or add some effects, like reverb. These features are pretty incredible, considering how easily you can access them.

And I will not forget to mention you can customize and create your kits using the built-in sounds. It is an easy way of creating perfect sound, even if you cannot add or remove samples.

The feel

Another thing you will love on this pad is the feel of the sets. They are very sensitive, which means they can detect the slightest change in your strike.

Many drummers will find this a big advantage when compared to cheaper alternatives.

If you are a drummer used to hearing a high-quality electric or acoustic sound, you need something to satisfy that feeling. And the Octapad SPD 30 does a pretty impressive job.

It is not silent, though. It feels like hitting a rubber pad when you play, a feature that should not make any issues with speakers on a stage setting.

It can be a bit annoying for home use, unlike mesh pads, which are more silent.

Nevertheless, it comes with incredible audio output. You will find both the stereo outputs and jacks for mono-out.

This pad feels right on the stage. You can either use it as a primary instrument or a secondary option, based on what you need in your drums.

Its sensitivity may present a different feel when you are playing live. And you should have no problem hitting harder when your adrenaline is flowing faster. The instrument can differentiate between hard and light strokes. This means you can always enjoy every hit.

The volume sensitivity is also unlike most cheaper options. It will get you where you want and how you want.

Other features

You can enter phase looping mode in the Octapad spd 30, a feature that lets you perform your own sequence. And you can do this up to three times. You should be sure to enjoy the menu system for this because it makes everything very simple. You can mute and delete sets on the go,

And if you want you to connect external foot-switch and customize your actions, you can do so in easy steps. Like you can use the foot-switch for automation of phase looping.

Each pad comes with lights next to it. They will show you which pad is active during phase looping. This is very important because it allows you to hit the right pad at any given time. They will also flash to indicate the muting in-phase loop.

Then there is the build quality of the SPDs Roland. It is very sturdy, and it will serve you for many years while keeping it looks. It has a very impressive appearance altogether.

The pad comes with MIDI capability. This means you can change it into a MIDI controller and use it with your Digital Audio Workstation for real-time recording.

It is compatible with other devices, allowing you to sync with a metronome too. This is a very useful tool in phase looking and when playing with other instruments.

Alternatives

Unfortunately, Roland SPD-30 does not come with sampling options. For this reason, you may want to look at other alternatives.

In this case, the SPD-SX Roland drum-pad may be a good start. It allows you to create your own samples and upload them to use alongside your performance. This piece has been highly recommended, and it comes at almost the same price range.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a sampling pad and a percussion pad?

The main difference is that sampling kit can trigger an audio sample, while the percussion pad does not. You can import samples and sound into the sampler, but not the percussion pad.

Should I get other hardware?

Yes. I would recommend you get the Roland PDS-10 stand. This is very stable and is used for many Roland pads. You will need a module mount if you will be mounting the Octapad on a piece of hardware.

Conclusion

The Roland SPD-30 is by the most useful percussion pad you will find on the market. It may not be completely perfect due to the lack of sampling options, but it is still very functional.

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