Roland spd-sx questions

emmettrhall

Junior Member
Hi all. Brand new to the forums.
Got tunred onto the boards here searching for some reviews of the roland spd-sx Which I decided to buy.
Had a few questions that I couldent find answer for in the search feature and if someone who had an spd-sx could give me some advice Id appreciate it.
Don't wanna annoy anyone with asking in open thread unless I missed something in the search feature.
Thanx for taking the time to read this and looking forward to making sone new pals and learning stuff from everyone.
Emmett
 
I have one, although I use maybe 5% of its capabilities (custom sample playback.)

What's your question? I might know...

Bermuda
 
Thanx Mr B.
Ill b using it to import my own samples as well.
Ive hard discussion that some Flash Drives will not work with them unless you buy a flash drive from roland. Being the NON Electronics savy kinda guy I am, I have no idea if this is true. To me, seems like roland wants you to buy theyre flash drives as well. I have no prob supporting the companys stuff I use. However, im just a guy who works and plays drums with a limited budget. If I can get a flash drive that will work from the local office supply store and save 30 or 40 bucks, and I don't have to explaine to my wife why I need to spend extra cash to get the flash drive that says "Roland" on it. (hhehehehe)

I wanted to get opinions on ease of programming as well. this will be the first electronic thing I by to add to my kit. ( next thing after this will be an in ear monitor system but that's another story/thread)

Advice as to where to buy/download inidiviudual/ Packages of sounds, precussion and samples. ( id have to pm you specifics)

if anyone has wiped out all the onboard or pre loaded stuff to put your own stuff on.

and if it cooks because my wife isn't happy I dumped the cash I did on it hehehehe.
Thanx in advance for you or anyones advice!
 
I use the hell out of mine to trigger backing track segments live. I write and record stuff, make it a WAV file and load it to the SPD.

I don't know where to buy any samples but I know that the internet is a huge resource. Anything you find can be manipulated and converted into a WAV file in order to be loaded on the SPD.

I dumped all the pre loaded stuff to make room for the things I need. I did it one step at a time via the computer but there is a way to use the initialize feature on the unit and (I think( wipe them faster.

Any flash drive will work.

That said, I did have an issue recently when the $5 PNY brand drive I was using did not want to load and it cost me some time rebuilding a few of kits. I have since learned to store them in 2 different locations other than the flash drive.


As far as ease of programming, if I can figure it out, most anybody can. There is a learning curve but most things seem logical.

Eventually you will probably want to start using the 4 remote triggers because the 4" square pads on the unit are more difficult to hit than a full sized pad or a bar trigger of some sort. It took me a few months to figure that out.
 
I found a nice low-profile Verbatim drive that I just leave in the USB port, no chance of it getting bumped or bent. Here it is compared to another flash drive I have:

verbatim.jpg


verbatim2.jpg


Sample libraries are widely available on disc, just make sure they're .wav files, or be prepared to extract audio files and convert.

Bermuda
 
HUGE thanx to you both for taking the time to answer my questions.
Iv been searching and am almost at witts end when it comes to some things I want to sample. Others are semi easy to find. wheni get some time to do so, ill pm you ( mr tricks as to some other question and ideas if you don't mind. I truly don't wanna bother anyone but its friggin cool to be able to get advice from cats who know whats going on instead of the store guys who usualy say "I duont know Ill have to ask someone" ad I never get an answer.
Cheers to you both!
 
I picked up the SPD Sx few weeks ago. Any flash drive works! Sample in a wav format. I have been loading in direct from the internet and flash drive from garage band. Next step for me is computer to SDP-Sx.
Will use in upcoming gigs in April. Denis
 
thanx denis and han.
Yeah, im pretty much at the end of my rope with researching and searching for things and stuff. been making some of my own from cd put thru audacity and then saved just waiting for my roland to get here to put them all on the unit itself. I know im gonna need a solid roto tom sound, some church bells, and and other precussion sounds would be cool like vibra slap, some timpanii's, and the rest of the stuff I need is pretty much band specific. Obviously im into Pink Floyd a lot. Id love to get some stuff that I could use for that stuff ( I.E. the children singing in another brick in the wall, and some other sounds they used)
Im glad all of you chimed in with your knowledge and exp. please keep doing so. If you don't mind id like to add you guys to my contacts list as I really don't know anyone else on here hehehe.
Just a few hrs ago looks like I may get a shot at an industrial metal band which I think would be fun to layer accousting on the top of loops and stuff, and an offer im really not into doing some work for a black metal/grind band. Sucks when these bands ask yer age and I have to tell em im in my 40's and they immediately pass me by. ehhhh such is life man.
 
Hey i know this isnt the proper forum for it but since its the most responces i got from anyone, and i just learned how to add pics up here as im as computer sharp as a sack of wet bowling balls ( hehehehe) Wanted to add a pic of me and Roger Waters from Pink Floyd from 2012 backstage at "The Wall" tour 2012. Wont bore you with the story, but i thought you guys might wanna put a face to my posts and silly questions. If not, dont look! hehehehehe
 

Attachments

  • rogerandi1.jpg
    rogerandi1.jpg
    10.7 KB · Views: 2,182
Hey i know this isnt the proper forum for it but since its the most responces i got from anyone, and i just learned how to add pics up here as im as computer sharp as a sack of wet bowling balls ( hehehehe) Wanted to add a pic of me and Roger Waters from Pink Floyd from 2012 backstage at "The Wall" tour 2012. Wont bore you with the story, but i thought you guys might wanna put a face to my posts and silly questions. If not, dont look! hehehehehe

LOL looked at the picture before reading your post and thought dam winning the superbowl sure did age Pete Carrol
 
got my spd-sx yesterday. this is a good thing.
laptop that i had been working on that had all my sampled i was gonna upload got a virus. this is a bad thing.
Me being paranoid ima accidently load a virus into my new sapler is a safte thing.
Me turning my laptop into best buy to make sure theres nothing bad on it to effect my sampler is an expesive thing.
So
Next question, Knowing im not as sharp as the rest of people, should i make a video or something to archive here on the world most non elctronic savy drummer gets his first sampler to help others?
 
Make the video in a couple years when you've learned it all :)


Obviously im into Pink Floyd a lot

We are working on PF's "Money" in my 3 piece band. The bass player picks up a guitar and I play the bass parts on 6 pads and some piano on a couple more via the SPD. I tried for an hour to write a midi sax part but decided that, my guitar player is so good, we will just have him take that segment.

I had to teach them what 7/4 was. Hell, I had to learn what 7/4 was, then teach them :) I had heard the song a million times but, when I sat down and played along with it, I was immediately confused :) It only took a few minutes for the light to switch on but it was a weird few minutes. And....the guitarists are still scratching their heads over it.
 
yeahth ats gonna take me a bit. been workin with it a lot. the wave manager software make it super easy to program. im still digging into effects and stuff. again, if anyone has any suggested sites to dl sounds id appreciate it. right now looking for :Full set of roto toms sound
Church Chimes
 
If you've got plenty of spare time, try this link for lots of drum machine samples: howtomakeelectronicmusic.com

I have the "198-machine" version from a few years ago, and it's come in handy a few times, although I do have some terrific sample libraries and have been lucky enough to personally sample some popular machines (including some great old 'rhythm boxes') and those get sourced the most.

I think it's odd that existing companies that once made machines (like Roland, Yamaha, AKAI et al) don't offer legacy sample libraries, since just about everything is virtual now. I have several versions of the classic Roland sounds, but I'd pay to have "official" files from the source.

But it's nice to have access to these grey-area libraries with sounds that are otherwise gone forever. :)

Bermuda
 
hey guys.
I haven't really got time to read through all these threads and I'm not sure it will be covered anyway.

Basically Im using roland RT10S/K triggers with SPD-SX in a live show.

My style of drumming is i guess quite baggy, and I've noticed when playing with the triggers if i play a beat and would play a drag on the snare the trigger would just go off when the initial hit on the snare was played and not the notes after that (the drag)

I've tried changing the sensitivity of the triggers but even this doesn't work.

Can any of you guys help and let me know if theres a way i can sort this as its limiting me to certain songs i can use the triggers.

Thanks
Zach
 
Back
Top