Roland SPD-S help.

Jairus_attack

Junior Member
So I have been drumming for about 2 years now(im 16), and I decided to get the spd-s for christmas.

I havent tried making my own patches or anything like that, but can anyone tell me the easiest way to put an 808 boom on there?

That and can I make my own sounds and synth parts, then track them onto a ptach?

pelase help,
thanks.
 
I would just search on Google for some 808 samples. I'm sure you can find some if you search for "Free 808 Samples", or something like that. Then, if they are .wav files, just put them on a compact flash card and load them onto your SPD-S. Having a compact flash card is the only way. The SPD-S can't use a card larger than 512mb so just be aware before you go buy one.
 
yea i got my pad off of ebay and it came with th 512mb card,
and i tried that.
its mainly just causal bass beats you find in rap songs and whatnot.

Im looking specifically the kind you hear in breakdowns in some recent bands.
i know the devil wears prada uses it, bring me the horizon, attack! attack! does too.

and since the spd-s has the same input as a guitar amp, could i plug in a guitar and record some chords and stuff?
 
I would give the guitar thing a try. I don't think you'll hurt anything, as long as you arent plugging it in from a guitar amp or anything. You may need a Direct Injection box to get your guitar signal up to line level, but yeah, I don't see why that wouldn't work. I don't claim to be an expert on the SPD-S but i've fooled around with mine a lot.

As for the big boom sounds, I know there are a few 808 'boom' samples on the spd-s but heres a link that may help: http://free-loops.com/free-loops-find.php?term=808
 
Alright well i think im gonna hold off on the guitar idea.

another question,
when putting sounds on my card, do i just put them in the folder, put the card in my pad, and then the pad will realize the sounds and thats that?

or is it not that easy?
 
Not quite that easy. It is that easy to copy them onto the card. Just click and drag the .wav files onto the card. No special labeling or folders. I don't have my SPD-S infront of me, (its at our practice space), but I'll try to remember how off the top of my head. Make sure the SPD-S is off, insert the card, turn on the SPD-S. Then hold shift and click Card Utility or something like that. I believe its the small text under the Setup button. Then select file import using the arrow keys. You can then scroll through the list of files on the card. When you find the one you wanna import, just click enter and it will ask you where you want to save it, and you can select either on the card for access by clicking the card button, or on the spd-s by deselecting the card button. I always have it access it from the card. More space on there. Then you can name it whatever wish and click enter. It will import, it may take a few minutes depending on the file length. Then you should be good. You can then assign it to any patch like you would any other file. You need to make sure you have the card button highlighted when you are looking for the file, because it will not be on the same list as the rest of the SPD-S files that are in the internal memory of the SPD-S.

If you can understand that, glad I could help. Remember, this is from memory, so I think I got the majority of it correct.

This process gets to be second nature once you start to understand the interface more and after you've done it a couple times. It took me a while.
 
I have no idea what you said, I dont kow what any of that stuff is

:/


FL-Studio is basically a virtual recording studio, with all the instruments inside already. Click the link, check it out.

As far as I know, Ableton is a music editing and recording program.


MBP must mean Mac Book Pro.
 
It sounds like you are excited about the SPD-S. I would be too. I own one!

However, some of the things you are asking about are in the SPD-S manual. There's also some support documents (such as how to configure a trigger pedal/on board sample to work as an open closed hi hat). If you didn't get the manual with the SPD-S, go to the Roland website and download the PDF manual. It's an exact copy of the printed manual. You could even print it out if you wanted to have a paper copy around.

IIRC there is a sample on the SPD-S that sounds like an 808 bass drum. I don't know if that is still on the SPD-S you bought as the former user may have deleted it. There is also the SPD-S Sample CD that has other sounds (listen to 'Electronic Kicks') to chop up and import via compact flash card. If that didn't come with it, you could contact Roland and buy one from them.

I've started to use a free audio editing program called Audacity (for Mac). It's considered to be one of the best of the freeware programs of this type. I'd love to have Ableton Live but it's an expensive way to go if you want to just cut up samples.

Get the manual and read up on Sampling and Resampling. Resampling is very cool as it allows you to layer samples to create one customized sound with or without on board effects. Again it's worth going to the Roland site and downloading the manual and reading some of the support docs to help you move along. And while you are there watch Johnny Rabb do his video demo of the SPD-S. It's helpful and at times pretty funny (IMO).

Good luck with your new Christmas toy.

Jim
 
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