Question about e-kit response

single-ply

Senior Member
Hi guys,

I have a Roland TD-20 kit with the mesh heads. It only is used for practicing in the house and due to a variety of factors, it hasn't gotten much use over the last year or so, and to be honest, other than practicing on it, I am rather ignorant on e-kit maintenance, etc needed to keep everything humming along as it's supposed to.

I was playing a bit on it the other day and some of the pads, or triggers, I guess, seem less responsive than others. I have a series of questions:

Is this something that happens if they aren't played on a semi-consistent basis?

How often should the heads be changed and how much tension should they have?

I haven't been covering the kit and it's dusty. Big mistake?

What do you guys do to keep all pad responses 'crisp', for lack of a better term?

Thanks for any feedback.
 
How often should the heads be changed and how much tension should they have?

Heads need to be replaced when they are physically worn, which could be 6 months or several years. I've played the same single-ply heads every day for over three years.

The amount of tension depends on a few things, for example the type of head (1-ply, 2-ply, etc) and how the triggers are mounted, i.e. center mount vs edge mounted.

With single-ply heads and edge mounted triggers, the range of tension for my heads is very wide, and I'm able to keep the tension quite low for a very natural rebound. But if I had center mounted triggers the tension would need to be higher to protect the trigger from direct contact from hits. Roland has info on their head tension but I've never actually found that info, lol.
 
How about the internal foam cone material? I'm sure there is decay... some deformation. Would one notice clearly a change or is it more black and white and notice a distinct change in how the pad performs?
 
How about the internal foam cone material? I'm sure there is decay... some deformation. Would one notice clearly a change or is it more black and white and notice a distinct change in how the pad performs?

I was surprised to discover what a huge difference the cone can make, not just in the trigger response but in getting the full sound of the module itself. The dynamics are very dependent on the cone.
 
How about the internal foam cone material? I'm sure there is decay... some deformation. Would one notice clearly a change or is it more black and white and notice a distinct change in how the pad performs?


That's interesting to know. Can I replace that cone? Does Roland make that as a part I can get somewhere? Thanks!
 
Actually, 10 seconds of googling led me to the cones. (Duh). Thanks for that info and I will investigate it further.

Other than the foam cones and heads, anything else in the maintenance realm that will keep all pads and triggers working as they did out of the factory?
 
A few other thoughts. I've been aware of my cables. My constant kit break down, transport and set up has potential to mess with the cabling. Maybe in the contact point of the pad. Slim chance this would have impact on responsiveness. I would think it works or it doesn't. Maybe make sure the plug is seated well in the pad.

another thought is if you change your kits. I know the first 50 kits on my Roland TD-15 is mediocre to bad, at best. I immediately installed some Vexpressions and have been using 1 -2 kits, which are awesome and dynamic. Maybe you've got a kit selected that's less responsive.

or since you play on occassion? You might be remembering or expecting something more?
 
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