Roland SPD-S

Post by Pete Pemberton
Anyone have one? Pros - Cons? They appear to be somewhat gimicky, but
maybe that's my impressions after watching Jonny Rabb do his thing.
Looking to use live to augment a band with possibly trigger kick and
snare sometimes, and auxilliary sounds and music, possibly backing
vocals. I know I will have to keep time with the samples, not a
problem, and have done it before, just not with a sampler.
Thanks,
Pete

I have one. Putting samples on them is a massive PITA. First you need a
Compact Flash card (retro!), then put your sound on it as a wav,
convert it to their weird format using the SPS-S with its highly
unintuitive UI, then assign it to a kit and a pad, which is more
complicated than Google Wave.

I don't really use it anymore, since I wanted it for triggering backing
tracks, string parts etc, which I mixed to have the same audio in both
channels but with a click on the left, and sent only the right channel
to the PA, so I had the click. But despite it being fine in my ears,
and on the computer after I mixed it, and on everything else I tried it
on, no matter what I did some of the click would always bleed out
through the PA, quite noticeably, and I couldn't work a fix, so it
became useless.

--
Zo

Brandon Paluzzi

2009-12-11 11:03:51 UTC

I've had one for about 3 years, but only started using it extensively
in the last 6 months or so. It's now a HUGE part of our show. I'm
able to play keyboard lines from the drums, without having to drop my
sticks. I've found it's not ideal for playing backing tracks - it's
more for playing stuff in real time, IMO. I have no problem with
CompactFlash -- it's the most robust of all of the current memory
cards. It's often used in Professional situations where space isn't a
concern (digital SLR, audio recorders, etc.). The sampling process
is a bit tricky, but after doing it a few times, you get the hang.

The crosstalk (R-L output) issue is one I've noticed, too. The lack
of an internal click (which would be routable only to the headphones)
is one of the biggest drawbacks of the unit to me. If Roland came out
of with an SPD-S with a metal case, internal metronome, and some more
trigger inputs 6-8 would be perfect, they'd have IMO, the ultimate
"add-on" electronic percussion device. The DrumKAT has these things,
but no internal sounds and no sampling, so it's something that
wouldn't work for me.

I've solved the trigger input / click issue by running a Yamaha
DTXtreme module as a trigger-to-MIDI generator, chained to the SPD-S
by MIDI. Basically, the Yamaha module handles all of the trigger
inputs (acoustic drums have triggers on them, plus 2 pads on the far
right of the kit), converts them to MIDI, and then sends them to the
SPD-S. Yamaha also handles the click, with each song saved to the
Yamaha then assembled into a chain for the setlist. This also allows
different trigger configs for every song. There's also some stuff
that's running back from the SPD-S to the Yamaha (for triggering
melodic sounds off of the Yamaha, or some of the Yamaha internal
sounds that I didn't feel like sampling back to the SPD-S). It's a
VERY powerful rig, but a bit of a pain to set up.

You can just barely make out the rig on the far left of the pics here:

http://www.outsideroyalty.com/drums/

Post by Zomoniac

I have one. Putting samples on them is a massive PITA. First you need a
Compact Flash card (retro!), then put your sound on it as a wav,
convert it to their weird format using the SPS-S with its highly
unintuitive UI, then assign it to a kit and a pad, which is more
complicated than Google Wave.
I don't really use it anymore, since I wanted it for triggering backing
tracks, string parts etc, which I mixed to have the same audio in both
channels but with a click on the left, and sent only the right channel
to the PA, so I had the click. But despite it being fine in my ears,
and on the computer after I mixed it, and on everything else I tried it
on, no matter what I did some of the click would always bleed out
through the PA, quite noticeably, and I couldn't work a fix, so it
became useless.
--
Zo

FastLundy

2009-12-11 15:11:58 UTC

Post by Brandon Paluzzi
I've had one for about 3 years, but only started using it extensively
in the last 6 months or so. It's now a HUGE part of our show. I'm
able to play keyboard lines from the drums, without having to drop my
sticks. I've found it's not ideal for playing backing tracks - it's
more for playing stuff in real time, IMO. I have no problem with
CompactFlash -- it's the most robust of all of the current memory
cards. It's often used in Professional situations where space isn't a
concern (digital SLR, audio recorders, etc.). The sampling process
is a bit tricky, but after doing it a few times, you get the hang.
The crosstalk (R-L output) issue is one I've noticed, too. The lack
of an internal click (which would be routable only to the headphones)
is one of the biggest drawbacks of the unit to me. If Roland came out
of with an SPD-S with a metal case, internal metronome, and some more
trigger inputs 6-8 would be perfect, they'd have IMO, the ultimate
"add-on" electronic percussion device. The DrumKAT has these things,
but no internal sounds and no sampling, so it's something that
wouldn't work for me.
I've solved the trigger input / click issue by running a Yamaha
DTXtreme module as a trigger-to-MIDI generator, chained to the SPD-S
by MIDI. Basically, the Yamaha module handles all of the trigger
inputs (acoustic drums have triggers on them, plus 2 pads on the far
right of the kit), converts them to MIDI, and then sends them to the
SPD-S. Yamaha also handles the click, with each song saved to the
Yamaha then assembled into a chain for the setlist. This also allows
different trigger configs for every song. There's also some stuff
that's running back from the SPD-S to the Yamaha (for triggering
melodic sounds off of the Yamaha, or some of the Yamaha internal
sounds that I didn't feel like sampling back to the SPD-S). It's a
VERY powerful rig, but a bit of a pain to set up.
http://www.outsideroyalty.com/drums/

Post by Zomoniac

I have one. Putting samples on them is a massive PITA. First you need a
Compact Flash card (retro!), then put your sound on it as a wav,
convert it to their weird format using the SPS-S with its highly
unintuitive UI, then assign it to a kit and a pad, which is more
complicated than Google Wave.
I don't really use it anymore, since I wanted it for triggering backing
tracks, string parts etc, which I mixed to have the same audio in both
channels but with a click on the left, and sent only the right channel
to the PA, so I had the click. But despite it being fine in my ears,
and on the computer after I mixed it, and on everything else I tried it
on, no matter what I did some of the click would always bleed out
through the PA, quite noticeably, and I couldn't work a fix, so it
became useless.
--
Zo

Hey Brandon... I just checked out your band's site and some of your
music -- fantastic stuff! Hope you guys are really going someplace
big -- I can't hear any reasons why not!!

Brandon Paluzzi

2009-12-14 10:06:32 UTC

Post by FastLundy

Post by Zomoniac

I have one. Putting samples on them is a massive PITA. First you need a
Compact Flash card (retro!), then put your sound on it as a wav,
convert it to their weird format using the SPS-S with its highly
unintuitive UI, then assign it to a kit and a pad, which is more
complicated than Google Wave.
I don't really use it anymore, since I wanted it for triggering backing
tracks, string parts etc, which I mixed to have the same audio in both
channels but with a click on the left, and sent only the right channel
to the PA, so I had the click. But despite it being fine in my ears,
and on the computer after I mixed it, and on everything else I tried it
on, no matter what I did some of the click would always bleed out
through the PA, quite noticeably, and I couldn't work a fix, so it
became useless.
--
Zo

Hey Brandon... I just checked out your band's site and some of your
music -- fantastic stuff! Hope you guys are really going someplace
big -- I can't hear any reasons why not!!

Thanks Paul! Things are going well for us -- not setting the world
on fire, but slowly building up a following. Hopefully the European
tour in March will be a big step for us. =)

Thanks again for the comments! =)

b

Pete Pemberton

2009-12-14 10:30:49 UTC

Post by FastLundy
Hey Brandon... I just checked out your band's site and some of your
music -- fantastic stuff! Hope you guys are really going someplace
big -- I can't hear any reasons why not!!

I liked it too, drummer needs a haircut, but other than that! Keep us
posted on your tour! Let us know if you head to the midwest!

;P

PP

Brandon Paluzzi

2009-12-14 11:35:11 UTC

Post by FastLundy
Hey Brandon... I just checked out your band's site and some of your
music -- fantastic stuff! Hope you guys are really going someplace
big -- I can't hear any reasons why not!!

I liked it too, drummer needs a haircut, but other than that! Keep us
posted on your tour! Let us know if you head to the midwest!
;P
PP

Haha, yeah, some of those pics are quite a bit out of date. Drummer
got a haircut right around the time he turned 30 ;-)

Pete Pemberton

2009-12-15 14:22:39 UTC

Post by FastLundy
Hey Brandon... I just checked out your band's site and some of your
music -- fantastic stuff! Hope you guys are really going someplace
big -- I can't hear any reasons why not!!

I liked it too, drummer needs a haircut, but other than that! Keep us
posted on your tour! Let us know if you head to the midwest!
;P
PP

Haha, yeah, some of those pics are quite a bit out of date. Drummer
got a haircut right around the time he turned 30 ;-)

Sucks, doesn't it! :-)

sniff, all our kids are growing up! lol

pp

Brandon Paluzzi

2009-12-15 15:43:04 UTC

Post by FastLundy
Hey Brandon... I just checked out your band's site and some of your
music -- fantastic stuff! Hope you guys are really going someplace
big -- I can't hear any reasons why not!!

I liked it too, drummer needs a haircut, but other than that! Keep us
posted on your tour! Let us know if you head to the midwest!
;P
PP

Haha, yeah, some of those pics are quite a bit out of date. Drummer
got a haircut right around the time he turned 30 ;-)

Sucks, doesn't it! :-)
sniff, all our kids are growing up! lol
pp

Haha, yeah, it's crazy. Dan Radin and I are both 30+ now. Next
summer, it'll be 15 years since I first started reading rmmp. That's
a lot of Phoenix "issues" and cheap moongel sources. ;-)

b

Michael Puterbaugh

2009-12-15 02:35:31 UTC

It may be of interest to some that Yamaha recently announced its own
model of sample-playing multipad, the DTX-Multi12:
http://tinyurl.com/yclo3rq

I haven't had a chance to try one, but going by the specs alone it looks
like a strong product.

-Mike

Brandon Paluzzi

2009-12-15 10:29:16 UTC

Post by Michael Puterbaugh
It may be of interest to some that Yamaha recently announced its own
model of sample-playing multipad, the DTX-Multi12:http://tinyurl.com/yclo3rq
I haven't had a chance to try one, but going by the specs alone it looks
like a strong product.
-Mike

Glad to see Yamaha entering the space, but I can't believe they only
put 64MB of memory on that.
That's ludicrously small.

I have 2GB of samples on my SPD-S already, and I've only been using it
for 2 years or so.

Hopefully this takes external cards to expand that amount. Lack of
onboard sampling is a bummer, too.

The two-level arrangement of pads also looks terribly uncomfortable to
play, and seems to be solving a problem that doesn't exist.

'Tis a shame. I'm much more of a fan of Yamaha's electric offerings
(compared to Roland), but I don't see this as seriously competing with
the SPD series.

b

Pete Pemberton

2009-12-15 14:31:46 UTC

Glad to see Yamaha entering the space, but I can't believe they only
put 64MB of memory on that.
That's ludicrously small.
I have 2GB of samples on my SPD-S already, and I've only been using it
for 2 years or so.
Hopefully this takes external cards to expand that amount. Lack of
onboard sampling is a bummer, too.
The two-level arrangement of pads also looks terribly uncomfortable to
play, and seems to be solving a problem that doesn't exist.
'Tis a shame. I'm much more of a fan of Yamaha's electric offerings
(compared to Roland), but I don't see this as seriously competing with
the SPD series.
b

Maybe it can read from the USB memory device port? I am assuming they
mean jump drive?

5 trigger inputs, though, better than two. Memory sucks, I agree.

You guys ever do the velocity switching feature? How useful can that be
in a live sit-che-ation? I can see loading up the same sound on the
lowest two setings and another on the highest (hardest), but four diff.
sounds for four different velocities, no thanks.

pp

Brandon Paluzzi

2009-12-15 15:41:15 UTC

I used velocity switching on the DTXtreme when I was playing a full
electric set. It was nice for getting slightly different sounds out
of the same base sound. For example, keeping a snare sound, but going
from a more controlled/dry sample on lower velocities, switching to a
sample with a bit more "ping" on the higher velocities. It had to be
a VERY subtle change though, or it just sounded corny. I'd also never
use it for something like "cowbell on soft hits, china boy on loud
hits." Too much margin for error in a live gig.

Now that I'm using it as an add-on, I don't do anything with velocity
switching anymore.

5 inputs is nice. Would prefer even more, to be honest. I'm using 6
inputs on my rig already, with another 2 ready to go as soon as I get
back to the US and get some triggers (£65 for a ddrum trigger here -
NO THANK YOU!). 5 at least covers a basic acoustic set.

Yeah, saw that USB drive -- from the sounds of it, it doesn't look
like it can read in real-time from that port -- it's just for
uploading data to the internal memory. Would be nice if it could read
"live" from that, though.

b

Glad to see Yamaha entering the space, but I can't believe they only
put 64MB of memory on that.
That's ludicrously small.
I have 2GB of samples on my SPD-S already, and I've only been using it
for 2 years or so.
Hopefully this takes external cards to expand that amount. Lack of
onboard sampling is a bummer, too.
The two-level arrangement of pads also looks terribly uncomfortable to
play, and seems to be solving a problem that doesn't exist.
'Tis a shame. I'm much more of a fan of Yamaha's electric offerings
(compared to Roland), but I don't see this as seriously competing with
the SPD series.
b

Maybe it can read from the USB memory device port? I am assuming they
mean jump drive?
5 trigger inputs, though, better than two. Memory sucks, I agree.
You guys ever do the velocity switching feature? How useful can that be
in a live sit-che-ation? I can see loading up the same sound on the
lowest two setings and another on the highest (hardest), but four diff.
sounds for four different velocities, no thanks.
pp

n***@zoomnet.net

2009-12-16 02:17:24 UTC

Post by Pete Pemberton
You guys ever do the velocity switching feature? How useful can that be
in a live sit-che-ation? I can see loading up the same sound on the
lowest two setings and another on the highest (hardest), but four diff.
sounds for four different velocities, no thanks.

I too did the velocity thing trying to stack 4 sounds at different
velocity settings to get a more realistic snare and Hi hat. It worked
OK for me. It's kind of a PITA. If you have the time to tinker with
it you can really get pleasing results.

MN

JWald

2009-12-11 23:33:47 UTC