Roland SPD-SX PRO Sampling Pad

The Roland SPD-SX PRO is your final stop for a sampling pad. Its extensive on-the-road testing and feedback from the professionals (who have used its forerunners SPD-SX and SPD-S) have created a shield of armor that puts this piece of pro gear far above the rest. The colorful and customizable LED trigger lights brighten a dark stage. Embellish your setup by adding audio outputs, trigger inputs and effects pedals into the mix. With a hearty 32GB memory and 48kHz audio playback, you are certain to have enough space to store all your working projects. The Roland SPD-SX PRO app is available for additional drum kit editing.

On the Road Again

A gigging musician’s gear always takes hits while on the road. The nightly packing up and tearing down of gear can take a toll on instruments. But, starting in 2011, professional drummers and percussionists have been testing the durability of the SPD-SX from small indoor venues to arenas. The years of feedback turned directly into improvements and now the SPD-SX-PRO is ready to hit the road.

LED Fun: Custom Pad LED Lights

Keep up with the cool stage lights, use the PRO. The pad-dividing LED and trigger lights are fully your own design. On the dark stage, you can see each drum pad. You can alter either light to one of its preset colors, or design and capture your own color/pad combination. Bundle the kick and snare, with backing tracks or other inputs. Adjust the horizontal pads to illuminate a steady beam or set it to light up only when the pad is hit. You can even adjust the lights to your WAV movements. The SPD-SX-PRO also has a 4.3″ color LCD display screen with lighted function buttons for light and sound selection. The screen keeps real-time and playback status and reflects WAV names.

You Got the Beat

As a drummer, it is crucial to practice along with a click. PRO includes an easy-to-use metronome so driving the band in time is easier than ever. You can edit the internal click in sound and note value or use a favorite sample sound as the click. The SPD-SX PRO pads are exceptionally reactive. Regardless of the mounting angle, you will notice acute sensitivity, especially within the top three pads that have a revised internal sensor structure for optimum true feel. There is a cross stick protection to ensure no other pads are activated accidentally. A cool bonus is the pad sizes are close enough to the SPD-SX that you don’t need new drum bags for the new kit.

Your Sound Search Is Over

The SPD-SX-PRO has all the sounds you need. The large memory bank will carry your entire music collection for multiple sets, so you don’t have to reload it for every gig. It has 1,500 onboard samples, 200 unique drum kits and sample tags to make sorting your catalogue easier than ever. The storage capabilities are mighty as the SPD-SX-PRO holds almost 44 hours of 48kHz/16-bit stereo audio. There’s a foolproof conversion process, so don’t sweat it. WAV, 48/44.1kHz, AIFF and MP3 files, even with different bit rates, are all workable with the SPD-SX-PRO. In addition, the processing power enables you to change to a new kit sound without disrupting the existing beat. The audio of the prior kit simply decrescendos into a smooth change of kits sounds, and you are ready for the next track in the set. If you are looking for even more sounds to tinker with, plunge into the Roland Cloud sample libraries and explore the ever-expanding selection of sounds. Additionally, the 16-Step Pad Sequencer enables you to assign 2 to 16 steps to a pad within one kit. Then you can coordinate your playback of various pads you have set up, so there’s no need to remember every sequence you set. When you assign a sound, striking the pad will trigger the sequence, and you can enjoy the live show experience.

Take Control–Pad Editing and Features

Edit controls on the PRO are made simple and accessible. You can easily adjust the individual volume and pitch controls that reflect real-time audio. A quick press of a button can alter the attack and release of the pad’s plethora of settings. When you need to make specific adjustments, the color display will guide you into the many clear options and settings. You can also opt to stack dual drum sounds onto the PRO for a cool, A/B layering effect. You control which sounds reflect the MAIN and SUB, on the same pad, literally doubling your real-time playing options. Control knobs enable managing and blending the MAIN and SUB pad sounds simple and fun. The SPD-SX PRO has a left and right stereo master outputs. In addition, four mono audio outputs for six separate audio feeds offer mixing malleability. There is also a stereo output for headphones enabling custom monitor mixes.

Maximum Creative Expression

Prepping for a show can be a lot of work, but the PRO has got you covered. Download and organize your sounds to maximize the four effects engines for ultimate creativity. Use the onboard 16-step pad sequencer to plug in an expression pedal for added mixing delight. With extended trigger inputs and effect options, there are endless sonic possibilities. Enjoy the multitude of high-quality selection of sounds and color enhancements. Four MFX include distortion, filter effects and reverb. You control where they are assigned on the kit.

The Complete Package

The master comp, EQ and Sidechain compression are also a part of the package, to prevent any of your cool tones getting lost in the mix. Another cool feature is the Increased Pad Link that enables you to start the audio from two pads at the same time by only striking one. You choose the coupled pads, then mute to silence a previous pad as you strike the next, and only one pad is sounding off at a time. Together, full pad link and mute groups create unlimited track, loop and audio combinations within each kit. The full pad link group creates the potential for limitless audio, loop and track combinations.

Your New Favorite App

With 19 playable surfaces to navigate it is important to stay organized. The dedicated SPD-SX-PRO App from Roland Cloud can easily upload audio, edit sounds and playback options. It is easy to drag and drop sampled sounds, create custom drum kits, and you can even use the USB to send an 8-channel audio and MIDI to your computer DAW for recording.