Roland TD-9KX2 V-Tour Series
withstand a lot of punishment. The heavy-duty VH-11 hi-hat has a floating mount that helps the rubber pad to convey a very realistic feel and once connected to the TD-9 ‘brain’ your ears more or less fill in the rest. The hi-hats dual trigger design also goes a long way toward simulating the feel of a pair of conventional ‘hats, the crisp attack over the bow mellowing out to a
drum heads. Part of this is may be due to the way that the electronic sampled drum sounds and the mesh heads’ plush response don’t demand that the drummer has to play like an animal! Of course, when the adrenaline starts to kick in and energy levels go up the player will play harder but because this kit feels so light and responsive there is little need to attack it like a maniac.
Hard hitters will love the sturdy new Roland KD-9 kick drum pad…
jazzy wash the closer you play to the edges. The new CY-12C crash and CY13-R ride cymbals’ triple triggers encompass the cymbal edge, bow and the bell, allowing the drummer to use the full gamut of dynamic cymbal effects and therefore conveying an extra feeling of realism. The actual cymbal sounds aside, the playing dynamics feel very convincing, the cymbals even ‘choke’ when the player uses their hand to abruptly prevent the cymbal from sustaining after the cymbal has been struck smartly with a drum stick. The new TD-9 series drums
feature dual triggers, one for the mesh playing head and a second one for the rim, enabling the user to trigger realistic-sounding rim shots. The mesh heads’ responsive bouncy feel is also backed-up by their roadworthiness; these heads are very, very tough and can withstand a prolonged and heavy battering just as much – some might say fractionally more so – than conventional plastic drum heads. In the event that a mesh head does get damaged, Roland do make replacement heads but none of the drummers that I know who currently use the V-Drum system have reported any need to replace their
Hard hitters will probably welcome the new Roland KD-9 kick drum pad, which mounts on a very sturdy steel bass plate. Again, the overall design is very compact and the actual trigger surface only measures some 13cm across, which is still plenty of room for a beater or double beater setup to make a firm contact with the kick drum’s new faux-cloth mesh head.
The sounds
The centerpiece of the TD-9 KX2 is the new Version 2.0 TD-9 sound module. This is still an entry level unit compared to Roland’s higher spec’d TD-12 and TD-20VX but it still marks a significant upgrade from its predecessor, boasting 40 new drum kits alongside 50 kits that carried over from the previous model. The module’s user-friendly layout feels entirely appropriate considering that this interface will be accessed hurriedly by a person who probably has at least one hand on a drum stick: large transport buttons and a well lit LCD display enable easy editing and the unit’s cabling routes comfortably and unobtrusively around the rack, with no risk of any wiring getting snagged by flying sticks. Along with the expanded
Box clever: the new TD-9 version 2.0 sound module
sounds (which numbers over 500), one of the TD-9’s new features is the USB port that allows MP3s and WAV audio files to be transported into the sound module. Should you wish to go down this route Roland’s V-Drums Friend Jam software is an extensive library of practice songs that can be uploaded onto the Internet (via Twitter if you wish). The USB compatibility opens up virtually limitless opportunities for practice and performance; entire backing tracks can be uploaded and exported via a USB key – no excuses for not having learned any new songs when your band convenes for its next rehearsal session, then!
As a practice and learning tool, the
TD-9 is also pretty phenomenal; the built-in song library includes 50 songs in musical styles allows various instruments (including drums) to be muted from the mix, leaving the drummer free to play along. Performances can also be recorded for instant playback, monitored by a scope whose bar-by-bar readout indicates whether or not – and if not, exactly by how much – the drummer is off the beat. From a practical point of view, the grid system feels the most intuitive to play along with although the more conventional audio metronome will always suit some players more than others. Custom drum kits can also be
created and stored in any one of the TD-9’s 10 user memories, which are left blank. As well as storing entire drum kits, individual sounds can be assigned to any of the pads –it is even possible to create an entire drum kit comprising purely cymbal sounds – and the player isn’t strictly limited to the selected kit sounds, either. Each drum and cymbal’s parameters (e.g. snare depth, head tuning and width, choice of wood, steel or brass etc.) can be tweaked to create a completely unique custom drum kit. Besides the sheer diversity and range of sounds, the actual detail of the modeled drum and cymbals sounds is equally impressive and individual drums in the kit can have their individual ambience and EQ edited and mixed to set exactly the right tone and level. PM
SHOULD I BUY ONE? The new USB port lets the TD-9KX2 upload MP3 and WAV audio files…
Electronic drum kits are a godsend when and wherever space and noise problems are an issue, which, let’s face it, as far as drummers are concerned is virtually always! As far as the TD-9KX2’s ability to accurately simulate the sound and feel of real drums is concerned, this superb kit reflects the current state of the art at this price range. In the context of a band mix, the detailed quality of the sounds means that the listener soon forgets that they are hearing electronic drums (as does the rest of the band) whilst the drastic reduction of on-stage ambient noise also means that your ear drums will enjoy a much longer and happier life. Weighing up the benefits: wonderful built-in practice facilities, USB port, portability etc. the TD-9KX2 doesn’t feel prohibitively expensive. The only possible downside is that its crisp hi-tech looks are still no match for the sheer visual impact of a full acoustic drum kit illuminated by stage lighting, which may seem like a fairly minor quibble but could nevertheless remain an issue if you are particularly image-conscious. However, the KX2’s extras are definitely worth the extra few quid and there is no avoiding that this is a very viable gigging set up. This new addition to Roland’s V-Drum series really does put the cat among the pigeons. Once you’ve tried it we think that you’ll find it very hard to go back to your old acoustic setup, no matter how shiny it looks!
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