Eight Is Enough

By Andrew Lentz Published May 11, 2010

With the Octapad SPD-30 digital percussion pad, Roland is offering one super-nifty portable electronic percussion instrument for the musical application of your choice whether it's a major arena tour or an impromptu ice-cream social.

Using the latest trigger technology from Roland’s industry-leading V-Drums®, the eight pads feature an extremely natural and responsive playing feel. The eight separate trigger surfaces provide superior dynamic response, trigger consistency over a pad’s entire surface, and the elimination of crosstalk.

The Octapad SPD-30 includes 50 kits and hundreds of drum and percussion sounds including 30 types of multi-effects that can be used on individual kits, and Ambience with an Equalizer and Limiter that can be applied to the overall Octapad SPD-30 sound. The Phrase Loop recording feature allows the player to loop recorded sounds in real time, and then overdub additional parts or sounds. With the ability to record three parts per phrase, Phrase Loop is a powerful creative tool for live performance and recording.

The external trigger/control inputs allow players to connect additional pads, and a hi-hat controller to create a powerful yet portable mini-electronic kit. The Octapad SPD-30 is also compatible with Roland RT-Series acoustic drum triggers, creating additional options for drummers who want to add electronics to their acoustic drum set.

With its large backlit LCD and intuitive interface, navigating menus and editing parameters on the Octapad SPD-30 is extremely easy. The pads also feature illuminated LEDs, helpful for performing in low-light settings. In addition, the Octapad SPD-30 has USB connectivity for both data backup and MIDI allowing players to expand their recording capabilities with personal computers. Standard MIDI connections are also included, allowing connection to external sound modules, samplers and other MIDI devices. $799.