Roland SPD-30 Octapad

Roland’s original Octapad profoundly changed the landscape of electronic percussion. The size of a briefcase, the Octapad offered drummers and percussionists the equivalent of an entire electronic rig in one self-contained unit — a new level of convenience and expression. Today, decades later, an exciting new chapter in Octapad history begins. The Roland SPD-30 blends the world’s most essential sounds with the latest triggering technology in a road-tough package that’s ready for the most demanding performers.

• Packed with new percussion sounds from around the world, plus 30 types of multi-effects
• The latest pad-sensing technology developed for V-Drums provides even and accurate pad triggering with excellent isolation between pads
• Four dual-trigger inputs plus hi-hat controller for adding pads to create a mini kit, or for accepting triggers from acoustic drums
• Phrase Loop function inspires your creativity; record your playing in real time and overdub up to three layers
• USB connectivity for MIDI and memory storage
• Large backlit LCD and pad indicator lights for easy operation onstage or in any environment
• Rugged, road-worthy design

Unlike the original Octapad PAD-8, which was strictly a MIDI controller, the Octapad SPD-30 is a controller that’s packed with its own internal bank of sounds. Fifty kits are built into the SPD-30 — essential sounds that span a musical universe of styles. You can customize the sounds with the onboard controls for tuning, muffling, attack, pitch sweep, and more. It’s like having a truckload of customizable drum and percussion instruments in one portable package.

Based on Roland’s world-leading effects technology, the SPD-30’s multi-effects engine will take your performances to another level. There are 30 types of internal multi-effects onboard, plus EQ, limiter, and seven Ambience types.

The onboard Phrase Loop function lets you instantly create layered loops and phrases. You can record and store 50 phrases internally, with each containing up to three layers. You can also save your phrase data to optional USB memory.

The Octapad SPD-30 benefits from Roland’s most advanced V-Drum triggering technology. Each pad is a separate, isolated unit, providing the ultimate in sensitivity with complete crosstalk rejection. In addition, you can connect four dual-trigger inputs plus a hi-hat controller (compatible with Roland FD-8, VH-11) to create a mini drum set with external pads (Roland KD / PD / PDX / CY series), as well as to accept triggers from acoustic drums through Roland’s RT series.

Click here to read Future Music's review of the Roland Octapad