Drummers love expanding and customizing their acoustic and V-Drums kits. Upgrading V-Drums is easy too as you’ll see in this helpful guide.
Customization helps to reflect a drummers personality, as well as assisting them to fit into any musical situation.
Already well known for their huge possibilities for great sounds and playability, Roland’s V-Drums are also capable of some fantastic customizing.
Apart from making sure you have the latest software updates for your instrument, there are many ways of adding new possibilities and excitement to your drumming and your sound.
Let’s look at the expansion options for the current range of V-Drums instruments.
Contributed by Simon Ayton for the Roland Australia Blog
Expanding the SPD-SX Special Edition Sampling Pad
Trigger inputs: 2x Head and Rim triggers (Dual zone) or splittable using an insert cable
Trigger compatibility: All except PD-140DS, CY-18DR, VH12/VH13 & HH controllers
Typical Add-ons:
PDS-10: Stand
RT-30K: Triggering an acoustic kick drum
BT-1: Externally triggering samples or loops
KT-10: For triggering a sound
FS-6: Dual footswitch for changing kits, triggering sounds or controlling parameters
FC-300: Foot Controller
Related Articles:
EXPANDING THE POSSIBILITIES WITH YOUR SPD-SX
THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE SPD-SX SAMPLE PAD
ROLAND SPD-SX SAMPLING PAD VS ROLAND OCTAPAD SPD-30
Expanding the OCTAPAD SPD-30 Percussion Controller
Trigger inputs: 4x Head and Rim triggers (Dual Zone) or splittable using an insert cable
Trigger compatibility: All except PD-140DS, CY-18DR & VH12/VH13
Typical Add-ons:
PDS-10: Stand
KT-10: For triggering a kick drum
KD-7: Kick trigger
FD-9: Controlling HH open and close or switching layers
CY-12C: Crash cymbal
CY-5: Small crash or Hi-Hat
Related Article:
ROLAND SPD-SX SAMPLING PAD VS ROLAND OCTAPAD SPD-30
Expanding the TM-1 Trigger Module
Trigger inputs: 1x Head and Rim trigger (Dual Zone) or splittable using an insert cable (HOSA STP-204RR)
Trigger compatibility: All except PD-140DS, CY-18DR, VH12/VH13 & HH controllers
Typical Add-ons:
RT-30K: Triggering an acoustic kick drum
RT-30HR: Triggering an acoustic snare drum or tom
BT-1: Externally triggering samples or loops
FREE TM-1 samples available from Roland artist Chris Whitten through CP SamplesExpanding the TM-2 Trigger Module
Trigger inputs: 2x Head and Rim triggers (Dual Zone) or splittable using an insert cable (HOSA STP-204RR)
Trigger compatibility: All except PD-140DS, CY-18DR, VH12/VH13 & HH controllers
Typical Add-ons:
PDS-10: Stand
RT-30K: Triggering an acoustic kick drum
RT-30HR: Triggering an acoustic snare drum or tom
Expanding the TM-6 PRO Trigger Module
Trigger inputs: 6x Head and Rim triggers (Dual Zone) or splittable using an insert cable (HOSA STP-204RR)
Trigger compatibility: All except PD-140DS, CY-18DR
Typical Add-ons:
PDS-10: Stand
RT-30K: Triggering an acoustic kick drum
RT-30HR: Triggering an acoustic snare drum or tom
KD-10: Kick trigger
FD-9: Controlling HH open and close or switching layers
CY-14C-T or CY-16R-T & MDY-STD or MDY-12: Crash cymbal & mount
BT-1: Externally triggering samples or loops
Additional TM-6PRO samples available from Roland artist
Chris Whitten through CP Samples
Expanding the TD-1K/KV V-Drums
Trigger inputs: 1x additional crash for TD1K
Trigger compatibility: All except PD-140DS, CY-18DR, VH12/VH13
Typical Add-ons:
TDM-3: Mat
KD-10: Kick trigger for conventional kick pedal
OP-TD1C: Extra crash cymbal for TD-1K
Expanding the TD-1DMK V-Drums
Trigger inputs: 1x additional crash
Trigger compatibility: All except PD-140DS, CY-18DR, VH12/VH13
Typical Add-ons:
TDM-3: Mat
MDY-12 or MDY-STD: Cymbal arm
CY-5: Extra crash cymbal
Expanding the TD-17KL/KV/KVX V-Drums
Trigger inputs: 2x additional dual head & rim (1x KVX)
Trigger compatibility: All except PD-140DS, CY-18DR, VH12/VH13
Typical Add-ons:
CY-14C-T or CY-16R-T & MDY-STD or MDY-12: Crash cymbal & mount
PDX-100 & MDH-STD or MDH-12: 10″ Mesh head trigger pad
TDM-10: Mat
Related Articles:
SUPERCHARGE YOUR DRUMMING WITH A HYBRID KIT
Expanding the TD-25K/KV/KVX V-Drums
Trigger inputs: 2x additional dual head & rim on TD-25K, 1x additional dual head & rim on TD-25KV/KVX
Trigger compatibility: All except PD-140DS, CY-18DR, VH12/VH13
Typical Add-ons:
TDM-20: Mat
CY-14C-T or CY-16R-T & MDY-STD or MDY-12: Crash cymbal & mount
PDX-100 & MDH-STD or MDH-12: Extra tom pad & mount
Related Articles:
SUPERCHARGE YOUR DRUMMING WITH A HYBRID KIT
Expanding the TD-27KV TD-27KV V-Drums
Trigger inputs: 3x additional dual head & rim AUX1-3
Trigger compatibility: All
Typical Add-ons:
TDM-20: Mat
KD-180 or KD-220 18″ or 22″ Kick Triggers
CY-14C-T or CY-16R-T & MDY-STD or MDY-12: Crash cymbal & mount
PDX-100 & MDH-STD or MDH-12: Extra tom pad & mount
Related Articles:
SUPERCHARGE YOUR DRUMMING WITH A HYBRID KIT
Expanding the TD-50K/KV/KVX V-Drums
Trigger inputs: 4x additional dual head & rim
Trigger compatibility: All
Typical Add-ons:
TDM-20: Mat
KD-220: 22″ Maple kick drum with integrated trigger (K/KV)
SPD-SX: Sampling pad
VH-13: V-Hi-Hat for updating the TD-50K’s VH-11
BT-1: Externally triggering samples or loops
CY-14C-T or CY-16R-T & MDY-STD or MDY-STG or MDY-25: 14” Crash & mount
Related Article:
SUPERCHARGE YOUR DRUMMING WITH A HYBRID KIT
Expanding the V-Drum Acoustic Design Kits VAD-306/VAD-503/VAD-306
Trigger inputs: 1x additional dual head & rim
Trigger compatibility: All except PD-140DS, CY-18DR, VH12/VH13
Typical Add-ons:
TDM-20: Mat
CY-14C-T or CY-16R-T
DBS-10 Cymbal Boom Stand
Trigger inputs: 3x additional dual head & rim AUX1-3
Trigger compatibility: All
Typical Add-ons:
TDM-20: Mat
PDA-120-MS 12″ Tom and clamp stand
DCS-10 Combination Stand and clamp
DBS-10 Cymbal Boom Stand
CY-14C-T or CY-16R-T 14″ Crash or 16″ Crash/Ride
Trigger inputs: 3x additional dual head & rim AUX1-3
Trigger compatibility: All
Typical Add-ons:
TDM-20: Mat
PDA-140F-MS 14″ Floor Tom
KD-200 20″ Kick Trigger
DBS-10 Cymbal Boom Stand
CY-14C-T or CY-16R-T 14″ Crash or 16″ Crash/Ride
Expanding the HPD-20 HandSonic
Trigger inputs: 1x additional dual head & rim
Trigger compatibility: All except PD-140DS, CY-18DR, VH11/VH12/VH13
Typical Add-ons:
PDS-10: Stand
KT-9: For triggering a kick drum
KD-7: Kick trigger
FS-5U: Footswitch
Expanding the EC-10M Cajon Mic and Trigger System
Trigger inputs: 1x Head and Rim triggers (Dual Zone) or splittable using an insert cable
Trigger compatibility: All except PD-140DS, CY-18DR, VH12/VH13 & HH controllers
Typical Add-ons:
KT-9: For triggering a sound
KT-10: For triggering a sound
Upgrading your V-Drums kit
Thanks to compatibility between components in the V-Drums range, it is easy to upgrade your kit to a newer model by simply replacing the sound module.
Upgrading the module is the most effective way to boost functionality, playability and enjoyment.
Modules and components are available separately, so simply choose the upgrade path that suits you. Here are some typical upgrades.
1. TD-12 | TD-20 | TD-30 => TD-50
TD-50DP
2. TD-9K/KV | TD-11K/KV | TD-15K/KV => TD-17 or TD-27
TD-17 Module or TD-27 Module + CY-16R-T Ride
3. TD-4K/KV => TD-17
TD-17 Module + CY13R Ride + PDX-12 Mesh Snare Pad
4. TD-1K/KV
PDX-8 Mesh Snare Pad
(L-Rod needed from Roland spares-Contact your dealer)
5. TD-25=> TD-27
TD-27 Module + PD-140-DS Digital Snare + CY-18-DR Digital
