'How To' Articles

Learn to Play the Drums With DT-1 V-Drums Tutor Software

Get on the fast track to learning to play the drums with Roland’s interactive tutoring packag DT-1 Drum Tutor.

Learning any instrument can be a highly rewarding experience, especially when you start to see real progress, but it’s never without its challenges.

It can be very easy to jump in at the deep end without investing the proper time working on the fundamentals and rudiments that make up a well-rounded technique.

This is where Roland’s DT-1 V-Drums Tuition software comes in.

Drum Tutor DT-1 is a program for your computer (compatible with Windows and Mac OS) that provides fun interactive tools to help drummers improve their rhythm, coordination and expand their playing styles.

Designed to utilise the benefits of Roland V-Drums kits, it allows players to connect their kit via MIDI or USB to see their performance on screen in real time. The DT-1 also allows drummers to learn at their own pace.

Let’s explore the DT-1’s features with a series of videos presented by Craig Blundell.

Contributed by Roland UK

Connecting your V-Drums to the DT-1 Software

Connecting your Roland V-Drums kit to the DT-1 software couldn’t be easier.

After installing it on your computer (PC or Mac), just connect the V-Drums to the computer via a MIDI or USB connection.

The software will recognise the USB/MIDI audio device (such as the UM-ONE MK2 MIDI interface) being used.

You can also get the DT-1 audio output through your drum monitor by connecting the drum module to your computer with a 3.5mm headphone cable.

In the following video Craig Blundell walks us through the simple DT-1 Setup:

How Does the DT-1 Software Work?

After connecting your V-Drums kit to your computer, the software will provide you with a range of on-board exercises, patterns and songs to play along to. These exercises range from absolute beginner to intermediate level so you’ll always have new goals to work towards.

While playing, the DT-1 provides visual feedback of each beat you play with colourful correction marks that display the timing accuracy of your performance. Finding an exercise too easy or hard? The tutor software allows you to adjust the tempo of each pattern so you can practise at a comfortable level and incrementally increase the speed as your confidence improves. To make it clear how quickly your technique is improving, the software provides a score for each overall performance, which you can try to beat, giving you a clear target to work toward. This is great motivation when you feel like your technique and development has plateaued.

Watch the video below to see Craig Blundell’s overview of the DT-1:

Practising Basic Beats

When you first begin practising with the DT-1 software it will provide you with some simple hand- coordination exercises, such as 8th note patterns, on which to practise.

After a metronome count in, you play along to the rhythm trying to land the notes accurately as indicated on the drum notation.

The software will make it easy to see whether you are in time or not by highlighting each accurate drum hit in a blue circle and any incorrect notes with a red cross.

All these patterns can be looped continuously so you can buckle down and focus intently on anything that gives you difficulty.

Video: Craig Blundell playing basic 8th note patterns:

Game Mode

When you want to take a break from your normal practice regime, the DT-1 features a fun game mode, perfect for those drummers who enjoy playing music rhythm games on their consoles.

Easily accessible by just clicking a tab, the game mode presents the drum notes as coloured blocks that move down the screen: simply hit the correct drum in time with the coloured blocks. It’s great fast paced and fun tool that provides a unique way of improving your timing. It even works with every song in the DT-1 package.

With 60 preset songs, 57 basic drum patterns and the ability to install your own custom MIDI files (SMF data), building your drumming skills has never been so easy or fun! With the DT-1 software it won’t be long before you’re playing your favourite tracks or your own songs with confidence.