Roland sample pads have been around
for a while now and we've seen
various generations of pads in that
time.
The SPD-SX is widely known, has
become a favorite with drummers,
percussionists, and a whole range of
musicians for performing live with
samples.
But with a lineup of sample pads
available from Roland, which one is
right for you?
And what are the differences between
them? In this video, we're going to
compare the SPD-SX and SPD-SX
PRO sample pads to help you find
the pad that best suits your needs.
Before we get stuck in, check out
the SPD-SX and SPD-SX PRO
overview videos on the Roland
channel for an in-depth look at the
features and to see them in action.
You can find links to those videos
in the description below.
The SPD-SX sample pad is a tried,
tested, and reliable format.
Nine playable pads allow you to
assign your sounds and samples and
play them back easily.
The three top pads are placed at an
angle so they can easily be played
and triggered once the pad is
mounted.
Although the pads are mounted close
together, there is no crosstalk,
which is the triggering of one pad
accidentally as you hit the other.
The SPD-SX has a rugged and reliable
construction. It's a percussion
instrument at heart, so it's built
and designed to be played like a
drum.
The SPD-SX PRO has the same chassis
size and dimensions as the SPD-SX.
There are also nine pads here too.
The shoulder pad design, having been
adjusted ever so slightly to
accommodate the larger control
panel.
Reliability and durability is key
with the SPD-SX PRO, and it's
designed with the rigors of touring
in mind.
And although it's the same size as
the SPD-SX, the internal
construction and layout are
different and unique to this pad.
Just like the SPD-SX, it's designed
to be played night after night.
Sample pads are all about loading
and storing your sounds, and the
SPD-SX has 16 GB
of memory, which can store a
significant amount of stereo and
mono audio in 44.1 kHz,
16-bit format,
essentially CD quality audio.
It has 100 kits available, allowing
different kits to be created for
different songs in your sets, and
also comes loaded with 210 samples
and 16 preset kits,
all of which can be deleted and
overwritten with your own sounds if
you need.
The SPD-SX PRO has doubled the
memory size for your audio, with
32 GB available for WAV, MP3,
or AIFF file formats.
Double the amount of kits are
programable too, with 200
kits available.
1550 samples
are inside of the pad, and 43
preset kits shows you what the pad
can do, which can also be
overwritten should you choose to do
so.
Being able to see the pad and
operate on stage is key and the
SPD-SX has a backlit LCD
display with adjustable brightness
to work in different lighting
conditions.
Some of the key buttons are backlit
too, such as the Up Down buttons
and the Kit Menu button for easy
navigation and adjustment on dark
stages.
The click Tempo light also flashes
in time with the tempo assigned to
the kit, and that can be turned off.
The SPD-SX PRO has a four-inch
TFT color display with adjustable
brightness, which makes onstage
adjustments just a little bit
easier.
All buttons and panel functions are
backlit too, so every function
can be easily controlled, no matter
how dark the stage environment is.
Also helping with the visibility are
the nine pad LED indicators
on the SPD-SX. These LEDs
can be programed to light up once
hit, to flash dynamically in
sync with the volume for the
duration of the sample, to stay
on continuously, or you can
turn them off.
The SPD-SX PRO has full color LED
lights underneath each pad as
well as vertical dividing lights
too.
These LED lights are fully
customizable in any color that you
like and each light can be set
individually.
Types of sound can even be grouped
by color.
Just like the SPD-SX, the pad
lights can be set to be on all the
time, to light when a pad is struck,
to flash dynamically with the audio,
or set to off.
Bright gaffer tape is not required
here.
As well as the nine pads on the
surface, the SPD-SX has the ability
to connect external pads and
triggers to stereo.
External trigger inputs allow you to
connect up to four pads, including
kick pads, mesh pads, and trigger
pads.
There is also a footswitch
connection which can be used to
trigger a sound or control function,
such as changing the kit.
The SPD-SX PRO has four stereo
external trigger inputs available.
This allows up to eight mono
triggers or pads to be connected.
The SPD-SX PRO also has a separate
trigger input for hi-hat or
expression control, meaning that
the SPD-SX PRO can be used as a mini
drum kit.
The same input allows use of an
expression pedal to control effects.
The footswitch input is also there
and can be used in the same way as
the SPD-SX.
That's the inputs covered.
But let's take a look at the outputs
of the sample pads.
The SPD-SX has stereo master outputs
and a stereo sub output too.
Because there are separate jack
outputs for left and right stereo
channels, both master and sub
outputs can be used as four mono
outputs.
These outputs are also customizable
within each kit too, so you can
route different pads through the
different outputs.
In addition to this, the SPD-SX
has a headphone output for
monitoring.
The SPD-SX PRO has stereo
main outputs and also four direct
outputs which are all balanced.
These can be configured as six mono
outputs if required, so that the
pads and triggers can be sent via
independent channels.
An output assignment is fully
customizable within each kit.
The SPD-SX PRO has a headphone
output that can be utilized as a
further separate output within the
output routing settings.
We've talked through some of the
physical differences between the
SPD-SX and the SPD-SX PRO sample
pads so far.
But there's also some differences in
the playability too, which we'll
take a look at.
The SPD-SX has the ability to choose
how you play back a sound, whether
you want to loop an audio file,
re-trigger it on every hit, or
alternate between start and stop
with each stick hit.
You can also choose whether sounds
should vary in volume depending on
how hard you hit the pad or play
back at a fixed volume.
You can also layer sounds on a
single pad too.
You can assign a MAIN and a SUB
sound to the pad so that they play
together.
The SPD-SX PRO retains these
same features, but adds a few more
options to playback too.
Two sounds can be layered on a
single pad as they can be in the
SPD-SX, but with the SPD-SX
PRO, you can also alternate between
the MAIN and SUB sounds with each
hit as well as play them together.
The SPD-SX PRO also has a 16-step
pad sequencer which is not available
in the SPD-SX.
This gives you the ability to
sequence pads within a kit from
two to 16 steps
so that hitting one single pad will
play back a sequence of sounds in
the order that you've set.
To give you further options for
playback, the SPD-SX is able to link
two pads together, using the pad
link function.
This allows two paths to be played
simultaneously or only striking
the one pad.
This is particularly useful when
combining a backing track with a
click track, for example.
It's also possible to set a mute
group where striking the one pad
stops other pads that are playing so
that only one pad sounds at a time.
The SPD-SX PRO has the same
pad link function, but there is a
possibility to link a greater number
of pads together.
Any combination of pads and external
triggers can be linked, and a
greater combination of mute groups
can be set in addition.
The SPD-SX comes with Wave Manager
software that is compatible with PC
and Mac.
This software allows you to import
samples from your computer into your
SPD-SX, assign sounds to pads
within the kit, and rename and
organize your kits.
It's an easy way to get the
fundamentals of your pad setup ready
for use.
There is also an SPD-SX PRO
application for use with this model
of sample pad.
Also compatible with PC and Mac, it
provides full level of editing
capabilities to completely set up
your pad and all settings and
functions, including routing of
different outputs, FX control,
trigger settings, and much more.
When playing live with a sample pad,
you might need to make changes to
your sounds as you go.
It could be changing the volume
level of a sample, organizing
a set list, or even editing a WAV
sample itself.
The SPD-SX has a logical and user
friendly interface to allow you to
make changes to your sounds within
the pad.
The SPD-SX PRO can do the same, but
introduces greater control for quick
editing.
For example, sample volume and
transient knobs are located on the
control panel for quick adjustments.
And thanks to the larger screen,
more parameters can be adjusted more
easily.
The workflow and user interface of
the SPD-SX PRO follows the same
layout. So if you're already
familiar with using a Roland sample
pad, you'll easily be able to
navigate it.
And if you're not yet familiar with
how a sample pad works, you'll be
able to work it out quickly.
The SPD-SX has three effects
engines that can be applied
simultaneously: two effects engines
for kits and one for master effects
for all the kits in the pad.
Up to 21 different effects can
be chosen and assigned to these
effects engines.
The interface has two effects
control knobs that can be used to
control any effects assigned to the
kit in real time, as well as
a master effects controller with
quick, common preset effects.
Using these effects can help you mix
up your sound or add a sense of real
time control to your performance.
The SPD-SX PRO has the ability to
run up to four effects in parallel.
In addition to this, there is a
sidechain function.
Effects control is also taken
further with the addition of
expression pedal control which
allows you to control the level of
effects with your foot in real time.
Effects can be routed through
different outputs from the SPD-SX
PRO giving greater flexibility
for mixing.
Staying in time is essential in
music, and the SPD-SX has an onboard
click to help with that.
Tempo can be assigned to each
individual kit within the pad, and
the clip can be customized too for
tone, beats in the bar, and
note value.
The SPD-SX PRO has a click too,
but with this pad it can be set to
trigger with a pad hit or link to
another pad, so that hitting one pad
starts the click simultaneously.
There's also options to use the
internal click, choose your own
WAV sound for the click tone, or
import your own complete WAV file
to be used as a click, which is
useful when performing with backing
tracks.
Both the SPD-SX and the
SPD-SX PRO are powerful tools
that are suitable for a wide variety
of different applications.
We hope that this video helps to
highlight some of the differences
between them.
For a more in-depth look at each
pad, don't forget to check out the
individual overview videos for the
SPD-SX and the SPD-SX PRO.
You can also post your questions
within the comments below.
If this video has been useful for
you, think about giving it a thumbs
up and consider subscribing to the
Roland channel for more videos.
Thank you very much for watching.
See you soon.