How To Use Roland Spd Sx

Here, we'll cover how to use clicks and backing tracks with the Roland SPD-SX sampling pad.

Loops and samples can exist played forth to the chief click on the front panel.

Each kit can also have its ain tempo saved with the kit so every time information technology'southward selected, the kit always uses its own unique tempo in turn setting a new principal tempo.

To achieve this, make sure the SPD-SX is aware of each sample's length and timing using the TEMPO Match role then set the KIT TEMPO as follows.

Tempo matching samples

one. Press MENU–PAD–ENTER–QUICK

ii. Select TEMPO Friction match Press ENTER

three. Listen to the rhythm and count the timing. Enter the time signature and number of measures hither i.e.: 4/4 @ 1 mensurate/bar

iv. The beats per minute tempo of the sample will exist calculated

five. Printing ENTER to set the KIT TEMPO to this new timing.

Setting the kit tempo

1. Press MENU–KIT–ENTER

2. On the COMMON tab, you tin can cull the KIT TEMPO.
menu kit

Turning tempo sync on for pad/samples

Once the TEMPO Friction match and KIT TEMPOs are fix, yous can also enable/disable sure pads then they don't follow the tempo.

This tin useful for not-rhythmic samples like ambience sounds where the timing is not important.

one. Press MENU–PAD–ENTER

2. Hit or select pads and use the +- buttons to switch their individual TEMPO SYNC on or off

Starting the click from a pad, foot-switch or trigger

Too as the front panel click button, you can start the click from a pad or foot-switch.
Here's how to assign a click to a pad

1. Press Card–SYS–ENTER–PAD/FS CTRL–ENTER

ii. Choose or hit the trigger that will operate the click

three. Printing +- to select CLICK from the functions

Synchronizing Clicks and Bankroll Tracks with the SPD-SX

Use the SPD-SX to trigger total-length bankroll tracks with a perfectly synchronized click in stereo. Here nosotros will explore the two ways to trigger backing tracks with the click or metronome.

Method 1- Using the congenital-in click

This first technique uses the internal click or metronome of the SPD-SX.

The click is started with either button printing, footswitch or trigger hit.

Advantages:

The click book can be adapted in real-time via the click knob
No separate preparation of the click audio file is required
The tempo of the click can be easily changed
The sound of the click tin be rapidly and easily inverse

Disadvantages:

Click cannot incorporate tempo or timing signature changes
The backing rail must be triggered at precisely the right time to play in sync with the click

Method ii- Creating your own click

This second technique uses the pad-link office of the SPD-SX.

The click and backing track showtime at precisely the same time and play in perfect sync with one another.

Advantages:

Only a unmarried hit is required to first both the click and backing tracks
Click and backing track will play perfectly in sync every time
Tempo, time signature and timing changes can be designed into the click
The sound of the click can be completely customized earlier importing

Disadvantages:

Realtime book changes of the click are not possible; The book must be adapted in the pad menu
The tempo of the click cannot be altered easily in realtime.

Here are the steps for creating separate click and backing tracks and playing them from the SPD-SX:

Import your backing track into DAW software at bar one, beat 1
If you know the BPM of the rails, enter the tempo at bar one (use a search engine to notice the original song tempo if unsure)
If you don't know the tempo of the bankroll rails, use tap tempo if available to get close then small changes to get information technology right or only record your ain click along to the backing track using sounds from the SPD-SX
Plow on the software metronome in the DAW and set the time signature to the same one equally the song ie: 4/4, six/eight, 10/8 etc
Move the backing runway to bar 2 and so that y'all create 2 empty bars before the backing track starts
Start playback and confirm the click and backing tracks play together in time. Check the finish of the song to make sure they are even so in time!
Mute the backing runway and export, bounce or mixdown the click from bar 1 beat one for the unabridged length of the song.
Unmute the backing rail, turn off the click and bounciness, consign or mixdown the bankroll track from bar i shell ane
Load both of these into the SPD-SX
Assign the click to PAD1 and the backing track to PAD2 for case
Route the click on pad1 to PHONES only in [MENU]-KIT-OUTPUT
Route the backing runway on pad2 to Primary and PHONES
Link the ii pads using PAD LINK PAD1-PAD2 in [Carte du jour]-KIT-COMMON
Fix pad1 and pad2 to the PHRASE template in [Card]-PAD-MODE
Adjust the click and bankroll track volumes in [MENU]-Chief-VOLUMEastward

            TIP:            
            In Method two when recording your own click,              
you lot can incorporate extra information to aid yous              
earlier the bankroll track starts.
This process, a type of note keeping, often chosen 'slating' which was a              
common phrase used in studio recording where engineers              
would verbally tape fourth dimension, date and session details              
for easy session recall and replay later.
This information could exist the name of the song,              
the number of confined count in and the time signature              
and any special playing notes              
eg: "Concentrate on the GROOOVE!"

The Top Ten Tips for creating clicks and backing tracks for the Roland SPDSX

Always use the same amount of bars count-in before the backing starts to avert defoliation with each new song
Slate the click with song details such equally name, time signature and bars count-in: eg: Blue sky in ⅞ two confined intro
Name the click the aforementioned every bit the song just with '_click' as the suffix for piece of cake location eg: "Blue sky_click"
When choosing a click sound, choose sounds that cut through just enough that when y'all play perfectly in time, your drumming just masks the click but yous know it's there
To help your timing, choose a click rhythm with polyrhythmic intervals that compliment what you lot will be playing ie: If you are playing an ane/8th note rock groove, use a 16th note shaker rhythm with cowbell accents on the quarter notes
Turn dynamics off for clicks and backing tracks so they e'er play at full book no matter how soft you accidentally striking the pad!
Switch the play mode of the click and backing track to PHRASE ALT in the pad settings and then that a second hit stops the backing rails and click
Set the backing track and click to MONO Not POLY in the pad playing settings and then that accidental double strokes don't start ii versions of the song and click from playing at the same fourth dimension! U se the Phrase template.
Salvage a backup of the unabridged SPD-SX using the SAVE ALL office in [Carte du jour]-UTIL
In one case you've created a system that works for you, maintain it!