Using electronics alongside acoustic drums has never been easier, and the Roland SPD-SX Pro is the go-to electronic drum pad pad for thousands of pro drummers worldwide for triggering sounds, loops and backing tracks. You can save $200 on one over at Sweetwater, but you’ll need to do it ASAP, because this Roland SPD-SX Pro deal expires on Cyber Monday.
As you probably already know, Roland has been at the forefront of ‘hybrid’ drumming products for decades, and its sample pads have been a key part of that. It started with the SPD-S, which evolved into the seemingly-omnipresent SPD-SX.
In 2022, Roland released the SPD-SX Pro, to much acclaim. It's the number-one choice in our electronic drum pad buyers guide, and it we crowned it as our favourite electronic drum product that year.
The SPD-SX Pro overhauls the SPD-SX concept with a whole host of features us drummers were missing on the SPD-SX, including:
- Expanded, 4.3-inch colour screen
- 32GB internal memory for importing backing tracks and samples
- Balanced TRS master output
- 4x balanced (TRS), assignable direct outputs
- Hi-hat control compatibility
- 8x trigger inputs (4x dual-zone connections)
- 16-step sequencing
All of the above mean that you can get a lot more out of your sample pad, leading to enhanced flexibility and, of course, creativity in your hybrid drumming.
First, the 32GB memory means that you can pack the pad with full-fat samples and backing tracks, so you won’t need to worry about running out of space. If you do need to switch things around though, Roland’s SPD-SX Pro Editor software makes this quick and easy, far eclipsing the editor for the original SPD-SX.
Thanks to the hi-hat pedal compatibility, you can turn the SPD-SX Pro into a stealth electronic drum kit - no more “Dude, can you play cajon?” requests. Likewise, the addition of balanced outputs make this rock solid for playing live: you can ditch the DI box in order to get a noise-free, impedance-matched connection into the PA.
But one of my favourite things is the sequencing, which can transform your static loops and samples into interactive, more intelligent phrases. For example, if you want to play along to a bassline or melodic phrase, you can cycle through it one step at a time, in the rhythm of your choosing. Perfect for live remixing!
Similarly, you can program the SPD-SX Pro to cycle through different combinations of sounds. Want to play a snare sound but with a clap added on every other backbeat? It can do that, and you don’t even have to change which pad you’re hitting.
Our reviewer Tom Bradley –– a seasoned pro when it comes to using the previous SPD-SX –– couldn’t get enough of the SPD-SX Pro when he reviewed it, scoring it with the maximum rating while adding that it’s a “must for any serious hybrid drummer”.
If that’s you, then head on over to Sweetwater to claim yours, but do it before the deal runs out on Cyber Monday.
