Roland TD-1K

An acoustic drum kit needs to be set up to play a specific style of music, so you’re stuck with one type of sound. But that’s not the case with the TD-1K—it includes 15 quality drum kits on board, so you can play any kind of music you want at the touch of a button, from rock and blues to jazz, world music, EDM, and beyond. At one practice session, you can rock hard with a heavy bottom-end sound, then instantly change kits to recreate the sound of your favorite band. Every kit reacts just like the acoustic and electronic kits they emulate, giving you a huge range of variety in one compact, standalone instrument.

Some drummers avoid electronic drums; worried they won’t play like their acoustic counterparts. There’s no need for concern with the Roland TD-1K—it fully supports essential acoustic playing techniques, which is especially important for beginners to learn to play correctly. Every drum sound offers a wide dynamic range and natural tone, and the pads provide a full range of natural expression. Unlike typical entry-level sets, the TD-1K’s cymbals include the advanced expressiveness found in all TD-series V-Drums modules, including bow and edge sounds and support for cymbal chokes. The hi-hat reacts to the nuances of your footwork, bringing personality and character to your playing. Great drumming is all about feel, and so is the TD-1K.

Built right into the TD-1K is a wealth of enjoyable functions to encourage learning, no matter whether you’re teaching yourself to play, studying regularly with an instructor, or simply want to keep your skills polished. Think of this kit as your own live-in drum teacher and personal backing band, packed with tutorial features that develop technique, boost motivation, and help you get the most out of practice time. Play along with the onboard metronome to tighten your timing, and use Coach mode to build and maintain speed, stamina, and accuracy. Get ready for your first band by jamming with the internal songs in the sound module, or connect a smartphone or music player via the Mix In jack and drum along with your favorite tunes. With the onboard recording function, you’ll get instant feedback of your progress as well as quickly capture and playback a new fill or creative groove.

Traditional acoustic drums are extremely loud. Playing them at home is fun for you, but can be a problem for everyone else around! Quieter operation is a major benefit of electronic drums, and the Roland TD-1K is particularly quiet where it counts, thanks to the sound module’s headphone jack and the noise-reducing design of the snare, tom, and cymbal pads. While many electronic drum kits annoy the neighbors as the beater strikes the kick drum, the TD-1K reduces volume with a special beater-less pedal design. Optional NE-10 Noise Eater units can be used under the kick and hi-hat pedals to further reduce noise transfer to other rooms below.

Inviting a supersize acoustic drum kit into your home is a big deal. Do you lose the spare room upstairs, or try and cram it into your living room? The space-saving TD-1K is a far more practical choice, fitting into the tightest living spaces with a stylish, modern look that lets life carry on around it. For added functionality, the sturdy, ergonomic drum rack is easily adjustable, allowing the drum positions to be set up for everyone from children to adults. In addition, the height of each cymbal and the angle of the snare pad can also be fine-tuned for your comfort and playing style. The TD-1K is perfect for students, but it’s also a great choice for an experienced drummer who needs a kit for home practicing or backstage warm-up.

As your playing takes off, you don’t want your drum kit to hold you back. The Roland TD-1K can grow with you, thanks to a range of optional extras that let the kit advance with you. You can add an extra cymbal with the additional OP-TD1C Cymbal Pad, or swap out the standard kick pedal for the KT-10 or KD-9 models used in Roland’s more advanced V-Drums. With other accessories including the NE-10 Noise Eater, TDM-3 V-Drums Mat, and PM-03 Personal Drum Monitor, the TD-1K is an electronic kit that will go the distance.

The TD-1K is not just fun to play by itself—it’s also a great way to make music with your computer. Included is a built-in USB-MIDI interface, making it simple to communicate with music software via just a USB cable, with no extra hardware needed. Maybe you’ll transfer your playing into your computer-based recording software, capturing a live drum feel in your latest masterpiece. Or perhaps you’ll use Roland’s free V-Drums Friend Jam series applications, which offer jam tracks, practice features, and the ability to compete with V-Drums users across the planet. For more in-depth education, the powerful DT-1 V-Drums Tutor provides a fun, dynamic platform for learning notation and essential drum techniques. Whatever application you chose, the TD-1K is a drum kit that lets you go places.

If you think that electronic drums are complicated, think again—using the TD-1K is as simple as it gets. With its clear layout, the control panel lets you access all functions quickly and easily, and you can see info at a glance with the LED display and the metronome’s flashing tempo indicator.