The TD-17’s sound engine delivers a superior drumming experience thanks to Prismatic Sound Modeling technology, inherited from the flagship TD-50 sound module. Begin playing and you’ll notice a wider dynamic range and dramatic tonal changes, depending on where and how hard you strike the pad. From rim shots, rolls, flams, and ghost notes on the snare to dramatic crash hits, sustained cymbal swells, and half-open position on the hi-hats along with different sounds for the bow and edge, every nuance is detailed, accurate, and ultra-smooth.
First thing’s first: drummers should be able to keep a solid beat before moving on to the exciting stuff. But mastering the basics is exciting too, as it provides a solid foundation for building your skills, not forgetting that tracking your progress is highly motivating too. The TD-17 module includes a Coach Mode to support your daily exercise regime. You can warm up, develop your sense of groove, tempo and timing, and even work on your stamina—all with a score that tells you how you’re doing.
Place your smartphone on the module’s front panel, connect wirelessly via Bluetooth and hear the drum lesson audio (along with your playing) coming loud and clear through headphones or monitors. Watching a video lesson and then playing along has never been easier. If you’re in a band, getting everyone together can be tough. But rather than go to rehearsals, how about bringing rehearsals to you? Even with no band, you can still work on your drum parts every day, by playing along to your song demos streamed from your smartphone. And once you really are in the same room, you’ll be more than ready.
Listening back to your drumming is one of the best ways to improve. The TD-17 module has an onboard recorder so you can play and then review what you actually played, not what you thought you played. You can even play along and record with the onboard demo songs or audio stored on SD card. It’s also a great way to capture audio for YouTube videos.
The TD-17 module includes 50 premium-quality drum kits for a range of professional musical scenarios. The warm, wooden vibes of “Acoustic.” The small-but-tight “Compact,” which captures the sound of smaller stages. The wide-open expanse of “Arena Stage.” The clarity of “Studio,” which is perfect for recording. The richness of “Fat Rock” or the intensity of “Speed Metal”…whatever music gets you going, the TD-17 will help you get there.
Before the gig, become familiar with the acoustics of the venue you’ll be performing at. Use the onboard reverb and ambience of the TD-17 module to simulate the sound and become acclimatized to the venue—all from the comfort of your home. You could simulate the room ambience by adjusting the type and size or the room. The ambience effect can be applied to each kit, and you could specify how much effect applying to each pad, too.
Today’s pro drummers craft their signature drum sounds by layering many sound elements; a snare sound is made by layering different snare sounds, each with their respective attack elements, ambience and so on. The TD-17 also lets you create your signature drum kit, by using onboard tuning and muffling controls, PAD EQ, 30-types of MULTI FX and more.
For some performances, you simply have to use a specific sound. The TD-17 module can import wav files (44.1 kHz, 16 or 24-bit) of up to 295 seconds (mono) or 148 seconds (stereo) from an SD card, so you can trigger original single-shot drum samples, or introduce entire audio phrases, sequences or vocals. Imported samples can even be mixed and layered with internal TD-17 sounds, to create a powerful and full drum sound that matches the real thing.
Roland V-Drums are built to be reliable—from the sound module, to the pads, right down to the pedals; each component must deliver, across every scenario and in every performance. As your skills and ambitions grow, you can expand your TD-17 using two extra trigger inputs such as adding an extra crash cymbal or second snare—safe in the knowledge that you’re using the same durable components favored by pro drummers.
