ROLAND ANNOUNCES NEW HD-3 V-DRUMS LITE 

High Performance, Affordable V-Drums for Everyone

Roland is pleased to introduce the new HD-3 V-Drums® Lite, an updated version of the popular entry-level HD-1 set. The HD-3 offers enhanced playability and features, while retaining the compact, stylish design, sound quality, and ease of use that made its predecessor such a huge hit. 

Roland created the V-Drums Lite for those who may not have the space or budget for a full-size V-Drums kit. Based on the same technology that made V-Drums the world’s most popular electronic drums, the HD-3 offers a compact and affordable solution for students, hobbyists, project studios, and anyone that wants to have fun playing the drums. 

Stylish and compact, the HD-3 is perfect for family music spaces, schools, studios, offices, and more. All of the set’s components are mounted on a single stand for easy setup and transport, and assembly is easy using just a screwdriver a standard drum key (both included). 

The HD-3 is incredibly quiet, thanks to the beater-less kick pedal, cushioned tom pads, and mesh-head snare. When monitoring with headphones, apartment dwellers and drum students can rock out any time without bothering neighbours and family members.

Other developments include cloth-head toms for an improved playing feel over the previous rubber design, as well as new dual-trigger snare and crash/ride pads. Users can now enjoy greater expression by playing rim shots on the snare, triggering edge sounds on the crash/ride, and choking crash/ride sounds by grabbing the cymbal. The kick pedal has also been enhanced for improved playability and lower-noise performance.

The updated sound module in the HD-3 includes 20 new drum kits with dedicated select buttons, along with a 16x2 character backlit LCD, with an enhanced metronome with a wider tempo range and variable sounds. The HD-3 is equipped with an input for connecting an external music player, so users can jam with their favourite songs and control the blend of music and live drumming through headphones or an amplifier.

The optional PM-03 Personal Drum Monitor is the perfect companion to the HD-3. This space-saving 2.1 monitor delivers multi-dimensional, full-range sound, from thunderous lows to sparkling highs.

The HD-3 V-Drums Lite will be available in February 2012.  For more information, visit www.RolandConnect.com.

ROLAND INTRODUCES DT-1 V-DRUMS TUTOR 

Interactive Learning Software for All V-Drums Users

Roland is proud to announce the DT-1 V-Drums® Tutor, a new drum lesson software application for all V-Drums users. Building on the success of the DT-HD1 software for the entry-level HD-1 V-Drums Lite, the DT-1 V-Drums Tutor offers integration with all V-Drums kits, expanded tutorials, Windows/Mac compatibility, and more. 

The DT-1 V-Drums Tutor uses both “game style” and drum notation screens to teach introductory drum patterns and techniques in a fun and easy manner. The software integrates seamlessly with any V-Drums kit via a simple USB-MIDI connection. 

Included are 57 basic drum patterns with rudiment exercises for developing drumming skills, as well as 60 full-band songs with a “minus drums” feature for play-along enjoyment. In addition, users can load their favourite SMF songs and jam along.

In the Game screen, drummers play along with falling blocks to obtain high scores, which helps develop timing accuracy in a fun, interactive way. 

In the Notation screen, a bouncing ball guides players through the patterns and demonstrates which pads to play and which hands to use when playing fills. Accuracy is indicated by colourful x and o markings, which assists in improving timing skills. The Dynamic Bar Graph helps develop evenness between the hands by displaying stroke balance visually. 

The DT-1 also allows drummers to slow down or speed up tempos, repeat sections, and select specific pads for playback to help them learn more difficult patterns. The software is compatible with Windows (XP/Vista/7) and Mac OS X (10.xx and later).

The DT-1 V-Drums Tutor will be available in April 2012.

For more information, visit www.RolandConnect.com