A slew of new products and innovations from Roland have come out this month. From new pedals and packs to digital offerings, below sums up the latest from the company.

Ultra-Quiet Hi-Hat Controller

When playing V-Drums with headphones, the majority of sound produced is heard only by the user. However, playing the kit still creates some mild operational noise. Though whisper-quiet in comparison with acoustic drums, this noise can sometimes be bothersome to others, particularly when it’s late at night. The kick and hi-hat pedals are the biggest noise producers, since they’re placed on the floor and used almost continuously in most playing styles. The KT-9 and FD-9 offer drummers a solution to this issue, enabling them to play, practice and record in situations where maximum noise reduction is essential. Roland’s KT-9 Kick Trigger Pedal and FD-9 Hi-Hat Controller, two additions to the V-Drums lineup of electronic percussion products, feature innovative new designs and patent-pending link mechanisms. According to Roland, the KT-9 and FD-9 deliver ultra-quiet performance without sacrificing feel or playability, making them ideal for V-Drums users who play in small homes, apartments, practice studios and other environments during evening hours or anytime noise is an important concern.

How It’s Done

Roland KT-9 Kick Trigger Pedal

The KT-9 Kick Trigger Pedal features a beaterless design that combines the foot pedal and striker into a single compact unit that’s extremely quiet when played. A newly developed link mechanism provides the feel and response of a traditional design, plus a dramatic reduction in operational noise. When compared to the Roland KD-9 beater-equipped kick pedal, the KT-9 produces 85-percent-less audible sound in the room and 63-percent-less to rooms below.

Roland FD-9 Hi-Hat Controller

The FD-9 Hi-Hat Controller features an all-in-one design, like the KT-9, and incorporates a similar link mechanism for a marked reduction in operational noise. Compared with the Roland FD-8 Hi-Hat Controller, the FD-9 produces 50-percent-less audible sound in the room and 15-percent-less to rooms below. The pedal’s feet ensure total stability, letting the user work the FD-9 as hard or soft as they like, with support for aggressive moves like hi-hat splashes.

Both pedals have integrated feet and adjustable anchors for rock-solid stability, plus adjustable spring tension for optimizing the playing feel. Each pedal also has a toe-stopper, a familiar touch carried over from acoustic pedals.

Stereo PA System & Accessories Pack 

Roland CUBE Street EX PA Pack

The CUBE Street EX PA Pack is a battery-powered stereo PA system and accessories package. Based around the popular CUBE Street EX amplifier, the CUBE Street EX PA Pack is a complete performance solution with up to eight inputs and broad sound coverage for musicians on the move. The pack combines two CUBE Street EX units, and a host of valuable accessories, in a single value-priced package. Accessories include a carrying case, two AC adapters, two mono cables for the Stereo Link function and an i-CUBE-LINK cable for CUBE JAM. The CUBE Street EX features 50 watts of power, two eight-inch woofers and two tweeters, onboard vocal and guitar effects, and up to 20 hours of operation on eight AA batteries. In the pack, the two amplifiers are connected together using the built-in Stereo Link jacks to create an expanded system with 100 watts of total power for larger performing situations.

Thanks to unique power circuitry the CUBE Street EX delivers clean headroom and audio reproduction beyond the capabilities of typical battery-powered amps. The power is adjustable in three levels: Max (50 W), Normal (25 W) and Eco (10 W), allowing users to conserve battery life when maximum power is not necessary. The amplifier can also be powered with the included AC adapter.

Each amplifier in the pack has an onboard four-channel mixer. Mic/Instrument and Mic/Guitar channels feature XLR/TRS combo jacks to support microphones or devices with 1/4-inch outputs, and each channel has its own three-band EQ and reverb. The mono/stereo Line In channel is equipped with 1/4-inch jacks, while the Audio In channel provides a stereo 1/8-inch mini jack. A rear-panel Aux In jack can be used to connect an additional mono device if needed.

Music-Themed Video Channel

Roland’s Roland.Spotlight is a new music-themed video channel that gives music lovers from around the world a chance to be in the spotlight. Roland.Spotlight is a user-generated video channel made for music lovers by music lovers. The goal for this unique new program from Roland is to give everybody, regardless if they are just starting to play or are professionals, a chance to be in the spotlight by showing their musical styles in fun, inspiring, emotional and unexpected ways on video. Roland.Spotlight will also give players a chance to unleash their creativity, performance tips, musical abilities and more to a like-minded group of music makers on a global scale. Participants can easily share their work on YouTube, while also being showcased within Roland’s dedicated Roland.Spotlight community online. According to the company, the program aims to inspire the joy of creative expression and playing music on a worldwide digital stage. Featured videos will be hand-selected by a team of musicians at Roland and showcased on dedicated Roland.Spotlight web and social media community pages. The entry period for Roland.Spotlight began April 6, 2016, and the Roland.Spotlight community web page will be live May 10, 2016.