How to use your Roland SPD-SX as a MIDI controller

[@liamback.mp4]

You got me pretty much convinced to purchase now :) cuz i only wanted to buy it unless it could act as a Controller Theres been no friggin video online telling you how to do this, until i came across yours. Some have mentioned it here and there but nobody has been using it like that. I needed proof. So cheers for this guide mate!

[@suonarelabatteria]

Hi Michael, I hope you can help me. I cannot use SPD SX as a USB MIDI device in Ableton (or other DAWs). My Mac doesn't recognize it when I plug the cable (I'm already in AUDIO/MIDI mode and the USB cable is ok). Have you experience with that? Thanks in advance

[@MichaelJHemmings]

ensure you have dowloaded the drivers from Roland's website

[@suonarelabatteria]

Thanks Michael, solved!

[@SpiffaJ]

I had the same problem turns out it was the cable. Try a different one

[@_savesomeone]

finally man one that actually helps

[@bartolo333]

Man, I've spent HOURS looking for this! Thank you for posting!

[@shottskies]

Hey thanks mate. Do you or anybody else know how to use it to control a drum machine with a 5 pin midi cable? Is this possible? Thanks if anyone knows

[@MichaelJHemmings]

For those wondering, you are able to use it as a midi controller and sample pad simultaneously, however you can only do this via the midi out port and not the usb connection

[@ejthesixth]

what do you mean by this ? i plug in my midisport uno on my spd sx but it wont give signal to my daw. please help me. cheers

[@ejthesixth]

it wont give me sounds, i mean

[@MichaelJHemmings]

firstly, check that you have the most up to date drivers for your midisport. Now to clarify, are you wanting to use the SPD as a midi controller and as a sample pad simultaneously? Or rather are you struggling use it solely as a midi controller?

[@ejthesixth]

i want to use it as a midi controller and as a sample pad, but it wont give me signal to my daw. i downloaded the latest driver a well.

[@garciamoses95]

Please make a video in regards to this

[@oldschoolgeek4199]

Thank you for this video ! I'd like to know if you can trigg a dmx controler (where my light show is programmed) with spdx using midi ? For example, when I touch a pad, it would launch at the same time the wav file on the master out + the dmx session. Is it easy to do or complicated ? Thanks a lot !

[@austinbenedict4901]

So, if I am wanting to just use the samples solely from my SPD to record over songs I am working on - I need to go MIDI cable and interface route or is just using the USB sufficient? The problem I am having is it looks like there is activity recorded when I hit around on the SPD but I can't hear anything. Sorry if this is a dumb/already answered question :)

[@MichaelJHemmings]

If you are recording the sounds that are coming form the SPD only, then I would suggest using the master output and recording it via a USB interface

[@stephenedmunds3696]

hello thanks for the video. i'm using native instruments maschine software and have spdsx usb into computer. i'm able to have one sound play (kick) but it just stays on the same sound. i tried changing midi note which only changes the pitch of the sound. what am i doing wrong?

[@ksa-dy4te]

mast so happy

[@mateusferronatto1492]

Is possible to use a synth vst, like tunefish or exakt to be controlled by roland spd pads??

[@stereoswingmusic5273]

Hey mate thanks for the video! So if you want to take the sounds from say Modern Drummer on Kontact 5 and put them onto the spd sx you can? I want to have the sounds of various software I have bought from Komplete but without using a laptop live

[@MladenDragovicMusic]

Is there latency? And do you think it could be connected to the iPad? Great tut, btw! Cheers!

[@MichaelJHemmings]

no latency what so ever for me. Not sure about the ipad, sorry.

[@bobdrums]

You can use the Yamaha BT01 to send midi to and from an iPad wirelessly!

[@SamPads]

Which software i have use as midi controller plz give me the Software name n Link plz help to find plz

[@timothyliaw6597]

Hi bro.. juz want to a question.. after i done seting my midi with logic pro.. when i plug out the midi. My pad not make any sound anymore..

[@MichaelJHemmings]

Timothy Liaw do you mean that it’s not triggering samples from your saved kits anymore?

[@mario_nieva]

HI there. Do you know if its possible to get the bpm tempo from a Roland sp404 to the SpdSx to be able to hear the click in tempo with the track playing by the Sp404? I mean to sincronize it, and make the drummer play on tempo hearing the click, but the wav being played by the sp404. Is it posibble to make by midi cable? Thanks

[@jaredsmith3236]

What cable are you using to connect it to the computer to use it as a MIDI controller or a sample?

[@MichaelJHemmings]

Jared Smith I’m using a USB B cable. More commonly known as a printer cable

[@glowingone6472]

I've heard that latency issues can happen quite a bit... is that true? I'm basically just after trigger pads for the sounds in Logic Pro... is this really as cheap as it gets for that purpose?! Thank you for the vid though, should come in handy if I end up getting one of these!

[@MichaelJHemmings]

Don't get this machine if you're only going to use it as a midi controller! There shouldn't be any latency as it's just MIDI data that you're transferring. The SPD SX's primary use is as a sampler and it has many more features that warrants its price tag! Alesis offer a drum pad controller that you can use if you only want a midi pad controller for a much more reasonable price. That being said, the SPD SX is a great machine for live performance as it has the ability to load in sounds onto it. this means that you don't have to rely on a computer.

[@bhargavthaker6632]

I am using addictive Drum vst and trigger from SPD Sx now every time I want to change kit of Addictive drums vst I have to go to my Laptop and change it.is there any way out that I chang vst sounds from SPD Sx in DAW like Ableton or Nuendo etc etc? plz help

[@arnoldbaitali1009]

How to send spd-sx sounds to SPD 20 ? Do you know how to do that?

[@danieltouma3520]

Im working on a way to "trig" my backingtracks AND my virtuals/background videos at the same time. Can i have a sound on e.x. pad 1 on the spd sx, and then it sends a signal out to a PC that will trig the video, from the same "hit" (pad 1)? Does it makes sens?

[@wyvernlingo]

YES trying to find the same answer, have you had any joy?

[@danieltouma3520]

Wyvern Lingo I've acutally done it. I'm triggering my visuals from my drumpad through PC now. If you want to know how, and you got a Macbook as your pc, Contact me :)

[@wyvernlingo]

Yes I would like to know how! Can you use wave manager and trigger your visuals?

[@danieltouma3520]

Nope, you can add me on my Skype: tumzze, and i can tell and show you. It took me 3 days to find out haha

[@wyvernlingo]

This has dick pic written all over it

[@Rani41Satish]

Hi bro plz upload spd30 & SX midi setup

[@Drumdala]

Thank you very much for this! Really helped me out.

[@kuntaldshah]

Struggling to figure out how to get my SPD-SX to sync with pads in Mainstage/Logic. Using just USB cable, I am able to see some activity in the dialog box in MainStage, however I can't get MainStage to let me set up each pad as an input like I do with my keyboard. It doesn't recognize the SPD-SX as a possible MIDI input. I also tried using a midi to usb cable route, but I can't get any activity in the display box that way. Can you help??

[@MichaelJHemmings]

Kuntal Shah have you installed the driver?

[@kuntaldshah]

Michael Hemmings yup latest driver is there. Spdsx shows up via USB and shows activity in mainstage. But it doesn't allow me to use the pad as an input for instrument channels

[@MichaelJHemmings]

Kuntal Shah I'm guessing you know how to set up instruments in mainstage? If not set up a 3x3 pad, then click learn on each pad and hit the appropriate pad on the spd, or is that still not it?

[@kuntaldshah]

Yup I have a Alessis MPK keyboard that has pads on it and I can make it work just fine. But I can't get the SPD-SX to be listed as an option for input, only the Alessis shows up

[@kuntaldshah]

Still no luck. Any ideas?

[@JesusEverest]

Can I use it as a midi controller but with the kits from the SPDSX instead of my own sample libraries?

[@MichaelJHemmings]

I'm not sure what you mean? Do you mean that you can play both the audio form the SPD-SX and send midi information at the same time? Or that you want the samples form the SPD-SX added to your sample library?

[@JesusEverest]

Michael Hemmings the former of the two, I want to play and the audio from the spds and midi at the same time. In theory if I only wanted audio would I just plug my out into an interface and record it?

[@danielkarlsson5161]

JesusEverest I'm not sure about how MIDI is handled in the SPD-SX, but the synth approach for doing what you want is to have one MIDI cable from the instrument to your DAW and another one back to the instrument. Then make sure to turn MIDI local control off in the SPD-SX, to avoid getting an annoying phaser effect while recording, because of doubled MIDI signals (this won't have any effect on the recording, though). So that's how it works in keyboard world, and I guess it would work the same on the drum pads. Good luck! :)

[@danielkarlsson5161]

..or if the SPD-SX has USB MIDI, just forget about the MIDI cables.

[@gerarddandan2638]

does this work if i use ableton live 9-Lite version. So i can import my audio files straight onto the spd?

[@vincenzoceriello98]

what should I do if I want to sync the click of the SPD-SX and the click of MainStage?

[@MichaelJHemmings]

go to MENU > SETUP > MIDI and make sure midi sync is on AUTO

[@MichaelJHemmings]

Also make sure that the USB mode is AUDIO/MIDI and not WAVEMANAGER as shown in the video around 1:00

[@SaninoAsyer]

Hi, by any chance, does this work with Garageband?

[@MichaelJHemmings]

Sanino Asyer yes, it will work with GarageBand

[@SaninoAsyer]

Michael Hemmings I’ve connected my SPD SX with my GarageBand, but there’s no message popping out. I’ve updated the drivers & the softwares of the Mac & SPD SX to the latest version as well. What could be the problem?

[@Teekay.1994]

I have done everything as you said, but cubase doesn't recognize the spd-sx at all :( Any ideas?

[@dirtroom8456]

I can't get my SPD-SX to send any velocity data. Got any tips on that?

[@MichaelJHemmings]

Dirt Room you can turn on the velocity sensitivity of each pad in the menu

[@07Meverasvolver]

how use spdsx with addictive drums 2 .. PLEASEEEEE

[@bharathj63]

Not very sure but check map option in on the beats page on AD2.

[@Assault018]

Can this be done on Reaper as well?

[@MichaelJHemmings]

Mike Roberts never used reaper but don’t see why it wouldn’t. It’s just midi information so should work in all DAWs

[@ryanlehrman9015]

Thank you bro! 🙌

[@MichaelJHemmings]

No problem 👍

[@jumpbox3]

Thank you so much, i as on the right track but you were the guiding light :)

[@MrDexterSr]

Very Helpful thanks 👍🏾

[@MrBassmog]

Can anyone help me: Will i be able to use the WAVE MANAGER on my IPAD 4? I have just bought it and installed CUBASIS for creating songs and patches to load into the SPDSX. I'll be gutted if they aren't compatible.....anyone help?

[@MichaelJHemmings]

you don't need to use wave manager, if you load the sounds onto a usb then you can bypass this software. All the features that Wave manager makes easy to access are available within the unit but they are just more time consuming.

[@Nobody95008]

try a drum kit from ableton

[@thwartedman]

Thanks for the informative video. Quick question, how do you adjust the MIDI velocity sensitivity? Mine seems to be stuck on a flat, loud level with no dynamics. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks again

[@MichaelJHemmings]

you must go to: menu, pad, then select the pads either by hitting one or using the arrow key, once a pad is selected, hit mode, then use the arrow keys to go down to dynamics, now use the plus and minus buttons to turn on the dynamics (dynamics "yes" is what you are looking for) Also as a side note. You are also able to affect how sensitive the pad is to you striking it. You can do this by hitting menu, set up, PAD SENS, now select the pad that you wish to change, and you can change its parameters using the up and down arrows and the plus and minus buttons. This is useful as you can customise the responsiveness of individual pads to correspond to how you personally play. (e.g if you play softly then you can reduce the threshold so that now as much force is required to trigger the pad).

[@AlexAnder-or3kq]

SOLVED IT FOR ME THANKS

[@mvellamusic]

thanks for the help

[@howlinwolf0320]

10000 times thank you!

[@JLozdrummin]

Inter web? You mean internet? Damn!

[@MichaelJHemmings]

I think I was trying to be funny!

[@vivekphilip4970]

Sounds unusable with so much latency!

[@RajeshKumar-oc1wq]

so nice

[@Jahspanks]

Thank you

[@GeorgeFalconer]

what a mess

[@SamPads]

Which software i have use as midi controller plz give me the Software name n Link plz help to find plz