Editing Roland Octapad

{{short description|Electronic drum percussion controller range}}
'''Roland Octapad''' is a range of [[MIDI]] [[electronic drum]] [[Percussion instrument|percussion]] controllers produced by the [[Roland Corporation]].<ref>[https://www.rolandcorp.com.au/blog/roland-percussion-history ROLAND PERCUSSION HISTORY], [[Roland Corporation]]</ref>

==Roland Pad-8==

The first model, introduced in 1985, was the Pad-8. Originally to be called MPC-8 (MIDI Percussion Controller 8), but was renamed Pad-8 to avoid legal implications with MPC Electronics.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Graham|first=Alex|title=Electronic Drumfax|publisher=self-published|year=2019|isbn=978-1701024229|pages=101}}</ref>  It was an influential device at that time, allowing drummers and percussionists the opportunity to trigger virtually any MIDI sound source without the need of a full electronic drum set.  

=== Features ===
The Pad 8 Consists of eight individual pads (divided in two rows of four pads) and six external pad trigger ports. The controlled had no internal sound source and limited memory for four user patches. A unique initialization procedure, when powered on, would load a "patch preset" and configure the Pad-8 to work with either the Roland's TR-909 or TR-707/TR-727.<ref>Page 8 and 9. Roland Pad-8 Owners Manual. Version 2. Roland Corporation: Osaka, Japan.</ref> 

The Pad 8 could only transmit on a single MIDI channel (channel 10 on power up), however each of the 14 pads is assigned a different MIDI-Note number. Both MIDI channel and note numbers could be edited to suite the device being controlled over MIDI.

There is one parameter adjustable for each pad: MIDI Note. The remaining five parameters adjustable are global: MIDI Channel; Pad Sensitivity; Volume Curve; Minimum Velocity; and the Gate Time.

=== Notable Users/Endorsers<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Collins|first=Phil|date=June 1986|title=Roland Newslink: No Drumkit Required|journal=International Musician|volume=12|issue=7|pages=75}}</ref> ===

* [[Hard Corps (English band)|Hard Corps]]
* [[Michael Shrieve]]/ David Beal
* [[Stephen Morris (musician)|Stephen Morris]] (New Order)
* [[John Molo]] (Bruce Hornsby & The Range)
* [[UB40|Norman Hassas]] (UB40)
* [[Eric Clapton]]
* [[Phil Collins]] (Genesis, Mike & Mechanics, Howard Jones, and Solo project)
* [[Danny Carey]] (Tool)

==Roland Pad-80==
[[Image:Roland Octapad II Pad-80.jpg|thumb|300px|Roland '''Octapad II''' Pad-80 (1989)]]
The second model, introduced in 1989, was the Pad-80 Octapad II. Again the Pad-80 was an eight pad [[MIDI]] controller that allowed for various types of MIDI sound sources.<ref name="p8">Page 8, Roland Pad-80 operation manual</ref> Improvements in this second model included the ability to play up to three notes per pad,<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/octapad-ii/3985|title=Octapad II|magazine=Sound On Sound|date=October 1988|pages=10–11|issn=0951-6816|oclc=925234032}}</ref> and velocity switching, which allowed the user to stack or alternate between the assigned notes depending on how hard the pads were struck.  This feature became useful for creating more realistic sounding drum parts, and in addition allowed drummers to play melodic instruments with greater ease.  These new features were groundbreaking at the time, and are still utilized in Roland's electronic percussion today.

The memory was increased, allowing up to 64 different patches internally and another 64 patches to be stored on a Roland M-256E memory card.<ref name="p8"/> Further improvements to the [[MIDI]] specification included the control of modulation, pitch bend and aftertouch using a foot pedal, along with full System Exclusive (SysEx) capability.<ref name="p8"/> The Pad-80 had a patch chain function that allowed a series of 32 patches to be arranged in any sequence, eight of these chains could be stored in memory.<ref name="p8"/>

==Roland SPD-8 (1990), SPD-11 (1993), and SPD-20 (1998)==
After the Pad-80, Roland continued to release SPD-8 with on-board sounds, as a standalone instrument in 1990, SPD-11 in 1993, which not only had more sounds but also built-in effects processing, and SPD-20 in 1998, which had more on-board sounds.<ref>Page 3, Roland SPD-30 owner's manual</ref> These SPD Series products apart from the SPD-20 and 20x had not been named "Octapad" on the product panel.

==Octapad SPD-30 (2010)==
Roland continued the line in 2010<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep10/articles/roland-octapad-spd30.htm|title = Roland Octapad SPD30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.musicradar.com/news/drums/namm-2010-roland-unveils-octapad-spd-30-digital-percussion-pad-232063|title = NAMM 2010: Roland unveils Octapad SPD-30 digital percussion pad|date = 14 January 2010}}</ref> with the [http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.php?ProductId=1059 Octapad SPD-30] which includes on-board sounds and effects.  Version 2 was released as a firmware update in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |title=OCTAPAD SPD-30 Version 2 |url=https://www.vdrums.com/forum/general/products/65108-octapad-spd-30-version-2 |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=VDrums Forum |language=en}}</ref>

== Octapad SPD-20x (2015) and SPD-20 Pro (2020) ==
Roland released the SPD-20x in 2015<ref>{{Citation |title=Roland Octapad SPD 20X - Overview |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2k-aJthzB8 |language=en |access-date=2022-06-24}}</ref> and the SPD-20 Pro in 2020<ref>{{Cite web |title=Roland Octapad SPD-20 Pro |url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/roland-octapad-spd-20-pro#:~:text=November%202020%20saw%20the%20introduction,drum%20and%20world%20percussion%20sounds. |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=Sound On Sound|language=en}}</ref> with more on-board sounds and an additional external trigger socket.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SPD-20 VS SPD-20X VS SPD-20 PRO |url=https://rolandindia.co.in/rolandblog/spd-20-vs-spd-20x-vs-spd-20-pro/#:~:text=SPD%2D20%20%E2%80%93The%20classic%20SPD,overall%20user%2Dinterface%20super%20easy! |access-date=2022-06-24 |website= Roland India|language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Roland}}

[[Category:Electronic musical instruments]]