Roland HD-1 V-Drums Lite Electronic Drums Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This kit is near-to-perfect for someone who finds their acoustic kit has become too loud, too big, too difficult to transport, and too time-consuming to set up.
If you are looking for something that is small with a small footprint that is light, portable, and that sounds good, this kit will fill the bill. I haven't been able to put the sticks down (geeze, now I know why I got away from playing for 15 years - it's as additive as crack cocaine).
The other reviews voice criticism and they are justified, depending on what you are looking for. Unlike the higher-end kits, you cannot select individual drums. The drums for any of the pre-programed ten kits, and the volume of those individual drums are "global," meaning you can turn the whole kit up or down, but not adjust the tune or volume of one drum vs. another.
The voices are sampled and really sound incredible, but if I could "have it my way," I would have the snare be a bit more sensitive (you can set the sensitivity, but again, it's "global" for all the drums in the kit), and would make the snare and cymbal louder in relation to the toms and kick.
The peddle system is ingenious, and works well. It took a little while to find a the sweet spot to allow me to do "Banham doubles," and it still is not as easy to do as it is with a true peddle, but it's close.
The other thing that I have seen on the more expensive kits that the HD1 does not have is the ability to be able to choke out cymbals with your hand.
If these thing are important to you, you might want to look at a more expensive kit. But those kits are bigger, heavier, and more time-consuming to set up. If the reason you wanted is primarily for portability (the greatest kit in the world that you won't take to friends' house to jam with will do you no good, right?) - or what this thing is, for how tiny it is, and for what it weighs (32 lbs), you can't beat it with a stick - well, actually you can, and I have been, a lot.
More information: Kit 1 has a nice acoustic sound, like a kit in an intimate setting. Kit 1A is a "jazz kit," the snare sound of which I like the best. The crash is a bit more splashy, and the ride sounds like it has rivets. The hat is really crisp and clean. The second tom becomes a cross-stick on a rim. Kit 2 sounds just like drums in a big empty hall. Kit 2A sounds the same as 2, but the hat peddle becomes a second kick (open hat) and the second tom become a cowbell. Kit 3 is a snare, crash, ride, hat, and three "island drums." Kit 3A is a snare, crash, ride, hat, and three percussion instruments of some kind or another. Forget about Kits 4 & 5 and their Alternates, unless you like Devo and dance music from the 80s.

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A New All-In-One Drum Kit for the MassesRoland's V-Drums are the most popular electronic drums in the world, but not everyone has the room or budget for a full V-Drums kit. Introducing the new Roland HD-1. It's forged from the same technology as its predecessors, but it's much simpler to use. It's also incredibly quiet, thanks to the newly designed kick beater, cushioned tom pads, and snare head. The HD-1 is also conveniently compact and stylish - perfect for every home, school, studio, etc. - and it's priced for the masses. Most of the HD-1's components are mounted on one stand for easy setup and transport, and for a clean look. Just take it out of the box and play.

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