Roland established itself as the premier manufacturer of multipad electronics with the introduction of the Octapad Pad-8 MIDI controller in 1985. Additional products, like 2003’s SPD-S and 2011’s souped-up SPD-SX sampling pads, gave drummers nearly limitless options for uploading and triggering original loops, one-shot samples, and playback tracks from pads and external triggers.

April 2018 Issue