Owner’s Manual
Thank you, and congratulations on your choice of the Roland PD-85 V-Pad.
201a
Before using this unit, carefully read the sections entitled: “USING THE UNIT SAFELY” and “IMPORTANT NOTES”
(p. 6; p. 7). These sections provide important information concerning the proper operation of the unit. Additionally,
in order to feel assured that you have gained a good grasp of every feature provided by your new unit, Owner’s
manual should be read in its entirety. The manual should be saved and kept on hand as a convenient reference.
VERY IMPORTANT!!!
BEFORE playing the pad, you must TUNE it to your preferred
playing tension. They are NOT tuned before shipping. Failure to
adjust tension may result in damage to the trigger sensor.
fig.Cover.e
Contents of the Package
❑ PD-85 (pad unit)
❑ Connection Cable
❑ Tuning Key
■ Owner’s Manual (this manual)
202
Names of Components
Hoop (Rim)
Stand Fixing Screw
Holder
Copyright © 2005 ROLAND CORPORATION
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in
any form without the written permission of ROLAND CORPORATION.
Tuning Bolt
Sensor
Head
Washer
Output Jack
Frame
03894956 ’05-2-1N
Features
The band has a width of 7 mm.
Use this for adjusting the head tension.
7 mm
• Snare/tom pad with embedded-mesh head for superior
playing feel, and quiet response.
• Compact, eight-inch pad allows for greater versatility
when setting up.
Adjusting the Head Tension
When adjusting, use the included tuning key.
Be sure to adjust the head tension
before use.
In general, a tension that produces a strike response
approximately the same as an acoustic drum will be
appropriate.
Striking the head when the head tension is loose
may damage the sensor and head.
Should you neglect to make the appropriate settings, you
could likely experience the following problems:
• Sometimes it does not sound (uneven volume).
• The volume is too low (reduced sensitivity).
• You can use cross-stick (closed rim shot), and rim shot
playing techniques.
• Brushes (nylon) can be used for brush playing.
• Tonal changes can be expressed by varying the location
at which the pad is struck.
1.
Use the included tuning key to tighten the
tuning bolts.
Tighten the bolts until there is a space of approximately 7
mm between the frame and the hoop.
fig.Adjust.e
Hoop
7mm
Frame
A black, 7 mm strip is printed at the edge of this page.
Use this as a reference when making the adjustment.
• On the PD-85, adjusting the head tension affects only the
head response, and does not change the pitch of the
sound as it would on an acoustic drum.
• The head tension will change as the instrument is used,
so you should readjust when necessary.
• The head stretches when used for extended periods, so
even when this is adjusted to 7 mm in the following
procedure, you may not achieve the same degree of
tension as when the head was initially adjusted. Strike
the head to check the feel and response as you adjust the
tension.
Tighten each tuning bolt one by one, observing the
numerical order shown in the diagram. Do not firmly
tighten a single tuning bolt by itself. Doing so will make
it impossible to tension the head evenly, and will cause
malfunctions.
fig.Bolt
3
1
5
4
2
2.
Fine-tune the adjustment while continuing to
check the pad feel and response.
2
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Attaching the Pad to a Stand
Attach the PD-85 to a stand (MDS series).
fig.Stand.e
Tighten
Loosen
Rod
Pass the rod through the pipe
that is inside the holder.
When attaching the PD-85 to a tom stand, check the
dimensions of the rod. Depending on the dimensions of
the rod, it may not be possible to attach the pad to the
stand.
Connecting To A Percussion
Sound Module
Connecting to a percussion sound module (TD-20, TD-12, TD-
10, TD-8, TD-6V/6, TD-3, etc.).
When you have finished connecting to your percussion sound
module, refer to the owner’s manual supplied with the sound
module, and make the settings for it.
• To prevent malfunction and/or damage to speakers or
other devices, always turn down the volume, and turn off
the power on all devices before making any connections.
• Use the included stereo cable to make connections.
Otherwise (if you use a monaural cable), you won’t be
able to employ rim shot and cross stick playing
techniques.
• Connect the L-shaped plug of the included cable to the
PD-85. This will prevent strain from being applied to the
PD-85.
Acceptable rod diameters:
8.5–11.5 mm (3/8 to 1/2 inch)
Percussion
Sound Module
TD-20
TD-12 2 (SNARE), 3–5 (TOM 1–3),
TD-10 2 (SNARE)
TD-8 3 (SNARE)
TD-6V/6 2 (SNARE)
TD-3 SNARE
Rim Shot Capable
Trigger Inputs
2 (SNARE), 3–6 (TOM 1–4),
12–15 (AUX 1–4)
11 (AUX 1), 12 (AUX 2)
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