TD-9 Expansion "Hodge Podge" Now Available

[Alan VEX]

Our first TD-9 expansion is now available at the VEX website. I apologize in advance for the boring sample demos. I broke my Aheads on the very first pattern I "quick-recorded" and was forced to use THAT terrible pattern for all kit demos.

Eh, not too bad for 6 year old sticks.

Our first expansion is entitled "Hodge Podge" and includes 30 kits - 15 realistic acoustics modeled after our famous "Master Picks" and 15 plug n' play produced kits modeled after our "Studio Kits".

Also included are 3 Alternate Cymbal patches. (cymbal demos are on "user kit" drums)

Enjoy!

[pasta]

Alan, when I cllick on Hopdgepodge at the Vex site it only links to info on the
Td-6/8/10, not the TD-9. What am I doing wrong?

[saku]

okay, i have ALL kinds of questions, probably pretty stupid ones.....

1) do i need to specially formatt a USB key, or can i use the Mp3 player that i normally use as a memory device.
2) what do you mean by usb reader for the computer? cant I just plug it into the usb outlet and use windows to transfer it...
3) do I need the vdrumslibrary utility? Do they have a td 9 compatible version?

cheers,

saku

[Colquhoun]

My birthday is tomorrow, Alan....you're a day early!
Those sound samples are AMAZING.

SOLD.

By the way, I wish all MY patterns sounded that "terrible".

[Alan VEX]

Alan, when I cllick on Hopdgepodge at the Vex site it only links to info on the
Td-6/8/10, not the TD-9. What am I doing wrong?

My fault. Link fixed. Sor-ry.

okay, i have ALL kinds of questions, probably pretty stupid ones.....

1) do i need to specially formatt a USB key, or can i use the Mp3 player that i normally use as a memory device.
2) what do you mean by usb reader for the computer? cant I just plug it into the usb outlet and use windows to transfer it...
3) do I need the vdrumslibrary utility? Do they have a td 9 compatible version?

cheers,

saku

1. You should be able to use the same old key you currently use.
2. Yes, the outlet that allows you to read/write the key - the USB outlet.
3. No, you do not need VDL. However, Ken is releasing a killer new version update to support the TD-9 in a few short weeks.

My birthday is tomorrow, Alan....you're a day early!
Those sound samples are AMAZING.

SOLD.

By the way, I wish all MY patterns sounded that "terrible".

Well, thanks! I guess. Your birthday money will buy me a new pair of sticks. See, we all help each other out! I feel like it's my first birthday in 6 years.

[saku]

ok, i just installed the packs and tested to make sure I have them all working, so this is very first impressions:

THEY RE GREAT!

The boominess for lack of a better word that bothered me in the oem packs is gone...these sound really good. I'll let better drummers than me tell you exactly why these kits are so much better, I'll just leave you with this question

1) why are the oem packs so bad, that we need VEX packs in the first place?

and 2) why doesnt Alan work for Roland so that I wouldnt have to ask question 1)?

or am I alone in these musings?

[LiddleBuddha]

Hey saku,

Thanks for your thoughts on the new VEX sounds for the TD-9!

I have a quick, (naive and probably answered elsewhere), question...

When you use the VEX kits do they replace a number of the Roland OEM kits in the module, or do you just leave your USB drive plugged in and access the kits/sounds that way?

Thanks!

[ige87]

LB, they replace the OEM ones, but you can access those either by making a backup before you 'install' the vex kits, or by doing a factory reset. Obviously, you should backup your kits before installing the vex ones as you'd also loose any tweaks to the factory kits you've made.

On another note, Alan, I'd love to hear these kits, but I can't get onto your website, again! Is this the UK user problem again?

[saku]

you copy the kits over to the module, writing over any original kit. However, you can always get the original kits back by doing a factory reset, that NEVER gets overwritten...and since you have the VEX on your computer, you can then reload them and overwrite the overwritten bits...or you can save the originals onto the usb and then reload them from there (you can have lots of different sets of drumkits on the usb)

this pack 'only' has some 30 kits, so the remaining 20 are overwritten as user kits (and while we are on the subject, why does Roland only provide one slot for a user kit on the td6s and 9s??) (p. 57 and 58 in the manua for saving and loading from USBl)- which means there is still room for you to build your own kits from the original instruments, if you should so choose....if there is a kit you really like, just make pen and papper notes of the instruments and settings and then construct your own kit.

which is daft, i know...I havent found a way of copying a single drum kit from the Vex pack to the module, if there is a way, could somebody tell me?

see, an even more naive if not down right silly question from me, that is also probably answered somewheres......

[saku]

it took me ten minutes to write my answer, correcting all the spelling mistakes, checking that there wasnt a way of doing a drum kit, and in that time, ige answered...*sigh*

[eric_B]

I havent found a way of copying a single drum kit from the Vex pack to the module, if there is a way, could somebody tell me?

I haven't tried it, but take a look at page 30 of the always overlooked owner's manual: I think you can choose a Backup USB as copy/destination source. Or you can wait until http://www.vdrumlib.com/ comes with a TD-9 version. Then you can combine kits one your PC to create your own favourite setup.

I also got the Expansion "Hodge Podge" (very good pricing in euro's these days due to the currency rate!) and just tried all the kits (first had a problem with the CY-5 hihat, but I'll post that in another thread).

I also like them. Maybe a (little) too much ambience to my taste, but that's easy to adjust. I think the volume of the toms is better balanced, they are more part of the kit than the factory ones which you have to hit a lot harder. The cymbals are also nice, although I find the ride a little too loud sometimes.

Another reason for liking the kits is that they are very "playable" (depending on your style of music of course). Listening to the factory kits there are a lot which I probably will never use, like: ambient, junk, lo-fi, abstract, latin, world1, world2, voices. I don't play songs in which these sounds will fit. The "Hodge Podge" kits are more studio, rock and pop based.

I miss a double bass kit however, but it's the first kit, so there'll be more. I would also like to see some vintage and electronics kits. And of course some real hard rock for the times you want to make a lot of NOISE!

As Saku mentioned, I also wondered why all available 50 kits weren't used (time/price?).

Just a question: do you have to select "all" or only "kit" when loading the file? I didn't notice any difference.

[LiddleBuddha]

Wow!

Thanks for the replies and helpful information, everybody!

Hmm, I wonder... If I purchase and install the 30 TD-9 VEX kits, would I be able to install any of the Roland OEM kits that I like into the 20 empty slots? It doesn't sound like that is do-able right yet. But maybe I'm mistaken.

Thanks!

[eric_B]

Hmm, I wonder... If I purchase and install the 30 TD-9 VEX kits, would I be able to install any of the Roland OEM kits that I like into the 20 empty slots? It doesn't sound like that is do-able right yet. But maybe I'm mistaken.

Thanks!

Yep, it's possible, I just tried it. First make a backup of your current TD-9 kits to a backup file on a USB stick and load the new "Hodge Podge" kits. Now you can copy a kit from the backup file on the USB stick to your TD-9 (see page 30 of the manual). The names of the source and destination kit are displayed so it's easy to do without the risk of overwriting the wrong kit.

One tip: if you create a first backup of your TD-9 to usb key, the file is saved under the internal filename "BACKUP1.TD9", regardless of the name you set on the TD-9. But the "Hodge Podge" kits are also saved under this name, so you it's possible to overwrite them. Just rename one of the kits to "BACKUP2.TD9" or "BACKUP3.TD9", etc on your PC to have both your original and new kit on the same usb stick, ready to use.

[Alan VEX]

Hi guys,

I'm glad everyone's really digging the new kits!

On to your answers...

why doesnt Alan work for Roland so that I wouldnt have to ask question 1)?

or am I alone in these musings?

Saku, thanks for the kind words!

In regards to your question - I keep asking myself the same question!

Seriously though, I think you guys should petition Mike, Drew and Steve at Roland so I can go at least do clinics and shows. I've asked a few times... I never get an answer.

...On another note, Alan, I'd love to hear these kits, but I can't get onto your website, again! Is this the UK user problem again?

I'm sorry. I really don't know why you guys in the UK have this problem from time to time. I really think it has something to do with the PayPal code and security.

Or you can wait until http://www.vdrumlib.com/ comes with a TD-9 version. Then you can combine kits one your PC to create your own favourite setup...

...As Saku mentioned, I also wondered why all available 50 kits weren't used (time/price?).

Just a question: do you have to select "all" or only "kit" when loading the file? I didn't notice any difference.

Thanks for the kind words also Eric.

The main reason for the 30 kit "mini-pack" so-to-speak was simply to keep it affordable and get the first batch out for you guys. I also knew that there are many of you who are creating your own kits and would want space for them, so the smaller price, open slots and big bang for the buck was planned for everyone's benefit.

Hmm, I wonder... If I purchase and install the 30 TD-9 VEX kits, would I be able to install any of the Roland OEM kits that I like into the 20 empty slots? It doesn't sound like that is do-able right yet. But maybe I'm mistaken.

Continuing on with Eric's response here... yes - see Erics post above. Also, you will be able to copy in other kits to those user slots in a few short weeks with VDL much easier! Ken is hard at work on the next update of VDrumLib. I believe he said he'd have this implemented.

[ige87]

Nice idea Alan, but still no luck. Neither IE, Maxthon or Freedownloadmanager will download those mp3s. Good job I don't have a TD-9 to want the pack for eh?