Every time I use a sample pad, there’s a little part of me that thinks I’m not getting the most out of it. So let’s take this groove and use all of the settings in the SPD-SX Pro to transform it into something layered and dynamic.

Inspiration

This approach was inspired by Andrew Marshall, Billie Eilish’s drummer, who did a tutorial a couple of years ago using the SPD-SX with Ableton. I broke down his playing and electronics in a separate video, but here we’ll focus on how to do this specifically on the SPD-SX Pro.

Kick Pattern Setup

Originally, the kick sounded like this:

What we’re going to do is take the sequencer feature and tune the kicks. Each time you play a kick, it shifts to the next sample, tuned higher or lower. Since the sequencer doesn’t tune the kicks automatically, you need to program tuned kicks and assign them to separate pads.

• I used five tuned kicks, which took up five pads.
• A workaround is to assign them to trigger inputs if you’re not using external triggers.
• For gigs, create a dedicated “tuned kick patch” and switch back when needed.

Borrowing the SPD-SX Pro

Interestingly, this isn’t my SPD-SX Pro—I borrowed it from Jake at Intimusic. He didn’t ask me to mention this, but his independent drum store is fantastic. It was so easy to hire the SPD-SX Pro for a few days, make videos, and then return it. They even sort out parcel pickup when you’re done. Highly recommend checking out their website and YouTube channel.

Step 1: Choose and Duplicate Your Kick

I used the 808 kick (patch 24, sample #221 “808 Hard Kick”). After copying it to another pad:

• One kick pitched at +12
• One at +6
• One at +4
• One normal
• One at -12

Remember which pad has which pitch—this will matter when sequencing.

Step 2: Setting Up the Sequencer

1. Go to Menu → Kit Edit 1 → Pad Sequence.
2. Select the number of steps (mine had 7, based on my pattern).
3. Assign where you want it triggered (I used a Roland KT-10).
4. Hit Set and test your sequence.

This may take some trial and error to get looping smoothly, but once set up, it sounds great.

Snare Part

The snare is the easiest part. If you have an expression pedal, this is even simpler. I used the TR-808 snare (sample #474) and duplicated it across two pads:

• One pad with the original snare
• One pad for pitch control

On the pitched snare pad:

1. Select the pad, then activate pitch control via the knobs.
2. Set it to +12 and slowly pitch down while playing.

Downsides:

• No reset back to zero or +12 after adjusting—works only once per session.
• Sometimes the pitch transfers to other pads (user error, but something to watch).
• An expression pedal would solve this and offer smoother control.

Final Thoughts

Thanks to Jake from Intimusic for sending me the SPD-SX Pro. If you want to support my work, head to Patreon. This technique opens up tons of creative possibilities, and I hope it helps you get more out of your SPD-SX Pro.