HAND PERCUSSIONISTS, prepare to enter the space age. Roland's
new HPD-15 HandSonic Percussion Controller looks like some android
probe from Star Wars. Its futuristic metallic silver
finish, lights, knobs, and buttons give the unit a UFO-like
appearance. The feature-packed HPD-15 is easy to use right out of
the box with just the factory presets. Should you wish to delve
deeper into its menu parameters and MIDI connections, you will find
that it also offers a wide variety of control options.
The HPD-15 contains 600 internal sounds, 160 preset patches, 80
user-definable patches, multi-effects options, and an onboard
sequencer. The sequencer itself has 99 preset patterns and as many
as 99 user patterns. That's a lot of stuff crammed into a
six-and-a-half-pound box. We percussionists love our extensive
instrument collections, but for those nights when we'd rather leave
the congas, timpani, or gamelan at home, it's nice to know that
something out there can lighten our load substantially yet still
get the job done.
NUTS AND BOLTS
The HPD-15 is housed in plastic and features a 10-inch circular
pressure-sensitive rubber pad divided into 15 sections. These
sections are arranged in groups of five to form three major pad
sets. The A set consists of four large pads arranged around the
fifth pad, which resides in the center. The B and C sets consist of
smaller pads — left and right, respectively — that arc
across the top of the A set.
Two ribbon controllers flank either side of the pads, and an
infrared sensor, the D-Beam, is located at the top center of the
unit. By waving your hand over the D-Beam, you can affect pitch and
other parameters, as well as change sounds. The unit that I
received for review came with the optional PDS-15 stand ($165),
which proved handy for gigging.
THE ARRANGEMENT
The rear panel of the HPD-15 is simply laid out, starting with
an on/off switch and an AC adapter jack, as well as MIDI In and
Out/Thru jacks for interfacing with other MIDI devices. A trigger
input jack allows the use of external pads, footswitches, or kick
trigger pedals. Also included are a dedicated footswitch jack
— for patch selection and sequencer control — and an
expression pedal and hi-hat control jack. A stereo mix-in jack
allows input from a CD player or other stereo mix source (this
input gets sent to the stereo outputs). Stereo output jacks and a
stereo headphone jack are also located on the rear panel.
The HPD-15's controls reside on the upper half of the top
surface. Four knobs are placed on the left side — the first
controls volume and the next three, constituting the Realtime
Modify section, allow you to modify the tone of a patch or sound. A
button to the right of the array lets you select parameters from
three banks. The parameters are adjustable with the three knobs,
for a total of nine possible fine tunings. Set up like a grid, the
first bank controls level, pitch, and pan. The second controls
multi-effects depth, sweep, and color. The third adjusts rate,
pitch, and the filter and amplitude of the low-frequency oscillator
(LFO).
A backlit LCD screen displays patch as well as edit and system
information; four buttons underneath the window facilitate save,
parameter navigation, modification, and exit functions. A cluster
of 12 buttons offers controls for sequencer play, record, and tempo
functions; system edit control; multi-effects selection; and the
D-Beam. A small graphic replica of the playing surface contains an
LED to let you see which A pad you are currently striking or
selecting for editing. The B and C pads have corresponding LEDs
embedded around the rim to indicate which pad is selected.
PATCHWORK
You can select patches in three ways: using the patch-value
dial; the bank-patch select buttons, which let you scroll
sequentially through the options; or the Patch Sel button in
conjunction with the pads. The ten patch chains include Latin,
African, Indian, Asian, Orchestral, Drum Sets, Dance, Sound
Effects, a broad category titled Others (mainly melody instruments
and atmospheric sounds), and loops. Exceptional preset patches
include the Latin conga, the African pot drum, the Indian tabla,
the Asian gamelan, and the orchestral timpani. Each patch uses
specific functions that make the sounds more realistic and
expressive.
The conga-playing dynamic is authentic; activity on one pad
affects the sound of another, just like on a real drum. Hold down
pad A1 and strike pad A2, and you get a sharp slap. Only hit the
pad, and you get an open sound. Similarly, the tabla employs an
edge sound feature, allowing two sounds on one pad. The main
portion of a pad for the tabla patch produces an open sound, while
the edge of the pad has a tight, sharp sound.
The ribbon controllers allow real-time modulation, trigger
functions, and other parameter controls. On the timpani patch you
can use them to control pitch, emulating the pedal work on actual
timpani. Using the pads, the ribbon controllers, or the D-Beam, you
can also trigger individual notes from various tuned-percussion
instruments (all told, as many as 18 notes are available). The
quantized roll sounds unnatural, but that's the nature of
electronic drums. The hold button will also sustain the last note
played and layer sustained notes.
The HPD-15 can interface with other MIDI devices like sound
modules, electronic drum sets, keyboards, and computer-based
sequencers and notation programs. The built-in sequencer includes a
metronome feature and can record up to four parts (two percussion
tracks and two melody tracks). You can capture your rhythmic ideas
in real time and create your own patterns and loops. The unit also
has preset patterns you can play along with — great for
practice sessions.
STAGE TEST
I had a chance to try the HandSonic on a few gigs. Incorporated
into my regular percussion rig, it was easy to use as a
self-contained instrument and provided some interesting textures
combined with acoustic sounds. The futuristic-looking unit
certainly raised some eyebrows and prompted a laser war when the
bass player's guitar neck interrupted the D-Beam's airspace during
sound check. The D-Beam also played a part in my only other snafu:
I forgot to turn it off and accidentally triggered a goofy laser
sound in the middle of a rather serious song. The D-Beam can be
ultrasensitive, but you can adjust its sensitivity or turn off the
feature altogether.
I tried the onboard reverb and multi-effects —
compression, distortion, chorus, delay, flanger, phaser, ring
modulation, lo-fi, enhancer, and equalizer — and found them
decent enough for performance. For studio work, however, I would
probably opt for a dedicated effects processor. You can easily
bypass the effects with a single button. It takes a while to become
familiar with the menus and all the options. If you plan on using
the HandSonic for performance, it's a good idea to map out your
patches and settings prior to the gig, because there are a number
of menus to go through, and futzing with it on the spot atif show
might take the wind out of your sails.
MIDI CONTROL
To give the MIDI functions their day in court, I brought the
HPD-15 to the school for new media where I teach. With the help of
another staff member, I put the unit through its paces.
The HandSonic proved its mettle as a controller, effectively
triggering loops and sounds from other MIDI devices. You can also
use the unit as an external sound module, and it can transmit MIDI
data directly into a computer and other sequencers. The tempo
control allowed us to synchronize it with external devices, such as
an E-mu Planet Phat module. We could bypass the internal sounds
with Local Control in the menu. That function stops triggering of
the HPD-15's sounds while still sending MIDI to the external
device; in this way, you trigger only the external device's sounds.
With Local Control turned on, you hear both external and internal
sounds. You can easily adjust all of the standard MIDI functions,
such as Velocity and Aftertouch, in System Edit mode.
WRAP IT UP
The HPD-15 offers a multitude of percussion sounds in a compact
package. Although it clearly won't render acoustic percussion
instruments obsolete, its sound and feel are authentic enough to
make it a viable option for players who would rather not always
have to haul an entire percussion rig to their gigs. With its huge
variety of available sounds and its abundant MIDI controller
features, the unit makes a great supplement to an existing
percussion setup.
The HandSonic is a versatile, innovative instrument that's a
pleasure to play. Whether you're a gigging percussionist or just
use percussion sounds in the studio, you'll want to check it
out.
Karen Stackpole is an active drummer and percussionist who
can appreciate a lightweight instrument. She runs Stray Dog
Recording Services and teaches sound arts at the Ex'pression Center
for New Media.
HPD-15 HANDSONIC SPECS
Inputs (1) ¼" TRS stereo mix
Outputs (2) ¼" L&R, (1) ¼" TRS stereo
headphone
Pad 10" rubber, divided into 15 parts
Sound Source 600 instruments, 160 preset patches, 80 user
memory patches
Effect Types reverb, multi-effects
Maximum Polyphony 64 notes
Patch Chain 10 chains, 32 steps per chain
Sequencer Patterns 99 preset, 99 user (maximum)
Display backlit LCD, 16 characters × 2 lines
Additional Ports MIDI In, Out/Thru; (1) ¼" footswitch
jack; (1) ¼" trigger input
Real-Time Controllers 2 ribbon controllers, 1 D-Beam, 3
multifunction knobs, 1 expression pedal/hi-hat control input
Power Supply AC adapter (9 VDC)
Dimensions 15.88" (W) × 3.88" (H) × 15.88"
(D)
Weight 6.63 lbs.
PRODUCT SUMMARY
Roland
HPD-15 HandSonic
percussion controller
$1,295
Overall Rating (1 through 5): 4.5
PROS: Excellent sounds. Lightweight and portable.
Unique, versatile playing surface. Loaded with options. Great
practicing and writing tool.
CONS: It's easy to trip the D-Beam unintentionally.
Programming takes time. Manual could be clearer. Some cheesy
sounds.
Contact:
Roland Corporation U.S.
tel. (323) 890-3700
Web www.rolandus.com
