DWe Side Snare & SPD-SX PRO Setup Guide

Below is a step-by-step guide to updating firmware, connecting hardware, and assigning MIDI so your DWe Side Snare works seamlessly with the SPD-SX PRO.

1. What firmware do I need before setup?

Make sure the following are fully updated:

SPD-SX PRO

• Visit Roland Support and download System Version 1.20 or higher.
• Roland Support Page: (search “SPD-SX PRO firmware” on roland.com → Support → Updates/Drivers)
• Copy the firmware to an SPD-SX PRO–formatted USB drive.
• Follow Roland’s update instructions.

DWe Side Snare & DrumLink Wireless Hub

1. Download DWe Control via Roland Cloud Manager.
2. Connect your DrumLink wireless hub to your computer and launch DWe Control.
3. If updates are available, you will see yellow exclamation icons.
4. Click on the “Edit” button in the Selected pad section to update the DWe Side Snare.
5. Click on the “Hub” button to update the DrumLink wireless hub firmware.

2. Do I need to save a MIDI map to the DrumLink hub?

Yes. After updating, save a MIDI map so the SPD-SX PRO receives the right MIDI note assignments.

To save the map:

1. Open DWe Control.
2. Press Map.
3. Click the three-dot menu → Add a Copy → Name it “DWe Side Snare”.
4. Select Save to Hub.

This stores the MIDI note map inside the DrumLink wireless hub.

3. How do I connect the DWe Side Snare to the SPD-SX PRO?

You’ll make two connections:

A. Power and USB Trigger Routing

• Connect USB-C (Hub OUT) → USB-A (Memory Port on SPD-SX PRO).
  • This provides power to the DrumLink hub and trigger parameter controls in the SPD SX Pro.

B. MIDI Connection

• Use the 3.5mm → MIDI cable.
• Connect DrumLink Hub MIDI OUT → SPD-SX PRO MIDI IN.
  • This sends the MIDI note data to trigger the SPD SX Pro.

4. What MIDI mode should the SPD-SX PRO use for the DrumLink wireless hub?

1. Press Menu on the SPD-SX PRO.
2. Navigate to Pad Trigger → press Enter.
3. Select DrumLink → go to the Hub submenu.
4. Set MIDI Output Mode = “Software + Hub.”

This enables:

• Trigger parameter control in the SPD SX Pro
• Up to 8 MIDI zones for the DWe Side Snare
  • Center
  • Rimshot
  • Rim
  • Crosstick
  • digiMag on/off variations

5. How do I stop the SPD-SX PRO from double-triggering the snare?

You must disable the USB triggering assignment:

1. Go to the Basic menu.
2. Set the DWe Side Snare Pad Assignment = “N/A.”

This prevents USB-based MIDI from conflicting with the DrumLink wireless hub’s MIDI output.

6. What MIDI note numbers should I assign on the SPD-SX PRO?

Go to:
Menu → Kit MIDI → Enter

Assign these MIDI notes to the 8 DrumLink trigger inputs:

These correspond to the DWe Side Snare’s playable zones and digiMag snare throw-off on and off positions.

7. How do I assign sounds to the different snare zones?

You can do this in two ways:

On the SPD-SX PRO

• Go to the Pad Edit menu to assign sounds or samples to trigger inputs 1 to 8.

Using the SPD-SX PRO Editor

• Download via Roland Cloud Manager.
• Use the editor to map sounds to trigger inputs 1 to 8.