Percussion sound modules such as the Roland TD-3 and Roland TD-6 are engineered for a nearly endless list of applications. These devices are used to make percussion sounds without employing traditional percussion equipment such as a drum set. Electronic drum pads can be fitted into a percussion sound module system such as a Roland TD-3 and Roland TD-6. Pads can even be oriented in a similar fashion to an actual drum kit. Buttons on a percussion sound module can be programmed for different functions.
Both sound modules offer many features. Roland's TD-3 percussion sound module offers 114 total drum instruments and 10 click instruments. The Roland TD-6 features 1,024 total drum instruments and 262 backing instruments. The display screen on the TD-3 model is a 7 segment, 3-character LED (light emitting diode) display while the TD-6 offers a 20-character, 2-line display featuring a backlit LCD (liquid-crystal display) screen. Many Roland percussion sound modules such as the TD-3 model feature built-in training programs that teach rhythm and timing.
The Roland TD-3 is slightly more compact and much lighter than the Roland TD-6. Roland's TD-6 percussion sound module measures 10 1/2 inches wide, 7 7/8 inches deep and 3 inches tall. The older Roland TD-3 model measures 8 11/16 inches wide, 5 11/16 inches deep and 2 3/8 inches tall. While the Roland TD-6 percussion sound module weighs 2 pounds, 7 ounces, the Roland TD-3 weighs almost half as much. The smaller TD-3 Roland percussion sound module weighs 1 pound, 4 ounces.
Both the Roland TD-3 and TD-6 offer a number of outlets where several other devices can be linked in with the percussion sound module. The Roland TD-3 and TD-6 models offer the same type and number of connection points. Some of the connectors featured on both TD-3 and TD-6 percussion sound machines include 9 trigger input jacks, a hi-hat control jack, output jacks, stereo phone jacks, a stereo mix in jack and MIDI connectors.