Roland RMP-5 Rhythm Coach Review

When I first received the Roland Rhythm Coach, I believed I had a fairly decent sense of rhythm and could keep a beat. However, after using it, I’ve realized how much I need this machine. As a practice pad and trainer, it offers a variety of tools to make drumming and practicing both enjoyable and worth your time.

I am by no means a drummer nor claim to be. I would however, like to strengthen my skills so I began using the Roland Rhythm Coach. After opening it, I ran through the manual to find a wide range of programs to work on ranging from keeping time and dynamic changes, to stroke consistency and hitting on the beat. The internal grading system as well as a tap meter help you improve your hits, showing whether you are consistently ahead or behind the beat. Each program has varying difficulty levels to move up to. The controls are very easy to use as well. Whether I want to tap a tempo, change it manually, or change a program, it’s all only one click away. I was also able to choose from 40 different hit sounds ranging from snare to cowbell to keep things interesting.

The 1/8″ input allowed me some benefits in practice as well. I plugged my mp3 player in and was able to play along to some of my favorite songs. If a student had a play along CD he wanted to use, he or she could easily plug it in and play along using headphones. Overall it’s a great tool to learn how to keep tempo and play drums!