DWe Quick Start Guide | Drum Workshop Inc.

Welcome to DWe

A message from Don Lombardi, Drum Workshop Founder and Chief Product Officer

Welcome to the DW family!

Adding electronics to your toolkit is going to transform your sound to places even we never imagined possible. We developed DWe with innovative technology, sounds, and software that are designed to bridge the gap between acoustic and electronic drums like never before. We can't wait to see how you will express yourself in new and unimagined ways.

Let's Get Started

Unboxing Your Kit

Get introduced to your new DWe kit

DWe Connects to Your Computer

To use DWe, you need to connect your drums to a computer and install DW Soundworks™. DW Soundworks is a powerful software platform that is infinitely expandable to allow you to play and customize the world's best drum sounds.

When you buy DWe, DW Soundworks is included at no additional cost. Your license key is included in the box on the start card. DW Soundworks is available for download through Roland Cloud Manager.

DW Soundworks™ System Requirements

System Requirements	Minimum	Recommended
CPU	Quad-Core i5 (PC) \| 2019 Intel (Mac)	Quad-Core i7 (PC) \| M2 (Mac)
OS	Windows 10x \| MacOS 11x	Windows 11x \| MacOS 13x
RAM	16GB	32GB
HD Storage (SSD)	256GB	1TB
External HD Connection	USB 2.0 \| Thunderbolt 2	USB 3.0 \| Thunderbolt 3
DAW Plug-In Format	AAX \| VST2 \| VST3 \| AU	AAX \| VST2 \| VST3 \| AU

DW Soundworks™ Storage Specifications

Application	Storage Needed
DW Soundworks with Core Library Expansion Packs	60 GB
Additional Space Needed for Installation	40 GB
External SSD for Core Library Expansion Pack (optional)	60 GB (approximately)

Set Up DW Soundworks™

Step 1

Create An Account

Your DW Account is also your Roland Account. Creating an account gives you access to software downloads, product registration, customized support, and more. An account is required to download the DW Soundworks™ software. Click on the link below to sign up for or sign in to your DW Account.

Step 2

Download Roland Cloud Manager

Click on the link below to download the Roland Cloud Manager to activate, download, and install the DW Soundworks™ software application and the DW Soundworks™ core sound library pack to your Mac or PC computer.

Download Roland Cloud Manager

Step 3

Install DWe Software

Once you have installed Roland Cloud Manager, locate the start card included in your box. Enter the Product Activation Key in the designated field to validate your purchase and begin the download process.

The DW Soundworks application also includes the DWe Control app to connect (pair) your drums and cymbals. The DWe Control app allows you to adjust the triggering parameters as needed. See the DW Soundworks™ user guide for details.

Your download of DW Soundworks™ also includes the core library. The core library gives you access to 6 expansion packs including classic DW Drums sounds limited edition DW kits, and more.

Connect Your Drums To DW Soundworks™

Step 4

Pair Drums Wirelessly

Time to connect your wireless drums and cymbals to the DrumLink™ wireless USB hub so the drums and cymbals can talk to the DW Soundworks™ app. It’s just like connecting your earbuds to your phone, quick and simple.

Step 5

Calibrate

After you’ve paired your kit, you’ll want to calibrate the triggers so the drums and cymbals can perform perfectly when you play. Think of it as the electronic version of seating a drumhead on a drum.

Step 6

Choose Your Sound

Pick a kit from our core library presets to start playing right away. From classic DW Drums Pure Maple to limited edition and vintage kits, customize your sound to any playing situation.

Make It Yours

Pick a Kit

Choose from a variety of preset kits from the core library as a starting point.

Customize It

Use DW Soundworks™ to customize the sound of each drum and cymbal to your unique taste.

Expand Your Library

Install DW Soundworks™ Expansion Packs for even more customizable sound options.

DW Soundworks™ Expansion Packs

Shop DW Soundworks Expansion Packs

DW Soundworks Tips & Tricks

Need some help? Start by watching our how-to videos to see how to perform common tasks with DWe and DW Soundworks™.

DW Soundworks

How-To Use DW Soundworks

A complete walk through of the powerful customization tools built into DW Soundworks.

Overview - DW Soundworks Tutorial

A general overview of all the controls, parameters, and functions of DW Soundworks. This will get you familiar with the software making it easy and intuitive to use.

DW Soundworks

DWe Control

DWe Control Settings

Fine tune your trigger settings with a step by step guide to DWe Control.

DWe Control Overview

Join Jonathan Weinmann as he gives you an in-depth overview of the DWe Control software. From initial pairing and calibrating of your new DWe kit to advanced controls that will customize your DWe kit to match your playing style. The SoundWorks software and Collectors series shells are the heart and soul of the DWe kit, but the Control software is definitely the brain.