TDC10 Start Here • PS4 setup

Set Up Your TDC10 / TDC17 on PS4

Beginner-friendly • Works for TDC10 & TDC17

PS4 has no Arcade Mode Set Game Station Mode = PS4 Controller Type = Type 1
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Setup Video (Recommended)

If you’re setting up for the first time, watching once prevents the most common mistakes.

Quick Start (5 steps)

  1. Power the drum: Connect Port A (drum) → PS4 USB.
  2. Open TDC Mate: Connect by Bluetooth, set Game Station Mode = PS4, then tap Save.
  3. Turn off the PS4 controller: Hold the PS button ~10 seconds until the light bar is off.
  4. Connect controller to drum: Plug the controller into Port B using a USB data cable. Wait for the controller light to turn red.
  5. In-game setting: In Taiko, set Controller Type = Type 1.
Important: PS4 has no Arcade Mode for TDC series. If you’re coming from Switch/Xbox guides, that section does not apply here.

Step-by-step setup

1) Connect the drum to PS4 (Port A)

Turn on your PS4, then connect a USB cable from Port A on the drum to a USB port on the PS4. The drum powers on automatically.

2) Set Game Station Mode to PS4 (required)

Open TDC Mate, connect to the drum, set Game Station Mode to PS4, then tap Save.

You’ll know it worked when the app’s main screen switches to a PlayStation-style button layout.

3) Turn off the PS4 controller

Hold the PS button for about 10 seconds until the controller light turns off. This avoids connection conflicts.

4) Connect the controller to Port B

Use a USB data cable to connect the PS4 controller to Port B on the drum. Wait until the controller light turns red.

If the light doesn’t turn red, the cable is often charge-only. Try another USB cable.

5) Check the in-game controller setting

In Taiko settings, set Controller Type = Type 1. Then relaunch the game if you changed anything.

Menu navigation

On PS4, we recommend navigating menus with the PS4 controller. Drum hits can help for basic song selection, but they’re intentionally limited.

Option A — PS4 controller (recommended)

  • Supports all menu actions (move, confirm, cancel, difficulty, settings)
  • Most reliable for first-time setup

Option B — Drum hits (basic, vertical only)

Drumstick navigation on PS4 supports Up/Down movement (song selection), plus confirm/cancel. It does not support Left/Right navigation — so it can’t be used for difficulty selection.

Hit zone Menu action What it’s good for
Left Ka Previous item (Move Up) Browse songs / move up lists
Left Don Next item (Move Down) Browse songs / move down lists
Right Ka Confirm / Select Pick a song / confirm prompts
Right Don Cancel / Back Go back one step
Limit: Since Left/Right is not available, drum hits can select songs, but cannot change difficulty. Use the PS4 controller for difficulty and detailed settings.

Option C — TDC Mate app (optional)

TDC Mate shows PlayStation-style buttons after you set Game Station Mode = PS4. It’s handy if your controller is out of reach.

Troubleshooting (quick fixes)

No response in game

Most common causes:

  • Game Station Mode isn’t set to PS4 in TDC Mate (or Save wasn’t pressed).
  • The PS4 controller wasn’t fully powered off before connecting to Port B.
  • The controller USB cable is charge-only (no data), so it never properly connects.
  • In-game controller setting isn’t Controller Type = Type 1.

Fix (fast reset):

  1. Close the game completely.
  2. Unplug the drum from PS4 (Port A).
  3. In TDC Mate, set Game Station Mode = PS4 and tap Save.
  4. Turn the PS4 controller fully off (light bar off).
  5. Connect controller → Port B (use a different cable if needed).
  6. Reconnect drum → PS4 via Port A, then relaunch the game.
PS4 controller light doesn’t turn red

Cause: Usually a charge-only cable.

Fix: Try a different USB cable (must support data). Then reconnect to Port B and wait a few seconds.

TDC Mate won’t connect (Bluetooth)
  • Keep your phone within 2 meters (6–7 ft) of the drum.
  • Toggle Bluetooth off/on and reopen TDC Mate.
  • A slow blinking indicator light on the drum means Bluetooth is active — this is normal.

Still stuck? We’ve got you.

Don’t worry — you’re usually one small setting away from playing. Email us at support@rythmagica.net.

If you can, include:

  • A screenshot of TDC Mate → Settings (showing Game Station Mode)
  • A short video showing the drum connected to PS4 and what happens when you hit the drum
  • Which model you’re using: TDC10 or TDC17

We’ll guide you step by step.