Connect the pads to the signal processor with the cables supplied. Each jack on the processor is labelled so you can see which drum pad should be connected.
Connect a standard five-pin MIDI cable to the "Out/Thru" jack under where it says "MIDI" on the rear of the V Drums processor. There is another MIDI jack, called "In." Since recording only calls for the data commands to go from the drum processor to the recording device, this jack is not needed.
Connect the other end of the MIDI cable to the "MIDI In" jack on an audio interface.
Connect the audio interface to a computer using either a Firewire or USB cable, depending on the make and model of the interface. The audio interface transports the MIDI message from the MIDI cable to the computer, where a digital audio workstation program will interpret the data commands therein.
Open your preferred digital audio workstation, for example Logic, Cubase or Pro Tools. Typically the last-saved session automatically opens. To get to a new session from a work-in-progress, open the file menu and select "new" or "blank" session. The exact process varies according to which program you use but is typically simple. For example, in Logic click "File," "Open New."
Open a MIDI track. Do this either by opening the file menu or using the appropriate shortcut tab. It's important to open a MIDI rather than audio track. If audio is selected, but the signal chain is MIDI, the digital audio workstation will not recognize the note data and will record nothing.
Double-click where it says "MIDI 1" and rename the track "MIDI Drums" or "V Drums."
Hit "Record" and play the drums. If you make a mistake, you can carry on playing. Because the recording is data, rather than audio, you can edit mistakes using the MIDI editor function on the digital audio workstation. You can adjust the volume, speed and power of a drum stroke by visually editing the parameters of the MIDI "event." You can even move one drum stroke to another kit.
Hit "Stop." The MIDI recording is rendered as one instrument, rather than separate drums. But each "note" on the instrument can be individually edited, much like the notes on a MIDI keyboard.