Roland TR-8 B-Stock Rhythm Composer

"Vintage charm" - with the latest technology

It was only a matter of time before the extremely popular TR series from ROLAND was reissued. Many clones have been developed over the years, yet no device has managed to outperform an TR-909 or TR-808. Due to the high demand, the prices for used TR´s have risen to infinity and the machines looked "rocked" accordingly due to their age.

In addition to the legendary sounds, the TR-8 offers an improved sequencer that gives the user quick access to all important parameters without having to stop the instrument, which of course offers enormous advantages during live setup and in studio operation. It is possible to change the bass drum models while the sequencer is running, to give an example.

The internal effects save external equipment and thus the purse. The integrated compressor crowns the whole thing. Gone are the days when you had to invest your budget in expensive outboard equipment. The TR-8 already has all this on board. Each track is output via USB, making it easy to record and edit the signals separately in your DAW.

Accurate reproduction thanks to Analog Circuit Behavior

When transferring the once analog circuits to a DSP calculation algorithm, the engineers took the peculiarities of the previously used components into account with great care and incorporated them into the formula, as they have an elementary influence on the sound behavior. The reproduction of the typical rhythm behaviour of the legendary predecessor models is also perfectly reconstructed thanks to ACB technology.

Simple and intuitive operation

The sequencer is the heart of the system. In TR-REC mode, after selecting the desired instrument, driving grooves can be generated in a very short time using the chaser programming. And this without any previous rhythmic knowledge. In INST-REC mode, the notes can also be entered in real time.

Control over volume and sound

With the backlit faders you can adjust the volume in no time at all. The sound characteristics are changed via the dedicated parameters available for each instrument.

Integrated reverb effect

Dry sounds can be made more spacious with the very good-sounding reverb.

It is particularly attractive that you can assign the reverb to individual steps, which allows you to create new, rhythmic movements - an incredibly creative tool!

delay effect

The delay generates delayed repetitions of the selected step in relation to the set delay time. The feedback controls how long these lingering repetitions take place.

Compressor & Compressor Sidechain in External In

A compressor is indispensable for the production of electronic music. Fortunately, the TR-8 has a very good sounding compressor, which can be used with its own knob on the bass drum, as well as the snare drum.

The compressor gives the desired sound more punch and a more powerful character. After compression, an instrument prevails better in the mix without having to raise the volume. External signals (e.g. ROLAND TB-3 Touch Bassline) also benefit from the compressor integrated in the TR-8. When using sidechain compression, the dynamics of the input signal to be processed are influenced by the TR-8, which makes the mix sound more homogeneous and balanced. The dominant feature in a mix is always the bass. That's why the sidechain compressor is so interesting and extremely useful in this context. In a nutshell, the application of the compressor"glues" the mixture of the two devices together, creating a homogeneous sound image.

The efficiency is controlled with the SIDECHAIN knob in the "External In" range.

scatter effect

Dubstep is an extremely popular music style that gets its charm from the wacky effects. This is exactly the effect you can achieve with the "Scatter" by literally chopping the rhythms of the TR-8 into small particles and looping them at an incredible speed. The intensity of the effect can be controlled and numerous algorithms are available. The signals at the audio input also pass through the scatter effect as soon as

features

• Rhythm computer based on the TR-808 and TR-909
• 16 User Drum Kits, 16 User Patterns
• Steps per bar: 1-16 x 2 (variation A/B)
• Modes: TR-Rec, Pattern Select, Inst Play, Inst Rec., Drum Kit Sel., Drum Inst. Sel.
• Polyphony: 11 voices
• Instruments & operating parameters
• Bass drum: Level, Tune, Attack, Comp, Decay, Inst Select
• snare drum: Level, Tune, Snappy, Comp, Decay, Inst Select
• Low Tom, Mid Tom, High Tom, Rim Shot, Hand Clap, Closed Hihat, Open Hihat, Crash Cymbal, Ride
• Cymbal: Level, Tune, Decay, Inst Select
• Effects: Accent, Reverb, Delay, Scatter (10 presets)
• Display: LED with 7 segments and 4 characters
• Speed: 40 - 300 bpm
• Inputs: 6.3 mm jack (L,R) for looping audio material through the internal effects section
• Outputs: Main Out 2 x mono jack 6.3 mm (L/Mono, R), Assignable Out (A,B) 2 x mono jack 6.3 mm,
• Headphones 6.3 mm stereo jack
• MIDI In/ Out (DIN 5 pin)
• USB: Type B for Audio and MIDI
• Dimensions (WxDxH): 400 x 260 x 65 mm Weight: 1.9 kg
• Incl. operating instructions, information sheet "USING THE UNIT SAFELY" and power supply unit