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In 1982, when Roland stopped producing the TR-808, the industry was changing fast. The TR-808 had been in development from 1978, so with a replacement on the horizon there was much to consider. Lessons had also been learned on what people liked—and disliked—about drum machines on the market. And since engineers always want to try new things, the key question was “what shall we do differently?”
In 1982, when Roland stopped producing the TR-808, the industry was changing fast. The TR-808 had been in development from 1978, so with a replacement on the horizon there was much to consider. Lessons had also been learned on what people liked—and disliked—about drum machines on the market. And since engineers always want to try new things, the key question was “what shall we do differently?”
ANALOG & DIGITAL?
For the TR-909, Roland was still pursuing the idea of an analog ‘drum synthesizer’ rather than a machine that played back digital samples of ‘real’ drums. The analog approach gave the user extensive control over the sound—for example, you could de-tune the kick drum or toms for some very creative results. But it was decided that the hi-hats and cymbals of the TR-909 should be digital recordings of their acoustic counterparts, as the engineers felt a more realistic sound would help the TR-909 feel like a substantial upgrade compared to the all analog TR-808.
THE TR-909 SOUND
Combining punchy analog drums with crisp, sharply defined hi-hats and cymbals yielded a potent collection of sounds. On their own, they didn’t really fit into the genres of the day—for example, the kick drum and toms sounded too powerful to come from an acoustic kit. And yet, as the TR-909 seemed to blend really well into a mix and as producers explored new sonic territories, the TR-909 would be slowly incorporated into the emerging blueprints for house and techno.
THE MIDI CONNECTION
The TR-909 was Roland’s first drum machine to feature MIDI, which back in 1983 was a new technical standard that allowed electronic instruments to ‘talk’ to each other. By using MIDI-equipped gear, people could build small studios, typically comprising a drum machine, sampler and effects processors—a DIY ethos that would cause a shift in power from record companies to the people making the music. Just a few years later, many classic house and techno records would emerge from these relatively sparse setups, often with a TR-909 at the center.
THE SEQUENCER
One of the key upgrades of the TR-909 was the sequencer, which allowed ‘patterns’ to be created using the 10 built-in drum sounds. The TR-909 sequencer had features like ‘flam’ and shuffle, to make pattern playback feel a bit more human, and less machine-like. Critically the TR-909 could make patterns swing and— combined with its ability to drive other MIDI-equipped gear like samplers—it was often found at the heart of early electronic music studios, providing the timing (and drums) for the entire track being produced.
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Ellis –
This is the best analog drum machine of all time.