tr-909
Latest
Roland TR-6S review: An impressively small and powerful drum machine
Roland’s TR-6S includes digital emulations of classic drum machines like the 808, 909 and 606, as well as a quirky FM percussion engine and sample playback. It’s perhaps the most versatile portable drum machine out there. But be prepared to do a lot of menu diving.
Roland announces software versions of its 808 and 909 drum machines
The Roland TR-808 and TR-909 are iconic drum machines that powered a ton of the music from the '80s and '90s. While both hardware units were recently revived as the TR-08 and TR-09, they haven't been officially emulated in software yet. That changes now as Roland announces VST and AU plugins for both of the iconic rhythm modules (along with a new SRX Orchestra virtual instrument set) as part of the company's Roland Cloud service.
Hone your drum machine skills with an HTML5 808
For the aspiring DJs and living room producers, there's now a way to craft your drum machine chops with nothing more than your favorite web browser. An HTML5-driven site lets you choose between iconic instruments like Roland's TR-808 and TR-909, alongside Elektron's Machinedrum, the LinnDrum and a regular ol' acoustic kit for the luddites. In addition to turning nobs to get the perfect sound, you can save samples for use during your next studio session. What's more, when you're all finished, the site allows you to export loops as a WAV file that can be employed in a more robust production app. If you'll recall, there's also a web-based MPC that'll let you try your hand at piecing together samples used by J Dilla and Kanye West. With these two tools in your browser, there's really no excuse for not exploring that music habit.
Artists build a Roland TR-909 drum machine for giants
Roland made some of the most iconic drum machines used in electronic music, and its TR-909 is entering its 30s. So, what's the best way to celebrate three decades of tones? Well, you could build a 9-foot long playable version of the unit to rage on with your mates, and that's just what Scottish audio/visual outfit Ray did. The frame is constructed with a combination of aluminum, steel and wood with a TD-12 module (from a set of V-Drums) and AIRA TR-8 drum machine providing the sounds. That Roland gear wrangles rhythms from a dozen PD-8 drum pads mounted underneath the super-sized buttons, and MIDI signals beam visuals to a projection system for added effect. Don't take our word for it though, there's a short clip of the massive gadget in action just after the break.
IR-909 brings old school beatmaking to the iPhone
Back in 1984, Roland released the TR-909 drum machine as a successor to their legendary 808. Over the years, the 909 became one of the most influential and widely-used instruments in the history of electronic music, right up there with the Minimoog and the AKAI MPC sampler.Now you can pick up IR-909, a free iPhone / iPod Touch version of the 909 over at roventskij.net. It has the 909's 16-step sequencer, eight drum sounds, and four pattern storage. The minimal, lovely interface is close enough to the 909 for aficionados of the original hardware without sacrificing usability on the iPhone / iPod Touch's small screen.IR-909 may not be a full-fledged replacement for your software sampler or old-school hardware 909...but I'm betting it's fun to play with on the bus or the train. Or hook it up to a pair of portable speakers and get your "Planet Rock" on anywhere and everywhere. 'Cause I know you got the funk in you.[via Create Digital Music]
