Roland Boutique TR-08 Rhythm Composer Sound Module

October 7, 2017 Carm Soto

Roland Boutique TR-08 Rhythm Composer Sound Module

Roland announces the TR-08 Rhythm Composer, the latest addition to the popular Roland Boutique instrument lineup. The TR-08 is a compact recreation of Roland’s classic TR-808, one of the most influential drum machines ever made. Built with meticulous attention to detail, the TR-08 combines the sound, look, and feel of the TR-808 with enhanced features and modern reliability. And with its affordable price, the TR-08 puts the legendary “808” vibe within reach of anyone who’s ever dreamed of owning the iconic original.

Produced by Roland in the early 1980s, the TR-808 Rhythm Composer is one of the most revered and sought-after electronic musical instruments of all time. While only modestly successful when first released, adventurous musicians and producers of the era slowly began to embrace the instrument’s distinctive all-analog voice and creative hands-on interface, fueling the emergence of multiple music styles. The TR-808’s sounds helped shape and define the hip-hop, electronic, and dance genres, and the instrument’s vast influence on popular music continues to this day.

The TR-08 accurately recreates all the ingredients that make the TR-808 so special. Roland’s Analog Circuit Behavior (ACB) technology fully realizes all the sonic details and quirks of the original hardware, modeling each analog circuit right down to the component level. And the interface, though scaled-down in size, is 100-percent authentic, with all the buttons, knobs, and switches found on the TR-808.

The TR-08 also adds some modern enhancements to the classic TR-808 formula. The sequencer has 16 sub-steps per step, enabling users to create detailed snare fills and intricate, rolling hi-hats. There’s also a track-selectable trigger out for working with external instruments and modular gear. An LED display enables finer control of tempo and shuffle, and it’s now possible to step program or tap in parts in real time without stopping to change modes. In addition, the TR-08 sends and receives MIDI control messages, and supports audio and MIDI over USB.

Like all Roland Boutique modules, the TR-08 is extremely portable, and runs on USB bus power or batteries. It also includes a built-in speaker for monitoring the sound in mobile situations, and comes with a DK-01 Boutique Dock that allows users to adjust the panel’s viewing angle.

TR-08 Rhythm Composer The Legendary Boom and Sizzle of the Most Famous Drum Machine Ever Made—Now in an Affordable and Modern Format The TR-08isan obsessively detailed and faithful replica of the legendary TR-808—easily the most famous and influential drum machine ever made. After creating a monumental shiftin the sound of music, the ͞808͟ has continued to shape and define entire genres. Beloved by musicians and producers the world over, it’s one of the most revered and sought-after electronic musical instruments of all time. The TR-08brings the look, sound, and feel of the original 808—with stunning accuracy—to the Roland Boutique format. It blends attention to detail and respect for legacy with modern convenience and reliability.

The TR-808 arrived in 1980 to an unsuspecting and somewhat bewildered public. To many at the time, its purely analog sound and range of tweakable parameters didn’t exactly deliver “traditional” drum sounds. It wasn’t until adventurous musicians and producers got their hands on the TR-808 and started tweaking those knobs that the world would fully realize the sonic impact it would leave on music forever. For the next three decades, the sizzling hi-hats and snappy snare, the robotic, clicky rim shot, the unmistakable cowbell, and yes, that booming bass drum, would be heard on many thousands of tracks. Worldwide hits, underground classic, and entire genres were spawned. Its influence is so deep that it’s been name-dropped in famous tracks, had albums dedicated to it and bands named after it, and even been the subject of a feature-length documentary film.