The Roland TR-808 flopped commercially. So how did this drum machine become a defining sound in dance music, pop and rock, asks Tom de Castella. You may not recognise the name. But you'll have heard ...
The sequencer on the 808, a row of 16 color-coded buttons, offered artists a way to store beats they programmed. Courtesy of Roland Even if you don't know the Roland TR-808 drum machine by name, ...
It’s almost impossible to imagine the modern musical landscape without the distinctive sounds of the Roland TR-808 drum machine. When the Japanese electronics company Roland started releasing the 808 ...
The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer is credited with more musical innovations than you can wave a plug socket at – even after its rocky start. After flopping commercially upon release in 1980, because ...
Today is August 8, and you know what that means: it's the music tech world's annual excuse to sing the praises of history's most iconic drum machine. This year, the legendary Roland TR-808 turns 45, ...
The congas ring cheekily, the cowbell plays a corroded chime, the snare is parched and cruel – and the bass drum, a hard bloom of air, is barely music at all. With these core sounds, abetted by a ...
Those of you who miss the classic Roland TR-808 drum machine may be cheered to find out that the analogue part of the classic drum machine has been revamped as a DIY clone known as the YOCTO. The ...
The Roland TR-808 flopped commercially. So how did this drum machine become a defining sound in dance music, pop and rock, asks Tom de Castella. You may not recognise the name. But you'll have heard ...
The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer is credited with more musical innovations than you can wave a plug socket at – even after its rocky start. After flopping commercially upon release in 1980, because ...