Transfer TR-8S patterns directly into the TR-808 plug-in or create beats on the go and send them back to the hardware.
Our TR-808 software instrument integrates seamlessly with our TR-8S Rhythm Performer and TR-08 Roland Boutique hardware.
Tuning and decay on each instrument and the ability to overdrive the internal circuitry update the 808 for modern sounds.
Our TR-808 plug-in sounds identical to the original-with all its nuance and detail-while adding some groundbreaking new features: Using our proprietary Analog Circuit Behavior technology, we’ve painstakingly recreated the original analog circuits that are the essence of the TR-808’s sound. But the 808 is a complex beast and far more than the sum of its parts. Original TR-808 units sell for huge sums on the used market, and its sound is often imitated with sample-packs and knockoffs. For some younger music fans, the 808 is no oddity-it’s simply “what drums sound like.” Its influence is so deep that it’s been name-dropped in famous songs, had albums dedicated to it, had bands named after it, and even been the subject of a feature-length documentary film. New musical genres make heavy use of the 808 sound, with some utilizing it as the main instrument and defining sound of the style. Increasingly revered by musicians and producers around the globe, the TR-808’s influence only continues to grow. For decades since, the sizzling hi-hats and snappy snare, the clicky rim shot, the unmistakable cowbell, and yes-that booming bass drum-have been heard on worldwide hits and underground classics. Once a few adventurous musicians and producers got their hands on the TR-808 and started tweaking those knobs, the world began to (literally) feel the impact it would leave on music forever. However, it didn’t exactly deliver “traditional” or “realistic” drum sounds, leading to it being dismissed by many at the time, with only about 12,000 units ever made.
Through a series of happy accidents, they utilized unique transistors, creating a one-of-a-kind sound that set the 808 in its own sonic universe. At the time, the high cost of memory drove Roland engineers to use analog synthesis instead of samples for its sounds. In 1980, the Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer was released as a quick and easy songwriting tool for musicians.
“It’s almost impossible to imagine the modern musical landscape without the distinctive sounds of the Roland TR-808 drum machine.”