Roland TR-08
Rhythm Composer Drum Machine

The Roland TR-08 Rhythm Composer drum machine was introduced in August 2017.  This was the second drum machine to be release as part of the boutique drum machine range with the Roland TR-09 being released the previous year.

The TR-08 is a compact modern emulation of the classic Roland TR-808 drum machine that was used on countless dance and pop tracks during the 1980's.  Many of these dance orientated producers during this time picked up the original instruments up from cheap music stores for dollars because they were dismissed by the mainstream musicians / producers due because of the mechanical sound.  At the point of writing, you would be lucky to find a good example of the original instrument for under $3,000.

I had previously purchased the Roland TR-8 soon after it was launched in 2014.  This was acquired on the basis that it used the same Analogue Circuitry Behaviour (ACB) later incorporated into the TR-08.  The Tr-8 drum machine emulated several legendary drum machines (namely the Roland TR-808, Roland TR-909, Roland TR-606, Roland TR-707 and Roland TR-727).

So why did I acquire the Roland TR-08.  Well if you have watched my YouTube channel you will know that I am a sucker for a drum machine.  But that was not the only reason.  The workflow on the Roland TR-8 was not the same as the workflow on the classis instrument.  

The TR-08 mimicked the styling of the original instrument, but in the classic small boutique sound module format.  The TR-08 has all the same buttons and controls and follows the same workflow for creating drum patterns (beats) as the original instrument.

Other advantages of the TR-08 over the original instrument:  

• Both a traditional 5-pin DIN and USB implementation of MIDI

• USB audio to your computer with multi-channels available through the USB interface

• Computer controlled clock, if not using MIDI as the clock source

• Non-volatile pattern memory 

• Memory for greater pattern storage

Disadvantages of the newer platform:

• The instrument only allows a left and right stereo audio feed as opposed to the individual instrument feeds.  (Assuming you are not using the USB audio which does allow multiple feeds.)  

• The audio feed is a mini-jack implementation which in my view is a weak point for instruments that are constantly being plugged in and out.

• No separate power supply.  Both data and power use the same USB connector.

Based on my experience the Roland TR-08 is a great hardware alternative to the original TR-808 drum machine.  Although the recent Behringer RD-8 is also a good reasonably priced alternative and approximate to the size (but not the weight) of the instrument it was modelled on.