FM Drum Tutorial: Roland TR8S

Struggling to understand what's going on with the FM drum models? Here's a brief tutorial on FM synthesis actually is and an explanation of the TR-8S implementation and controls.
All the links:🔗
mikerenouf.ban...
/ mike_renouf
www.buymeacoff...
Goodness. Are you still reading? Wow, thats kind of a suprise - thanks though. I do appreciate it. You must be pretty into this. I do write articles on my webpage from time to time - they get a bit long winded, so I don't talk about them much, but maybe you'd be into reading those? The link to the site is up above. It's not a difficult one to remember though - as long as you can spell my last name, right? 🤖

[@riccello]

I build synths. I know for a fact that the click occurs at the end of a sample, not the beginning., typically when the oscillator is stopped before its oscillations have fully wound down. In your example, the sound is triggered repeatedly, notice there is no click in the beginning, but only between two instances of the sample. Oacillators are a shared resource, so when the second sample is requested, unless there are other oscillators available, the oscillators that are still working onproducing the first sound are stopped too abruptly. And what happens is it goes from some value to flat zero, like you correctly pointed out. The click is that rapid change in voltage, which causes ths speaker's membrane to snap back to equilibrium like rubber band.

[@MikeRenouf]

Fascinating info - thank you for explaining!

[@ehcmier]

Very satisfying machine!

[@matthiasreichert4016]

thx more tr8s vids are appreciated! i think there are too few who do interesting stuff with the machine. most is just using it as an roland x0x thing, but it can do more i feel. i like to crank the gain to up to 20-40db, depends on the sound of each instrument, and it sounds super fat and has some interesting interactions and does sound far better than the master fx distortions. the "drive" is okay tho.

[@MikeRenouf]

Thanks Matthias - great to hear this. I'll experiment some more with gain levels - thats a really interesting idea. Youre dead right about the TR8S massive sonic range. It can do so much!

[@richardweston4493]

Got yourself a new sub thanks Mike✌🏼Straight forward explanations without the coffee and cactus slow mo shots!😂 A question if I may in relation to the more intricate editing of each drum sound you showed via the editor; is one able to perform the same level of editing in standalone albeit a tad clumsy/deep menu diving? Or is this simply not available in stand alone?

[@MikeRenouf]

Hi Richard, Thanks for the sub - welcome! Yes the TR8S unit itself lets you do everything, but I find it very hard work due to the deep menu-diving required and the little screen. It's certainly possible, just not a lot of fun for me. The software editor provides a much nicer experience for most of the functions, and of course it makes for a much better KZbin experience when explaining stuff! ✨🪐

[@richardweston4493]

@@MikeRenouf Terrific thank you. FYI - I’m in the research phase before buying a TR8S, I guess that is how I stumbled across this vid.

[@MikeRenouf]

@@richardweston4493 Happy to answer any more questions you might have. It's definitely difficult to know whether a piece of gear is right for me unless I get a chance to try it, but I have to say I love the TR8S. It has plenty of limitations, but plenty of strengths. The one thing I wish it did better was management of user samples. You can upload your own samples to the device, but naming and filing them is a real pain.

[@richardweston4493]

@@MikeRenouf Thanks Mike, I took the plunge and ordered one. I am a little bit familiar with the Roland drum modules over the years as I have a 505 (yep, the affordable ones). I started my electronic music production journey with Rebirth when it was first released so know and love an 808 and 909, still never met one in the flesh. The TR8S seems to be a hot rod with the classics plus modern conveniences and go fast bits. Rebirth was an engaging and consistently fun program to play live with, turn on and just jam away with. I’m expecting the TR8S will be all of this plus more. Thanks again and good luck with your music and aspirations ✌🏼

[@ThinkerThunker]

Great info, thanks!

[@MikeRenouf]

No problem! Thanks for tuning in. ✨🪐

[@KeTGeTeK]

Thank you

[@MikeRenouf]

You're very welcome ✨🪐

[@chriswilson6118]

Something else to get my head around. Cheers Mike 🙏🏻

[@AnalogShell]

Ooooh FM drums! Great overview, FM is always so esoteric and occult to most people, and synth designers often don't help with menu-diving hell! Thanks for sharing another great learning video professor! 😄✌

[@wizards001]

Control app eliminates menu driving...

[@NoCoverCharge]

It’s Mobys brother ! Great video I just bought one and I have no idea what I’m doing ..

[@MikeRenouf]

Good choice! Hope you enjoy it. If you want to use it stand-alone its a brilliant drum machine. If you want to make more intricate sounds and patterns, the editor is fab and helps speed up the workflow. 👍

[@KingzofSwing]

😂

[@Noise-Conductor]

Roland owe this man a check! Thanks for taking the time make break this down. I never going to see look at the TR8S the same, now that I see how powerful this "drum-machine" from 2018 really is 🧨

[@MikeRenouf]

The FM and ACB sounds are truly synthesis tools, and the sample manipulation options are pretty wild too. I need to do a video on the sampling... Thanks for the kind words - really appreciated!

[@Noise-Conductor]

@@MikeRenouf Yes please make that video & also 1 showing the power of ACB drums VS. plane drum samples. Something that will shut up the ppl that say "you won't hear ACB in the mix"

[@ronaldnollet1461]

thnx for that Mike cheers from Australia

[@MikeRenouf]

You're welcome. Cheers from Saturn! 🪐

[@LockStoppageSandwich]

Nice one Mike more on the TR8S please 🙏 😊

[@MikeRenouf]

Sure - anything in particular?

[@LockStoppageSandwich]

I just think it’s such a great bit of kit. Would be interested in making a set of samples (some from the TR8S and others externally) and using them to make a complete Techno track………if that was possible. 😊 Or where you basically build a track up from constituent parts (BD. SD. etc etc and then put them all together to make a track. For me you have a very good, clear, concise teaching style and make your vids easy to understand. Keep up the great work 👍

[@davehyper7835]

Thank you for this! Nice little deep dive into FM synthesis, Much appreciated.

[@MikeRenouf]

You're very welcome - I'm happy if it helped ✨🪐

[@WVandellHarris]

I’m SO happy I stumbled across your channel. I needed to see this badly. Subscribed and can’t wait to check out your other episodes.

[@MikeRenouf]

@@WVandellHarris Great stuff. Thanks for letting me know the video helped. I've been planning to get back to making more tutorials. Anything specific you need help with?

[@WVandellHarris]

@@MikeRenouf yes! I’d love a tutorial on using the TR8s with Ableton and how to record each track (instrument lane) individually into Ableton. I’m sure there’s more but that is the first one to come to mind. Thank you for asking!

[@atomaalatonal]

absolutely awesome drumsounds.

[@MikeRenouf]

Yeah, I love the FM drums. They really add to the TR8S's range 👍

[@De_Bars_Gullible_Travels]

Ooooomph!!!! Love it!!!!❤

[@MikeRenouf]

Cheers buddy!

[@NegativeSurge]

Great tutorial thank you!

[@MikeRenouf]

You're most welcome! ✨🪐

[@VNDM-MUSIC]

verry well laid out. thanks!

[@MikeRenouf]

Thanks! Glad you got some benefit from this. Is there anything else the TR8S does which confuses you? It's been a while since I did any tutorial content, so I might get back to it soon. ✨🪐

[@VNDM-MUSIC]

@@MikeRenouf I've been producing for decades but never understood FM. Now I get the basics. Thanks again! So this was not a TR-8S learning perse , more of a general music learning. Also triggered me to explore the FM capabilities of the TR-8S a bit more tonight.

[@MikeRenouf]

Awesome - I hope you go ahead and make some cool sounds!