Roland TR-8S: Overview

[@longfade]

Terrific demo. I know it's terrific, because I went out and bought one of these a month or so ago after watching. And now, watching this same video 2 months later, I realize that I'm not using this thing to anywhere its potential. And not only THAT, this demo makes me want to go out and buy another one.

[@walterkaiyuenpang3556]

🤣🤣🤣👍✊

[@rodrigolaporte274]

Now we're talking! FINALLY Roland you're getting it. Amazing.

[@saardean4481]

At last a guy who knows his s..t and puts it into use. One off the very informative presentations. This is the way a product should be featured

[@eyesintheskies]

Looks like a welcome evolution of the tr8. I’m sold !

[@wirrwarr808]

Great design...great features, now you nailed it roland!! Perfect drum machine for our time!

[@BURG]

BURG approves of this message :) Excellent machine, an instant must have !

[@blakecasimir]

Completely agreed, Mr Burg. Great demo, great specs, great interface, great sound. I think Roland are going to sell many of these.

[@CockatooDude]

Duude can't wait what you do with it. I am assuming a purchasing of one of these is in your future.

[@thomaskolb8785]

Roland, this guy!!! Send him one!

[@TheBroDotTV]

This looks like the ultimate drum machine. I think Roland have a hit!!

[@CockatooDude]

I think the "ultimate drum machine" title has to go to the DSI Tempest, but for sure this thing is really good.

[@malcolmjacobson6226]

Good work Roland! Most interesting drum machine you've bought out in years. Great presenter too!

[@karmakoza]

The last step feature for each instrument in a pattern is superb, and was one of it's major selling points for me. It would be even better however if the last step feature wasn't global throughout all variations, but could be independent for each variation. So for example you could have a 7 step rimshot on variation A but a 9 step R.S on B! Come on Roland, you can do it!

[@MulletRecords]

• BIG respect to Roland... they've done it AGAIN!

[@XHALE303]

Well AGAIN, it's the 1st decent piece of kit they've made in years, that unlike the boutique line can also take a punch on the road

[@PreLeisureTrax]

Looking through the Manual - THERE'S SO MUCH STUFF YOU CAN DO WITH THIS

[@justindiemer2234]

I absolutely love the look! Great work!

[@VimyScout]

Thank you Roland......I'm super excited to finally have one !

[@trevor4835]

the music used in this demo was actually really dope imo

[@GolabKitsForTR-8s]

A Beast with the new Update.

[@inthefade]

Thank you Roland for this good preview of a new product.

[@christiancremer-hw4ve]

buyed one yesterday 🎉 New partner for my Minilogue xd 😊

[@shapeshiftersmediagroup]

Roland, this drum machine is the best on the market by far, as per usual with all of your synth and drum machine products! I am so happy to own the TR-8S. I also appreciate that you continue to update with new firmware features. One suggestion I would like to make; the ability to program notes in the steps more easily. As it is now, in order to program notes, one must hold a step and turn the tune knob per numerically valued semi-tone, without any knowledge of what that note may be before it's played or by having to let the pattern loop around to that step before hearing it. It would be very helpful to be able to hold the step down and hear the value of the note as you turn the tune knob. Either that or maybe be able to trigger the sound of the note of the step while turning the tune knob. This would make tuning notes much more fluid and easy. Just a suggestion. I look forward to continuing to buy more Roland products and showcasing them in my production process! Kind regards!

[@Mobiluks]

Yes! Roland, make this sort of easy tuning of notes possible and I buy this machine instantly.

[@Sinesquares]

Finally! Looks so great!

[@Zettaiz3r0]

Now I hope Roland has a trade-in deal for this guy. The new design kind of just blow the TR-8 out of the water! Love it!

[@MarctheDarc]

I was looking seriously at a TR-8, this couldn't have come at a better time! Will have to study it more closely, but initial thought is, that this is everything a modern TR should be, as a studio and live tool. I'm actually really really excited about this! Seems to me only an insane and over-inflated price point can kill this now. EDIT: Went and checked specs, one of the usual pitfalls is sample memory, but 600 secs 44.1kHz mono is actually pretty good for something like this, guessing it's 48MB or there about. Considering how cheap memory is, you can wonder why it's not 6.000.000 secs. But I see no reason to complain. What I did notice was no chorus effect on the effects list. This is upsetting to me as it's one of my favorite effects. And it would be nice to have the modulation effects available to the individual "channels" as well. I would strongly suggest Roland to add this in an update. But so far I'm even more excited about this.

[@jamesl5944]

I think this is a great refinement of the TR8 idea. Why not all Roland kits, sample support, new livery, extra outs and pattern storage? Seems quite decent to me.

[@fantasyproduct1042]

James L there are 8 outs

[@abnerjosue4651]

Just preordered last night ! :)

[@statueoftheabyss6886]

Nice. 8 outs on a Tr8 would have had me going, but this looks like such a better product now😀

[@kostov1346]

very deep machine. endless possibilities. loving it

[@TeleporterM11]

When do you guys think the next model will come out. I am hoping for a Push 3. But Ableton is slow.

[@Its303AcidBass]

Peter we need song mode with the ability to have up to at least 16 songs onboard, the ability to import and export songs from the SD during a live set and the ability to them drop them chain songs together on the fly.

[@jhdrummer4815]

I own a full TD-30 V Drums and in recent years I'm just using the module for studio recording purpose, sequenced by DAW or hardware sequencer. I'm doing House and more EDM oriented music, so many of the more acoustic drum sounds from the TD-30 are quite useless for me now. However I really appreciate the good cymbals from the TD-30 and others more organic percussions like congas, wood claves, etc. My question is this, am I really missing something from my TD-30 compared to the TR-8s? I'm referring in particular on sound quality of 808-909 and other more electronic drum sounds. Many thanks.

[@osands]

Would be nice if the OG tr-8 would get an update to include the motion sequence as well as last step. I would think that would be doable. No?

[@mCKENIC]

Quick question - how many 'automation recordings' can each instrument have? Say I automate the pitch of the hats - can I also record decay automation without overwriting the pitch info? Great stuff!

[@johnorlow7067]

Is there any chance of suggesting onboard editing for the samples that have been uploaded? The EMU SP12 had a primitive but effective editing interface using faders as start and stop, and the Akai s612 went one further of assigning sample start and stop and reverse on the fly. I would like to think such an advanced machine can provide something similar in terms of sample editing. I'm not asking for granular sampling (although competitive drum machines have this) just something to make the sampling side of this more editable. How do I make this recommendation to Roland software engineers?

[@aslegu]

Hi! Thanks for a brilliant upgrade on the TR-8. But: How to get the STEP REVERB to work? I select an instrument, press down a step and turn the REVERB LEVEL knob, but it changes the reverb for the whole kit! Clearly this is not meant to work this way?

[@willdorak985]

When do you plan a GATED REVERB in the TR8S? I don't understand why it's missing. That doesn't make any sense.

[@braduscoduploads9231]

Could anyone help me please?? I’ve purchased the TB3 & TR8-S, I’m using Windows 10. I’m trying to set up both the tr8s and tb3 to ableton. Is this possible and how? Nothing seems to be working. Does anyone know what settings ableton needs to be set to?

[@mattjones4765]

Hi, what is the maximum sample length and sample storage on this unit?

[@microwerx_phd]

What a fun surprise!

[@diegogutierrez434]

Do I need an SD card inserted in the unit to save my own patterns? I saved something i was working on. Turned off the unit, can’t seen to find what i “saved” please help. This unit is amazing!

[@facksvillain2296]

Sounds rich and chunky, I wonder what outboard gear they're using with this unit for this demo.

[@reverseetc]

I'm trying to find out if the workflow on this would translate from my tr-09. Here is what I'm afraid I won't be able to do: On the 909 I 1: select 4 banks to record (so a 64 note pattern), and start it looping 2: lay down kick/snare tracks, then add hats/cymbals etc over the new few loops 3: I can either hold mute+instrument over mistakes to remove those portions while the loop still plays, then redo them live as well 4: once happy, i can make minor adjustments out of tap mode in edit mode Every video of the tr-8s I've not been able to find anyone "live" programming it like this. I see there is a pad for programming in a single drum live, but is there a way to play/record more drums of the kit at the same time, and can one edit multiple patterns being looped at the same time?

[@Katmat87]

pretty sure you can do all of the above.

[@mattsynth]

This may finally be a good replacement for my Electribe.

[@NU__SKY]

is that possible to play normal live using this device or just switching pre-recorded patterns??)

[@koreanfriedchildren]

8 seperate 8outs finally, that's the winner

[@MeAlexSenna]

What are the effects on board? How many instances of automation can be Saved per kit? What's the sampling time allowed? Quality of sampling?

[@rodzeroher]

Sampling time varies depending on sample rate and bit rate of the samples, it seems it accepts 12,16,24 and 44.1, 44 and 96, stereo or mono

[@rodzeroher]

One individual effect per track from HPF, LPF, Compressor, distortion, Transient and some more, delay and reverb each one as send

[@steelcitysi]

Is there a possibility of sampling via line inputs in the future?

[@timmiller5975]

I’m getting it

[@indiefilmcomposer]

can the filter be applied to all channels in a preset at the same time? This would give us a similar effect to elektron performance feature.....copy and paste a pattern and apply filter to the second pattern for example....anyhow bravo Roland great update

[@scoreandsound]

Can this sample external sources/is it a sampler

[@osmildmay]

Cool bit of kit

[@mojojojo8806]

could i hook this up to modular synths? have them sync together?

[@eliapastori1137]

is it possible to add samples to the step sequencer?

[@oracle-0018]

Definitely going to purchase this box. Nothing similar to the botique series in terms of functionality​. Pricey!! Would of been nice if they offered some other emulations say like Yamaha but its appearance is much better than the tr8.

[@user-gi6ee8vj1y]

Can you construct and program an entire song with this machine... bass, drums, melody, and strings?

[@jlchavi]

I’d be all about this if there were a song mode.

[@justindrakecroft]

God damn it Roland! You've done it to me again! So, I love my TR-8, the only downside for me was the less great (than the Drumbrute cough cough) sequencer, but the sounds are awesome and better than others (hack hack Drumbrute again). This solves all those issues: proper song/track mode, differing step lengths per track and adds the sub-steps and fill features that had me jonesing for a TR-08. You people have me pegged.

[@Heathcliff_hensel]

Justin Croft that's not exactly a fair comparison though lol. Drumbrute can't import samples and has no effects and is almost half the price.

[@justindrakecroft]

Heathcliff That's a great point. And now I'm wondering... Is it a proper song mode? I can't wrap my head around this variations thing.

[@Katmat87]

Really looking forward to getting mine tomorrow, just wish it had a track/song mode like the old roland drum machines :( If they could implement that in the 80s, i'm sure it would have been so easy to just add it to this.

[@Funkbutterfly]

Anyone know how the sounds of the 909 and 808 on this compare to those found in the boutique series (tr-09 and 08)?

[@BrandonRyan]

Boutique series versions are included in the TR-8S.

[@Ashfaq1999]

I’ve had an original 808 which I sold and have played around with a 909. The TR8S is the best one.

[@jamesgonzalez2973]

How does one make melodies on there

[@naisvd]

this guy looks pretty green, does he have the aira flue?

[@schepler2]

Does the machine time-stretch sampled loops? That's one question I'd like to have answered. If not, it's not a deal-breaker for me -- I love the machine -- but that'd be a great feature.

[@BrandonRyan]

No it does not time-stretch

[@schepler2]

Thanks for the quick reply, Brandon.

[@TylerSmith-wm7hn]

I think you'd be better off with a used Octatrack MK1. Elektron still updates their OS for it

[@BrandonRyan]

i think it would be very hard to assume what would be best for Trigger Warning without knowing a lot more about his needs.

[@sauce_aux]

hmmm.... well... i guess i really like this idea. i want to check one out.

[@rodzeroher]

BTW, so glad someone else than David Ahlund is making presentations for aira gear, David is good but he was very one dimensional in sound design and the music presented.

[@WiredSpaceWizard]

Would it have killed you to put a "trigger out" in the old one?

[@cezm1161]

This is Japanese Fusion done right. Electribe infused, with the dubby live interface; stay small. So cool. Roland is tops.

[@federicogoez]

Increíble!!!

[@Shannonbarnesdr1]

How many melodic / synth instrument voices does this have ?

[@SammyBP007]

Did you finally do it? Did you Roland?

[@SpencerDwight]

Awesome tutorial sounds fucking awesome

[@aquaexperiment]

This demo makes me love my digitakt more and more.

[@TylerSmith-wm7hn]

Berk YUCE I feel that

[@oracle-0018]

Berk YUCE GO DIGITAKT

[@matthijsblomjous3671]

why exactly? I'm interested in buying a drum machine

[@aquaexperiment]

Go Analogue! You can hook up your phone, sample whatever you want, keep on what you wanna do its so immidiate :)

[@matthijsblomjous3671]

oh shit that's really cool

[@rhythmicstorm1775]

is there any compression on this?

[@BrandonRyan]

Rhytmic Storm yes!

[@dnch]

when and how much?

[@TheBroDotTV]

f*ck google US its $700 or uk its £600.

[@BananaJuice1984]

What has it that my mpcone not has? 😊

[@PianoDanny]

I have an MPC One. This looks to be far more user friendly and fun. The MPC’s step and event sequencers are beyond appalling. It’s sequencer function is great so now dilemma is whether to sell it or not!

[@lucpawlus10]

no more lime-y green fluro - nice

[@stocchinet]

Fuck yes, and you can even customize the color of the faders light, thanks god.

[@TheBroDotTV]

Luc P Yes the lime green was really off putting on the original lol.

[@pixxeltape9293]

Help! I cant rename a Kit, I did exactly how manual says.. Anyone?

[@dennismossinkoff7993]

HUH?!!!! why is not possible to buy one and is the date shifted to get one!!! now it is end off june?!!! so my gigs then!!! such a bummer!!!

[@Zinfidel1]

"Release more Aira eurorack modules!" "Yeah!" "... and update the Aira Customizer with more digital modules!" "Double yeah!"

[@PianoDanny]

Want one!

[@dopeNL]

Super super cool, Yes Please and Thank you Roland :•)

[@rodzeroher]

This is very serious serious update, it really destroys the drumbrute and digitakt and at the price point is a no-brainer, this will be a classic

[@Heathcliff_hensel]

rodzeroher you can sample directly into the Digitakt though. On this you can only import samples.

[@rodzeroher]

Yeah, but this has its own sound engine which seems quite tweakable. The digitakt then is better as a general sampler, but if a drum machine is what you need this kills it easily.

[@MarctheDarc]

Also keep in mind, that any real sample management on the Digitakt, relies on proprietary computer software and drivers, that will inevitably become outdated and stop working, unless you maintain an old computer, possibly just for that single purpose. The TR-8S has the SD-card slot the Digitakt should have had.

[@TheBroDotTV]

Marc the Darc That's a very good observation. :-)

[@Heathcliff_hensel]

Marc the Darc that's true but by the time that happens there will be 5 to 10 better drum machines that will have come out and we won't be using these anymore.

[@gatorgoforth3097]

Whats the maximum sample length?

[@TheBroDotTV]

Gator Goforth Apparently 600 secs mono at 48.8khz.

[@brunorege1742]

Cool

[@armandolara1290]

fire

[@eliasjohanliavaag]

But is it very convenient for live performing?

[@cyncadelic2083]

Fiyaaaa

[@ericchamberlain9260]

"It looks modern and timeless."

[@innerpull]

i dont know ... stuff the bauhaus school of design was kicking out in 1919 was ‘modern’ ... and now we have IKEA.

[@ericchamberlain9260]

I was noting the irony that "modern" and "timeless" mean opposite things.

[@innerpull]

1919 ... 2018 ... that's pretty timeless at least in the sense of 'enduring,' so not necessarily, you see?

[@mixmcinfrarave]

INFRARAVE

[@DonnDeVoreMusic]

you had me at 8 outputs.

[@leewhite47]

mmmmmm could it replace my korg emx1. Almost I think. But not quite.

[@innerpull]

but can you SAVE pattern chains? CAN YOU?! ( can you? )

[@AndrewJohnClive]

Maybe it should have been called the MC-3. Nice machine...

[@mariaolivares8958]

Tecologia avanzada!!

[@stuartbennett4301]

Lifelong lover of Roland and I’m on the edge of buying this. It’s not a big thing but I really hate the aesthetic. It could have been a lot prettier.

[@Tehstroyer]

The 505 still gets no love, lol. At least there's the sampler in this one.

[@BrandonRyan]

It has 626 which has same sounds as 505

[@TheBroDotTV]

Tehstroyer I got a 505 but I want one of this too lol.

[@TheBroDotTV]

Brandon Ryan Does it - I don't recall them mentioning it does. :-)

[@BrandonRyan]

It has 626 samples. Not a fully modeled version like the 707 or 727 but 626 sounds are definitely in there.

[@Tehstroyer]

Yeah, the page says "with detailed circuit-models of the 808, 606, 909, 707, 727, and even several modified versions". Neither 505, nor 626 is mentioned.

[@uyauabing]

Wish it had a CR-78 set instead of the 707 or 727...

[@MrPoppymusik]

At last 👌

[@sprungingforvoltage]

nice!

[@punkrockwithcomputers8193]

But you just sold me the TR-8. Why didn't you tell me to wait?

[@poneymagik1337]

To sell you the TR8

[@Deeplycloseted435]

Because they, like all companies, don’t care about you. Hope you didn’t buy it new.....sell it now before it loses value.

[@poneymagik1337]

I never buy stuff new, i sold it already 3 months ago when i realised it was a piece of garbage. Companies need to sell stuff to make more stuff, that's how the world works i guess...

[@TheLaptop12]

add the sp-404A and voila you got a TR-8S(P-404A)

[@robjanssen7420]

The TR8 is already four years old, so it's not entirely unexpected. If Roland would've teased this a few months ago already nobody would buy the old stock, and the secondhand market would have crashed regardless; it would've been bad business sense.

[@benbrooker]

Get Kenny Dope to demo it; then I'll know if it's worth it

[@iantanner7579]

now everything will sound the same forever! ~ don't get me wrong if i had money to burn i'd buy one, but i would have prefered something simple like a boutique-808 with all the other TR/DR/CR sounds onboard, nothing else, with say10 outputs + midi - usb version optional. ~ just a 2 unit rackmount with all the classic sounds/12 outs/midi/tune,decay,snappy etc for each sound on the front panel, thats all I want, no sequencer, fx or migraine inducing coloured lighting, have it styled like the orig.R-8 rhythm composer, with some vintage 808 orange just for the logo and the instruments title, powered by a simple fig8 lead, £400 and for this coming xmas, thank you very much. call it ~ TR-008R

[@DjStinger]

So many crying babies here.. A company likes to make money and with that money they create new stuff. If you don't like it, don't buy it. Oh and don't forget to sell your other Roland gear out of protest.

[@maccagrabme]

Boutique Pro please.