Roland TR-808
1980
Object
Materials:
Collection: Courtesy of Turnlab.
The TR-808 is one of the classic fully analogue drum computers by Roland from 1980.
Despite the fact that the TR-808 hasn’t been in production for years, it’s a very popular instrument on the market. In hip-hop, house, dance, R&B and many other varieties of music, one still frequently uses the TR (or samples of his drum sounds are being used). Many users though, swear by the original, because samples cannot accurately capture the vitality, the dynamic and the nature of the sounds.
Especially the low, full and droning bass drum is characteristic for the sound of the TR-808. The snare drum (in reality a short impact noise) and the cowbell as well have a very familiar ring to them.
