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Roland TR

Series of Roland rhythm machines

The TR (Transistor Rhythm) series is Roland's long-running line of drum machines, several of which became foundational to electronic music. It includes the analog TR-808 and TR-909 along with the compact TR-606 and the sample-based TR-707.

Sources

Category

  • Drum Machines

    Programmable rhythm machines, drum synthesizers, and related beat-making instruments.

Made by

  • Roland

    Roland is a Japanese maker of electronic musical instruments, including synthesizers, drum machines such as the TR-808, and the JC-120 Jazz Chorus, a benchmark solid-state guitar amplifier known for its built-in stereo chorus and produced since 1975.

Models in series

  • Roland TR-707

    Drum machine · Japan

    The Roland TR-707 Rhythm Composer is a 1985 drum machine that replaced the analog voices of the TR-808 and 909 with digital samples of acoustic and electronic drums. It introduced a clear LCD grid for step programming and pattern chaining and remained popular for its straightforward workflow and crisp, dry sounds.

  • Roland TR-606

    Drum machine · Japan

    The Roland TR-606 Drumatik is a compact analog drum machine introduced in 1981 as a rhythmic companion to the TB-303 Bass Line. It generates its drum and cymbal sounds with analog circuitry and offers step programming, and its thin, punchy voices became a staple of electro, techno, and experimental electronic music.

  • Technical line drawing of Roland TR-909

    Roland TR-909

    Drum machine · Japan

    The Roland TR-909 Rhythm Composer, introduced in 1983, is a drum machine that combined analog-synthesized drum voices with sampled cymbals and hi-hats. It added MIDI and a refined step sequencer, and its punchy kick, snappy snare, and bright hats became foundational to house and techno.

  • Technical line drawing of Roland TR-808

    Roland TR-808

    Drum machine · Japan

    The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer is a programmable analog drum machine that Roland produced from 1980 to 1983. Its sounds are generated by analog circuitry rather than samples, giving it a distinctive booming kick, snappy snare, and sizzling cymbals and hi-hats. Commercially unsuccessful at launch, it became one of the most influential instruments in popular music, defining the low end of hip-hop, electro, and dance records and remaining a sought-after sound decades later.

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