Roland TR-8S Rhythm Performer Compact Drum Machine

The Roland TR-8S Rhythm Performer combines Analog Circuit Modeling with sample support for more sonic versatility than ever before. Create your own custom kits and patterns with any combination of ACB drum sounds and your own samples imported from SD card. The TR-8S also has some new tricks compared to the TR-8, like two automatable fill sections per pattern, and the ability to lock parameter values to individual steps. With access to more sounds and more ways to manipulate them, the Roland TR-8S Rhythm Performer is an advanced groove machine for any electronic genre.

Combine your samples with classic TR-8 and TR-9 sounds

Crafting your own signature sound in the modern musical landscape calls for layering individual elements, and the TR-8S Rhythm Performer is ready with support for WAV and AIFF samples. Packing every single sound from Roland’s entire range of TR drum machines, plus the ability to use your own samples too, the TR-8S Rhythm Performer offers massive creative potential. Thanks to Roland’s Analog Circuit Behavior technology, the AIRA TR-8S drum machine not only delivers all the authentic TR series sounds you know, but it also gives you a level of control and flexibility never before possible. Every channel on the TR-8 includes Tune, Decay, and customizable Control knobs, giving you a massive range of tone and dynamics.

Create fills and pattern variations that set your performance apart

Well-constructed drum fills play a big part in turning predictable loops into memorable grooves. Each pattern on the TR-8S offers three types of fill sections that you can trigger on the fly, or automate to play every 2, 4, 8, 16, or 32 measures. Many musicians like this arrangement much better than switching to a separate pattern that’s been constructed as a fill, as we find it keeps us in the groove and helps focus on the performance instead of juggling patterns. In addition to two programmable fill sections, there’s a Scatter fill available to slice and dice a measure of the main groove for controlled-chaos transitions. On top of the fill sections, you can create up to eight variations of your pattern and switch between them on the fly for unprecedented performance potential.

Stay ahead of the groove for spontaneous live performances

The TR-8S allows you to keep one pattern playing while you program a different one, allowing you to construct arrangements on the fly without losing the groove. Each pattern stores the kit, knob positions, effect settings, and tempo, and will be instantly recalled when you select that pattern. If you’re an improvisational performer and want to be able to create arrangements on the fly, you’ll definitely appreciate the flexibility of the TR-8S Rhythm Performer.

Old-school sequencing for the twenty-first century

Modern step sequencing would never have come about if it weren’t for the original TR-808 drum machine, and the AIRA TR-8S’s bank of 16 backlit, per-step pads instantly conjure up images of this beloved analog classic. In addition to the old-school TR-REC recording method that set the stage for many drum machines to follow, the TR-8S includes intuitive hands-on controls for programming each step with its parameter settings. Choose pattern sizes up to 32 steps long, with A and B parts and simple chaining to create longer progressions. What’s more, thanks to its flexible architecture, you can seamlessly switch back and forth between performing and sequencing to create and tweak your grooves on the fly.

Trigger outputs and external inputs for sonic expansion

You can use most of the TR-8S Rhythm Performer’s audio outputs as triggers to control other instruments, allowing you to expand your rig with other sound modules and sequence them from the TR-8S. It also features external audio inputs to return those sounds and keep them in the TR-8S audio path.

Comprehensive audio, MIDI, and USB interfacing

The TR-8S Rhythm Performer features eight analog audio outputs that you can use to separate your sounds for recording or processing purposes. But if you’re recording to your DAW, it’s even easier to use the USB connection — you’ll be able to record every TR-8S channel to a separate track in your DAW in a single pass. MIDI in and out ports are available too. Whether your focus is on performing, studio production, or both, the TR-8S has the connectivity you need.

What Roland Says…

Born of the most famous and influential drum machines ever made, the TR-8S combines the best of its Roland heritage with modern production techniques and comprehensive sound design. The result? The most complete drum machine to date—a forward-thinking, performance-tuned instrument unlike any other. Build your dream kit from the most iconic drum sounds of all time, otherworldly FM sounds, and the finest selection of samples from our vast library—or go even further by importing your own custom samples. Tap, tune, and tweak with hands-on controls and production tools that make your patterns move and groove. And why keep this kind of percussive power confined to the studio? The TR-8S was literally made to play live.

The TR-8S comes loaded with the largest, most authentic collection of TR drum machines available. The powerful processor gives our next-generation ACB models a whole new level of detail and nuance with that classic Roland boom, snap, and sizzle. Enrich the core TR drums with a spectrum of futuristic FM sounds, plus preset and custom samples for unique hybrid and layered kits. Then enhance them all with specialized effects to inject professional sound design into the TR formula.

The TR-8S has every sound from the most sought-after TR drum machines, with recreations of the 808, 606, 909, 707, and 727, and several modified versions too. These are not sound-alike sample-packs or mere recordings of TR drum sounds—each machine is a detailed, down-to-the-circuit model that sounds and behaves exactly like the original hardware. All these sounds are yours, at your fingertips, and ready to use in your own productions and performances.

The FM sounds in the TR-8S are unlike anything this side of Mars, conjuring silvery drum hits and twisting tails to augment your tracks. The Morph parameter is an ultra-expressive macro control that lets you sweep through an array of sonic variations, wildly manipulating FM depth, ratio, and feedback with simple knob movements.

Today’s rhythm tracks need a diverse set of sounds and production techniques, and it’s harder than ever to sound unique. While authentic TR sounds are vital, layering your own mono or stereo samples, or pulling from the extensive onboard collection, opens a world of modern styles and the potential to craft your own signature sound. Like the TR and FM sounds, you can deeply manipulate samples with hands-on control of tuning, decay, start points, speed, and direction. Create a kit entirely from samples, or mix and match with FM and classic TR sounds for genre-defying drum tracks that demand attention.

The right effects make a drum part stand out by creating depth and space. Whether it’s delay on a rimshot, overdrive on a kick, filters on toms and cymbals, or just the right amount of reverb on select instruments, the TR-8S has an array of percussion-tuned effects that sound great. In addition to the Master FX knob, each channel has a customizable CTRL knob, placing all this sound-shaping power within easy reach. The attack of the kick, snap of the snare, phaser depth, distortion amount—whatever parameter you need direct access to—can be assigned to the knobs and saved with the kit. Both Instrument and Master Effects, along with their precise settings, are also saved with each kit, so your productions are always performance-ready.

Pattern creation on the TR-8S feels natural and intuitive, thanks to the Roland ”TR-REC” step sequencer that’s been the beating heart of electronic music production for decades. And now, it’s been enhanced and modernized to be better than ever.

You can program on the 16 TR-REC buttons or use the velocity-sensitive performance pad to play live or record into the sequencer. And you can move seamlessly between either—playing, editing, and reshaping your drum parts without ever interrupting your flow. Create intricate grooves and detailed fills using velocity, accents, flams, and adjustable sub-steps for modern rolls and ratcheting. Get experimental with unusual polyrhythms and complex meters by adjusting the length or “last step” of each drum part.

Keep things fresh and exciting, even during extended live sets. The TR-8S can store 128 patterns, each with eight variations and three kinds of fills. Patterns or variations can be triggered individually or chained together for evolving sequences. Copy patterns on the fly during performances, and even stay ahead of the beat and work on patterns that aren’t currently playing. Each pattern can include the tempo and the kit, along with its knob positions and effect settings. This gives you instant recall and enough flexibility to play an entire set without ever repeating a measure in the same way.

Well-placed fills create thrilling moments in a track or a live set. Each pattern in the TR-8S can contain two fills that you can customize or create from scratch. There’s also an adjustable “Scatter” fill to slice and dice a measure into short bursts of cool and controlled chaos. But at times, your hands may be too busy to trigger every fill manually. AUTO FILL IN automates fills every 2, 4, 8, 16, or 32 measures, keeping your hands free and adding interesting dynamics to your performances.

Professional-sounding drum tracks require detailed production techniques. The TR-8S not only makes crafting this detail possible, it makes it fast and fun. Locking parameters to steps or recording motion into patterns gives you everything from subtle movement to dramatic tonal shifts. Automate bass drum tuning, snare pitch, panning, effects…whatever you want. Create melodies and bass lines, or change the sound of a kit for different song sections. Motion recording is immediate and effortless, and motion playback can be instantly enabled or disabled.

After the release of the TR-8, we listened to feedback from enthusiastic fans and artists from around the world—and it left us with a clear vision to make it even better, both for studio production and live performance. We’ve put these user-requested features—and more—into the TR-8S while keeping the immediacy and fun-factor of the original TR-8 fully intact.

Like some of its famous siblings, the TR-8S has eight separate analog outputs, so you can process individual drum sounds through external effects or send them into separate channels of your mixer or DAW. Take control of your sound and decide which instruments or groups are sent to which outputs. And whatever you choose, know that the TR-8S sounds big, punchy, and spacious thanks to its high-resolution 24-bit/96 kHz digital-to-analog converters.

The TR-8S has a dedicated trigger output as well as stereo audio inputs for external sources. And its assignable outputs can even be used as additional triggers. This lets you control external instruments and mix them with internal TR-8S sounds, greatly expanding your creative possibilities in the studio and performance possibilities on stage. Each pattern has a dedicated trigger track for access to all kinds of variations with no need to use up an instrument. Rimshots and triggered analog bass patterns? Yes, you can.

Aside from being the most powerful drum machine ever made, the TR-8S is a complete multi-channel audio and MIDI interface. When you connect the TR-8S to a computer or AIRA Link host, you can transfer MIDI and high-resolution audio over a single USB cable. Record each drum instrument to a different channel for individual processing and recording, automate parameter movements from your DAW by CC messages, or sync the TR-8S to your computer or Roland MX-1 Mix Performer for live sets or late-night jam sessions.

Enhance your workflow with TR-EDITOR, a fluid on-screen editor and librarian for the TR-8S. The intuitive graphic interface helps you nimbly design and modify a wide range of parameters for your signature kits and sounds, and the librarian window assists with organizing and managing patterns and kits. Download the TR-EDITOR for free today through Roland Cloud Manager, the software interface for Roland Cloud content.

Aesthetic and ergonomic improvements can be found throughout the TR-8S, giving it a timeless design that fits any creative space. The shape, colors, and overall feel have been refined to be more substantial, elegant, and inviting. RGB color faders and TR-REC buttons let you customize the brightness, glow, and color of each element. Not only does it look amazing, but it gives crucial visual feedback about what’s playing, what’s muted, which instruments are grouped, and so on. And then there’s that lava lamp model…

The life of a musician can be pretty unpredictable, whether it’s touring mishaps or studio calamities. Take comfort in the fact that every kit, every pattern, and every setting for literally everything can be backed up on an SD card. Just pop it into a fresh TR-8S and you’re back up and running.

• Equipped with the largest, most authentic collection of TR drum machine sounds available
• Analog Circuit Behavior technology provides component-to-component modeling for unrivaled authenticity
• Supports WAV and AIFF samples via SD card slot for layering your own creations with classic TR sounds
• Contains 81 ACB tones and 150 factory samples
• Supports up to 600 seconds total time for all samples at 44.1kHz, a single sample can be up to 180 seconds
• Step sequencer controls 11 instrument parts and 1 exclusive part for the trigger output (1/8″ output)
• Lock parameter values for any sequence step for subtle or extreme variations
• Each pattern offers 3 fill types and 8 pattern variations for big performance potential
• Program a new pattern while the existing one loops for smoother live improvisation
• Built-in audio interface allows you to multitrack directly to your DAW
• 8 analog audio outputs allow you to route your sounds separately for recording or processing
• Control the intensity of the Accent function in real time for dynamic grooves
• Enter steps manually or record your drums in real time to create grooves on the fly
• Original TR-REC behavior provides an authentic TR series programming experience
• 16 backlit per-step pads make pattern creation easy (supports up to 32-step patterns)
• Dedicated Tempo controls and TR-909 Shuffle control lets you create beats that pulse and groove naturally
• Solid MIDI clock sync provides tight timing with external gear, such as the rest of the AIRA series

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