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The influence of the TR-909 drum machine is still heard—and felt—nearly four decades after it was launched. Now, the 909 is available as a software plug-in, delivering the speaker-pummelling power of the original with new features that extend its sonic capabilities and make programming faster and more fluid.
In 1983, Roland followed the groundbreaking TR-808 with the more advanced TR-909. Around this time, machines with digital samples of acoustic drums were first starting to appear. But they were expensive and typically offered limited (if any) ability to adjust the sounds. For more expression and control, Roland engineers adopted a hybrid approach with the TR-909, combining tweakable analog circuitry for the kick, snare, clap, and toms with digital samples for the cymbals. Its unique voice and inspiring TR-REC sequencer eventually catapulted it to iconic status, with original units demanding huge sums on the used market.
Less than 10,000 TR-909s were made during its short production run, but the machine’s lasting impact is apparent on dance floors to this day. Much like the TR-808’s dominance in rap and hip-hop, the TR-909 left an indelible mark on electronic music styles like techno, house, acid, and industrial. From the “uhn tiss” of its thumpy kick and chunky hihats to the snappy snare rolls used in dramatic builds, it’s the sound you hear in your head when you think of hard-driving, floor-shaking dance music.
Roland's proprietary circuit modelling technology brings the complete TR-909 sound experience to life in your DAW. The ACB process involves carefully analysing original hardware units, circuit diagrams, and other historical data. They then use this information to recreate the unique architecture and authentic circuit behaviours of the vintage instrument. This gives the TR-909 plug-in its ultrarealistic sound that leaps from the speakers.
While developing the TR-909 plug-in, they took the opportunity to improve on the original hardware while keeping the authentic experience intact. The software version takes the sonic powers of the TR-909 to new levels with an advanced multi-lane sequencer, adjustable panning, and individual instrument gain controls that allow you to overdrive the circuits for in-your-face punch.
While the TR-909 plug-in carefully models an instrument from the past, the implementation is thoroughly modern. The sequencer conveniently syncs to tempo, and you can drag and drop patterns as MIDI or audio directly to your DAW timeline. And it fits perfectly into your production environment with a freely resizable UI, support for VST3, AAX, and AU formats, and native compatibility with Apple silicon.
The TR-909 plug-in comes with classic kits and patterns to get you started, and it’s incredibly easy to program custom beats and tweak your own kits. But that’s only the beginning. Roland Cloud offers a wealth of new patches and patterns from artists and expert sound designers to inspire your music.
Features
- Authentic recreation of the TR-909 Rhythm Performer using ACB technology
- Detailed interface gives the feel of working with the vintage hardware
- Individual gain lets you overdrive the internal circuitry for different flavours and styles
- Expanded TR-REC sequencer with lanes for each drum instrument for more fluid sequencing
- Adjustable flams, sub-steps, and soft hits create detailed fills and ratcheted sequences
- Per-instrument last step and shuffle settings for intricate timing and complex meters
- Eight variations per pattern for interesting sequences and easy arranging
- Drag and drop audio or MIDI patterns directly from the plug-in to your DAW
- VST3, AU, and AAX compatibility and native support for Apple silicon