Roland TR-8S - (New TR-8 with user samples and individual outs)

I had the tr8 and passed on the S with no probability. This update is really interesting as I always liked the sound.

Most excited about the Master Probability. To basically turn it up and down in a performance is great!

Also, Iā€™m digging the random kit feature. Inspiration.

The TR8s also generates random patterns

ā€¦hmmmmā€¦Iā€™m looking at you Polyend Play :wink:

Iā€™m currently debating between a tr8s or waiting for my Perkons. Both look very playable, the Perkons being more performance friendly and with no menus, the tr8s having a much wider sound palette (but the Perkons sound is very nice). Of course the tr8s is about 1/3 the price tooā€¦

Funny that the the much cheaper Volca Drum had probability and randomization way before the TR-8S/6S. I much prefer the Rolands though for sound and playability.

really? Was this added in an update?
Does it generate usable patterns?

Itā€™s in one the manuals too.

If you have some trigs down in your preferred style and then generate a pattern, itā€™s very usable.

Good stuff

3 Likes

That did sounds really good

Yes looks like a really good performance tool

3 Likes

It seems theyā€™ve taken inspiration from the Syntakt (with the new FM Model Drum types) and the Polyend Play (randomising drums but keeping their particular types).

And theyā€™ve actually updated the manual this time around, which Iā€™m a big fan of manual reading at bedtime!

So all in all, Roland are really keeping this product fresh and exciting, current and validā€¦and everything else it could already do. And to think I nearly sold mineā€¦naughty me.

Such a solid device.

2 Likes

Same

This commitment to great firmware updates is really making me favour Roland for purchases in future.

Iā€™ve recently bought an MC-707 and Iā€™d happily consider a TR-8S or TR-6S or SP404 MKII based on the awesome updates theyā€™ve had.

I was just getting ready to put the last minor update on mine, manage my samples better, and design some new kits. I just downloaded everything, and set up folders about 2-3 days ago. :smiley: Now this arrives. Iā€™m quite happy!

Nothing like getting your house in order - I love setting up a nice selection of homemade kits and generally making things easier for myself for when inspiration strikes.

ā€¦although Iā€™m hoping that inspiration is in the next firmware. !!

1 Like

Splendid! Need to dig it out of the cupboard, as Syntakt was getting all the attention, and put the new firmware on it right away.

Update your TR and load your instrument with the latest feature drop. TR-8S and TR-6S now get six new FM-based drum models (kick, snare, tom, clap, percussion, and cymbal) with full parameter editing for creating intricate, evolving sounds. And add a dose of unpredictability to your rhythm tracks with a fresh sequencer update that adds probability, sub step probability, and master probability, plus random kit and instrument to create spontaneous sonic flux. Then run your sounds through four new MFX optionsā€”Tone Fattener, Vinyl Simulator, Pitch Shifter Delay, and Ha-Dou Reverb. Plus, upgrade the TR-EDITOR software to version 1.5 for deeper control of the new FM, probability editing, and much more.

Nice :ok_hand:

1 Like

Not sure I agree that the Perkons is more performance friendly. Once youā€™ve got your TR-8s kit set up, thereā€™s really no need to menu dive. That said, if I wasnā€™t so committed to my TR-8s, Iā€™d probably already have a Perkons on order. That thing looks amazing as well.

1 Like

The FM Perc Model has a Note (C1ā€“G9) parameter. This could be quite useful.

1 Like

Itā€™s from the previous firmware. V2
Is random useable? Maybe. Is it musical? Probably not. I donā€™t use the random pattern generator personally. I probably wonā€™t use the random instrument function either.

You could link up 3 tr8s for around the same priceā€¦ā€¦that would be ace.