The R-8 Human Rhythm Composer is an electronic drum machine introduced in 1989 by Roland Corporation, using PCM voices. The R-8 features velocity- and pressure-sensitive trigger pads, and the ability to create loops of beats. The device has eight individual outputs, 12-voice polyphony, and four-part multitimbral MIDI.
| Roland R-8 | |
|---|---|
 Roland R-8 Human Rhythm Composer | |
| Manufacturer | Roland |
| Dates | 1989 - 1996 |
| Price | UK£665 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Polyphony | 12 voices [1] |
| Synthesis type | ROM |
| Storage memory | 32 Preset Patterns, 100 User – Patterns, Maximum number of bars : 99, Memorized Data : Velocity / Pitch / Decay / Nuance / Pan / Micro Timing |
| Input/output | |
| External control | Start / Stop Jack, Value Jack, Tape Sync In Jack, Tape Sync Out Jack |
The R-8 has one RAM memory card slot for saving user-created patterns and songs, and one slot for PCM ROM cards to augment the internal sound banks.
The R-8M is a rackmount version of the R-8, lacking the trigger pads and the sequencer capability, but with three front-facing ROM card slots. These sound libraries may be accessed simultaneously. This device was available from 1989 through 1994. The rack version has fewer individual outputs: 6 instead of 8.[2]
In 1992, Roland released a second version of the R-8 drum machine, the R-8 MKII. This version offers greatly expanded memory. User pattern memory was doubled from 100 to 200, arranged in two banks of 100, A and B. The ROM went from 67 to 199 samples.[3] It brought onboard content from the PCM cards SN-R8-01, SN-R8-02, SN-R8-09, SN-R8-10 and most of the 808 samples from SN-R8-04, while losing 22 of the MK1 samples. Another 16 samples from the MK1 returned in a slightly modified version with another name. A minor omission on the MKII is the absence of the Space Invaders boot screen. This device was discontinued in 1996.
Roland also released a trimmed-down version of the R8 in the form of the Roland R-5, which had fewer sounds and features than the R-8[4]
PCM sound cards
editKnown Roland ROM cards, each containing 26 samples:[5]
- Roland SN-R8-01 - Contemporary Percussion
- Roland SN-R8-02 - Jazz Brush
- Roland SN-R8-03 - Sound Effects
- Roland SN-R8-04 - Electronic (Contains 11 TR-808 samples)
- Roland SN-R8-05 - Jazz
- Roland SN-R8-06 - Ethnic Percussion
- Roland SN-R8-07 - Mallet
- Roland SN-R8-08 - Dry
- Roland SN-R8-09 - Power Drums U.S.A.
- Roland SN-R8-10 - Dance (Contains 6 TR-909 and 10 CR-78 samples)
- Roland SN-R8-11 - Metallic Percussion
Notable Users
editReferences
edit- ^ "Roland R-8 Owner's Manual".
- ^ "Roland R-8M Owner's Manual".
- ^ http://www.kolumbus.fi/sapora/RSC/R8_patches_summary.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ Lord, Nigel (July 1989). "Roland R5 (MT Jul 1989)". Music Technology (Jul 1989): 14–16.
- ^ "ROLAND SN-R8 "Roland R8 sound cards" cartes de sons pour R-8/R-…".
- ^ "Colin Towns: Behind The Mask". Sound On Sound. April 1997. Archived from the original on 6 June 2015.
- ^ "N-Trance: Do You Think I'm Sexy?". Sound On Sound. December 1997. Archived from the original on 10 January 2012.
- ^ "Roland R-8 | Vintage Synth Explorer".
Further reading
edit- "Retro: Roland R-8". Future Music. No. 56. Future Publishing. May 1997. p. 55. ISSN 0967-0378. OCLC 1032779031.
- "Roland R8". Music Technology. February 1989. pp. 78–84. ISSN 0957-6606. OCLC 483899345.
- "Roland R8M". Music Technology. April 1990. pp. 62–68. ISSN 0957-6606. OCLC 483899345.
- "Roland R8 Rhythm Composer". Sound On Sound. February 1989. pp. 26–30. ISSN 0951-6816. OCLC 31700536.
- "Roland R8". Home & Studio Recording. March 1989. pp. 14–16. ISSN 0896-7172. OCLC 17285024.
- "Roland R-8 Human Rhythm Composer MkII". Music Technology. July 1993. p. 39. ISSN 0957-6606. OCLC 24835173.
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