The TR-808 drum machine help crafted many classics records, to celebrate the device’s 40th anniversary, Roland decided to bless beat junkies with some freebies. There is also a very insightful ...

Acclaimed instrument manufacturer Roland announced plans to reissue its iconic TR-808 drum machine in a new, smaller form factor as the TR-08, a move that has musicians and producers across the globe ...

You don't have to look too hard to hear the influence of Roland's TR-808 drum machine and SH-101 synthesizer. Bedrock to hip-hop and house for the last 30 years, the pair of Roland machines has left ...

The sequencer on the 808, a row of 16 color-coded buttons, offered artists a way to store beats they programmed. Courtesy of Roland Even if you don't know the Roland TR-808 drum machine by name, ...

Released in 1980, the Roland TR-808 was designed as an alternative to an acoustic drum kit for musicians to record with, but took on a new life in hip-hop, pop, R&B, techno, house and electro, as ...

That headline sounds suspect, but it is the most succinct way to explain why the Roland TR-808 drum machine has a very distinct, and difficult to replicate noise circuit. The drum machine was borne of ...

If you're a fan of 1980s music, then there's a very good chance that you'll already be familiar with the electronic beats provided by what's widely regarded as the drum machine that started it all, ...

The iconic Roland TR-808 drum machine responsible for creating a wealth of music hits during the 1980s and the first drum machines to allow users to program rhythms instead of using preset patterns, ...

The Roland TR-808 and TR-909 are iconic drum machines that powered a ton of the music from the '80s and '90s. While both hardware units were recently revived as the TR-08 and TR-09, they haven't been ...

The Roland TR-808 flopped commercially. So how did this drum machine become a defining sound in dance music, pop and rock, asks Tom de Castella. You may not recognise the name. But you'll have heard ...

If you know the history of drum machines, the first thing you want to do with the TR-8S is load up the 808 kick drum. It's a deep, satisfying boom that's been an important part of everything from ...

Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. is The Verge’s executive editor. He has covered tech, policy, and online creators for over a decade. The sound ...