Roland’s Number Series, The Drum Machines And Synths That Changed Everything

Roland TR-808 – 1980

If you had to pick one machine that changed music forever, you’d be hard-pressed to look past the TR-808. Released in 1980, it was Roland’s first fully programmable rhythm composer, and it landed with all the grace of a concrete pigeon. At first, nobody wanted it; the sound was considered too artificial compared to “real” drum kits and people wanted more realistic sounds such as the LinnDrum. But here’s the trivia kicker: the only reason the 808 sounds the way it does is because Roland had bought a massive stockpile of faulty semiconductors, and rather than chucking them out, they used them in the machine. Those defective transistors gave the 808 its famously deep, booming kick. Happy accident, or industrial-scale recycling genius? You decide. The result was a bass drum that could level city blocks, snares with the bite of an annoyed terrier, and handclaps that became the punctuation mark of countless hits. From electro and early hip hop to trap, pop, and even rock, the 808 carved out a permanent niche. It wasn’t designed to be timeless; it was designed to be useful, but by some cosmic fluke, it ended up being both. Today the 808’s kick is famously sampled and then tuned so that it also becomes the bass line.

TR-808 Key Features

• Analogue Drum Voices:
  Every hit is unique, every kick booming; a playground for Drum Machines enthusiasts.
• 16-Step Programmable Sequencer:
  Hands-on control that still inspires modern Sequencers in DAWs and hardware today.
• Iconic Bass Drum Circuit:
  A happy transistor accident that redefined bass in popular music and demanded bigger PA Systems.

TR-808 Notable Artists

• Afrika Bambaataa
• Kanye West
• Marvin Gaye
• Beastie Boys
• Whitney Houston

Get the 808 Sound

Roland TR-707 & TR-727 – 1984 / 1985

The TR-707 and its colourful sibling, the TR-727, both debuted in 1985, right as Roland was leaning hard into PCM sampling. The 707 gave you clean, digital recordings of drum sounds that were crisp enough to pass in pop productions, while the 727 added a Latin percussion palette that turned every living room into a salsa club. Fun trivia here: the inclusion of MIDI as standard made it a dream for syncing with early Digital Synths and Workstations & Arrangers. Producers loved its big LED display and hands-on faders, which felt downright futuristic at the time. The 727, meanwhile, was often dismissed as a novelty, but those congas, timbales, and agogo bells carved out their own place in house, electro, and even industrial tracks. Together, these two machines embodied the mid-80s transition from analogue charm to digital precision. And while they don’t carry the same mythical aura as the 808 or 909, they deserve credit as the unsung workhorses of countless studio racks.

TR-707 & TR-727 Key Features

• PCM Sample Playback:
  Digital drum and percussion sounds with a tight punch that sat well in PA Digital Mixers.
• MIDI Connectivity:
  Early adopters’ dream for linking with Synths & Workstations or triggering Sequencers.
• Visual Programming:
  Step buttons and LED indicators that made sequencing more intuitive than ever before.

TR-707 / TR727 Notable Artists

• Madonna
• Depeche Mode
• Aphex Twin
• Marshall Jefferson
• The Cure

Get the 707 Sound

Roland TR-606 – 1981

Released in 1981 as the companion to the TB-303, the TR-606 was pitched as a drummer’s best mate, a portable box to keep rhythm alongside a guitarist or bassist. Spoiler: drummers were not impressed. But electronic producers quickly saw its potential. Its kick and snare had a bright, snappy edge, and its toms had a peculiar “plinky” tone that wormed its way into early electro and new wave. Trivia time: Roland deliberately designed the 606 to fit neatly into the same carrying case as the TB-303, so musicians could march around with a ready-made “band in a briefcase.” While it lacked the thunder of the 808 or the punch of the 909, the 606’s lightweight design and straightforward programming made it a hit with DIY producers and early bedroom studios. These days, it’s prized for its distinctive voice and portability, especially by those who appreciate the raw character of machines that were never supposed to be iconic in the first place.

TR-606 Key Features

• Compact & Portable:
  Easy to carry, easy to play; the spiritual ancestor of modern Semi Modular & Desktop gear.
• Distinctive Drum Sounds:
  Snappy snares and quirky toms that stand out in a sea of polished Drum Machines.
• Simple Step Sequencer:
  User-friendly programming that syncs nicely with Modular & Eurorack Synths or DJ Equipment.

TR-606 Notable Artists

• Aphex Twin
• Juan Atkins
• Nine Inch Nails
• Massive Attack
• 808 State

Get the 606 Sound

Roland TR-505 – 1986

Released in 1986, it was like the younger sibling who turned up late to the party with a bag of crisps. Compared to the 707 or 727, it was more affordable, more compact, and honestly, a bit polite-sounding. But here’s the fun fact: that affordability meant it became a staple in classrooms, hobbyist studios, and with musicians who just wanted something simple to get the job done. Its PCM samples weren’t glamorous, but they were clean, and it was one of the first accessible ways to get proper digital drums without pawning off your grandmother’s jewellery. Many producers cut their teeth programming beats on the 505, which means its cultural importance lies less in nightclubs and more in sparking a million bedroom experiments that eventually spilt onto vinyl. In short, it may not be the star of the Roland line-up, but it was the training wheels that helped countless producers ride.

TR-505 Key Features

• Affordable PCM Drum Machine:
  A budget-friendly entry point into Drum Machines.
• Compact Design:
  Small enough to tuck away, ideal for tight spaces or lugging to jam sessions with DJ Equipment.
• MIDI Integration:
  Seamlessly connects to other Synths & Workstations and early Samplers.

TR-505 Notable Artists

• Orbital
• Squarepusher
• Future Sound of London
• Underworld

Roland TB-303 – 1981

Now we’re talking. The TB-303 was released in 1981 as a “Bass Line” machine, intended to accompany guitarists with realistic bass parts. Spoiler alert: nobody thought it sounded remotely like a bass guitar, and no one could reliably programme the thing. In fact, sales were so bad that Roland discontinued it after just a couple of years. But here’s where fate intervened: a handful of enterprising producers in Chicago realised that if you twisted the filter, resonance, and accent knobs in just the right (or wrong) way, the 303 didn’t sound like a bass at all. It sounded like the inside of a robot’s stomach after a vindaloo. That squelchy, resonant tone became the foundation of acid house, birthing an entire genre from a machine that was originally marketed as “practice gear.”, combined with Guitar Effects Pedals, specially distortion. You entre an entire sonic reality. The 303 is proof that sometimes failure is just success wearing funny trousers and a sequencer that gave birth to many a “happy accident”. To this day, the TB-303 is one of the most cloned and mimicked pieces of musical equipment, a prime example would be the Korg Prophecy, containing the patch “303Growler”, which was responsible for the main riff on Smack My Bitch Up by The Prodigy.

TB-303 Key Features

• Resonant Filter:
  The magic sauce that makes it scream, ideal for Analogue Synths lovers and acid heads alike.
• Accent & Slide:
  Unique programming quirks that gave it the characteristic squelch when used with Sequencers.
• Compact Companion Design:
  Intended to sit alongside the TR-606, making a portable rhythm-and-bass duo for your Live Mixers.

TB-303 Notable Artists

• Phuture
• Fatboy Slim
• Daft Punk
• Aphex Twin
• Josh Wink

Get the 303 Sound

Roland SH-101 – 1982

Last but by no means least, the SH-101. Released in 1982, it was a single-oscillator monophonic synth that was marketed to guitarists as an easy way to dip into synthesis. It even came with a keytar-style grip handle so you could prance around the stage pretending you were auditioning for a synth-pop Top of the Pops slot. The SH-101 had a wonderfully fat sound thanks to its sub-oscillator, the filter has become legendary for it’s distinctive squelch and growl and the sequencer + its front panels were so simple, there was little excuse for people to use it, it was almost impossible to get a bad sound out of it. This is why so many artists started with, and possibly still use one. Kaiser Chiefs + The Prodigy are two notable examples where the little starter synth is still used to this day.

SH-101 Key Features

• Single Oscillator with Sub:
  Small package, huge sound; a classic for Analogue Synths.
• Built-in Sequencer & Arpeggiator:
  Ideal for quick patterns without extra Sequencers or Synth Accessories.
• Portable with Keytar Option:
  Clip on the handle and you’re ready to strut, plugging into PA Outboard and beyond.

SH-101 Notable Artists

• The Prodigy
• Orbital
• Boards of Canada
• Devo
• Mr. Oizo

Get the 101 Sound

Modern Drum Machines: The Legacy Marches On

While the classic Roland Number Series has been safely enshrined in the halls of music history (and in some cases behind reinforced glass cases at auction houses), their spirit is far from gone. The same ethos of hands-on rhythm sculpting lives on in today’s machines. Roland themselves revisited their heritage with the Drum Machines in the Roland AIRA range, think TR-8S, which blends faithful recreations of the 808 and 909 with modern sample layering, digital polish, and USB connectivity. Companies like Elektron have also carried the torch, with machines such as the Analog Rytm combining the warmth of Analog Synths with the flexibility of Samplers. Korg, too, has never been shy about stepping into the beat-making arena, offering compact boxes that slide neatly into a live rig alongside DJ Equipment, Live Mixers, or even sprawling setups of Modular & Eurorack Synths.

The lesson here is that while you may not be able to snag an original 808 without selling both kidneys and your neighbour’s, the workflow and joy of programming grooves are still alive and well. Today’s hardware often gives you the same immediacy as the classics, but with modern conveniences like MIDI over USB, effects, and storage that doesn’t rely on batteries remembering what you programmed last week. The legends may be vintage, but the groove-making philosophy is still a thriving, pulse-quickening reality.

Drum Machines