Roland expands AIRA TR-8 with 707 sounds

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  • One of the Japanese gear maker's other classic drum machines is coming to their dance music hardware line.
  • Roland expands AIRA TR-8 with 707 sounds image
  • The AIRA TR-8 is getting some new sounds. By new, we mean old, of course. The much-touted drum machine's MO is reproducing the sounds of Roland's classic drum machines. With the 7X7-TR8 Drum Machine Expansion, which is scheduled for release on December 19th, the TR-8 will pick up sounds from the TR-707, which has found its way into dance music productions from Chicago classics through to L.I.E.S. (The machine was so prevalent on early records from the New York-based label that its boss, Ron Morelli, half-jokingly decreed it off-limits on future tracks, according to Steve Summers.) Sounds from the TR-727, which had more of a Latin percussion feel, will also feature in the expansion, which has 30 original sounds in total. It's worth noting that while the 808 and 909 sounds that shipped with the TR-8 were created using complex digital modeling technology, the 707 and 727 sounds are one-to-one copies of those found on the original gear, since those machines were sample-based to begin with. Also included in the expansion are more 808 and 909 sounds: noise sounds and finger-snaps for the former, tweaked kick and snare sounds for the latter. You can learn about how the expansion pack came together in the video below.
    Roland will release the 7X7-TR8 Drum Machine Expansion on December 19th, 2014 for €75.
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