I think it's the greatest drum machine of all time. The fact it's loaded with Roland's classic sounds and I can put samples of all the other drum sounds I want, use it live very easily, and set up whole shows in advance makes it a modern masterpiece. Don't need any other hardware drum machine (though as a Roland fan, I couldn't resist buying a TR-08 just for fun).
Must say that the Digitakt has a more analogue sound to it. Yes I know, they both are digital, but the Digitakt has something in the DA converters and output stage that makes it sound different.
@@mikehydropneumatic2583: Do you still own both the TR-8S and the Digitakt? Currently deciding whether to buy the Rytm Mk2 *and* the TR-8S, which complements the analog sound of the Vermona DRM1. The Rtym can sound a lot like the DRM1, so I'm guessing they'd go together.
This is the best run down of the TR-8s I’ve seen. I got one back in the spring, but I just now started playing it and love it. I’ll be able to get the most out of it now after watching this. I hate black and white instruction manuals, and this is exactly what I needed.
Hey just wanted to say you’re an awesome person. I remember I emailed you last year as a complete newb asking about synths and hardware. I never used any hardware before Now I own an impulse command and eurorack and all this amazing hardware Before last summer I barely knew it existed!
I got this machine when it was first released and I have to say it is an amazing machine IMO , i've owned tons of various drum machines and this one just seems to have a really great flow , it also is easy to set up with my modular system , and live the line in allows for a simple plug and go . My modular drum rack is obviously my most favourite , but i do not always get to travel with this , so this TR8S is a super drum companion .
Do you integrate it with a DAW? If so, how easy was it? At the moment I am using Logic to create techno, but really want to invest in a drum machine/sequencer, however I want it to integrate with Logic.
@@NickQuinn1986 If you are on a PC/Mac, it's as easy as installing the driver and then getting the audio in through USB. Each track is independent like Overbridge for Elektron gear.
This TR8S makes me realise just how great the Roland MV8000 and the later MV8800 were and still are. The MV's were proper drum samplers with phrase mode and song mode,they also had great effects and volume faders on the facia so that they could be used like the TR8S, and also run your whole studio via midi with a suitable midi interface . Incredible to realise you could pick up a secondhand MV for less than the price of the TR8S. After seeing this I would gladly pay more for the older now classic Roland MV's, yes they're bigger, but they are the real deal.
If you only have the TR-8 you can also make your beats gritty by selecting delay #8! This is a very short delay which sounds like you distorting your sounds!
Want to buy a TR8S? Use my affiliate links: EU: thmn.to/thoprod/434284?offid=1&affid=623 US: imp.i114863.net/PLJoR And here's some more expensive but also crazy cool alternatives: Analog Rytm MK2 (pricey but amazing!) EU: thmn.to/thoprod/503365?offid=1&affid=623 US: imp.i114863.net/WjW7O Pulsar-23 (a bit overkill for a beginner) EU: thmn.to/thoprod/504302?offid=1&affid=623 US: bit.ly/pulsar23 I have reviewed the Analog Rytm Mk2 here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LxCBrgWdKTs.html and Pulsar 23 here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cly1PJgiXyM.html
Hello Bobeats. I hope you dont mind if I ask you a question. But is it possible to use the arturia beatstep pro which has very sensitive pads instead of the instrument pad on the roland tr8s.? I want to tap patterns into the roland tr8s in realtime but I dont like the tr8s pad , it is not sensitive enough. I love your channel, but I have to be careful you make me want everything. I bought the tr8s and the korg nts1 from watching your channel. Anyway thanks and good night from Cork , Ireland.
It's a great machine with a lot of depth, I bought one a few months back when they were first announced. BUT the biggest omission, for me, is the lack of a Song Mode. Although you get 8 variations for each pattern, you can't put together an entire song, for example: Pattern one, repeat 16 times for the verse, Pattern 2 repeat 8 times for the chorus, pattern 3 to play a 2 bar fill, then go back to pattern 1 and play 16 times for a new verse. And so on. As it stands, the machine is too demanding on your time. You just want to set it running then get on with playing your other synths, or bass or guitar. But you keep having to go back to it to select the next set of patterns. So for the solo performer its a bit of a nuisance. If Roland can add a Song mode in their next firmware update, then I think it will complete the machine.
Thanks for this explanation. That was my big question. Is there any modern device that has a proper song mode as you described? I've been searching and thinking of getting an older midi sequencer. The DM1 app does it wonderfully, but I haven't been able to find hardware that works in this way.
hi, you can actually do that by chaining pattern 1,2 and 3 and chaining the number of variations(two or three variations with the same sequence. I hope it helps
@@justindrakecroft A great choice would be the Deluge, from Synthstrom Audible. It's a great little machine. The only thing I lack on that one are the faders but you can of course mute individual tracks. I guess my very personal "issue" is that I'm more familiar with DJing rather than producing my own music.... so for whatever reason I feel like I need faders! 😜🙈 Probably just a (bad) habit....
honestly i prefer the layout of the knobs and stuff better on this than the digitakt , but still i dont think id ever swap , i should have just saved for an octatrack
Hey Bo, Thnx for the video. The Roland TR-8 was my first drumcomputer. Shortly after the TR-8S was on the market, so I swapped then. I super fast workflow. But the samples are in my opinion overrated. Way to many work to program and assign them correctly. Later on I bought a Digitakt and its workflow is in my opinion more complete. It’s main workflow is a little slower, it it has much more possibilities with the parameter locks, so it fits me more. So I just sampled the best TR-8S sounds in the Digitakt and I am now selling my TR-8S to make place for something else. PS: your vids are improved very much lately! Keep up the good work. Like the new intro and the text in screen. 👍🏼
Great stuff as always BoBeats. I have watched and pressed like to more than 30 of your videos but i had not subscribed yet. Just fixed that. For some reason your videos always appeared in suggestions so i was under the impression that was because i was a sub. Thank you for all your extremely informative videos. They are extremely helpfull to those of us who are on tight budget and need to take the right decisions.
"We can beetroot juice" - suddenly, I flick back from the other tab I was reading to find out why Bo is talking about beetroot juice. Rewind: "We can bit-reduce". Oh...
do you find it limiting that there is no unquantized option? it doesn't seem like you can create a looser feel or get too abstract. is there a drum machine with the same sound quality but more rhythmic freedom?
Hello Bo (and followers)! :) Some months ago I bought an APC-40mk2 in order to have individual faders for each instrument of my virtual drum machines in Ableton Live. While overall it's not a bad controller, in my opinion the faders have too much lag/latency. This is why I was looking into the TR-8S for quite some time (but still didn't pull the trigger). I'm still not clear about how good it is and if it's worth the money. (How big or small is the lag between pulling up/down the fader one the impact on the sound. Can it be comparer with a soundsource on a regular DJ Mixer or is it slower?) Any feedback and your opinion(s) will be highly appreciated! Thanks a lot and keep up the good work! :)
Hi mate, great video, ot a question though around 8 minutes you change it up 2 semi tones, by holding a pattern button and then shift on the controle tuning knob. I cant seem to get this done. Can you explain please
Hi! Can you record and sequence external synths? I have a minilogue XD and a monosynth that I would like to sequence from the machine as I do now with the electribe 2. Thanks for the review!
Dude if you just want a hardware step sequencer to input into your computer, you could go for a trigger finger pro, saves 16 patterns I believe, and nice pads, or the beat step/ beat step pro! Trigger finger has the same x0x style note entry. But hey if you want the sounds, then tr-8 or tr-8s is nice too!
Hey Bo great video, I am looking to buy a drum machine/sequencer and integrate with Logic. I was using the Maschine Mikro, which I enjoyed, but found it's integration with Logic pretty rubbish. Would you recommend the TR8S, and also, do you favour it over the old school stuff such as the TR8?
TR8S+Octatrack Mk2 anyone? I imagine using the assignable direct outs on the TR8S into the OctaTrack might yield some interesting mangling and FX possibilities.
Yes I'm doing it, but not with audio coming back into Octa...I'm sure that would be great. I just have it sync'd to the Octa's clock. The biggest problem in a set up like this is that when you send a program change message to the the TR-8S, there is a 1 bar offset between the pattern change and the kit change, for reasons I can't fathom. Also you can't change variations via MIDI and no song mode, so you effectively have to rememebr where you are in your song/set and manually triggering everything.
Great machine but I still prefer the Digitakt over the TR-8s. Though for live performances the TR-8s might have the edge. You can't go wrong with either, it is just a matter of preference. I'd like to have both, so if somebody wants to donate their TR-8s I will take it! Just got a DrumBrute Impact, very intuitive good sounding and well build machine.
I also prefer the Digitakt. Way more mangling/sound shaping options and a much deeper sequencer. The Rytm Mk2 is the ultimate, though. Pretty much does what a digitakt does, plus an analog drum machine that you can process and resample in the box.
Mike Hydropneumatic DFAM is awesome but can be very tricky to tune outside of an eurorack system , without a quantizer. But if you build your song « around « the dfam it becomes an instant gratification dark techno machine. For live performances i use the dfam for specific parts :kicks or hats etc and i play its basses with the digitakt fully loaded with dfam samples. But you still can take one dfam and a bunch of guitar pedals and you can perform a whole industrial techno set lol
I just picked one of these up. I know nothing about anything music related. Question for ya- where do people find lots of drum patches...like every drum knowns to man? Tks!
I am very new to all this but am finding this video very helpful, but I am stuck when it comes to the Tuning section. I am not sure how to select and set the active instrument control knob to Coarse . I am able to find it in the options but am only able to control it via the Value knob and not set it to the CTRL knob for the active instrument.
I didnt read all the 100+ comments but wanted to ask. I'm considering buying this or the Roland 808 controller. Will the TR8S be able to connect to my Pioneer DDJ-Sz2 to make live or recorded remixes? Also, is this drum machine Virtual DJ Pro compatible? Thank you!
Hi... Thank you for this complete video... I will receive tr-8s as christmas gift, and i own a synth, the novation mininova. Do you know it? How can i trigger each other ? (Which connection or parameters)
Really considering getting one. It seems it can be used as a MIDI (out) controller, but can MIDI (in) be used to control it? Like if I hook up a 4x4 drum pad controller, can I use that to live play all 11 tracks at once?
If you use this with a Digitack or a MPC live or something similar...how do you sequence / Use Midi ? Using the Internal Sequecer, Clock or using the External Sequencer / Clock ? Both of these options work ?
Killer beat tbh. The TR8S seems interesting but if I were inclined to buy a Drum Machine/sampler right now I'd opt for the Digitakt. I'll think about it after I buy my Digitone. :v
Using one value encoder and that tiny screen to adjust 100s of parameters seems like a major pain in the bum. If they had at least done what they did with the MC-707 it would seem less tedious.
Hi, thanks for the great TR 8S explanation. Here is my question. I have a TR 8S, JP 08 and audio interface, and a Mac computer. I am trying to put everything together but so far I can only hear my daw, and TR 8S. the sound from the JP 08 is only coming out of its own little speaker. I already selected RC or CC to be the channels out for the Jp08 , but nothing. I am not sure if the issue is mu audio interface. can you help me resolve this issue? Thank you
Do you happen to know if the TR-8S has balanced or unbalanced outputs? They never specify in the manual. Which type cable do you recommend I connect the unit to a Focusrite Scarlett? Currently using TS to XLR - does it matter?
very nice explained :-) could you tell me how it is with odd meters and subdivisons ... is it possible to make for example a 7/4 pattern in Quintuplets? Or a 35/16 time measure (=the same :) And is it possible to play 2 patterns in a differnt speed at the same time? (not that i would need this everyday, just wondering and experimenting a lot) :-)
Hei Thx for great video really helping One question , would it be possible to make a short video on how to integrate tr8s with cubase but nit using the audio interface , I use already an audio interface and can not use a second one. Than you
Hi brilliant channel. I'd love Linn Drum and would like to use the inbuilt patterns to trigger a vst instrument in ableton..and control the parameters of each sound/part of drum with the channel faders. I hope to then route the audio into roland mx1. Do you know if this has purely midi out control or a midi controller mode like its predecessor?
Hi Bo, thank you for all the incredibly educational videos I thoroughly enjoy all the videos of of yours and learnt a lot as I'm new to synthesizers having been a guitarist most of my life. I know this is about the tr8s but I was thinking about getting the tr8 but I'm struggling to find out how to change settings so I can clock sync to a minilogue monologue or perhaps even a Volca though that's not as is important. I think I need to 2pq for my korg gear I believe. This option seems to be available in the update but I need to know it will work before I outlay the money as it is more expensive in New Zealand. Just one more thing, I'm trying to go dawless, I'm always looking at a PC, lol. Thank you for all your wonderful help, you are a very inspiring man. I hope you are having a lovely day
thank you sir. for the Minilogue, Monologue and *i think* Volcas you can just clock over midi :) use a midi splitter/thru to sync up a drum machine to multiple synths. kenton thru 5 for example
Great primer on the instrument Bo. Thank you. Quick question: when adding a melodic sound like synth or bass, what's your approach.... do you sacrifice a little used instrument (the same one all the time) to keep things simple?
I like almost all fueature of this unit. Preloaded samples, sd card, working as midi controller.Only wownside would be small pads you could not use two fingers to do rolls. Has anyone got some idea how to go around it without diving in menu too much?
very frustrated :0/ at 7:56 you change the tone 2 semi tones but didn't show how you can lock that in on a different sequence. all the changes I make aren't reflected in the different patterns. for example if on seq A I have the bass resting on an Ab and then on seq B I move it to an Eb, the bass stays on Eb the rest of the sequences a,cd,e,f,g . how do you lock each change in the different sequences please?
So if I understand you correctly: these locks are like an automation curve. This means you have to set them for every step you want a different pitch. Step 1: C. Step 2: will be C unless locked. So when you switch to a new pattern (is this what you mean by sequence?) you have to lock it again.
BoBeats I was able to figure it out. In your video a few frames were missing at 7:56. I pressed the instrument button and tuned the pitch and then released it, locking it in. Great video, helped a lot. Gave it a thumbs up.
There’s one more question I have. Is there a way to program for example sequence A to have say, r passes then move to B for 2 passes, then back to A, and maybe alternate through the other sequences as well?
I like the fact that having a drum machine helps you appreciate and be satisfied with the beat you made. Push & live is great but with endless possibilities it is super hard to know when you are done and not all over the place
put the sd card in the machine, format sd, hold shift while plugging it into the pc, open it like you would open a flash drive, drag and drop and youre golden. I know Im late but i just bought it recently.
I'm looking to buy a machine for making more complexe rythms with my roland MC 505, shall i get an electribe 2 or a TR8s ? and why ? or anything else ?
Hum sometimes i thnik the small screen of the tr8s makes the sample « tweaking » slower than the diigtakt. For basic beats anf fills, the roland is fun and fast , for modulations the elektron is fast and furious
Truly. So often I just want to lay down a simple pattern so I can get working on the synth side. The Elektron stuff is painful to scratchpad. The Digitakt is simpler than the AR. But still not as fast as this TR seems.
Does the MC-707 contain all the TR-8s functions? I was looking for a drum machine and found the TR-8s.... but then got sidetracked with the MC-707. Which would you choose?
@@BoBeats thanks! I found a cheap $400AUD TR8 here in Aust thats been updated to include 606, 707, 727 as well... is the TR-8s worth spending another $800AUD on top of that? Thanks Bo for your answers :) Ha de så gott ;
Mr. Beats, HELP! One of the selling points that got me, is the fact that you can run all tracks separately over USB into your DAW. Problem: every minute or so, a horrible distortion creeps over the sound. Any XP with this? Any fixes?
I use it with a Mac but I have not tried the multitracking yet. I would check ”samples” or buffer settings for the unit. Usually when noise creeps in there can be an issue with too low sample setting (audio interface settings)
