Visit Perfect Circuit for all of your Synth / Gear / GAS needs: ►bit.ly/437Po6K Interested in purchasing some of the gear mentioned in this video? Support this channel while you're at it by using the affiliate links below: ►TR-8S: bit.ly/3itO8G3 ►TR-6S: bit.ly/33f9EG9 ►T-8: bit.ly/3P9af2S ►S-1: bit.ly/3HY1Hty
@@beesting6135 Your opinion is rare.😆 Elektron discontinued it due to the fact that they couldn’t keep up with the demand, and in order to reutilise the resources towards preparing the launch of the Digitakt mk2. Since the Digitakt mk1 was discontinued, prices on the secondary market have only gone up, proving my point.
This is a very helpful guide. Budget, size, and value wise, I think the TR-6S is the best option. Now, as a mere hobbyist with limited budget and time, I wonder if a groove box/sampler is better for me but that's a different discussion. 😅
The TR-6S or even 8S is very close to being a groove box IMO ! :-) If you'd like to have community discussions about it join my Discord! distrokid.com/vip/liamkillen
Very pertinent video! I have recently had both TR-6S and TR-8S, and just sold back the 8S since I felt it was overkill for my needs and is a very large (but solid) device.
I like the tr8s because you can swap kits on patterns you've made. Also you can make 8 variations which can be parts of a song. The two line lcd is nice and minimal. I wish the novation circuit tracks had an lcd.
I like the 909 Kick in the T-8 the most. I hooked it up to the external input on my Tr-8s and use it as my main 909 kick drum. I hope that one day the TR-8s will get the 909 kick drum model from the T-8.
Oh it's a different model? There's a few different options in the 8s - like 909 with more attack ect . If you play around with parameters i'm sure yo ucan get it to sound the same as on the t8
I have a TR-8, and just now learning how to use it. Makes me wonder: is it worth it to upgrade to something like the 8s? Are the differences between the TR-8 and 8s, other than sampling, that dramatic? I plan to eventually use the drum machine for live performance. I have a few old-school AIRA gear (TB-3, MX-1). Thanks!
I'm struggling to digest this. What would you recommend to synthesis newbie? I mostly want to jam with myself. I got a microfreak but it was probably a mistake because the learning curve is too steep for me
hmmmm for a super simple drum machine, TR-8S is the simplest in terms of step sequencing but it is more expensive. The Drumbrute Impact is also pretty simple. In terms of a very simple synth - the JU-06A is very simple, especially if you buy a the connected keyboard with it. This video might really help you out btw: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-s0QCB5xbMWQ.htmlsi=Kg-N6hDiuy8Fbiee
best option is to buy used tr-8 with 7x7 extension and this is one of the most versatile, good sounding and hands-on drum machines. yes, there're some ui things and manual is awful, yes, sequencer is outdated, but if you would own original 808 or 909 - you woudn't have 48 steps patterns with probability and parameter locks. sometimes it's good to have things simple - you could easily tweak some things during the recording
The combo has more voices and sliders than an SH-4d. Though not as knobby. I have them in a small case with a USB power block and an ANKER stereo speaker. They go everywhere. TR6-S is the perfect balance of size and controls for carrying around.
The nice thing about the TR-6s over the TR-8s is that it can run on batteries and in the event of some real estate on your other gear (Juptiter 50) you can put it on top. One downside it seems that it lacks the CR-78 upgrade the TR-8s had a year ago, yet a fun little machine.
Hey Liam, this is an excellent review! I'm nuilding a love dawless setup with a beatstep pro as my centerpiece. Volca beats isnt cutting it anymore and im now leaning toward the 6s for size factor and cost. Any reason to splurge on the 8s?
Always taking us to the next level . ..with your comprehensive analysis ... as you explore the performance .. sound .. versatility of the many synths on the market ... thanks for unpacking it all .. cheers!
In re multichannel recording for roland gear, just know it needs to work as an audio interface, meaning you can't record the rest of your gear!!! (Unless you set up a composite device, which I'm told macs can do with difficulty)
I really enjoy how easy it is for me to start a jam, and the 128 step length for clips was a real upgrade for me coming from the Novation Circuit lol. It has the classic Roland drums and synths, and I can easily record midi into it from an external synth and have that synth playback effortlessly, creating live loops and jamming out!
My personal wish list for the TR-6s: 1:) internal sidechain! 2:) if you are triggering patterns via external midi program change, there is a noticeable skip or ‘hiccup’ and it falls a bit behind the beat. This is a massive problem if you are using it as part of a live rig with a different midi ‘brain’ 3:) on a similar note, being able to trigger VARIATIONS via external program change instead of just patterns, would go a long way in terms of not having to burn so many patterns for a single song. 4:) some kind of micro-timing! It would be very useful to be able to, say, have a clap hit a bit after or before the main kick downbeat. Other than those things it’s a really great sounding and awesome instrument though!
The main thing that prevents me labeling the 6S or 8S as a groove box, is the small amount of sample time space you have to import. I really wish it was more. You fill it up real quick especially if you are importing bar-long top loops or melodic patterns
Me too. I got the tr6s and realized that 300 seconds of stereo samples is shorter than I expected. It’s about 60 mb of samples. So you can load a lot of short things like drums and percussion but as soon as you want, something longer like an atmosphere or pad forget about it. It fills up in an instant
Don't forget you can get an OG tr-8 for around 200$/€. It is a steal for that drum machine, especially if it comes loaded with the 7x7 expansion. What I like with it, besides the massive sound and the great mixer interface, is that it has no depth to it. No menu-diving, no screen, no hundreds of presets and samples. All vital parameters are right there on the surface. Everything stays like you leave it. Together, this forces you to use your ear and develop muscle memory. Like a real instrument.
Great video, however it left me with one question. Is there an audible difference between the devices? e.g. Does the 909 kick sound exactly the same across all 3 devices, or does the cheaper T-8 lack clarity in the low end. (Although, I guess high clarity might be where it suffers more).
They're all programmed with the same sort of ACB tech so I don't think there's any differences from one unit to the next. It's not like Analog drum machines in that sense.
One more nitpick I have with the T-8 is how hard it can be to see where the dials are pointed, depending on lighting conditions. I personally solved the problem for my T-8 and S-1 by painting the indicators white so they're more visible. Great video by the way!
Forgive me for my ignorance but when you were playing were you not playing sounds in loop? I don't understand so what you meant when you said is not a loop playback? like at 6:20 when you start some sounds they loop no? and you can add more all in loop?
Really? The 8S is one of the most popular drum machines amongst professionals and the 6S and t-8 use teh exact same technology for their classic Roland drum sounds. If you think that the 808 - 909 ect sound like toys, then that's an interesting take lol
The T-8 can do a heck of a lot more than acid. All of the TR machines of the past were used in many different genres of music. ..So was the 303... People these days seem to think that all they're good for now is Acid or House etc, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Not that there's anything wrong with using them for Acid of course if that's you're thing.
@@LiamKillen Thanks for the reply! Sorry if my comment came off a little snobby. I wasn't really trying to single you out. Just thought I'd mention it cuz there are a lot of people on youtube calling it a one trick pony. Keep making great vids!
Sup bro, i have been thinking of grabbing the digitone and digitakt and making a album with them and the 404. Seems like a cool. Way to work. If i make that investment, you do lessons ? You could show me the cool ways to use them all together ?
