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Released in 1980, the Roland TR-808 was one of the first programmable drum machines available. It was also among the most affordable drum machines at the time, with an original list price of $1,000 (considerably lower than what the unit now sells for used, 30 years later).
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When it first came out, the biggest criticism of the TR-808 was that it did not sound like real drums. This remains true and led to the 808 finding favor among experimental musicians looking for equipment to produce sounds not available in traditional drum setups.
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One of the most recognizable songs featuring prominent use of the TR-808 is the Nine Inch Nails track Closer.
Bands that have used the Roland TR-808:
Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Aphex Twin, Kraftwerk, Alphaville, Plaid, KMFDM, Skinny Puppy, Covenant, :wumpscut:, Front Line Assembly, Boxcutter, Kid606, Alec Empire, MDFMK, Richard Devine, cEvin Key, X-Marks The Pedwalk, Fairlight Children, Lowfish, Lost Signal
Similar Gear
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| Gear: | TR-808 Rhythm Composer |
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| Manufacturer: | Roland |
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| Type: | Drum Machine |
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| Year Released: | 1980 |
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| Polyphony: | 12 voices |
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| Sequencer: | Two banks of 12 patterns, 12 "songs" (chained list of up to 64 patterns) |
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| Memory: | Song and pattern memory saved by three 1.5-volt AA batteries |
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| External Control: | DIN Sync |
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Available Online At:
eBay prices are calculated regularly based on recent auction closing prices.
| Prices last updated on: | August 6, 2009 |
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