ComputeRhythm also used a conventional analogue subtractive circuit for generating its drum sounds, — bursts of white, pink or brown noise for snares and cymbals, sine and square waves for kick drums and so on.
Whilst still relying on subtractive synthesis for sound generation and not fully programmable, the CR was nevertheless an important milestone as it was the first drum machine to be controlled via a digital microprocessor. Not only did this hugely increase the number of preset patterns that could be included in the device, it also laid the foundations for the rise of not one but two legends of modern music-making…. Its ability to store user-programmed patterns and sequence these into full songs was great, but the sound was considered to be okay at best — almost entirely, but not completely, unlike a real drum kit.
Against this backdrop, it was little surprise that the was a commercial failure and Roland ceased production in when the semiconductors used within the became unavailable.
The much-maligned and overlooked s and s hung around on the second-hand market, changing hands for very little money as people traded up or so they thought to the latest sample-based machines. This put the devices in the hands of underground producers who were forging new electronic-music styles and genres. The and became an intrinsic and definitive component of those new sounds. Roland followed the with the — the semi-analogue, semi-sample-based hardware that earned the title of the first MIDI-equipped drum machine.
The E-MU Systems Drumulator added the ability for users to create their own drum sounds, an indication of where technology was headed with the modern sampler. These days drum machines can be seen and heard in the gear list of big name artists from the worlds of pop, dance, hip hop and rock. Brands such as Roland, Nord, Elektron, AKAI, and Native Instruments are leading the way in continuing to innovate the instrument, integrating samplers and feature rich software with traditional hardware.
Its fresh sound and affordability made it a staple in early house and acid house music. It had individual outputs and sliders, a shuffle and flam effect, Matrix display and an in-depth programming section. It also offered real-time and step recordings modes. These devices were primarily for programming rhythms and did not provide the user with sound editing possibilities.
A, standing for Acoustic, represents the acoustic drum kit samples the device hosts. It featured the Matrix Display, alongside 12 pads with 11 corresponding drum sounds.
The settings functions were accessed through the twelfth pad. Compact and affordable, these catered towards the budget studios and home musicians of the time. The overall design is exactly the same, the only aesthetic difference being the lighter colour. The DRE featured 32 preset rhythms and an additional 32 rhythms in the user manual. It is widely noted for hosting very similar sounds to the Simmons SDS-V, one of the first electronic drum kits to be released.
TR Rhythm Composer This machine contained a group of samples mixed from both the TR and TR, and featured 16 drum tones, with 48 patterns and 6 songs of memory. Basic and affordable, it did not offer tone editing capabilities or individual drum outputs. It did host an extensive MIDI section, making it ideal alongside a computer or sequencer. The sounds were similar to that of the TR, with both standard drums sounds and Latin percussion. Tempo, accent level and shuffle time were all adjustable and could be stored to each pattern.
TR Rhythm Composer This bit digital sample based machine was developed from the TR, but featured additional sounds and more control. It offered real-time and step recording modes, with 48 preset patterns and 48 user patterns.
RA RealTime Arranger This machine was intended to be used alongside a Roland piano, to add an accompaniment for performance. It was a MIDI module with arranger functions and offered 30 variations of drum rhythms.
The user could choose between basic or advanced versions of styles, giving a variety of different available accompaniments. It also featured 8 different MIDI configuration power up modes. Without the ROM card expansion slots, the available sounds were a set list. It also featured velocity sensitive pads, and flam and roll options, which could be held for a widening effect.
R-8 Human Rhythm Composer This machine offered diverse sounds with the ability to be expanded with additional and sound cards. It offered patterns, 10 songs, and 68 sample-based instruments. The editing modes were versatile, allowing for individual pitch, decay, nuance, pan and velocity to be altered in real time as the pattern plays. It also featured a sequencer and Feel Patch function, which gave the sequences a human-like groove.
This was done by altering various attributes of sounds within a pattern, based on a rhythm template or another kind of random variation. The second generation model, R-8 MkII, was released 3 years later and featured a new expanded set of on-board sounds. Rhythm series, this machine developed on the rather limited DR range. With more memory capacity, this device was able to integrate a wider range of both acoustic and electric sounds, hosting 48 sounds in total.
Programming was still quite simple and with no velocity control, it was difficult to avoid the mechanical nature of the drum rhythms. MIDI In meant it could be slaved to external machines. CR Human Rhythm Player This bit pre-programmed rhythm machine offered a vast variety of rhythmic patterns, with a characteristically human feel. It had a total of 69 in-built sounds, in 36 available styles. Each style had 4 variations, which meant a total of patterns were possible.
Featuring note polyphony, MIDI In and Out, as well as individual volume faders for each drum sound, the machine also introduced a Feel fader. This fader varied the quantization to make the rhythm sound more or less-human. R Human Rhythm Player Featuring up to drum sounds, in all styles of music, it was a popular machine of its time.
It offered a highly programmable sequencer, with real time and step input mods. It could hold patterns, which could be chained into 20 songs. It also introduced a unique position pad, which the user could assign any sound to.
The sonic characteristics of the sound would then change depending on where the pad was hit. Rhythm DR This device was a milestone in the Dr.
Rhythm series of drum machines. With hundreds of samples arranged into 32 preset kits, many different styles of music were covered.
TR and TR kits were included and there were further spaces for user-assembled kits. It included a Pad Layer function that enabled users to combine samples, allowing for endless possibilities, as well as onboard digital effects including reverb, delay and chorus. Rhythm DR-5 An innovative new concept in the development of rhythm composers, it was designed to emulate a guitar fretboard and featured programmable drums, bass and keys.
It offered sounds, with bit resolution, and 64 drum kits. It also featured a guitar input with a built in tuner and amp simulator — a design feature that would be fully realized later in the Dr. Rhythm series. It also included a full 8-track sequencer, alongside onboard dance music variation patterns, with drum beats and basslines. Inexpensive and flexible, it targeted dance music producers and amateur home musicians.
The MEGAMix function encouraged real-time mixing of beats and sounds, improving its live performance capability. A D-Beam controller was also added for hands-free sound modulation, as well as additional sounds, presets, kits and user banks.
Groove DR This programmable drum machine had drum and 49 bass sounds, arranged in different kits. It offered over patterns, traversing a number of styles that reflected the upcoming electronic dance music styles of the time. Compact but extremely powerful, it hosted MIDI out, a sequencer, and 13 pads that could be played like a piano, or used to trigger drums.
Rhythm DR With twice as much in-built memory as its predecessor the DR, this new device was a powerhouse of it time. With its enhanced memory, it offered expanded sound editing control, 2 reverb types, 2 flanges, and a 2-band EQ.
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