Roland TR-8S Rhythm Performer Reviews

I have three synths in my rig, and bought the TR8S to add some rhythm, and it works well for that as it's really easy to find a preset or put together a fresh kit and lay down beats without loosing your momentum. If I want to polish, the light weight and layout make it fantastic for lap top use. But what has amazed me about this machine is it's potential for creating great music all on its own. The ability to include samples and abundance of knobs and variations… I loose myself for hours in this thing. If I had to live with just one piece of gear, this would definitely be it, and as much as I love my synths, I doubt I would miss them.
There are a few nit picks, however. First is the mute mode. Each of the 12 tracks can be color coded which is brilliant. I've got a color scheme down that makes it easy to know where my hats are, kicks, percussion and tones. But when you're jamming and want to drop tracks for a verse, you switch over to mute mode and all the track colors turn to green. In the heat of the jam, you lose that reference. The mute button lights when engaged, so I don't know why Roland felt the green track lights would be needed.
Secondly, when you're blissfully morphing sounds with those wonderful knobs, you want to be able to snap back to original state. You can do this, but it requires a two button press. As good as the layout is, this is a fail. It sucks to come out of a break and blow it because you fat fingered a shift. Reset should be a nice fat single button.
Third, two words: battery power.
Lastly, I love being able to include samples. It's what takes this from just a rhythm machine to a full instrument. But tuning samples is done via numeric value instead of pitch. When you load in a sample, you should have the option to assign the pitch of it. Then, it should be easy to change the sample loaded in, say, A to an E as opposed to 57 or whatever the numeric equivalent is. Granted not all samples would have a pitch, but you should be able to go either way.
Again, these are nit picks. It would be great to have addressed, but I can't take away any stars over them. The only worry I have with the TR8S is my other gear feeling neglected. I love this machine.

Perfect machine. So easy to work with. Keep sounds take out sounds modify easy to change an existing pattern to a beat you want of course perfect in timing which is my purpose because I am not a drummer. My beats were sufferring with a timing problem. This is the perfect fix.

Whether you want classic sounds or new, this machine has endless possibilities. It combines ease of use and tweakable parameters; that means you can start making great beats out of the box and keep building on them as you learn the settings. It also offers lots of plugin and plugout options to sync with other gear. A truly flexible and fun machine!

So much fun straight out of the box. Helps me generate a sense of playfulness in my creation process. Well worth the cost.

Was on a hunt for this piece and Finally got my hands on it thanks to Sweetwater

worth every penny.

Trying to find a controller that can map controls out from this.

Bend to NO End with your OWN Drum Kits and Patches Versatile Options Not available until TR-8S. The Synth has all of what you would Need on Location or Studio where I use this with many others on my PC using Studio One v4. Considered Roland the Roland GAIA SH-01 Virtual Analog Synthesizer but have enough Keys & effects. Service Excellence from Nick Grawcock for more than 6 years. He has Never missed a beat with my special orders at Rush times Sales Events. Not 1.

I've used a lot of drum machines over the years, and this one is by far the easiest, most intuitive, and fun to play of them all. I also used the TR-8 and this is a HUGE improvement on that already solid machine. What makes this so fun is that it's actually a blast to play, rather than just program. It really is an instrument all by itself. I'm thinking about writing some songs using nothing but this thing!

OH MY GOD!!!!!!
Roland has done again. This TR-8S is a Beast.
I think its the TR-8 on Steroids !

I had the TR-8 for 3 years and recently upgraded to the TR-8S. It is definitely worth the upgrade not only for the sampling capabilities and expanded library of very useful classic and modern sounds, but improved variations of existing ACB drum sounds. It is more familiar to the 90s feel. Roland also kept the original TR-8 drum sounds as well. The new 808 snare is more crisp with extended decay, and the 909 snare and bass drum is more "accurate." Also, the hand claps sound much better as well. What's nice about the sampler is that the loaded files persist in memory even after powering the unit down, so it is immediately accessible on power up.

It's like Roland listened to our comments about the original TR8 and implemented all of them!
This is as close to perfect as it gets, folks.
As a TR8 user, here's what I love about the new updates:

1) 8 separate outputs. Awesome, exactly what I was waiting for.
2) Inclusion of ALL of the classic machines, as well as some of the less appreciated (like the 626).
3) Ability to import our own sounds! This is HUGE! And it works perfectly.
4) 8 Variations, adds more flexibility.

What's missing? The only thing I wish it had is a Song Mode. Otherwise it's perfect.
The sounds: Perfect.
The FX: Perfect.
The sample playback: Perfect.
and I could go on. But I think you get the idea. Now you just need to get the machine!

I love this machine! It's like a Volca Sample deluxe! Very intuitive and easy to use. I have barely any experience with drum machines and I was making complex beats and melodies shortly after taking it out of the box. Super easy to add my own samples. The owner's manual is really easy to learn from and it's an actual book rather than a folded piece of paper. I was able to figure a lot out just by experimenting with the machine itself. I learn something and create something new every time I turn it on. The only thing I wish were different would be the option to turn off quantizing but I can live without that. All in all the perfect groove box for someone just getting into making beats who plans to stick with it and continue getting better.

Just got it. Took 1 second to get it going. Sound is fantastic. Looking forward to learning all it can do. Roland has done it again. Get one. For live. For studio. For composing inspiration

Im not very used to using hardware, so punching on this expensive piece of magical plastic is awesome! Everyday learning something new!

Others have been more detailed than I'll be here, but let me just say: I love the TR-8S! Easy-to-use and terrific sounding, the TR-8S is a fine addition to Roland's history of drum machines. With the additions Roland made to the TR-8, this second-generation AIRA machine is just about perfect for my purposes. The sounds and effects are just what I wanted in a drum machine and the programming is second-nature. It's a real winner in the rhythm box category.

I do wish, however, that it had a song mode and the ability to use a midi keyboard to play sounds chromatically. Add those and it would be over-the-top!

This product is great for the price point and it truly sounds amazing. The TR-8S is easy to use and you will be making quality drum beats within just a few hours of use. The FX are very useful and the features of this machine are simple but ultimately allow you to make more complicated sequences when things are used in combination. The only complaint I have about the device is the Knowledge support for the device and how it integrates in studio applications. The manual can be helpful but its not very specific and videos online are not the best for it. After using this for over four months, I still can not get Ableton or Pro Tools to accept the USB audio feature. Which is the main reason bought the TR-8S, the convenience of recording all tracks at once, on individual channels. For now I have used the assignable outputs to record the drum machine which is kind of a task to set-up for each session/project.

I just received my TR 8S this last week. After only a few hours with it I love it so much. Building patterns and setting the tempo with this instrument is amazing and easy. I know I have just scratched the surface of the TR 8s capabilities. I plan on using it to sequence my own samples. The TR-8S feel well built, although I would have liked it even more if it was a metal housing, Roland should defiantly consider improving the housing on all of their plastic equipment. Yet everything else is esthetically amazing. The ability to change the slider colors and the over all look of the TR-8S is very appealing. It is hard to keep my hands off of the TR-8S.

I got my TR-8S about 3 months ago. I have never used a drum machine or a complex sequencer before this device. I have never played a percussive instrument seriously or programmed drum sounds in a DAW.

I really like tinkering with effects and filters and I appreciate an intuitive interface. After a few minutes looking at the manual to learn specific functions and taking some time to explore the options amd menu settings, I felt like I had a decent grasp.

Once you wrap your head around the user interface(which won't take long), the TR-8S becomes a versitile tool to create beats, rhythms, and grooves. It also has many options for triggering other gear, sending tempo info, and of course loading any samples that you might have.

Shortly after I received my until I downloaded a firmware update that fixed a few glitches. I haven't had an issues outside of the pre firmware fader issues people reported.

Build quality is great while still being lightweight. The aesthetics have been improved over the TR-8 and the menu includes options for changing colors on the LEDs per instrument and per kit.

It's easy to chain patterns and get into a groove. I love how this looks. It really feels like a step forward for the TR line and seems like it has longevity with the ability to load samples.

I will be using this as my main drum machine for the forseeable future, and will be using it to trigger an SP-404A for my longer samples and special effects.

If you are interested in this piece of kit I recommend using one in person for a while to see if the workflow is suited to your needs.

The TR-8S is a great drum machine. The sound engine is really powerful, like wow this thing can get loud! Having the classic Roland sound kits with the option to import your own samples is a dream come true. It's very easy to get started on a beat with the 128 kits it comes with, and the on board reverb and delay effects can make you feel like you're in the club in your own studio. Extra points for analog sound processing!

I still have much to learn on how to use its deeper features, but right now I'm quite satisfied using it as a simple music production tool with that edge of feeling like I'm giving a live performance, it's a huge boon to my creative process. Having direct control over decay, volume, and mute for each percussion instrument in my tracks transforms my studio sessions. There's a good amount of included sounds here that I would otherwise not incorporate into my songs. Compared to the Digitakt that I owned briefly, the workflow of the TR-8S puts the Digitakt's to shame in my opinion. (They are going for different approaches though, as the Digitakt is more of a sample editor in my view.)

There are a few gripes I have with this product. I do not regret my purchase at all but I do wish Roland would change a few things:

-There are 128 drum kits, 8 banks of patterns with 16 patterns per bank. There are almost NO empty kit and pattern saves! They are pretty much entirely loaded up with demo kits and patterns. I do appreciate the great number of demo kits and patterns it comes with, but it's hard to understand why Roland didn't include more spaces for your own kits/patterns. I have to delete patterns on a brand new product to make room for my own creations. If I want any of those old kits/patterns back, I will have to factory reset. I wish there was some sort of "project" file architecture.

-Similarly, the saving process is confusing. Say I start my own pattern using the built-in TR-909 sound kit. I will either need to find an empty pattern slot or delete an existing one, then select the 909 kit, and start making edits to the kit instruments and pattern. Once I am ready to save my song, if I do not want to permanently overwrite the existing TR-909 kit, I need to make a copy of it and scroll all the way down to the handful of empty kit slots so I can keep both the default TR-909 kit and my new edited versions in the future. I foresee myself running out of kits very quickly and I might have to delete included kits or my own to save space. It just doesn't make sense to have so few spaces for user kits and patterns.

-The menu diving is a bit rough. The display is thin and you have one scroll knob, no arrows. Compared to my Octatrack, getting around and editing stuff is a chore.

-There is no MIDI thru. I guess Roland wants this to be the star of the show in your setup...

Regardless of my complaints, the TR-8s easily gets a strong 4 star rating! I love it and can't believe I didn't have it in my studio earlier. I highly recommend this product!

This machine is a great way to get started with playing and recording as I learn what I'm doing here and I know That it is just what I was looking for. I have 2 other drum machines and this one takes the cake
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The TR-8S is an awesome drum machine! I also own the TR-8, which now feels like a prototype compared to the 8S. The look, feel, and workflow is Niice, and the ability to load in your own samples is a plus. However, I wish you could sample into it. That would make it a beast. I"m guessing the next version of this drumbox will include the ability to sample and provide a bigger screen and a sample editor. Update 1.10 added the "step loop" feature and sample preview. Step Loop is Much more fun than Auto-Fill - IMHO

If you"re looking for an 808/909/707/727 + more, grab the TR-8s, dig in, and get to building out swaggy grooves!

The TR-8S is pretty much just a standard groove box with nothing special. It does the job of the 808 and 909 as well as other sounds. It also includes a sampler, which is nice. I kind of regret buying this, as I would like to get the Elektron Octatrack.

PROS
* Good sounding modern sounds & great sounding classic drums.
* Intuitive Step Programming
* What is explained in the manual looks good and is to the point. (A lot missing tho)
* Operations allow all changes to be made on-the-fly and live (but many of these actions have require watching YouTube or searching Google)
* There is a VST Editor that is under $7 bucks that allows saving as a plugin, on the machine, and adds blending and automation in a way the instrument doesn't.
* Screen does have a graphics mode for better visual understanding of knob & level settings.
* Color coded buttons help understand what's going on better, great idea.

CONS
* No ability to do triplet drum programming (ie tom-snare-tom or real 3 notes over the space of 2 quarter notes, etc)
* Saving to SD is proprietary files. Patterns not saved as MIDI patterns and no program made can translate them to MIDI for putting into a DAW.
* Poor manual in that it doesn't show you the shortcuts, only the menu-driven long-cuts to some key actions.
* To me, the Memory seems small for modern electronic equipment.
* No SONG format. You can build patterns and put them into mathematical storage of no song-understanding-value but it ends there. Would be much bette to have formats like like patterns to intro-verse-chorus-bridge-outro or at least a user driven pattern set that composes to a song.
* There is only 1 touch sensitive button so you can only program one sound at a time using that. Would be nice to have at least 2 so you, oh, can't do triplets, never mind.
* screen is kinda small.
* Pattern savings is superbly long winded menu items. No "save all patterns" options.
* Pretty expensive to be missing some huge "drum machine" capabilities and keep file formats proprietary and offer no editor. They should buy the cheap one offered independently online and include it with the hardware purchase.
* No USB cord or SD memory provided for that price it's quite cheap.

Summary: This is a great drum machine for live techno, hip-hop, electronic, and is meant to be played live but it's step-programming's lack of real drumming pattern abilities (triplets) plus it's non-song mathematical pattern saving means needing a great memory of written map to press the right sequence of patterns. If you wanted an all-in-one 808 or 909 etc it's got what you want, but at quite the cost. My impression reading online is that it's over-hyped and the reviewers leave out the CONS that are rather glaring.

After playing for just about a hundred days, i love this machine. Endless possibilities, great sound, great interface.

About 60 days into ownership the snare drum volume fader began to give inconsistent signals, i didnt really think anything of it, but the problem has worsened significantly and is starting to exhibit itself in other faders.

i like the tr-8s because it really is a performance oriented machine, but trying to live snare roll with a crackly fader is not fun. I have a friend with a TR-8s, purchased upon release, no fader issues whatsoever. they build a lot of these machines and i have to imagine there's some chance of inconsistency.

factory reset, updated firmware, checked all settings on editor, cleaned dust from fader. still crackling, still weird, still erratically jumping volume signal.

for example; the fader can be engaged at 66% and the visualizer knob on the tr-editor will be jumping erratically. seems like a hardware issue at this point

this should be a five star review, but build quality has been disappointing.

To preface, if you make only perfectly quantized music, then this is great. But the lack of any kind of off-grid functionality really makes this thing sterile for musicians who dabble in multiple genres. I got it because of the classic TR sounds but found myself not using it much, even after becoming very familiar with it.

Here are some things you may want to know if you're considering buying the TR-8S in no particular order:

It's intuitive if you've used other TR machines before, but there's a lot of menu diving. The manual is very difficult to navigate and isn't good at explaining many topics. Parameter locking is frustrating so adding evolving or melodic elements is uninspiring, but doable. Separate outputs are cool and the fact you can sidechain the stereo input is nice. However, when multitracking over USB into a DAW, all the tracks are summed to mono, even the stereo input! So the fact that this supports stereo samples doesn't mean much when multitracking. Also, when using this an audio interface, there is a decent amount of latency that must be corrected for. There also isn't a metronome or count-in for live recording, so you'll have to use a rim shot or hi-hat and delete it after recording.

Overall, I realized something like the Elektron Digitakt fits my workflow so much better. Saving is easier, the samples are all copied separately for each pattern so there's no fear of accidentally saving over a kit, parameter locking is so much more in depth and easy, and you can adjust micro-timing, among many others. Oh yeah, you can sample directly in unlike the TR-8S.

If you're looking for all the TR sounds in one place (locked into 16th notes), look no further. If you want a groove box, there are probably better options for you.