Here at Stereoklang we’ve had the Roland TR-8S since day one of its release and so far it has become the goto-product when it comes to beat generation. And for those lucky enough to have one Roland, in sweet timing relative to the official 808-day, released a new firmware update. TEGEL on the Stereoklang label use the machine dearly across their productions, below is just one example 🙂
The new free update offers enhancements like an FM synthesis engine with Morph control, expanded performance effects, and helpful reload functions to speed up workflow.
Highlights:
FM tone generator engine with morph controls (on top of sample-based sounds, custom samples, and modeled 808/909 sounds)
New instrument effects: saturator, frequency shift, ring mod, and spread
INST FX now has a shortcut for CTRL
Reload function
Delay now has reverb send
Version 2.0 adds Saturator, Freq Shift, Ring Mod, and Spread effects to the mix, which can be assigned to control knobs for shaping sounds on the fly. It also adds many reload functions that restore pattern and kit elements to their stored states with quick actions, providing new ways to manipulate beats while creating sounds and performing live.
The newly added FM synthesis engine delivers an array of tone colors, including silvery metallic hits and other harmonically rich percussion sounds. Users can sweep through sonic variations with the ultra-expressive Morph control, FM depth, ratio, and feedback with knob movements. FM sounds can be blended with classic TR sounds and custom samples.
Furthermore, the TR-8S includes many percussion-tuned effects for enhancing individual sounds or entire kits with character, depth, and space. Version 2.0 adds Saturator, Freq Shift, Ring Mod, and Spread effects to the mix, which can be assigned to control knobs for shaping sounds on the fly.
Version 2.0 also adds many reload functions that restore pattern and kit elements to their stored states with quick actions, providing exciting new ways to manipulate beats while creating sounds and performing live.
The TR-8S System Program update is available to download now.
More information: Roland