TR-707

In 1985 Roland released the now-famous TR-707 Rhythm Composer. Taking its rightful place next to other classic Roland drum machines, this previously underrated instrument has since appeared on hit tracks in a long list of genres, including synth pop, acid house, industrial, electro, indie, alternative, and more. Thanks to our Analog Circuit Behavior (ACB) technology, you can now have the authentic sound and experience of this influential drum machine right inside your DAW—with modern upgrades that take it into all-new territory.

Digital transition.

Before the TR-707, Roland released the now-legendary TR-909, which was developed as an analog-digital hybrid rather than a fully digital device. Memory chips and digital-to-analog converters were costly at the time, so there was concern that an all-digital design would make the product unaffordable for many musicians and would have limited sound shaping options. However, after the TR-909's release, Roland embraced the trend towards digital technology with a drum machine that combined crisp and punchy sampled sounds with the user-friendly TR interface—newly enhanced with the hands-on immediacy of individual faders.

The sound of vintage digital.

Developed in the mid-1980s, the TR-707 had a 25 kHz, 8-bit (or 6-bit for some tones) sample playback engine that was primitive by today's standards. These low bit rates caused quantization noise during the sound's decay, so non-decaying PCM waveforms were used, with decay introduced later in the analog circuitry. Furthermore, deviations in the clock and the analog circuitry downstream of the D/A converter caused variances in the pitch and decay characteristics. And though the TR-707 lacked the ability to edit sounds, the combination of these factors ultimately led to it being highly sought after for its unique lo-fi punch.

The full experience. And more.

Great care has gone into making the TR-707 feel special to use, just like the original hardware. Realistic new and aged skins match your vibe, and all 15 original sounds and 64 patterns are included. But these recreations go way beyond vintage with 43 kits and patterns for modern genres, wicked sound-shaping options, powerful sequencing, drag and drop audio/MIDI to your DAW, multi-out, and more. The TR-707 even works together with the available TR-727, with matching kits and patterns that complement each other perfectly. Load a kit, load a pattern, and let the magic happen.

Ultra-powerful sequencing.

While the sequencer on the original TR-707 was the most advanced we'd ever made, the updated sequencer here goes much further, incorporating features that let you add detail and nuance to your grooves. Opening the sequencer's expanded edit panel reveals individual sequencer lanes with mute, solo, and adjustable shuffle for each instrument. Per-step accent is included, and each step can trigger hard or weak hits, alternate sounds, three types of sub-steps, and nine types of flams.

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